[Dr. T]

Over the course of humanity, tuberculosis has killed more than any other single cause.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. T /img/forum/go_quote.gif Over the course of humanity, tuberculosis has killed more than any other single cause.

The recent rise of the drug-resistant strains of TB have given the disease a whole new lease on death.

 

[Quaddy]

nicole kidman was born in the USA not australia.

nicole kidman is a natural blonde, but was asked to dye her hair red in many films to suit the character at the behest of the director.

 

[ken36]

St. Vitus is the patron of people who suffer from epilepsy; seizures used to be called "St. Vitus's dance."

 

[blubliss]

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are "limbs," therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression.:
"Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."

 

[blubliss]

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but how to prevent them from rolling about the deck?

The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.

The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it.

The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled.

Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.

Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a Brass Monkey". (And all this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?)

 

[ken36]

The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, according to the American Podiatric Association.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and Great Britain in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaddy /img/forum/go_quote.gif nicole kidman was born in the USA not australia.

This is true. Both of Nicole's parent are Australian, and she was born in Hawaii while her father was working on a research project. He then took a position in Washington DC for another three years. The Kidman's returned to Australia when Nicole was four.


[QOUTE]nicole kidman is a natural blonde, but was asked to dye her hair red in many films to suit the character at the behest of the director.[/QUOTE]

Do you have a source for this? If you see Nicole in her very early TV work, such as BMX bandits, she is about 16 and has red hair.

 

[Quaddy]

It is possible for any American citizen to give whatever name he or she chooses to any unnamed mountain or hill in the United States

 

[Quaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordgtlover /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is true. Both of Nicole's parent are Australian, and she was born in Hawaii while her father was working on a research project. He then took a position in Washington DC for another three years. The Kidman's returned to Australia when Nicole was four. Quote: nicole kidman is a natural blonde, but was asked to dye her hair red in many films to suit the character at the behest of the director. Do you have a source for this? If you see Nicole in her very early TV work, such as BMX bandits, she is about 16 and has red hair.

sure, its on her IMDB bio.

"Since I have fair skin, I have to stay out of the sun. I can't stand the sun. I dyed my hair red for a while during the 1990s but I'm actually a natural blonde."

 

[ken36]

Red wines have about five times more tannin than white wines.

 

[Quaddy]

The human body is better suited to two four-hour sleep cycles than one eight-hour one.

 

[ken36]

The hippopotamus has the world's shortest sperm.

 

[Quaddy]

Humans were first infected with the HIV virus in the 1930s