Thursday


Failed Invasion


The Nazi invasion of the United States started at dark on June 13, 1942. A team of eight Germans had $180,000 in cash, four boxes of explosives and a list of targets that included the hydroelectric plant at Niagara Falls and the New York City water system. But after a tense run-in with an unarmed member of the National Coast Guard, the leader of the saboteurs, George Dasch (pictured), turned in the others and claimed he had never intended to carry out the plot.


Pachyderms Are Slow Learners


Researchers confirm that elephants do, indeed, have remarkable memories. But they counter that pachyderms are very slow learners. In one experiment, an elephant required more than 300 demonstrations before it grasped the difference between two figures: a square and a circle.


Oil of Terror


Italy’s Benito Mussolini (pictured) used castor oil as a tool of political terror. Those who disagreed with Mussolini’s policies faced the danger of being force-fed large amounts of the oil, which often caused severe diarrhea and dehydration, sometimes even death.

Wednesday


First Female Mayor


Susanna Salter (pictured) was elected mayor of Argonia, Kan., in 1887, making her the first female mayor in the country’s history. Women earned the right to vote 33 years later with the passage of the 19th amendment.


What Did Barney Do?


Barney, in “The Flintstones,” didn’t have a regular occupation in the early episodes though he served sporadic stints as both a television repossessor and a geological engineer. The cartoon character eventually settled down, working with Fred at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company (a.k.a. Bedrock Quarry and Gravel).


Suspicious Sounds


In the early 1990s, buoy-mounted microphones picked up evidence of what was believed to be Russian submarine activity off Sweden’s coast. But after weeks of intense search, the Swedish Navy had found no enemy submarines. In fact, there were no enemy submarines. Sonar experts proved that the suspicious “cavitational sounds” were actually coming from wild mink, swimming near Navy sound equipment.

Tuesday


Exotic Uses for Common Herb


A common household herb may have exotic uses. Take thyme, for instance. The leaves may be used with chicken, in soups and sauces or to spice up a beef marinade. But the Ancient Egyptians used thyme to help preserve mummies. Other cultures have used thyme as an anti-fungal fumigant or as incense in temples of worship.

Monday


Getting Around


Mexico City has more than 250,000 registered taxis.


Chocolate Makes Happier Babies


A University of Helsinki study suggests that women, who eat chocolate every day, have happier babies than mothers who seldom or never consume the sweet.


Vaseline and Coal Dust


The first mascara, created by T.L. Williams in 1913, was a mixture of Vaseline and coal dust. Williams invented the product to help his sister, Mabel, win back her boyfriend. He later named it Maybelline in her honor and sold it by mail-order.


Home Sweet Home


The female Wrinkled Hornbill finds a nesting place in a convenient tree hole and then locks herself in with her eggs by plastering over the opening with mud and droppings. The male of the species supports his family with regurgitated food, offered through a tiny space left in the protective wall.

Tuesday


Popular U.S. Languages


After English, the most-spoken languages in the U.S. in 2000 were Spanish (42 million), Chinese (7 million), Vietnamese (1 million), Korean (893,000) and Russian (706,000).

Monday


Truly Tasty


Catfish have taste buds covering their entire surface, even on the fins and tail.

Saturday


350 Miles of Mapped Passages


Kentucky is home to the world’s longest cave system. Mammoth Cave, near Cave City, has more than 350 miles of mapped passages.


Lucy in the Sky


The largest diamond known to man is at least 50 light years away. BPM 37093, also called “Lucy,” is a crystallized white dwarf, 2,500 miles across and weighing in at 10 billion trillion trillion carats. The cosmic gem is in the constellation Centaurus.


The Wrong Call Letters


How did two Pennsylvania radio stations get call letters starting with “K?” A 1923 Bureau of Navigation decision made it so that radio broadcasters east of the Mississippi would get call letters starting with “W.” Stations in the West began with “K” — except in the case of Pittsburg’s KQV and KDKA. Both opened for business prior to the 1923 ruling, marking them as two of the oldest radio stations in the country.

