1) Twenty20 cricket was first introduced in England in 2003.
2) An average Twenty20 match is completed in less than three hours, compared to five days for Test cricket and one day for, er, one-day cricket.
3) The first Twenty20 game held at Lord’s attracted a crowd of 26,500, the largest attendance for any county cricket game, other than a one-day final, since 1953.
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4) Teams are penalised six runs if they fail to bowl the full 20 overs in their allocation of 75 minutes.
5) Only two fielders are allowed outside an inner circle for the first six overs of an innings.
6) Umpires may award five-run penalty runs at their discretion if they believe either team is wasting time.
7) West Indies’ Chris Gayle is the only cricketer to score a century in a Twenty20 International. He struck 117 against South Africa during the inaugural Twenty 20 World Cup in September 2007.
8) The record for the lowest domestic T20 innings total is held by Sussex who managed only 67 against Hampshire in 2004.
9) In the event of a tie in T20 cricket a bowl out takes place. To see how it works take a look at the clip below from the Twenty20 World Cup
10) Mark Ealham struck a record nine sixes in an innings for Notts against Yorkshire in 2004.
11) Surrey’s Nayan Doshi has taken more T20 wickets than any other bowler in all domestic and international competitions. He has 53 scalps at an average of 14.66.
12) The Kent Spitfire is the current holder of the Twenty20 Finals Day Mascot Race crown.
13) During last year’s Twenty20 World Cup England’s Dimitri Mascarenhas struck four sixes in a row against New Zealand
14) During the same tournament England’s Stuart Broad was taken for 36 off an over by Pakistan’s Yuvraj Singh.
15) Veteran England all-rounder Chris Lewis, who retired from cricket in 2000, has come out of retirement this season to play Twenty20 cricket for Surrey.
16) England captain Michael Vaughan has never represented his county Yorkshire in Twenty20 cricket.
17) In the 2006 Twenty20 Cup Somerset’s Craig White and Justin Langer put on a record 186 run partnership for the second wicket.
18) The fastest T20 hundred was struck by Andrew Symonds in 2004. Playing for Kent against Middlesex it took him just 34 balls to reach three figures.
19) Our friends over at Betfred tell us that Sussex and Lancashire are joint favourites for this year’s cup
20) There is a campaign afoot to have Twenty20 cricket included in the Olympic Games, possibly at London 2012.
Facts on T20 Cup
Strange Things You Probably Never Knew !!!
A rat can last longer without water than a camel.
Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself.
The dot over the letter "i" is called a tittle.
A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and
down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find a mate.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
A 2 X 4 is really 1-1/2" by 3-1/2".
During the chariot scene in "Ben Hur," a small red car can be seen
in the distance (and Heston's wearing a watch).
On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily!
(That explains a few mysteries....)
Sherlock Holmes NEVER said, "Elementary, my dear Watson."
Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
The number of possible ways of playing the first four moves per
side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.
There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange,
purple and silver.
Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space
because passing wind in a spacesuit damages them.
The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin in World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo.
Weatherman Willard Scott was the first Ronald McDonald.
If one places a tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion, it will
instantly go mad and sting itself to death. (Who was the sadist who
discovered this??)
Bruce Lee was so fast that they actually had to s-l-o-w film down
so you could see his moves. That's the opposite of the norm.
The first CD pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteen's "Born in
the USA."
The original name for butterfly was flutterby.
The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law which
stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player
for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
Roses may be red, but violets are indeed violet.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you cannot
sink into quicksand.
Celery has negative calories. It takes more calories to eat a
piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charlie Chaplin
look-alike contest.
An old law in Bellingham, Washington, made it illegal for a woman
to take more than three steps backwards while dancing!
The Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book
most often stolen from public libraries.
The glue on Israeli postage is certified kosher.
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave!
Thanks to Deborah for submitting this!!
And another via email --this comes by Suzie T....
In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was not allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb"
The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
Men can read smaller print then women can; women can hear better.
It is impossible to lick your elbow.
The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska
The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs -Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace.
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?
A. One thousand
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... "goodnight, sleep tight."
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the "honeymoon".
Ever heard about Aeroplane Crossing ... ?
We have heard about railway crossing or bus crossing or even ship crossing under the bridges. But have u ever heard about Aeroplane crossing ... ?
