In 1979, Margaret Hilda Thatcher was elected the first woman prime minister of UK

1. In 1979, Margaret Hilda Thatcher was elected the first woman prime minister of UK. In 1991, Thatcher received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from first president George Bush. Because of her strong conservative policies, Thatcher is known as "Iron Lady."

18-35% of the population experience uncontrolled sneezing upon dramatic changes in light intensity

1. Photic sneeze reflex is a hereditary (autosomal dominant) condition which affects 18-35% of the population. People with this condition experience uncontrolled sneezing upon dramatic changes in light intensity.

Justin Bieber was discovered after a video of him singing Chris Brown's "With You" went viral on YouTube

1. The YouTube video of Justin Bieber singing Chris Brown's "With You" is what catapulted him into stardom.

Cartography is the study of making and drawing maps

1. Cartography is the study of making and drawing maps.

Competence is inversely proportional to confidence

1. The Dunning–Kruger effect is a psychological phenomenon in which lower skilled people tend to suffer from the illusion of superiority, consistently rating their abilities as "above average." This effect has popularized the phrase: "competence is inversely proportional to confidence." In one example, 87% of Stanford MBA students rated themselves in the top 50% of their peers.
In my opinion, it would be interesting to observe the career outcomes of this population both based on their actual rank among peers (competence) and their perceived rank among their peers (confidence) and see the interplay of these variables in determining success. In other words, are less confident people with more competence relatively more successful or is high confidence level enough to a certain extend in compensating for their relative "incompetence" and providing a psychological frame-work for overall success? After-all, the surveyed population is Stanford MBA students, they do all have some baseline competence that is probably above general average.
Of an interesting note, when individuals are given exceedingly difficult tasks, they tend to underestimate their competence.

A Coplin jar is named after the American physician William Coplin.

1. A Coplin jar, named after the American physician William M. L. Coplin, is a rectangular vessel used for holding and rinsing microscope slides.

A bolo tie is a type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord with decorative metal tips secured with an ornamental clasp or slide

1. A bolo tie is a type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord with decorative metal tips secured with an ornamental clasp or slide.

The Atkins diet is based on a paper by Walter Bloom and Gordon Azar called "Similarities of Carbohydrate Deficiency and Fasting"

1. In 1972 Dr. Robert Atkins (MD) wrote a book called Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution where he introduced his Atkins Nutritional Approach (better known as the Atkins Diet). The diet is based on a research paper Dr. Atkins read in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). The original paper, written by Walter Bloom or Gordon Azar is called "Similarities of Carbohydrate Deficiency and Fasting"

portmanteau is a blending of two words to make a new one (i.e. smog is blending of words smoke and fog)

1. smog is a word formed by blending of the words that make up smog: smoke and fog. This type of word is called a portmanteau.

João Havelange, FIFA president from 1974-98, is said to have profited $50million in a "cash-for-contracts" scheme

1. Jean-Marie Faustin Goedefroid de Havelange, João Havelange, was the longest serving president of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Havelange served from 1974 to 1998 (24 years). He has been accused of personally profiting more than fifty-million dollars in bribes for handing out FIFA's contracts to specific companies in a "cash-for-contracts" scheme.

The Khmer Rouge, "the Red Cambodians," was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979

1. The Khmer Rouge, "the Red Cambodians," was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. During this time The Rouge committed a number of genocides.

Russia and China are two of only handful of countries that oppose ICC's two arrest warrants for Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir

1. On March 4th 2009, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an international arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir, the president of Sudan since 1989. On July 12, 2010 the ICC issued a second warrant, this time including charges of Genocide for al-Bashir's role in the conflict in Darfur. The governments of Russia and China are two of only a handful of nations that oppose both international arrest warrants.

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling white wine

1. A "heffer" is a slang term for a heavyset woman.
2. Various parts of the country refer to soft-drinks by different names:

3. Prosecco is an Italian sparkling white wine made from Prosecco grapes produced mainly near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in Italy.

The stone (st) is a units of measurement that equals 14lbs

1. The stone (st) is a units of measurement that equals 14lbs (6.35kg). However, the stone sometimes has other values depending on where it is used or the commodity it is being used with.

Onions cause tears because onion vapors react with eye to make sulfuric acid

1. The enzymes in the onions mix with sulfenic acids in the onion as the onion is cut. This reaction produces propanethiol S-oxide. When these propanethiol vapor reacts with your eyes, it forms sulfuric acid (H2SO4), causing your eyes to water in an attempt to wash out this irritant.
2. Buoyancy, the force exerted by a fluid that opposes an object's weight, has the equation:

B= Buoyancy
= The density of fluid 
V_disp= Volume of the displaced liquid
g= gravity

Jesus christ super star is a rock opera by Andrew Webber and Time Rice that was first staged in 1971

1. Jesus christ super star is a rock opera by Andrew Webber and Time Rice that was first staged in 1971. The musical is loosely based on the last week of Jesus' life.

A Red Herring is a fallacy in which an irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue

1. A Red Herring is a fallacy in which an irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue.

Edam is a Dutch cheese named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland

1. Edam is a Dutch cheese named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland.

The probability of finding a four-leaf clover is about 1 in 10,000

1. The probability of finding a four-leaf clover is about 1 in 10,000 and each leaf, according to legend, represents something. The first is for faith, the second is for hope, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck.
2. Clovers can have any number of leafs. The record for most number of leafs was set on May 10, 2009 with 56.

