3 Facts/Stories of the Day

[Perdita]

1. The reason why the Mexican sombrero hat is so wide is to provide shade for the entire body.

2. On average, the life span of an American dollar bill is eighteen months.

3. Stannous fluoride, which is the cavity fighter found in toothpaste, is made from recycled tin.

[Perdita]

*** Today In History

1809 - Ecuador declares independence from Spain (National Day)

1960 - Discoverer 13 launched into orbit; returned 1st object from space

1993 - An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale hits the South Island of New Zealand.

2003 - Yuri Malenchenko becomes the first person to marry in space.

[Abigail]

2. On average, the life span of an American dollar bill is eighteen months.

I wonder how many miles the average bill travels in its lifetime.

[Perdita]

3 Facts For The Day

1. Smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.

2. Sushi was created in the 4th century BC in China, not Japan as many believe. Sushi was originally a means of
preserving fish.

3. Kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony can be traced to ancient Roman tradition where a kiss was used
to sign contract.

[Perdita]

*** Today In History

1835 - George B Airy begins 46-year reign as England's Astronomer Royal

1877 - Asaph Hall discovers Mars' moon Deimos

1960 - Chad gains independence from France

1965 - Watts riots begin in LA last 6 days

2003 - A heat wave in Paris results in temperatures rising to 112°F (44°C), leaving about 144 people dead.

2009 - A new species of a giant carnivorous plant, Nepethes attenboroughii, is discovered in the central
Phillipines highlands

[Perdita]

1. Duracell, the battery-maker, built parts of its new international headquarters using materials from its own waste.

2. In 1907, for an ad campaign, women were offered a free box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal for winking at the
grocer. At the time, the company was called the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company.

3. In 1890, Pepsi-Cola was invented by Caleb Bradham and was originally called "Brad's Drink."

[Perdita]

1. Paper currency is covered with germs and may play a role iin the transmission of potentially harmful organisms. In
one study, 94% of bills tested were contaminated with bacteria known to cause illness.

2. Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 golden goblets of hot chocolate every day. It was thick, dyed red and flavored
with chili peppers.

3. Construction workers hard hats were first invented and used in the building of the Hoover Dam in 1933.

[Perdita]

1. Sushi was not originally prepared as a delicacy, but as a form of preserving fish. Salted fish was kept in
fermented rice for several years to help preserve the fish and make it more portable.

2. A ham was a term given to an actor of low grade around 1875. The term is derived from the used of pig fat, which
actors used instead of cold cream to remove makeup.

3. The hippo's yawn is not a sign of sleepiness or boredom but is actually a threat gesture, displaying long, thick,
razor-sharp canine teeth, or tusks, with which it is capable of biting a small boat in half.

[Perdita]

1. Some sea snails produce sulfuric acid, the most potent of acids, which they use for dissolving the shells of the
clams on which they feed.

2. There can be as much as 150-thousand tons of water inside a cumulonimbus cloud. That's enough to fill a pond
a mile long, 300 feet wide and five feet deep.

3. In Japan, the number four is considered to be unlucky because the Japanese word for four sounds very similar to
the word death.

[Perdita]

1. In 1986, a Russian submarine almost launched a nuclear attack on the U.S. when its radar erroneously identified
an arctic seal as an incoming torpedo.

2. Studies show that couples that smoke during the time of conception have a higher chance of having a girl compared
to couples that do not smoke.

3. In the United States, you are more likely to be killed by a bee sting than a shark attack.