See the picture where the vehicles wait for the aeroplane to cross the road. This is in Germany where the runway crosses a road.
HANDWRITING -- I would like to know ..
Handwriting analysis is a complex subject. Many, many books have been written about it. Formal study, sometimes at the college level, is usually required in order to practice it professionally. There are even graphology organizations with regular conferences discussing all the nuances of this fascinating field.
If you’re interested in handwriting analysis, but don’t want to turn it into a career, here are just a few tidbits that you may find interesting:
People
When the painter Thomas Gainsborough was doing a portrait, he preferred to work with a sample of the subject's handwriting nearby. He believed that it gave him a better understanding of his subject—which in turn helped him more closely capture that person's image on canvas.
The poet Emily Dickinson became more reclusive as she got older. Her handwriting during this time became increasingly disconnected, seeming to reflect how disconnected she probably felt from the world around her.
Left or right?
A study of identical twins showed that it was common for the writing of one twin to slant to the left, while the writing of the other slanted to the right. The slant of the handwriting can indicate handedness, and this seemed to be true in this case, since it was common for one twin to be left-handed while the other was right-handed.
Physical, mental, and emotional considerations
People who are feeling very emotional tend to write faster than they do when they're calm.
Low blood sugar, perhaps because it affects a person's mood, may cause the baseline of the handwriting to be inconsistent.
People who are developmentally delayed may write with large spaces between their words, indicating their isolation and difficulty communicating with others.
People with speech problems—for example, stuttering—will also have problems writing smoothly. In fact, it may be possible to help their speech by working with their handwriting.
Pollution Facts .... (Wake Up ...before it's late)
More than 100 active pesticide ingredients are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, and gene mutation.
According to the World Health Organization, if you are one of the 18 million residents of Cairo:
- Breathing daily air pollution is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day
- You take in over 20 times the acceptable level of air pollution each day
The cost of one nuclear weapons test alone could finance the installation of eighty thousand hand pumps, giving third world villages access to clean water.
The risk of cancer from breathing diesel exhaust is about ten times more than ingesting all other toxic air pollutants combined, with diesel emissions contributing to over 70% of the cancer risk from air pollution in the USA. – reported by Environmental Defense
Nitrogen is essential to crops but too much will leak into groundwater and rivers causing nutrient pollution in rivers and oceans and severe human health problems from nitrate pollution.
Emissions from ocean-going ships contribute to approximately 60,000 deaths each year, mostly from heart and lung-related cancers. Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong rank within the world’s top 5 busiest ports, and experience a higher impact from emissions-related health issues.
Useless Men Facts (Funny for all)
1. Men are like .Laxatives ...... They irritate the crap out of you.
2. Men are like. Bananas . The older they get, the less firm they are.
3. Men are like Weather . Nothing can be done to change them.
4. Men are like ... Blenders You need One, but you're not quite sure why.
5. Men are like ... Chocolate Bars . Sweet, smooth, & they usually head right for your hips.
6. Men are like .. Commercials ?....... You can't believe a word they say.
7. Men are like Department Stores . Their clothes are always 1/2 off!
8. Men are like .....Government Bonds ?.... They take soooooooo long to mature.
9. Men are like ....Mascara . They usually run at the first sign of emotion.
10. Men are like Popcorn ... They satisfy you, but only for a little while.
11. Men are like Snowstorms . You never know when they're coming, how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.
12. Men are like .......Lava Lamps .. Fun to look at, but not very bright.
13. Men are like Parking Spots All the good ones are taken, the rest are handicapped.
What you don't know about Soccer ?
Soccer has become increasingly more popular in the United States in the last 30 years, with nearly 3 million children between the ages of 5-19 now playing in youth soccer leagues throughout the nation.
Soccer began in England in the mid-1800's, and was originally played by the higher, more aristocratic English classes in their boarding schools and private clubs. The ease and inexpense of the sport quickly moved it ahead as a sport for the masses however. Today soccer is ranked as one of the world's leading sports for commoners.
