50 Random Facts List #22

In 1987, Steven Spielberg made a deal with Universal Studios Florida to license his films for rides in return for 2% of the gross revenues in perpetuity (including tickets and concession sales). The annual payout exceeds $50 million and will keep growing unless he agrees to a multi-billion dollar buyout.

27. A parasite named cymothoa exigua severs the blood vessels in fish's tongue, causing the tongue to fall off, then attaches itself to the stub and becomes the fish's new tongue.

28. If a Ferret goes into heat and does not have sex, she'll die. Too much estrogen will enter the bloodstream, suppress blood-cell production, and she'll succumb to Aplastic Anemia.

29. Not only did 43% of Pompeii buildings have indoor toilets, some also had to plumb for toilets on the second floor.

30. The Eagles' "Hotel California" was written to be a Twilight Zone styled metaphor for L.A. and Beverly Hills and their strange inhabitants. The steely knives were a reference to Steely Dan, who inspired the band to be bold with their lyrics.

Senior Chief Robert O'Neill, the Navy SEAL that killed Bin Laden, also rescued Captain Phillips and Marcus Luttrell, the SEAL from the movie "Lone Survivor".

32. There was a limited edition publication in 1953 of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 bound in asbestos to prevent burning.

33. Young people in Japan are just not having enough sex and this is a huge concern for the government.

34. While searching for Steve Fossett's plane crash, at least 8 previously uncharted plane crashes were located.

35. The Middle East had a “Cold Period” in the 900s-1000s. In the winter the Tigris River would freeze and they would have thick snow on the ground for months in Baghdad.

Mormon prophet Joseph Smith claimed that a race of uniformly 6-foot-tall humans who dressed like Quakers and lived to the age of 1,000 resided on the moon.

37. Almond milk was heavily used in medieval cooking and sauces. It was considered far more grand and luxurious than cow milk.

38. The white powder in Easy Mac is a starch intended to thicken the water so it doesn't boil over in the microwave.

39. John Paul Jones, "Father of the American Navy," shipped aboard a slaver early in his life, killed a crewman over a wage dispute, and that Jones was a fake last name to throw off the law afterward!

40. The Miami Heat retired Michael Jordan's number 23 in April 2003 for "contributions to basketball." He never played for the team.

The depression throughout Japan following World War 2 was what inspired Osamu Tezuka, the father of manga and a medical student at the time, to draw comics to convince people to have hope again. These comics swept thru Japan and laid the foundation for the Japanese manga/anime culture that we know today

42. A cobalt bomb, a nuclear weapon designed to maximize nuclear fallout, able to potentially wipe out human life.

43. There's a country club (Aroostook Valley Country Club) on the US-Canada border that allows people to cross into Canada without going through customs. Founded in 1929, it allowed Americans to bypass Prohibition.

44. Students at Oxford University are required to wear an academic dress for all of their examinations including a suit, gown, bowtie, and color coded carnation. Students wear different gowns depending on their grades. Cambridge no longer has such dress for exams.

45. The state drink of Pennsylvania is milk and its state food is chocolate chip cookies.

In World War 2, nine American pilots crashed into a small island in Japan called Chichijima. 8 of the 9 were murdered, 5 of those 8 were cannibalized. The lone survivor was George H.W. Bush.

47. Oreos are vegan and the "creme" filling contains no milk products.

48. Caitlyn Jenner caused a car crash that killed a woman while towing a vehicle. The case was settled with no charges.

49. Vic Mizzy died in 2009 at age 93. His heirs will collect royalties on the Adams Family theme until 2084, including every time it's played at a sports event.

50. Inuits really have a term that means Eskimo brother: "aipak", or "other me", describing a positive relationship with someone who has slept with his wife.