Monday, April 17, 2006

Interesting, but not necessarily useful tidbits

100 things we didn't know this time last year

The title link is an article from 12/30/05 on BBC's website, but thought it was interesting. It is slightly UK-specific, but many of the items are universal. Namely the following items were my favorite (if you would like a summary) in order of my preference:

My favorite...
11. One in 10 Europeans is allegedly conceived in an Ikea bed.

8. Devout Orthodox Jews are three times as likely to jaywalk as other people, according to an Israeli survey reported in the New Scientist. The researchers say it's possibly because religious people have less fear of death.

My mum will certainly appreciate this one...
72. A towel doesn't legally reserve a sun lounger - and there is nothing in German or Spanish law to stop other holidaymakers removing those left on vacant seats.

19. The = sign was invented by 16th Century Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde, who was fed up with writing "is equal to" in his equations. He chose the two lines because "noe 2 thynges can be moare equalle".