#1. Soccer is called football in other countries besides America. #2. Major League Soccer set all-time attendance record for a United States-based professional soccer league game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on June 16, 1996. That day, 92,216 fans watched the Los Angeles Galaxy win a 3-2 shootout victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny. #3. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, But the soccer world knows him as Pele. A native of Brazil, Pele retired as a player in 1977 but is still considered by many the greatest soccer player who ever lived. Since his retirement, he has been a worldwide ambassador for his sport. Wherever soccer is played, the name of Pele will always be magic. #4. A standard soccer ball is made of leather and is between 27 and 28 inches in circumference. Unlike basketball, young players can use a smaller ball. For kids 8 years old or younger, a ball of 23 to 24 inches in circumference is recommended. For kids 9 to 12, a ball of 25 to 26 inches is often used. 
The London Football Association was founded and 1863 and is responsible for standardizing game rules throughout Europe. In less than 20 years, professional players and teams were hitting the field.
Soccer began to spread throughout Europe almost immediately, with Spain, Germany, Italy, and France all taking up the game b the early 20th century. As interest in the sport grew throughout the world, so did an interest in formal competition. In 1900, the first soccer game was played at the Olympics, with medals introduced just eight years later. Professional players, however, were exempt from competition in the Olympic Games for more than 80 years.
In 1904, The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), was formed, followed by the first World Cup international competition in 1930. A round-robin style tournament that pits teams from individual nations against each other every four years, the World Cup has grown into an international affair, with nearly 200 teams now seeking admittance. Only 24 are permitted to compete.
Although it took the United States years to enter the soccer arena on a widespread basis, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) was formed in 1913. Unfortunately, most Americans preferred watching (and playing) a different form of the sport -- American football -- until a Brazilian named Pele, (considered to the greatest soccer player of all time), joined the N.Y. Cosmos team in 1975. With such an amazing player to watch in America, popularity of the sport grew throughout the states, until his retirement in 1977, when soccer once again took a backseat to football. Following Pele's retirement, the North American Soccer League slowly lost fan support, finally dissolving in 1985.
It wasn't until the men's World Cup competition, was held in the United States in 1994, that soccer interest was renewed among American youth. The Major League Soccer (MLS), was founded in 1993, and began its first season in 1996 with 10 teams and 32 regular season games. More than 3 million fans watched the playoffs that year. By 1991, women were finally allowed to play on a professional level, when the Women's World Cup competition was introduced for the first time.
The interest in youth soccer remains strong throughout the United States today. Sports teams and leagues are now available in nearly every American community. From pee-wee players who aren't even in school yet, to semi-professional high school teams, players of all interest and abilities are now hitting the soccer field for both spring and fall competition. The U.S. Youth Soccer, a division of the USSF, now includes nearly 3 million official players.
Sugary Facts (Cheene Kam)
Did you know... sugar was one of the first pharmaceutical ingredients used, as it still is today, to mask the bitter taste of medicines?
Did you know... in 1899, the very first carton was used to pack sugar? This revolutionized the sugar business, greatly improving upon the crude wooden barrels from which sugar was originally scooped for customers.
Did you know... that in the late 16th Century, a mere teaspoon of sugar cost the equivalent of five dollars in London?
Did you know... a can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar and a can of Pepsi has 41 grams of sugar. That is about seven teaspoons or 13 lumps of sugar per can!
Did you know... Lemons contain more sugar than Strawberries.
Did you know... When the sun explodes, it will compress itself and become so dense that a piece of it the size of a sugar cube will weigh the equivalent of 1 ton.
Did you know... The trick to curing hiccups is to get the nerves that regulate breathing synchronized by taking a teaspoon of granulated sugar.
Did you know... Sugar hardens asphalt. It slows the setting of ready-mixed concrete and glue.
Did you know... Sugar is used in leather tanning, printers' inks and dyes and even in textile sizing and finishing
Did you know... Chemical manufacturers use sugar to grow penicillin.
Did you know... 'Sure' and 'Sugar' are the only two words in the English language that are spelt 'su' and pronounced 'sh'.
BEATLES TIMELINE FACTS
July 7, 1940 - Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) is born in Liverpool.
October 9, 1940 - John Lennon is born in Liverpool.
June 18, 1942 - Paul McCartney is born in Liverpool.
February 24, 1943 - George Harrison is born in Liverpool.
1957 - John Lennon, age 16, forms the Quarry Men, a band comprised of pals from his school, Quarry Bank Grammar.
July 6, 1957 - Paul McCartney, age 15, meets John at a Quarry Men performance at Woolton Parish Church fete. Soon after, John invites him to join the band.
February 1958 - George Harrison, age 15, joins the group.