Friday


A Form of Flattery


England’s Stonehenge may be America’s most frequently rebuilt, Old World monument. A golf course in Fortine, Mont., claims to be the most accurate replica. Other reproductions include Carhenge in Alliance, Neb., New Mexico’s Stonefridge and Virginia’s recently unveiled Foamhenge. Additional states with Stonehenge memorials include Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire, Texas and Washington.


Museum Can’t Compete with Web


The Smithsonian museums had more than 24 million guests this year. But the Smithsonian Web site did even better with almost 79 million visitors for the same time period.


Who Wears a Seatbelt?


In spite of national and state efforts to increase seatbelt use, many Americans don’t take time to buckle up. A 2003 study revealed that only 84 percent of women wear seatbelts while in a moving vehicle. The number for men was even lower at 77 percent.

Thursday


The Fartiste


Joseph Pujol, better known as Le Petomane or “the fartiste,” was one of France’s most celebrated entertainers at the close of the 19th century. Pujol earned upwards of 20,000 francs each week for passing gas while on stage. The act included impressions and at least one tune, “O sole mio,” in which Pujol invited the audience to sing along.

Tuesday


They’re Great!


Tony the Tiger was originally one of four cartoon spokesman, brought on board to boost sales of Kellog’s Sugar Frosted Flakes in 1951. But Tony’s the only survivor as his charismatic television personality helped him edge out the competition: Katy the Kangaroo, Newt the Gnu and Elmo the Elephant.


No Middle Name


U.S. President Harry S. Truman had no middle name, just an initial. Truman quipped that the single letter was a compromise between his grandfathers, Anderson Shippe Truman and Solomon Young. Truman also said that the “S” shouldn’t be followed by a period because it was a name, not an initial. But Truman’s signature contradicts this claim. He commonly included a period.


Largest Immigrant Population


Government estimates in 2000 claimed that California had the nation’s largest population of undocumented immigrants with 2.2 million, followed by Texas (1 million), New York (500,000), Illinois (400,000) and Florida (300,000).

Monday


To the Point


Vermont has the country’s shortest, functioning, state constitution, only 7,600 words in all.


50 Words or Less


Dr. Seuss’ classic story, “Green Eggs and Ham,” was the author’s answer to a bet that he could not write a book, using no more than 50 words. Count them. Dr. Seuss rose to the challenge.


President Travels to Europe


Diplomatic travel by American leaders was once an uncommon thing. Woodrow Wilson made the first European trip by a U.S. president in 1918 in order to help bring a peaceful end to World War I. Wilson’s opponents criticized the visit as a sign of egotism.


Caffeinated Decaf


Decaffeinated coffee usually has caffeine, just not as much as regular coffee. In order to be labeled as decaffeinated in the United States, coffee must have at least 97 percent of its caffeine removed.

Sunday


Miranda Rights


One of the best-known lines in history was penned in 1966 by California’s now-retired, Nevada County Prosecutor Harold Berliner. And his words, written in an attempt to simplify a complex Supreme Court ruling, have been heard around the world in American-made action films: “You have the right to remain silent.”


Garlic Capital


Gilroy, Calif., is the “Garlic Capital of the World.” More than 120,000 visitors in 2004 consumed foods laced with a total of about two tons of garlic — everything from garlic pepper steaks to garlic-flavored ice cream.


Summer Hike Inspires VELCRO


The invention of VELCRO, patented in 1955, was inspired by a summer hike made by Swiss amateur mountaineer George de Mestral and his dog. When the two returned home, covered with burrs, de Mestral vowed that he would create a fabric that mimicked the sticky seed-sacs. His name for the invention comes from the combination of the words velour and crochet.

Saturday


Riches of Luxembourg


The tiny European country of Luxembourg has the world’s highest per capita gross domestic product, bringing in more than $55,000 for every citizen. Norway and the United States are tied for second place at $37,800.


Felons Prefer Gore


Sociologists estimate that if felons were allowed to vote (and did so at the same rate as other population groups), Al Gore would have won the 2000 presidential election with 60,000 more votes in the contested state of Florida.


