According to a survey of American adults in 2009, 70% of whites stated that blacks in the United States face no inequalities, while 50% of blacks surveyed stated they were discriminated against in the past month
Ratio of cars to children in the United States: 5:2
The U.S. infant mortality rate is the highest among the top 23 wealthiest nations
28% of the 4,192 automobiles manufactured in the United States in 1900 were electric
Guinness Book of World Records record-holder for the most records held or broken: Ashrita Furman with 41 current records and having beaten or set 119 since dropping out of Columbia University in 1975
To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius take the degree temperature in Fahrenheit, subtract 32, multiply the result by 5, and divide this result by 9
In 2007, marine biologists discovered an entire new phylum of animal living on the outside rim of a lobster's mouth
An estimated 1 million dogs in the U.S. have been named sole or primary beneficiary in the owner's will
The word "checkmate" is derived from the Persian phrase "Shah mat" which means "the king is dead"
About 25% of the motor cortex in the human brain (the part of your brain which controls body movement) is devoted entirely to the muscles of the hands
Each suit on a standard deck of playing cards represents the four major pillars of the economy in the Middle Ages:
Hearts = Church/ Spades = Military/ Clubs = Agriculture/ Diamonds = Merchants
In 2007, the U.S. spent more than $50 billion on the incarceration of U.S. citizens -- the rate of incarceration is 1 in 99 people, which is the highest among all nations
Vermont, Michigan, Oregon, and Connecticut spend more on jails and prisons than on higher education, while on average in the U.S. every state spends nearly 7% of it's general fund on incarceration
People over age 100 in the U.S. increased from about 4,000 in 1960 to about 55,000 in 1995 -- by 2005, more than 67,000 Americans were over age 100
In the U.S., 57% of women who die after age 15 are widows, while only 18% of men who die over age 15 are widowed
A Swedish company, Promessa, will freeze-dry your dead body in liquid nitrogen, pulverize it with high-frequency vibrations, and place the resulting powder in a cornstarch coffin that will allow for your entire remains and the materials you were buried in to fully decompose in 6-12 months
Traditional burials in just the U.S. deposit 827,000 gallons of embalming fluid- formaldehyde, methanol, and ethanol- into the soil each year (which ends up in ground water supplies) -- Traditional cremations pump dioxins, hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide into the air
Time shown on all clocks in the film "Pulp Fiction": 4:20
Number of hours the average American sleeps each year: 2,000
Number of hours doctors recommend a human sleep each year: about 3,000
Number of different animals depicted in cookie form in a standard box of Animal Crackers: 18
Number of rodent hairs and insect fragments allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration per 100 grams of peanut butter: 30 insect fragments, 2 rodent hairs
Number of Americans surveyed that stated they read in the bathroom: 66%
82% of Americans made a purchase at a Wal-Mart last year
The music for the U.S. national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner," comes from a British drinking song
On average, the Pentagon uses 666 rolls of toilet paper per day
In 1990, two California school districts banned the book "Little Red Riding Hood" because a picture inside the book showed a bottle of wine in the basket carried by the title character as she is making her way to her grandmother's house
Each year, Americans spend $30 billion on beer, eat more chicken than any other people in the world, consume about 20 billion hot dogs, and spend more money on gambling than on movies, recorded music, theme parks and spectator sports combined
On average, 125 Americans die each year due to allergic reactions to food
1 out of 10 Americans will be hospitalized this year for at least one day
85% of life on Earth is plankton, 75% of all animals are insects, and 10% of the Earth's biomass is comprised of ants
Country with the highest population of Internet users who read blogs: Canada
Monday, October 12, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
BUG OFF!