January 1960 - Stu Sutcliffe, a friend of John's at Liverpool College of Art, is asked to join the group as bass guitarist. The band changes its name to Silver Beetles, then Silver Beatles.
August 1960 - Drummer Pete Best joins group, now known as simply the Beatles. He accompanies the band to Hamburg where, over five visits between now and December 1962, the group hones its sound at the Indra, Kaiserkeller, Top Ten and Star clubs.
December 27, 1960 - Having returned to Liverpool the Beatles appear on this date at a local public hall, Litherland Town Hall, prompting fan frenzy. Their popularity secure, they work the North West of Britain steadily to committed followers for the next two years.
Spring 1961 - Stuart Sutcliffe quits the Beatles.
November 1961 - The Beatles meet Brian Epstein, who becomes their manager. They start to polish their image and seek a recording contract.
January 1, 1962 - They audition (unsuccessfully) for Decca Records in London.
April 10, 1962 - Stuart Sutcliffe dies of a brain hemorrhage in Hamburg.
June 6, 1962 - The Beatles audition for George Martin, a producer at EMI. He signs them, and becomes their producer throughout the Beatles' career.
August 16, 1962 - Pete Best leaves the Beatles.
August 18, 1962 - Ringo joins the band.
October 5, 1962 - The Beatles' first single, "Love Me Do" is released in the United Kingdom. It rises to a respectable #17 on the British charts.
January 11, 1963 - The Beatles" second single, "Please Please Me," is released in the U.K.. It goes to #1 on the British charts on February 22 and stays there for two weeks.
February 11, 1963 - In a single day, the Beatles record their first full album, also entitled "Please Please Me." They record ten songs, which were added to the previously recorded "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me," "P.S. I Love You," and "Ask Me Why."
March 22, 1963 - The album "Please Please Me" is released in the U.K. and becomes a runaway hit. Once it hits number one, it remains there for 29 weeks. The Beatles have taken Britain by storm and successive singles all hit number one: "From Me To You," "She Loves You," "I Want To Hold Your Hand." The album is released in America in July with the title, "Introducing the Beatles," and initially flops.
October 1963 - Beatlemania spreads through Europe. (This is the month biographers and Beatles scholars often point to as the start of the Beatles' phenomenal popularity).
October 13, 1963 - Beatles play on ITV's "Sunday Night at the London Palladium" which is broadcast to 15 million viewers. (This show in the United Kingdom was analogous to "The Ed Sullivan Show" in the U.S.)
November 4, 1963 - The Beatles appear at the Royal Command Performance, performing for the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon. Before beginning "Twist and Shout," John tweaks the crowd with his comment, "Will the people in the cheaper seats clap their hands? And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry."
November 22, 1963 - The band's second album "With the Beatles" is released in the U.K., remaining in the top position on the British charts for 21 weeks. It features the songs "All My Loving," "Please Mr. Postman," "Roll Over Beethoven," and others. It succeeded the first album in the number one spot, and together the Beatles were top on the album charts for 51 consecutive weeks.
November 29, 1963 - The single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is released in the U.K. and immediately hits number one on the charts. It is released in the U.S. December 26 that year, and spends seven weeks at number one.
January 20, 1964 - The album, "Meet the Beatles!" is released by Capitol Records in the U.S. On February 15 it hits number one on Billboard's chart in America, where it remains for 11 weeks.
February 7, 1964 - The Beatles land at JFK Airport in New York. The British Invasion begins. Fans surround the Plaza Hotel, where the Beatles are staying.
February 9, 1964 - The Beatles perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and are watched by a record-setting 73 million people (23,240,000 households, according to A.C. Nielsen). They perform five songs, "All My Loving," "Till There Was You," "She Loves You," "I Saw Her Standing There" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand."
February 11, 1964 - The Beatles give their first live performance in the U.S. at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C.
February 12, 1964 - The Beatles perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
February 16, 1964 - The Beatles perform for the second time on "The Ed Sullivan Show," performing live from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Approximately 70 million people tune in (22,445,000 households).
February 23, 1964 - The Beatles appear for the third time on "The Ed Sullivan Show," this time with a taped performance of three songs.
March 2, 1964 - Filming commences on the Beatles' first film, "A Hard Day's Night," and is completed in eight weeks.
