Showing posts with label Did You Know?. Show all posts

What these Olympic Mascots Stand For?

Fantastically enough, these mascots are named in way that will form a welcoming message as follows:

BeiBei - JingJing - HuanHuan - YingYing - NiNi

--->

Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni

北京欢迎你

--->

Beijing Welcomes You

--->

Welcome to Beijing!

I like that ^.^

Did You Know...

The first book published is thought to be the Epic of Gilgamesh, written at about 3000 BC in cuneiform, an alphabet based on symbols.
The first history book, the Great Universal History, was published by Rashid-Eddin of Persia in 1311
The word "novel" originally derived from the Latin novus, meaning "new."
Auguste Rodin died of frostbite in 1917 when the French government refused him financial aid for a flat, yet they kept his statues warmly housed in museums.
The shortest stage play is Samuel Beckett's "Breath" - 35 seconds of screams and heavy breathing.
Earth is not round; it is slightly pear-shaped. The North Pole radius is 44mm longer than the South Pole radius.
Summer on Uranus lasts for 21 years - but so does winter
Alfredo di Lelio lovingly invented a dish for his wife in his restaurant in 1914. The dish became famous as Fettuccine Alfredo.
A Duke is the highest rank you can achieve without being a king or a prince.
The British royal family changed their surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, the name of their castle, in 1917.

The first declaration of human rights was written by Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire?
The first rocket was invented by the Chinese in the 13th century?
The first "Suez" Canal was completed some 2300 years ago by Darius I of Persia, who conquered Egypt?
A day on Mars is about half an hour longer than a day on Earth?
Nerve cells can travel as fast as 120 meters per second?
The word pound is abbreviated "lb" after the constellation "Libra" because it means pound in Latin?
The dollar symbol ($) is a U combined with an S?
The expression "Tying the Knot" comes from an old Roman custom where the brides clothes were tied up all in knots and the groom was supposed to untie the knots?
Lachanophobia is the fear of vegetables?
The way to distinguish between an ape and a monkey is that apes do not have tails?
The reason why golf balls have "dimples" on them is because it helps in the ball to move a farther distance by reducing drag?

The most expensive spice in the world is Saffron
The trunk of an elephant can hold up to two gallons of water
Birds do not sweat as they do not have sweat glands
The dot that appears above the letter "i" is called a tittle
One tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollution from the air each year
A human head remains conscious for about 15 to 20 seconds after it is been decapitated
Early Romans used to use porcupine quills as toothpicks
According to Scandinavian traditions, if a boy and a girl eat from the same loaf of bread, they are bound to fall in love
Owls swallow their prey whole as they have no teeth. After approximately 12 hours they cough up the feathers, bones and furs in a shape of a football pellet.
Canada is the only country not to win a gold medal in the Summer Olympic Games while hosting the event