U.S. national debt has continued to increase an average of $3.79 Billion per day from September 2008 to September 2009 -- given the estimated population of the United States as 305, 005, 151, the share of the debt for every child, woman, and man in the U.S. is approximately $38, 378
On any given day, about 25 unidentified bodies are in the Los Angeles Coroner's Office
Up to 15,000 dust mites can live in 1 gram of dust
American Roy Sullivan held the world record for the most lightning strikes survived by a human after his 8th hit -- he later committed suicide
Americans consume about 22 pounds of tomatoes each year per person, mostly in the forms of ketchup and sauces
Most popular pizza topping in Japan: Squid
Most popular pizza topping in the U.S.: Pepperoni
Only U.S. state to never have an earthquake: North Dakota
It takes 12 honeybees to produce 1 tablespoon of honey
60% of all apples eaten in the United States were grown in Washington State
On January 11, 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy dying of uncontrolled diabetes, was given the first human experimental dose of Insulin
When falling, a male skier tends to fall forward while a female skier tends to fall backward
In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10
In 1988, a study found that self-deception was healthy for most people who tend to view themselves in unrealistically positive terms, believing they have more control over their environment than they actually do and holding views about their future that are more positive than the available evidence can justify
Scientists discover about 10,000 species of insect each year
Out of 20,000 species of bees, only four make honey -- honey is the only food that does not spoil
Number of U.S. federal agencies with officers granted the authority to carry firearms: 46
During the Gallic Wars, Julius Cesear ordered the thumbs of captured warriors amputated so that when they were returned to their country they would not be able to use a bow and arrow -- the "thumbs up" gesture is believed to be derived from this period when soldiers would gesture with their thumbs as a sign that they had not been captured and were ready to fight
In general, human males can read smaller print, while females can hear better
It takes 18 minutes to cool hot chocolate into a Hershey's Kiss
Each day, about 40 million Americans eat peanut butter
The New York State Board of Education banned the whipping of children in its schools on March 4, 1908
The main reason ranchers and cowboys carried pistols in the American west was to avoid being dragged to death by their horse
Burial wreaths became popular in the United States in the 17th century -- it was believed they would encircle the spirit of the deceased, thereby preventing them from haunting anyone
On January 15, 1919, a two-million gallon tank of molasses exploded, flooding the streets of Boston and crushing 10 buildings
In the United States, color preference for automobiles varies but the most popular colors are white for trucks, black for luxury cars, and silver for others
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people worldwide currently experiencing "financial catastrophe" due to the cost of their health care: more than 150 million (about 47 million Americans have no health care coverage)
The Human Development Index (HDI), published annually by the United Nations, ranks nations according to their citizens' quality of life rather than strictly by a nation's traditional economic figures -- the criteria for ranking includes life expectancy, educational attainment and access, and adjusted real income
HDI's Most Livable Countries (2007, most recent report): Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, France (U.S. - 12th, U.K. - 18th)
HDI's Least Livable Countries (2007, most recent report): Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissan, Niger, Mali, Mozambique, Chad, Ethiopia, Burmundi, Zambia
61% of all humans live in Asia with the vast majority of the remainder residing in the Americas (14%), Africa (14%) and Europe (11%)
Bic estimates that since 1950 it has sold 50 disposable ink pens every second every day -- in September 2005, the company announced the sale of its billionth pen
On any given day, about 25 unidentified bodies are in the Los Angeles Coroner's Office
Up to 15,000 dust mites can live in 1 gram of dust
American Roy Sullivan held the world record for the most lightning strikes survived by a human after his 8th hit -- he later committed suicide
Americans consume about 22 pounds of tomatoes each year per person, mostly in the forms of ketchup and sauces
Most popular pizza topping in Japan: Squid
Most popular pizza topping in the U.S.: Pepperoni
Only U.S. state to never have an earthquake: North Dakota
It takes 12 honeybees to produce 1 tablespoon of honey
60% of all apples eaten in the United States were grown in Washington State
On January 11, 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy dying of uncontrolled diabetes, was given the first human experimental dose of Insulin
When falling, a male skier tends to fall forward while a female skier tends to fall backward
In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10
In 1988, a study found that self-deception was healthy for most people who tend to view themselves in unrealistically positive terms, believing they have more control over their environment than they actually do and holding views about their future that are more positive than the available evidence can justify
Scientists discover about 10,000 species of insect each year
Out of 20,000 species of bees, only four make honey -- honey is the only food that does not spoil
Number of U.S. federal agencies with officers granted the authority to carry firearms: 46
During the Gallic Wars, Julius Cesear ordered the thumbs of captured warriors amputated so that when they were returned to their country they would not be able to use a bow and arrow -- the "thumbs up" gesture is believed to be derived from this period when soldiers would gesture with their thumbs as a sign that they had not been captured and were ready to fight
In general, human males can read smaller print, while females can hear better
It takes 18 minutes to cool hot chocolate into a Hershey's Kiss
Each day, about 40 million Americans eat peanut butter
The New York State Board of Education banned the whipping of children in its schools on March 4, 1908
The main reason ranchers and cowboys carried pistols in the American west was to avoid being dragged to death by their horse
Burial wreaths became popular in the United States in the 17th century -- it was believed they would encircle the spirit of the deceased, thereby preventing them from haunting anyone
On January 15, 1919, a two-million gallon tank of molasses exploded, flooding the streets of Boston and crushing 10 buildings
In the United States, color preference for automobiles varies but the most popular colors are white for trucks, black for luxury cars, and silver for others
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people worldwide currently experiencing "financial catastrophe" due to the cost of their health care: more than 150 million (about 47 million Americans have no health care coverage)
The Human Development Index (HDI), published annually by the United Nations, ranks nations according to their citizens' quality of life rather than strictly by a nation's traditional economic figures -- the criteria for ranking includes life expectancy, educational attainment and access, and adjusted real income
HDI's Most Livable Countries (2007, most recent report): Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, France (U.S. - 12th, U.K. - 18th)
HDI's Least Livable Countries (2007, most recent report): Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissan, Niger, Mali, Mozambique, Chad, Ethiopia, Burmundi, Zambia
61% of all humans live in Asia with the vast majority of the remainder residing in the Americas (14%), Africa (14%) and Europe (11%)
Bic estimates that since 1950 it has sold 50 disposable ink pens every second every day -- in September 2005, the company announced the sale of its billionth pen
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