March 31, 1964 - The Beatles hold the top five slots on Billboard's chart: (1) Can't Buy Me Love, (2) Twist and Shout, (3) She Loves You, (4) I Want To Hold Your Hand (5) Please Please Me--a musical first.
April 4, 1964 - The Beatles hold 14 slots on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
July 6, 1964 - "A Hard Day's Night" premieres in London. It cost $500,000. The film is well-received by critics and the public.
July 10, 1964 - The album "A Hard Day's Night" is released in the U.K., hitting number one there, as well as in America after its U.S. release in August.
August 11, 1964 - "A Hard Day's Night" opens in America and is a huge hit.
August 19, 1964 - The Beatles perform at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, in the first concert of their USA/Canada tour, which lasts a month.
December 4, 1964 - The album "Beatles For Sale" is released in the U.K. and hits number one.
February 23, 1965 - Shooting begins in the Bahamas on the Beatles' second film, "Help!"
June 12, 1965 - The Beatles are named Members of the British Empire by the Queen, and in October they are presented with medals at Buckingham Palace.
July 29, 1965 - The Beatles second feature film, "Help!" opens in London. It opens in the U.S. on August 11 that year. It cost $1.5 million to make and was very successful.
August 6, 1965 - The album, "Help!" is released in the U.K. and becomes a number one hit there and in the U.S.
August 15, 1965 - The Beatles play for a record-breaking 55,600 people at New York's Shea Stadium, grossing $304,000 dollars. The Beatles' share was $160,000.
December 3, 1965 - The album, "Rubber Soul," is released in the U.K. and goes to number one there and in the U.S.
August 5, 1966 - The album, "Revolver," is released in the U.K. and hits number one there and in the U.S.
August 29, 1966 - The Beatles give their last live concert, in San Francisco, California.
June 1, 1967 - The album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," is released in the U.K. It tops the charts all over the world, holding the number one slot in Britain for 27 weeks and for 19 in America. It receives four Grammys including Best Album.
June 25, 1967 - The Beatles star in "Our World," a two-hour satellite television program transmitted live by satellite to five continents and 24 countries. They perform "All You Need is Love." This was the first live television satellite program to air worldwide.
August 27, 1967 - Brian Epstein dies. The Beatles learn of his death while they are visiting Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Bangor, Wales. The spiritual leader is introducing people to Transcendental Meditation (TM).
November 27, 1967 - The album, "Magical Mystery Tour," is released in the U.S. where it hits number one. It is released in the U.K. eleven days later as an extended play disc, without three singles.
December 26, 1967 - "Magical Mystery Tour," the Beatles' hour-long television special airs in the U.K., where it is seen by approximately 14 million viewers and not liked by critics.
February 1968 - The Beatles travel to Rishikesh, India, to attend a TM seminar hosted by Maharishi at his center. They stay a few weeks.
May 14, 1968 - John and Paul appear on "The Tonight Show" (with guest host Joe Garagiola) to announce that their company, Apple, desires to help young artists.
July 17, 1968 - "Yellow Submarine," the animated film, premieres in London. It opens in America several months later and becomes a great success.
November 22, 1968 - The album, "The Beatles" ('White Album'), is released and zooms to number one in Britain and America.
January 13, 1969 - The soundtrack, "Yellow Submarine," is released in the U.S. and reaches the number two position on the British and American charts (number one was held by the White Album).
January 30, 1969 - The Beatles perform together for the last time live, singing many songs, on the roof of Apple's London office. The scenes were included in what became the documentary "Let It Be."
Mid-September, 1969 - John decides to "divorce" the Beatles, but he does not announce it publicly because of contract negotiations taking place with EMI. By this time, George and Ringo have each quit the band for short spells, returning soon after.
September 26, 1969 - The Beatles last studio album, "Abbey Road," is released in the U.K. It tops the charts there and in America.
November 25, 1969 - John returns his Member of the British Empire medal to Buckingham Palace as an anti-war protest, and, he says in his letter to the Queen, in protest against his single "Cold Turkey" slipping down the charts.
April 10, 1970 - Paul announces publicly that he has left the Beatles.
May 8, 1970 - The Beatles last album, "Let It Be" (recorded before "Abbey Road"), is released in the U.K. and hits number one there and in the U.S.
May 20, 1970 - The movie, "Let It Be," premieres in London. None of the Beatles attend.
