OT: Random facts that really surprised me

[madguy30]

Of the 706 survivors of the Titanic, one became a principal at Ames High.

Probably pretty easy to get any job you want with that on your resume.

Reminded of the Seinfeld where George is competing for an apartment with a ship wreck survivor that he finds wasn't even that catastrophic, so he competes by telling his life story to vie for the place.

In the geography field: part of Florida is in the Central Time Zone. A lot of the UP is in the eastern zone, even though it's clearly further west than all of Wisconsin which is all Central.

 

[Clonefan34]

90% of U.S. media(TV, news, radio) is owned by 6 companies.
Air pollution in China increases snowfall in California.
You can start a fire with ice.
Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world.

 

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

According to this it's the 30th (so taller than 29): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_by_U.S._state

I'm sure it's no coincidence at all that Nebraska's building (built after 801 grand) is just a few feet taller.

Well, 801 Grand was intentionally built to be 6 inches taller than the St Louis arch so I guess fair is fair.
By doing that, Des Moines could claim to have the tallest structure at that time between Denver, Chicago, Memphis and Minneapolis.

 

[VeloClone]

El Paso, Texas is closer to the Pacific Ocean than it is to eastern border of Texas.

 

[dtISU]

KU sucks. Okay, no real surprise in that one.

Banging your head against the wall burns 150 calories/hour. I guess CF can be a good workout.
The average woman uses her height in lipstick every 5 years.
If you lift a kangaroo's tail off the ground, it can't hop.
Billy goats urinate on their own heads to smell more attractive to females.
Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.

And finally...

In 1992, the number of internet devices reached 1 million.

 

[VeloClone]

KU sucks. Okay, no real surprise in that one.

Banging your head against the wall burns 150 calories/hour. I guess CF can be a good workout.
The average woman uses her height in lipstick every 5 years.
If you lift a kangaroo's tail off the ground, it can't hop.
Billy goats urinate on their own heads to smell more attractive to females.
Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.

And finally...

In 1992, the number of internet devices reached 1 million.

Where do they build up their hoard of dead penguins before they sit down and eat?

 

[tim_redd]

If you took all the veins from your body and laid them end to end, you would die.

 

[VeloClone]

If you took all the veins from your body and laid them end to end, you would die.

This one didn't surprise me at all. :v_SPIN:

 

[chuckd4735]

According to this it's the 30th (so taller than 29): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_by_U.S._state

I'm sure it's no coincidence at all that Nebraska's building (built after 801 grand) is just a few feet taller.

Two of those large TV towers near Alleman (north of Ankeny) are tied for the 5th largest structures in the US.

 

[Mr Janny]

KU sucks. Okay, no real surprise in that one.

Banging your head against the wall burns 150 calories/hour. I guess CF can be a good workout.
The average woman uses her height in lipstick every 5 years.
If you lift a kangaroo's tail off the ground, it can't hop.
Billy goats urinate on their own heads to smell more attractive to females.
Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.

And finally...

In 1992, the number of internet devices reached 1 million.

you might want to double check that one for hemispherical accuracy. Not too many penguins in Polar bear country.

 

[JHUNSY]

Two of those large TV towers near Alleman (north of Ankeny) are tied for the 5th largest structures in the US.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_structures_in_the_United_States_by_height

 

[cyclones500]

...and assuming the size of the universe is finite....what in the hell is on the other side?

... it's like saying when you try to extrapolate the end of the universe, you say ... if the universe is indeed infinite then what does that mean? How far is ... all the way and then if it stops what's stoppin' it and what's behind what's stoppin' it, so what's the end, you know, is my ... question to you ...

— David St. Hubbins

 

[00clone]

Two of those large TV towers near Alleman (north of Ankeny) are tied for the 5th largest structures in the US.

Yeah, but they're 'tied' with a bunch of other towers, since 2000 ft is an agreed upon limit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_structures_in_the_United_States_by_height

 

[CyArob]

Only 1 person from the 1800s is still alive.

 

[00clone]

you might want to double check that one for hemispherical accuracy. Not too many penguins in Polar bear country.

They ship them in.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

you might want to double check that one for hemispherical accuracy. Not too many penguins in Polar bear country.

Which actually explains why they can eat so many. they work up quite an appetite swimming to Antarctica

 

[mj4cy]

According to this it's the 30th (so taller than 29): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_by_U.S._state

I'm sure it's no coincidence at all that Nebraska's building (built after 801 grand) is just a few feet taller.

Yeah I chose to put it over Omaha's building....because...**** Nebraska

 

[cyclones500]

El Paso, Texas is closer to the Pacific Ocean than it is to eastern border of Texas.

Similarly (I didn't realize this one until today):

 

[Mr Janny]

Only 1 person from the 1800s is still alive.

Here's one that always floors me. John Tyler was born in 1790, and was America's 10th president. (we're about to elect our 45th) John's grandsons? They're still alive. They're in their 80's, but very much alive. Not great grandsons. Just regular grandsons. of our 10th president.

 

[ISUcyclones11]

Only 1 person from the 1800s is still alive.

Crazy to me that someone who was 11/12 when the titanic croaked is still alive. I would have so many questions for that person (assuming they were able to answer).