In 1954 Salvador Dali completed a "sequel" to his most famous work "The Persistence of Memory." He titled it "The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory."

1. Salvador Dalí completed his most famous painting, "The Persistence of Memory" (bottom left) in 1931. In 1954, he completed a lesser known sequel to this work titled, "The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory" (bottom right).

1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine, PCP, was initially made to be used as an anesthetic

1. 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine, commonly abbreviated as PCP (and known in the street as "angel dust"), is a hallucinogenic that was initially patented in 1952 by the Parke-Davis pharmaceutical and marketed as an anesthetic.

1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine

Conquer (verb): (3) to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition

1. Conquer (verb): (3) to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition.

A baby marsupial is known as a joey

1. A baby marsupial is known as a joey.

To be in an orbit, an object needs to satisfy the orbit equation.

1. To be in an orbit, an object needs to satisfy the orbit equation. In other words, our planet's rotation around the sun, our moon's rotation around earth, and all other countless orbital phenomenons in the galaxy where the bodies are not neither crashing into nor fading from their orbital partner, must perfectly satisfy this equation.




where:
u=reciprocal of the distance between the two objects.
e=the eccentricity of the orbit
a=the semi-major axis of the orbit (taken negative for a hyperbola)
theta=the true anomaly, which is an angular parameter that defines the position of a body moving along a Keplerian orbit

War and Peace, written by Leo Tolstoy, is the 17th longest novel

1. War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1869. It is the 17th longest novel written in Latin or Cyrillic based alphabet.

George Washington Carver was not the first person to make peanut butter. Records of peanut butter can be seen as early as 15th century Aztecs.

1. Although George Washington Carver is often credited with the "invention" of peanut butter, it arose independently in various cultures as early as 15th century.

The Woolworth Company, started in 1879 and the largest retail chain in the world by 1979, is now known as Foot Locker Inc.

1. The Woolworth Building, at 57 stories, was the world's largest building from 1913-1930. Technically it was passed in 1930 by what is now known as Trump Building (70 stories). However, in that same year the Chrysler Building (77 stories) opened and a few months after the Empire State building opened (102 stories). The Empire State building was the tallest skyscraper in the world from 1931-1972.
2. The Woolworth Company, started in 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth, is now Foot Locker Inc. By 1979 it was the largest retail chain in the world.

Washington Bullets became the Wizards because of violent connotation of Bullets. However, Wizard is one of the highest KKK ranks.

1. On May 15, 1997 the Washington Bullets became the Washington Wizards. The team owner, Abe Pollin, felt "Bullets" had a violent connotation and after the assassination of his friend, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin, he no longer wanted the team named "Bullets." Ironically, Wizard is one of the highest ranks in the Ku Klux Klan and the team is in a predominantly African-American city.

Utne Reader is a bimonthly self proclaimed "none-partisaned" magazine

1. Utne Reader is a bimonthly self proclaimed "none-partisaned" magazine founded in 1984 by Eric Utne and Nina Rothschild Utne. The magazine gathers and republishes articles from various sources.

Biomimicry examines nature to take inspiration from in order to solve human problems

1. Biomimicry or biomimetics is the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems. One example is to see how a beetle harvests water from fog.

The term Gingham originates from ginggan in Malay language which means striped

1. Gingham is a plain-woven fabric made from dyed cotton. The name originates from an adjective ginggang in the Malay language which means striped.
2. R.S.V.P. stands for a French phrase, "répondez, s'il vous plaît," which means "respond please."

SigAlert system was invented in Los Angeles in 1955 by Loyd C. "Sig" Sigmon

1. SigAlert system was invented in Los Angeles in 1955 by Loyd C. "Sig" Sigmon. Sigmon was an executive VP of a broacasting company and had worked on non-combat radio communications in U.S. Army's Signal Corps during WWII. He wanted to make a better way for LAPD to communicate accidents and server jams. Prior to this system, stations would individually call the LAPD, talking to officers who had to repeat the same information to each caller. The LAPD agreed to the use of the SigAlert system as long as Sigmon did not keep it exclusively for his own radio station.

ATC stands for Air Traffic Controller

1. In rock-climbing, a common acronym used for the belay device is ATC. The acronym stands for Air Traffic Controller and specifically refers to Black Diamond's belay device; although it is not uncommon to refer to other belay devices with that name.

The name lemur, the clad of primates endemic to Madagascar, comes from a latin referring to ghost or spirit of the dead

1. Lemurs are a clade of primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. Named by Carl Linnaeus, the term comes from the Latin term lemures which refers to ghosts or spirits of the dead. Linnaeus named these animals lemurs because of the lemurs' nocturnal habits, reflective eyes, and eerie cries. Furthermore, it is believed among some people inhabitants of Madagascar that the souls of their ancestors live within the lemurs.
2. The Book of Five Rings is about the martial arts in general, written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi around 1645. It is considered a classic treatise on military strategy.

Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family

1. Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family and is harvested and used as forage crop in the form of hay. This is because alfalfa has a high yield per hectare planted and relatively high nutritional value. Furthermore, alfalfa regrows after being grazed or harvested because it contains many shoot buds at the top of its root system.
2. This is a video on how to tie a western saddle knot:

Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar

1. Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar.

Peacock is only the male Peafowl. The female is peahen.

