Barnorama All Fun In The Barn
This quirky collection of tidbits covers everything from bizarre historical events to wacky scientific discoveries.
“North Dakota didn’t technically qualify for statehood until 2012 when a constitutional error found by a 66-year-old man was corrected. “
“Luxury brands Tod’s, Fendi and Bulgari are paying for the restoration of the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps in Rome. “
“It’s illegal to “pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb” a bald eagle in the US.”
“More species of plants exist on a mountain in South Africa than in the whole UK.”
“The English word “tea” comes from the Dutch word “thee,” which in turn comes from the Malay “teh” which comes from the Amoy Chinese “t’e.” “
“The Sun’s distance from Earth is 400 times the Moon distance, and the Sun’s diameter is 400 times the diameter of the Moon. Because of this coincidence, it means that we experience a total eclipse, the Moon covers the whole Sun.”
“The makers of Edible Underwear were denied patent protection on the grounds that “candy and pants were incompatible””
“The vast majority of the earth’s gold and platinum is found in its core. The reason these elements are so rare on the surface is because they mostly sunk to the core when the planet was molten.”
“The Criminal Code of Canada has a section relating to the theft of oysters.”
“All packaged products sold in India have a “maximum retail price” printed on the package by the manufacturer and it is illegal for a store to charge more than that. India is one of the few countries with this system.”
“Matthias Buchinger was born without arms or lower legs and was a famous magician, illustrator, and master engraver, and had 14 children by 8 wives with up to 70 mistresses.”
“John Dillinger escaped prison by brandishing a wooden pistol. The FBI also used way more money to catch him than he ever stole. “
“In 2008, a bank robber successfully used a Craigslist help-wanted ad for construction workers, specifying their uniform, to create unwitting decoys around the bank, that he robbed in matching uniform. His “getaway car” was an inner tube.”
“The Beatles trip to India ended badly because the Maharishi wanted the band to deposit up to 25% of their next album’s profits in his Swiss bank account as a tithe, to which Lennon replied, “Over my dead body.””
“The Aztec capital Tenochtitlán was the largest city in the Americas with over 200,000 people. It was built on a man-made island in the middle of a lake, connected to shore by 3 causeways. It contained huge pyramids, floating gardens, aqueducts and canals. It was destroyed by the Spanish in 1521 .”
“In Japan, blood type is believed to be an indicator as to one’s personality, creating a market for blood type themed goods (condoms, drinks, books). The belief is so prevalent that the Japanese version of Facebook has a “Blood Type” drop down option for profiles. “