26Switzerland’s Presidents
Switzerland has 7 simultaneous “presidents”, each with equal power. Every year they rotate control of 7 federal departments and who acts as “head of state” (e.g. when dealing with other countries). They come from various parties, i.e., right now (as of October 2021) it's 2 conservatives, 2 liberals, 2 socialists, and a centrist.
27. In 1900, the Secretary of the Navy wanted to use the USS Constitution for target practice until it sunk. A benefactor offered to buy it but was refused so he started a campaign that successfully pressured Congress into saving it. Built-in 1797, it is now the oldest ship still afloat.
28. An American doctor named William Walker overthrew the Nicaraguan government in 1856 and became president for 10 months. He was overthrown by a coalition of Central American armies and later executed by Honduras.
29. The transformation of common metals into gold, a seemingly impossible goal attempted by alchemists for centuries, is now entirely possible using either a nuclear reactor or a particle accelerator. However, the process is so expensive that it is functionally useless.
30. About 138 songs of Taylor Swift have entered the Billboard Hot 100 (as of October 2021), the all-time record for a female artist.
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31Fleetwood Mac
When Fleetwood Mac broke up mid-tour, their manager decided he owned the name of the band and continued the tour with a completely different band, which he renamed Fleetwood Mac. The tour was eventually canceled due to angry crowds and promoters pulling the shows.
32. Mice do not have a special appetite for cheese and will eat it only for lack of better options. They actually favor sweet, sugary foods. It is unclear where the myth came from.
33. Merle Haggard was a prisoner in the audience when Johnny Cash performed for inmates at California’s San Quentin State Prison in 1959.
34. Jouhatsu refers to people in Japan who choose to vanish from their current lives without a trace. There are companies there who can help them do that.
35. Gordon Ramsay has 16 Michelin Stars. Only two chefs have ever earned more.