1. A peacock is only the name for the male Peafowl. The female is called a peahen.

Slime is a mixture of PVA and Borax

1.
Slime is made by mixing Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) with Borax, which is Sodium tetraborate decahydrate Na2B4O7.(10H2O). In water, the Borax forms Borate ions, B(OH)4. The OH groups of the Borate ion (green in the diagram below), readily form weak hydrogen bonds with the alcohol (OH) group of the PVA. These hydrogen bonds can easily be broken and re-made, giving slime its unique characteristics.

The Lovin Spoonful sings "Do You Believe In Magic"

1. The Lovin Spoonful sings "Do You Believe In Magic"

In the story of Cain and Abel, Cain is a crop-farmer while Abel is a shepherd

1. In the story of Cain and Abel (the sons of Adam and Eve), Cain is a crop-farmer while Abel is a shepherd. In the story, Cain kills his younger brother Abel. The murder is sometimes seen as symbolism of the death of nomadic life at the hands of settlement farming.

Lox is a cured salmon fillet

1. President Barack Obama's speech on September 8, 2011 regarding his proposal to create jobs and lower America's 9.1% unemployment rate drew 31.4 million US viewers. On May first when Obama spoke on the death of Osama Bin Laden, 56.5 million viewers tuned in.
2. Lox is a cured salmon fillet.

Make-A-Wish foundation stopped fulfilling hunting dreams of terminally ill patients in 1999

1. In 1999, following pressure from animal activist organizations, the Make-A-Wish foundation stopped fulfilling hunting dreams of terminally ill patients. In response, Hunt of a Lifetime foundation was formed. Hunt of a Lifetime is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fulfilling hunting and fishing related wishes of children under 21 with life-threatening illnesses.

Benjamin Harrison was preceded and succeeded by the same president, Grover Cleveland

1. Hawaii was annexed into the United Sates in the summer of 1898. It was not officially a US state until the Hawaii Admission Act was passed under president Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1959.
2. Benjamin Harrison was preceded and succeeded by Grover Cleveland, the only re-elected president not to serve his terms on two consecutive presidencies.

Emperor Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by the Seventh Coaltion

1. Tennis scoring follows what at first may seem like an odd order of 15, 30, 40. However, one theory originates the scoring to medieval French where a clock-faced was used on the court to keep scoring. For convenience, the hand was moved a quarter of a turn (15minutes) for point one (15 minutes), two (30 minutes), and could have been moved another 15 minutes (45 minutes) for point three and a final 15 minutes (back the 0) for the fourth and final point of a game.
However, in event of a tie (deuce), a player needs to win by two points. Therefore, after the second point (30 minutes), the hand was only moved 10 minutes to 40 minutes. Now the next points would each move the clock by 10 minutes to 50 and 60. If the opposing player scores when a player is at 50, the hand is moved back to 40 minutes.
2. Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18, 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium (then park of UK). Emperor Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo by a combined armies of the Seventh Coalition consisting of Austria, Prussia, Russia and the United Kingdom. The defeat at Waterloo put an end to Napoleon's rule as Emperor of the French.

Genghis Khan was the emperor of Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death in 1227

1. Genghis Khan was the emperor of Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death in 1227. At its largest point the empire expanded across all of China, much of Middle East, and some of Eastern Europe. There are estimates that the military actions Khan was part of during his tenure cost more than 40million lives.


















2. Piñata is thought to have its origins in China where the shape was of a cow or ox and it broken during the New Year celebration. The Piñata was used as a symbol of good-luck for the upcoming growing season and filled with various seeds.

Avocado is a berry

1. By definition a berry is a fruit in which the entire pericarp is soft and pulpy. Examples of berries include:
-Avocado
-Banana
-Oranges
-Watermelons
-Blueberries

(commonly known "berries" such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are not actually berries. These fruits are rather aggregate fruits-fruits that consist of multiple smaller fruits with their seeds on the outside)

The original six NHL teams are: Bruins, Black-Hawks, Red Wings, Canadiens, Rangers, Maple Leafs

1. The Montreal Canadiens were founded in 1909 and are the only existing NHL club to predate the founding of the NHL itself. They have won 24 Stanley Cups. The Toronto Maple leafs are second with 13 cups.
2. The NHL started in 1942-43 season and composed of only six teams until being expanded in 1967.
The original six teams are:
Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs.
3. Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest and most grueling one-day bike races. The race travels roughly 250km each year through many cobble and dirt roads. Josef Fischer won the first of Paris–Roubaix in 1896.

Imi Lichtenfeld was the founder of Krav Maga

1. Imi Lichtenfeld was the founder of Krav Maga, a variant of martial arts that puts an emphasis on aggressive destruction of the enemy. Lichtenfeld became the Chief Instructor of Physical Training in the Israel Defense Forces upon the creation of Israel in 1948. Lichtenfeld died on January 9, 1998 (age 87), but to this day Krav Maga is taught to Israeli soldiers.

Irene is a name derived from the Greek word eiréné meaning "peace"

1. Irene is a name derived from the Greek word eiréné meaning "peace."

Of the top 10 hosting sites based on least failing frequency in July 2011, 7 use Linux servers

1. Linus B. Torvalds, the developer of the operating system Linux, had his friend Ari Lemmke post the very original kernel of Linux (which Torvalds wanted to call Freax) on August 25th, 1991.
2. Of the top 10 hosting sites based on least failing frequency in July 2011, 7 use Linux servers.

