Various facts and other things

 

Amazing the things you learn every day. I was reading a book recently entitled "100 Things You Did Not Know And It Did Not Matter Anyway".

It is full of useless facts that most probably do not apply to you, or if they did, you would be panicking about them at the time to bother to remember the remedy or action required to deal with the situation.

For example:

Did you know that if you are stung by a jellyfish in the foot or leg the best remedy is to wee on it? I'll admit, it is not always possible to run to the nearest toilet and put your foot in the urinal or toilet bowl; but apparently it is the best remedy. The alternative, it said in the book, is to get someone to stand next to you and wee on your leg. It should be a human of either sex, but not a dog.

Also, did you know that if you are bitten by a shark the best remedy is to wee on it? The bite, not the shark. It takes all the sting away from it.

And if you are bitten by a snake or a scorpion, you pour tomato ketchup in the wound to simulate blood and get someone to suck the poison out just like they do in films. 

Another solution is to ring for an ambulance if you can get a good reception on your cell-phone in the middle of a desert or forest. 

Also, did you know you are more likely to be injured or killed by an attacking hippopotamus than being bitten by a shark. That's because there are no sharks in the jungle. Unless you took one in your suitcase.

Did you know that Scuba divers always fall backwards off their boats? They have to fall backwards. If they fell forwards, they'd still be in the boat.

Another important fact, did you know that the most famous phrase in French is "La plume de ma tante"? It is in all the books that teach French. If you're ever in France and want to ask for directions just say it and they'll understand you.

Learning French is useful. One year I went to France on holiday and saw an old lady in  Montmartre in Paris sitting on the side-walk knitting. She had a jar of marmalade beside her. She looked at me and said, “Voulez vous crochet avec moi? Ce soir!”

And another thing, did you know that snails remember more than elephants? They say elephants never forget. That is not true. I have never received a birthday card from an elephant.

Snails are different. I once found a snail on my doorstep. In order to save him from being trodden on and killed I picked him up and threw him in a bush. A week later he returned and rang my door bell. When I opened he said, "What's the big idea throwing me in a bush?" 

 Did you know that if a snail climbed up your leg it would take three days before you're surprised?

Did you also know that in some Northern European countries where it is very cold people enjoy a swim in the sea followed by a hot sauna? They sit naked together, men and women, in wooden cabins with a hot fire burning and steam everywhere discussing politics. It is their way of airing their differences.

Another interesting fact, tortoises can be dangerous and can kill people. The ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus was killed by a tortoise. It was dropped by an eagle which feeds on tortoises. The eagle had mistaken the man's bald head for a rock suitable for shattering the shell of the reptile. Ironically, Aeschylus had been staying outdoors to avoid a prophecy that he would be killed by a falling object.

Did you know that flamingoes stand on one leg because if they were to lift it up they would fall? Also, in some zoos they put mirrors in the flamingoes' enclosure. This is because flamingoes do not breed unless there's a certain number in the flock. The mirrors make them think there's more of them than there really is so they get together and breed.

Also, fish do not yawn because water would get into their lungs. 

When Edison invented the light bulb a little lit candle appeared above his head because light bulbs did not exist until then.

Scientists have discovered that it is too dangerous to read between the lines, especially if you are standing in a railway station at the time.

Do you realise that if you had a small bird in a cage and as you happen to weigh the cage if the bird jumped up from its perch then its weight would not register on the scale? Also, if you were to weigh the cage under water the small bird would drown?