Blood Weight


Blood accounts for roughly 7 percent of a person’s body weight.

Friday


eBay Serves Small Business


A French computer programmer, Pierre Omidyar, founded eBay in 1995 to help his wife and other collectors meet and make trades. (Omidyar’s wife collects PEZ dispensers.) But the online trading company, valued at $30 billion, has helped American business as well. More than 430,000 small businesses in the U.S. rely on eBay for a significant portion of their sales.


The Best Tippers


A Charlottesville, Va., study found that men tip better than women. Customers, who pay by credit card, tip better than those who pay cash. And diners, who have been drinking, give the best tips of all.


Mistaken Statue


Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a must-see for George Herman Ruth fans. The stadium in Baltimore, the Babe’s hometown, has a bronze statue of Ruth at its Eutaw Street entrance. But the Sultan of Swat’s likeness has one detail wrong. Dangling from Ruth’s left hand is a right-handed fielder’s glove. The real Bambino was a lefty.

Thursday


Smallest State Capital


The country’s smallest state capital, Montpelier, Vt., had a population of 8,035 in the 2000 census.

Wednesday


Color-Coded Fire Hydrants


The color of a fire hydrant usually reveals how much water pressure it can provide. Red hydrants are rated at less than 500 gallons per minute. Orange hydrants supply less than 1,000 gallons per minute, and green hydrants give less than 1,500 gallons. Blue hydrants dispense 1,500 or more gallons of water each minute.


Nazi Steroid Use


One of the first therapeutic uses of anabolic steroids was in Germany, during World War II. Nazis used the synthesized testosterone to treat concentration-camp victims of chronic wasting.


The Larger Egg


The ostrich egg compares in size to about two dozen chicken eggs.


Slow Eaters


Anacondas have very slow digestive systems and may go without eating for long periods, depending on the size of their last meal. At least one Anaconda, in captivity, is known to have gone without anything to eat for two years.

Tuesday


Jam vs. Jelly


Jams and jellies aren’t the same. Jelly is a gel, formed by cooking fruit juice with sugar. In jams, the whole fruit is included.


World War II Mascot


During World War II, the Polish Second Corps adopted a Persian brown bear as its mascot and named him Wojtek. The bear proved his worth by helping to carry ammunition during the Allied victory at Monte Cassino.


The Country with the Most


The United States has the world’s third largest population. But with slightly more than 293 million residents, the country would have to multiply by more than three times to catch up with India (2nd place) and by more than four times to match China (1st place).

Monday


Da Vinci and Plastic


Leonardo da Vinci is best known for his art, but the Italian genius also predicted the submarine and drew up plans for a working helicopter. Not only that, modern scholars now say that Leonardo may have created the first organic plastic as well by layering animal glues with natural fibers to produce a material, similar to bakelite.


Historic Broadcast


The first radio broadcast in history, transmitted on Christmas Eve 1906, included a violin performance of “O Holy Night” and a passage read from the Bible. Reginald Fessenden produced the program from Brant Rock, Mass.

Sunday


The Life of a Horse


The average horse lives 20 to 25 years. But the oldest horse on record, an English barge horse named Old Billy, died in 1822 at the ripe old age of 62.


Dog Food Breakfast


It was dog food research that resulted in one of the country’s best-selling breakfast pastries. When Post found a way to store moist, meaty Gains Burgers without refrigeration, the company quickly applied the new technology to Country Squares, a convenience food for busy American moms, introduced in February 1964. But the squares proved square indeed, never quite catching on with the nation’s consumers. Industry-rival Kellogg’s took notice of the development and introduced its own version just seven months later. They called this new food sensation Pop-Tarts.

Saturday


The Shortest Commutes


States with the shortest commute-to-work times include North and South Dakota, Nebraska and Montana. All four have average commutes of less than 17 minutes. Which state has the longest commute? New York held the top spot in 2002 with morning commutes that took an average of 38.4 minutes.


Ants Sting More


In the U.S., ants sting 9.3 million people each year, more than nine times the number stung by bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets combined.