Semtex has an R.E factor of 1.66

1. Iran Air Flight 655 (IR655) was a civilian jet airliner shot down by U.S. missiles on 3 July 1988. U.S. Navy's guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes, killed all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 66 children, ranking it ninth among the deadliest disasters in aviation history. In 1996 the U.S settled with for an average of $213,103.45 per passenger to pay in compensation to the families of the Iranian victims. The United States has never admitted responsibility, nor apologized to Iran.
2. Semtex, the explosive that destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 is a general-purpose plastic explosive containing mostly RDX (Research Department Explosive) and PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate). It has an R.E factor of 1.66. Outside of nuclear a nuclear bomb, Semtex has the third highest R.E factor but is much easier to manufacture and used a lot more readily than the first two.
3. Relative Effectiveness factor (R.E factor) compares the explosive prowess of a compound to TNT.

A half sibling that shares the same mother is known as a "uterine" sibling. One that shares the same father is known as an "agnate" sibling.

1. A half sibling that shares the same mother is known as a "uterine" sibling. One that shares the same father is known as an "agnate" sibling.

Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb over the skies of Lockerbie, Scotland killing 270 people.

1. Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked on September 5, 1986, while on the ground at Karachi, Pakistan, by four armed men of the Abu Nidal Organization. 20 passengers were killed (some Americans). The hijackers were arrested and sentenced to death in Pakistan. However, Pakistan later released all the hijackers against the wishes of the United States and India.
2. Pan Am Flight 103, (London to JFK Airport) was destroyed by a bomb on Wednesday December 21, 1988. All 243 passengers and 16 crew members died. Eleven people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland were also killed as large sections of the plane fell in the town. It has been suggested the Muammar al-Gaddafi ordered and financially supported the attacks. Lybia eventually came to a $2.7 billion settlement with the victims.
$540 Million of the money never made it to the families as US did not meet one of the requirements of removing Lybia from the list of countries that supported terrorism by April 2005. US removed Lybia from its list of countries that support terrorism on 15 May 2006...
3. Pan American World Airways went out of business on December 4, 1991.

OB/GYN is shorthand for Obstetrics and Gynecology

1. OB/GYN is shorthand for Obstetrics and Gynecology.
2. All gynaecologists are trained and certified obstetricians, although not all obstetricians are gynaecologistis.
3. In civil law, a delict is an intentional or negligent act which gives rise to a legal obligation between parties even though there is no contract between them.

The islands of Fiji five hours behind U.S. Pacific time

1. The islands of Fiji are located at +12 hour GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), or five hours behind U.S. Pacific time.
2. GMT is no longer the world's time standard. Rather Universal Time, Coordinated (UTC), which adds leap seconds at irregular intervals to compensate for the Earth's slowing rotation. In UTC, seconds are of a defined duration while all larger time intervals (hours, days, weeks) can be variable to allow for the "leap seconds"

24-year-old Geovanny Escalante held a saxophone note for 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 45 seconds.

1. The basic idea behind circular breathing is to fill your cheeks with air when you start to run low on the air in your lungs and take a quick breath through your nose while exhaling the air in your cheeks.
2. In 1997, Kenny G earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds using Circular Breathing. In 1998, 24-year-old Geovanny Escalante destroyed the record by holding his note for at 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 45 seconds.

Cheetah is derived from the Hindi Chita, the spotted one.

1. Cheetah is derived from the Hindi Chita, the spotted one.
2. Variegate means to diversify in external appearance especially with different colors

Gernade means pomegranite in French

1. In probability theory, the Kelly criterion, is a formula used to determine the optimal size of a series of bets. It was described by J. L. Kelly, Jr, in a 1956 issue of the Bell System Technical Journal.
2. Gernade means pomegranite in French.

Amber Rene Hagerman is the child who was abducted at the age of 9 and inspired the AMBER Alert system

1. Amber Rene Hagerman, was kidnapped on January 13th 1996 in Arlington Texas at the age of 9. Her body was found four days later. The kidnapper was never found and her story inspired the AMBER Alert notification system that is in use in most states today.

Lisa Frank founded Lisa Frank Inc. in 1979 and became popular becasue of her sticker line

1. Lisa Frank is the founder of Lisa Frank Inc., a company that makes mostly elementary and middle-school school supplies. Lisa Frank founded the company in 1979 and became popular becasue of her sticker line.

The state vegetable of Idaho is the Potato.

1. The state vegetable of Idaho is the Potato.
2. Two gentleman of Verona is a comedy by William Shakespeare written in 1590. It is one of Shakespeare's first plays.
3. It was originally intended that 5.9 would be the hardest climbing grade. However, improvement in equipment and harder routs made it necessary to move onto higher grades 5.10 and above, in the 1960's.

As of May 18, 2011, "Where's George?" is tracking 190,623,138 bills totaling US$1,028,594,634.

1. WheresGeorge.com is a website that tracks the natural circulation of American paper money. As of May 18, 2011, "Where's George?" is tracking 190,623,138 bills totaling US$1,028,594,634.

Paddock is a usually enclosed area used especially for pasturing or exercising animals.

1. Paddock is a usually enclosed area used especially for pasturing or exercising animals. Particularly it can often refer to an enclosure where racehorses are saddled and paraded before a race

Fiat currency is money that has value only because of government regulation.

