The original inspiration for Barbie dolls comes from dolls developed by
German propagandists in the late
1930s to impress young girls with the ideal notions of Aryan features. The
proportions for Barbie were
actually based on those of Eva Braun.
Ever wonder where the word "shit" comes from. Well here it is:
Certain types of manure used to be transported (as everything was back then) by ship. In dry form it weighs a lot less, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen, methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern. BOOOOM!
Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was discovered what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure where always stamped with the term "S.H.I.T" on them which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit." In other words, high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.
Before 1800 there were no separately designed shoes for right and left feet.
In 1980, a Las Vegas hospital suspended workers for betting on when patients would die.
After snails mate, they both lay eggs.
Shirley Temple recieved 135,000 presents for her 8th birthday.
From space, the brightest man-made place is Las Vegas, Nevada.
In four separate instances between October 1987 and February 1988, small pink frogs rained down from the sky on to various parts of Great Britain. Scientists are still uncertain as to where these frogs originated, although some have traced them back to the Sahara desert.
Did you ever wonder what the WD in WD-40 stands for?
The name was lifted right out chemist Norm Larsen's laboratory notebook. Way back in 1953, he was trying to concoct an anti-corrosion formula, which worked on the basic principle of displacing water. On his 40th try, Larsen finally got it right. Hence the name WD-40. It literally means Water Displacer, 40th try.
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes when you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight & sleep tight."
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based; this period was called the honey month or what was known today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale used to be ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim or handle of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.
In Scotland, a new game was invented. It was entitled Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden.... and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
Interesting Things That Have Been Taxed
Bachelors (England in 1695 A.D. and Missouri in 1820 A.D.)
Beards (Russia, 1702 A.D.)
Cooking Oil (Ancient Egypt, approximately 2000 B.C.)
Souls (Russia, 1682 A.D.)
Urine (Rome, 1 A.D.)
Besides taxing beards and souls, Peter the Great of Russia also taxed: hats, boots, beehives, basements, chimneys, food, clothing, birth, marriage, and burial.
The state of Kansas once passed legislation rounding off the value of
Pi from 3.14159265... to an even 3.