1. The Bretton Woods System was a monetary management system that established the rules for monetary policy of the world's major industrial states in the mid 20th century. As WWII was still being fought, 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations gathered at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, for the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference. The delegates deliberated upon and signed the Bretton Woods Agreements during the first three weeks of July 1944.
The Bretton Woods Agreements established institutions such as the IMF and IMBRD. As part of the agreement, various exchanged rates were tied to the U.S. dollar, at this point backed still by Gold Standard. However as the U.S. began running trade and budget deficits, only small percentage of the circulating dollar was actually backed by gold. This caused various member states of the Bretton Woods agreement to withdraw. Finally on August 15, 1971, Richard Nixon and the United States unilaterally terminated convertibility of the dollar to gold and the dollar became a fiat currency. This day is known as Nixon Shock.
2. Fiat currency is money that has value only because of government regulation.
3. On August 15, 1971, after Richard Nixon imposed a 90 day price and wage freeze in order to curb inflation, he also withdrew the U.S. from The Bretton Woods agreement and ended the Gold Standard. These measures came as the price of Vietnam war was skyrocketing and U.S. was running trade and budget deficits.

Marcel Douchamp's Fountain, a signed urinal, was voted in 2004 as the most influential modern art piece of all-time

1. Marcel Douchamp submitted a signed urinal, entitled "Fountain," to a 1917 art-show that claimed all art-work submitted would be accepted. Douchamp's piece was rejected. In 2004, a panel of 500 art experts, voted Fountain as the most influential modern art work of all-time.



2. Polenta is a food made with ground yellow or white cornmeal.

MODOK, a marvel character, is an acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing

1. MODOK (acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing), is a Marvel comics character. In the comic he is often a foe for superhero Captain America. The character was originally MODOC (acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Computing), but MODOC becomes ambitious and the character kills its former masters and takes control of A.I.M, becoming MODOK.

Quechua is spoken in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina.

1. Hughes H-4 Hercules nicknamed "Spruce Goose" although it was built entirely of birch, was a prototype transport aircraft. The aircraft made its only flight on November 2, 1947 and the project was never advanced beyond the single example produced. The plane was built entirely from wood because of wartime raw material restrictions on the use of aluminium. The Hercules is the largest flying boat ever built, and has the largest wingspan of any aircraft in history at 319 ft 11 in (97.54 m).
2. Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language. The Incans referred to their language as "runasimi", only later to be mistakenly called quechua by conquistadores. There are three major dialects of Quenchua: Ecuador Quechua, Central Quechua, and Southern Quechua. The language is spoken in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina.

The game of Straight pool is also called 14.1 continuous

1. In 2003 Efren Reyes became the first Asian to be inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame. He is considered to be one of the best all-around pool players of all time.
2. The game of Straight pool is also called 14.1 continuous

Borsalino is the name of a hat company that is particularly known for their fedoras

1. Borsalino is the name of a hat company that is particularly known for their fedoras. Some of Borsalino's fedoras retail for as much as $1300.
2. The word fedora comes from the title of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou, Fédora. In this play, the protagonist, princess Fédora, wore a hat that resembles today's Fedoras.

7-Eleven was founded on July 11 1927

1. Slugging percentage is a metric in baseball that measures the power of a player by dividing the total number of bases each at-bat produces by total at-bats.



2. 7-Eleven, founded on July 11, 1927, is the world's largest franchise with over 39,000 outlets, surpassing the previous record-holder McDonald's Corporation in 2007 by approximately 1,000 stores.

Hot Karl is any part of sex in which faeces from one partner is found on the other, regardless of the technique

1. Hot Karl is any part of sex in which faeces from one partner is found on the other, regardless of the technique.

A natatorium is a structurally separate building containing a swimming pool

1. A natatorium is a structurally separate building containing a swimming pool. The word comes from Latin, a cella natatoria, which means a swimming pool in its own building.

Merrimack River is a 110 mile long river in north-eastern US

1. Merrimack River is a 110 mile long river in north-eastern US. It starts in New Hampshire and flows southward into Massachusetts where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean in the town of Newburyport.
2. USS Merrimac was a sidewheel steamer of the Confederates, serving in the United States Navy during the American Civil War in 1864.
3. USS Merrimack (AO-37), commissioned on 4 February 1942, served in WWII, carrying oil and supplies to allied troops.

The United States does not have an official language at the federal level

1. The United States does not have an official language at the federal level. About 28 states have made English their official language.

Petr Čechholds the Premier League record for fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets, having done so in 180 league

1. Petr Čech is a Czech footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Czech Republic as a goalkeeper. He currently holds the Premier League record for fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets, having done so in 180 league appearances. He also holds a Czech professional league record of not conceding a goal in 855 competitive minutes (about 9.5 consecutive games). On 14 October 2006, Čech and Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt both challenged for the ball inside Chelsea's penalty area and Hunt's knee hit Čech's head. The severe head injury nearly cost Čech his life and he did not return to action until January 20th 2007. To this day he wears a rugby style headguard to help protect his weakened skull.

Cheryl Miller had a game during her senior year of high-school in which she scored 105 points

1. In 1982 Cheryl Miller (sister of Indiana Pacer great Reggie Miller) had a game during her senior year of high-school in which she scored 105 points against Notre Vista.

The widget inside of Guinness bottles releases nitrogen gas

1. The "widget" found inside Guinness bottles releases nitrogen gas upon the opening of the bottle. This widget is placed empty inside bottles of Guinness and liquid nitrogen poured into the bottle. As the liquid nitrogen evaporates, after the bottle has been sealed shut, the gasses go into the only empty space remaining, the widget, which has small holes not big enough for the beer to enter. Upon opening of the bottle, the pressure in the can quickly drops, causing the pressurised gas and beer inside the widget to jet out from the hole. This agitation on the surrounding beer causes a chain reaction of bubble formation throughout the beer. The result, when the can is then poured out, is a surging mixture in the glass of very small gas bubbles and liquid similar to that seen in draft.

Gallbladder is a small organ that aids mainly in fat digestion and concentrates bile produced by the liver

1. Gallbladder is a small organ that aids mainly in fat digestion and concentrates bile produced by the liver.
2. Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder.

The earliest records of the sport date back to second and third century BC

1. The laws of Association Football (Soccer) are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) which was formed in 1886. The earliest records of the sport date back to second and third century BC.

Redpoiting is a term referring to the idea of finishing a lead climb without taking a fall or resting on the rope

1. Chris Sharma is an American rock climber born in Santa Cruz, California. He now lives in Barcelona, Spain. He is the only climber ever to successfully climbed Jumbo Love, rated at or above 15c.
2. Redpoiting is a term referring to the idea of finishing a lead climb without taking a fall or resting on the rope.

Neapolitan ice cream is strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla

1. Neapolitan ice cream is strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla.

Going Dutch is a term that indicates that each person participating in a group activity pays for himself or herself

1. Going Dutch is a term that indicates that each person participating in a group activity pays for himself or herself, rather than any one person paying for anyone else.

The original spelling of the word sophomore was sophumer

1. The original spelling of the word sophomore was sophumer.

Mother's Cookies were found by Noah Wheatley who started the company in Oakland California

1. In 1914 Noah Wheatley, who had a newspaper stand on the corner of San Francisco’s Market and Kearney Streets, decided to purchase the rights to a recipe of some home-baked cookies from one of his customers. In 1915 Wheatley started a small one-person operation on 12th Avenue in Oakland, where he baked about 2,000 cookies each day.

The Jolly Green Giant is a vegetable company owned by General Mills founded in 1903

1. The Jolly Green Giant is a vegetable company owned by General Mills founded in 1903

A pint of beer is 16oz

1. A pint of beer is 16oz.

Chick Hearn broadcasted 3,338 consecutive Lakers games from November 21, 1965 to December 16, 2001.

1. Francis Hearn, nicknamed "Chick" Hearn, was a long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers. His known for inventing now common phrases such as: slam dunk, air ball, and no harm, no foul. Starting on November 21, 1965 he broadcasted 3,338 consecutive Lakers games until December 16, 2001 when he underwent cardiac bypass surgery (A bit over 36 years). Most of Hearn's games in the television era were simulcast on both radio and television.

Chick Hearn had some personal phrases now known as "Chickisms." Some examples of the best are:
-"20 foot lay-up": A jump shot by Jamaal Wilkes
-"They couldn't throw a pea into the ocean": The team's shooting is really awful.
and my personal favorite:
-"This game's in the refrigerator: the door is closed, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-O's jigglin'!": The game is over (or is out of hand).

"Tests" are thought to have originated in 605CE in Imperial China as a way to select administrative officials

1. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was not practiced regularly in the US until the late 1960's, 50 years after a similar technique called The Holger Neilson technique was described in the first edition of the Boy Scout Handbook in the United States in 1911.
2. The Imperial examination was an examination system established in Imperial China in 605CE designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. It is thought to be the origin of the modern testing system
3. Before Common Era (BCE)/Common Era (CE) is similar to Before Christ (BC)/Anno Domini (AD) system. The BCE/CE system is used for its less religious connotation.

7 states have a ban on alcohol sales on Sundays. 8 states have a ban on car sales on Sunday

1. Blue law is a type of law designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, by enforcing restriction on Sunday shopping. One common blue law is the prohibition on the sale of alcohol on Sundays in the following 7 states (Note: usually these laws have many "exceptions" and alcohol can still be bought/consumed on Sunday under specific circumstances)
1. Arkansas
2. Georgia
3. Indiana
4. Minnesota
5. Mississippi
6. New York (Law requires liquor stores to be closed at least one day a week)
7. Oklahoma
(Some of these states, and others not banning alcohol sales on Sundays, ban alcohol sales on some or all of the following holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Finally, some of these states, and others not listed above, ban car sales on Sunday)

Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner

1. Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner.
2. "Freddy Fungus took a lichen to Alice Algae and now their marriage is on the rocks."

Sky burial is a funerary practice in Tibet wherein a human corpse is cut in specific locations and placed on a mountaintop

1. Sky burial is a funerary practice in Tibet wherein a human corpse is cut in specific locations and placed on a mountaintop, where it is often eaten by birds of prey like vultures.

A Moscow Mule is a drink made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime which was popular in the United States during the 1950s

1. A Moscow Mule is a drink made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime which was popular in the United States during the 1950s. It is traditionally served in copper cups.

Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck published in 1937

1. Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck published in 1937. Steinbeck's stories loosly mirror his life experiences. In Mice and Men the story reflects his own experiences as a bindlestiff in the 1920s before the arrival of the Okies. Steinbeck would vividly describe the Okies in his later novel The Grapes of Wrath.

"bootsie" is a slang term for lame, boring, or undesirable

1. "bootsie" is a slang term that means something lame, boring, or undesirable.

A cantilever is a beam supported on only one end.

1. A cantilever is a beam supported on only one end. A simple example is a horizontally mounted flag-pole.

Mexico's Independence Day occurs on September 16th

1. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday to commemorate the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
2. Mexico's Independence Day occurs on September 16th.

There is a scientific difference between Absoprtion and Adsorption

1. There is a scientific difference between Absoprtion and Adsorption
-Absorption: The incorporation of a substance in one state into another of a different state
e.g., liquids being absorbed by a solid. In other words, sponge soaking up water.
-Adsorption is the physical adherence or bonding of ions and molecules onto the surface of another phase
e.g., reagents adsorbed to solid catalyst surface. Protein binding to an ELISA plate.

The Japanese sandals are called Geta

1. The Japanese sandals are called Geta.

The four letters on the Dreidel (Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin) are an acronym for the phrase "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham" (A great miracle happened there)

1. Each side of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet: נ (Nun), ג (Gimel), ה (Hei), or ש (Shin). The are an acronym for the phrase "נס גדול היה שם" (Nes Gadol Hayah Sham – "a great miracle happened there" referring to the miracle of Hanukkah).
The letters of Dreidel also form a mnemonic for the rules of a gambling game played with the dreidel: Nun stands for the Yiddish word nisht ("nothing"), Hei stands for halb ("half"), Gimel for gants ("all"), and Shin for shtel arayn ("put in").

Tramp is a long-term homeless person

1. Tramp is a long-term homeless person.

The Tsar bomb, the most powerful atomic bomb tested, had more than 10 times the combined power of all the explosives used in WWII

1. On June 30th, 1908 a meteoroid or a comet fragment burst over the skies of Tunguska (Modern day Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia). The object is believed to be about few tens of meters across. The explosion destroyed about 80 million trees covering 830 sq miles of land. The explosion is estimated to be about 1,000 times as powerful as the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.
2. The Tsar bomb was the most powerful atomic bomb ever test at 50 mega tons. It had more than 10 times the combined power of all the explosives used throughout WWII.

Hurricanes never form on the equator

1. Some fun facts about Hurricanes:
-They never form on the equator
-They travel at only 15mph
-If they form in the Indian Ocean, they are called Cyclones

The descendants of Pocahontas are known as "Red Rolfes"

1. Matoaka, more commonly known as Pocahontas, marries John Rolfe, the man who commercialized tobacco, in April 1614. The descendants of Pocahontas are known as "Red Rolfes"

Although similar in appearance there is small distinct differences between Jaguars and Leopards

1. The jaguar is a species within the genus Panthera known as Panthera onca. A leopard is a species within the same genus of Panthera but is knows as Panthera pardus.
Although similar in appearance there is small distinct differences between these two mammals:
1. Jaguars are often found in the Americas (North, Central, and South) while Leopards are found in Asia (China and India) and Africa.
2. Jaguars are often slightly bigger than Leopards.

Geoffrey Mutai rant he Boston Marathon (26.2miles/42.2km) in a record time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 2 seconds

1. Geoffrey Mutai rant he Boston Marathon (26.2miles/42.2km) in a record time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 2 seconds. For those of you not good at math, that is 12.7mph OR better understood as 4 minute and 41 second miles for 26.2 miles.

The Great Wall of China is 5,500.3miles long

1. The length of the entire Great Wall of China, with all of its branches, stretches for 5,500.3mi (8,851.8 km). This is made up of 3,889.5 mi (6,259.6 km) sections of wall, 223.5 mi (359.7 km) of trenches and 1,387.2 mi (2,232.5 km) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

The CIA budget is considered classified.

1. The CIA budget is considered classified. One estimate puts it around $40billion a year.
2. Henry Kissinger was Secretary of State and a prominent political figure who negotiated important deals with China, Chile, Soviet Union, and created the Paris Peace Accords which ended the Vietnam War.

Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat live on stage during a show on 20 January 1982.

1. Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat live on stage during a show on 20 January 1982.

The average airspeed velocity of an unladen European Swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles an hour

1. The average airspeed velocity of an unladen European Swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles an hour.

While in 1970 only 16% of Americans ages 25 to 29 had never been married, today 55% of people in that age group are not married

1. While in 1970 only 16% of Americans ages 25 to 29 had never been married, today 55% of people in that age group are not married.

The Ottoman Empire was often in conflict with the Roman Empire.

1. The Ottoman Empire, centralized around the modern day Turkey, was often in conflict with the Roman Empire throughout 16th and 17th century for the control of Mediterranean sea, republic of Venice. During WWI, the Ottoman empire was defeated alongside an Armenian Genocide that killed 1.5million Armenians.

Havasupi is a place in grand canyon

1. Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Before this time, African Americans were not allowed to be fighter pilots because they were believed to have inferior skills.
2. Havasupi is a place in grand canyon

Yawning originates from multiple triggers.

1. Yawning originates from multiple triggers. It can be induced by higher brain carbon dioxide levels, territorial signal, body's need to stretch the lungs/throat, and simply by watching another yawn (caused by mirror neurons)
2. Mirror neurons are a group of neurons found in various parts of the brain that fire both if the animal performs an action or if the animal observes another animal performing that action.

Bill McCreary refereed 1,737 regular-season and a record 297 playoff games

1. NHL referee Bill McCreary retired on April 2, 2011 after refereeing 1,737 regular-season and a record 297 playoff games.
2. Andy Van Hellemond is the NHL referee that holds the record for most REGULAR SEASON games refereed at 1,475.

The Martingale betting system is a strategy used in Roulette

1. The Martingale betting system is a strategy used in Roulette where you only bet on Black or Red and after every loss you double your bet. With this strategy, eventually after a win you would make a profit equivalent to your initial bet. Problem with this system is hitting the table limit or running out of money before being able to double your bet.
I.E. $10=L, $20=L, $40=L, $80=L, $160=W
Loss=$150
Winning=$160

Dionysus is the Greek God of grape/wine

1. The Greek goddess Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking/wine, ritual madness, and ecstasy.

An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun

2. An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun. During this time the center of the Sun is in exactly the same plane as the Earth's equator. During an equinox the length of day/night is nearly equal.
3. A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes. During this time the length of day (for summer solstice) and night (for winter solstice) is at its longest.

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a collection of books called the The Canterbury Tales in the end of the 14th century

1. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a collection of books called the The Canterbury Tales in the end of the 14th century.
2. Some believe the origin of April Fool's Day comes from Chaucer's collection where one of the characters, "the vain cock Chauntecleer," was tricked by a fox.

The wooden mat used to make sushi is called Makisu

1. The wooden mat used to make sushi is called Makisu.

In Men's college basketball, a closely guarding violation is a floor-violation

1. In Men's college basketball a floor-violation is called if a defender closely (less than six feet) guards his man for more than five seconds. The count however resets if the person in possession of the ball changes from holding to dribbling or vice versa.

60 is a "superior highly composite number"

1. 60 is a "superior highly composite number" following the equation below:

Other example of superior highly composite numbers are: 2, 6, 12, 60, 120, 360, 2520, 5040.
2. 60 was a base used for the Babylonian number system. It is thought that it is possible that the Babylonian's obsession with this number was the bases for 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. The reasons however there are not 60 hours in a day is thought to be the fact that it would make the second too short to measure. In fact if the Babylonian's wanted to have 60 hours in a day, the "second" would have to be 0.4 seconds long.
3. A "perfect" number is one that satisfies both of the following criterion:
1. The sum of its proper divisors equals the number
2. The sum of all it's divisors divided by two equals the number
E.G 28
proper divisors: 1, 2, 4, 7, 14
1+2+4+7+14=28
divisors: 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 28
(1+2+4+7+14+28)/2=28

Fyodor Dostoyevsky is the author of crime and punishment

1. Fyodor Dostoyevsky is the author of crime and punishment. He is thought by many to be the father of 20th-century existentialism.

Doug Jarvis holds the NHL record for consecutive games played with 964

1. Doug Jarvis holds the NHL record for consecutive games played with 964. He played in every game from October 08, 1975 to October 10, 1987.
2. Elizabeth Taylor was married 8 times to 7 different husbands.

Wuthering Heights, the only novel by Emily Brontë, was first published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell

1. Wuthering Heights, the only novel by Emily Brontë, was first published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell.
2. The Brontë sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne initially published their literary works under the pseudonyms Currer Bell, Ellis Bell, and Acton Bell.

Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition, and Mercedes-Benz GL are some of the vehicles that qualify for Section 179 tax deduction

1. Section 179 of the tax code allows vehicles over 6,000lbs that are used for "business" to qualify for an extra tax deduction. Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition, and Mercedes-Benz GL are some of the vehicles that qualify for this deduction. The limit of deduction however was recently reduced from $250,000 to "only" $25,000.

Teddy Bear Restaurant was established in 1944

1. Teddy Bear Restaurant was established in 1944.
2. It's NOT called Teddy Bear Cafe...

There are 15.5 gallons in a typical Keg

1. There are 15.5 gallons in a typical Keg. This is half a "barrel".
2. There are 143 calories in every 12 ounce glass of Miller High life or about 23,642.619 in one Keg.

After only two days of tournament play, there are already no more perfect march madness brackets left on Facebook or ESPN

1. After only two days of tournament play, there are already no more perfect march madness brackets left on Facebook or ESPN.

Starting in 1962 the Chicago river has been dyed green each year for St. Patties day

1. Starting in 1962 the Chicago river has been dyed green each year for St. Patties day.

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Plyler v. Doe found that undocumented students have a constitutional right to attend public elementary and secondary school for free

1. The ruling in the 1982 Supreme Court case of Plyler v. Doe found that undocumented students have a constitutional right to attend public elementary and secondary school for free. However, this law is only applied to primary K-12 schooling. As a result of other rulings some states have been allowed to deny grants and scholarships or go as far as flat out denying undocumented students access to public colleges and universities.

The world's fastest mile was run at 3:43.13

1. The world's fastest mile was ran by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco who got a time of 3:43.13 on July 7, 1999 in Rome. In the same race Noah Ngeny finished just behind Guerrouj with the time of 3:43.40. Ngeny owns the second fastest time.
2. Since the mile is NOT an Olympic event, the most equivalent race, the 1500m (0.932056788miles), has its record also held by Guerrouj at 3:26.00 on a race he ran in July 14, 1998. This pace would have given Guerrouj a mile time of 3:41.02.

Race to 365 blog posts begins.

1. DEFINITELY starting to update this blog again. In a little more than one year I ended up having 134 posts. Not bad but not great. That is about one every 3 days. I will do better this time hopefully. March 14, 2011, race to 365 blog posts begins. There are 291 days left in 2011 and I need to update 231 of those days. I can. I will.
2. Nuclear meltdown is an informal term.

The American inventor Elisha Otis invented the steam elevator in 1861.

1. The American inventor Elisha Otis invented the steam elevator in 1861

Gay marriage is only legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington D.C

1. Currently Gay marriage is only legal in the following states:
Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington, D.C (yeah D.C. is not a state).