Eco-car more efficient than light bulb
An eco-car that can travel the world using a fraction of the electricity it takes to power a light bulb has been unveiled by its British creators.
The hydrogen-powered Ech2o needs just 25 Watts -- the equivalent of less than two gallons of petrol -- to complete the 25,000-mile global trip, while emitting nothing more hazardous than water.
But with a top speed of 30mph, the journey would take more than a month to complete. Ech2o, built by British gas firm BOC, will bid to smash the world fuel efficiency record of over 10,000 miles per gallon at the Shell Eco Marathon.
The record is currently ... 5,385 km/per liter [12,900 mpg!]. John Carolin, BOC global director sustainable energy: "It sounds unbelievable how little power is used to keep the BOC Ech2o moving, but it demonstrates the impact of careful design and is a valuable lesson for car makers in the future.
Note: If these small test cars get over 10,000 miles per gallon, why aren't new cars getting at least 100 mpg?
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/07/04/eco.car
Wrigleys, Gum History & Facts
- The largest piece of gum produced was the equivalent of 10,000 pieces of gum, it was presented to baseball great Willie Mays from 1974.
- To grow all the mint Wrigley needs for its mint flavored gums would take 53 square miles of farmland – about 30,550 football fields!
- Wrigley's chewing gum is enjoyed from more than 150 countries throughout the world.
- The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company grows enough mint for the Spearmint gum to fill about 16,300 football fields from just one year and all of it is grown on U.S. farms.
- Wrigley fact: If each stick produced annually at this one plant were laid end to end, the gum would stretch around the world 19 times.
- Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit and Spearmint gums are more than 100 years old. Your grandparents probably chewed these when they were kids!
- The first commercial chewing gum, State of Maine Spruce Gum was introduced from 1850.
- William F. Semple of Mount Vernon, Ohio, patented chewing gum from 1869.
- William Wrigley Jr entered the market from 1891 using the Lotta and Vassar brands.
- Wrigley’s Spearmint and Juicy Fruit followed from 1893.
- William Wrigley Jr, from the early 1900s, was one of the first to promote the sale of branded goods through advertising. Spearmint quickly became a best seller.
- ORBIT was invented as a special wartime brand and was supplied to the Armed Forces, since it was recognized that gum eases tension, promotes alertness and improves morale.
- People have chewed on natural materials for hundreds of years, including thickened resin and latex from certain trees, sweet grasses, leaves, grains and waxes.
- The use of spruce continued until the 1850s when paraffin wax became the new popular base for chewing gum.
- Cinnamon, spearmint and peppermint are among the most popular flavors of chewing gum today.
- In A.D. 50, Ancient Greeks were believed to chew mastic, tree resin taken from bark of the Mastic tree. Grecian women favored chewing this to clean their teeth and sweeten their breath!
- An Indian civilization that inhabited Central America enjoyed chewing chicle. This is a natural gum that comes from the latex of the Sapodilla tree and became the main ingredient from chewing gum.
- American Indians used to quench their thirsts by chewing the gum-like resin that forms on spruce trees when the bark is cut. Spruce became the first commercial chewing gum, being sold and traded from lumps.
- During WW2, US military personnel spread the popularity of chewing gum by trading it and giving it as gifts to people from Europe, Africa, Asia and around the world.
- The country using the largest number of chewing gum manufacturers is Turkey, using more then 60 companies manufacturing chewing gum!
- The head of the Philadelphia Chewing Gum Company (makers of Swell Bubble Gum), Edward L. Fenimore, has been said to have blown a bubble within a bubble within a bubble (a triple whammy).
- Humans are the only animals on earth that chew gum.
- Ancient Greeks chewed gum thousands of years ago.
- The ages of 12 to 24 chew more gum than any other age group.
- A study by specialists of a sociological service of the Youth Press agency, questioned 1000 kids from ten Russian cities and found that about two thirds of them had collections and that 22% of them collected chewing gum wrappers and labels.
Why is bubble gum pink? The color of the first successful bubble gum was pink because it was the only color the inventor had left. The color "stuck" and today bubble gum is still predominantly pink.
- Can you really remove gum from your hair using peanut butter? It has been proven that if you knead a small amount of peanut butter between your fingers and the gum, the gum will disperse enough so you can remove it.
- Detectives have been known to identify criminals by comparing the suspect's chewed gum to their dental records.
- Some people use gum to help break bad habits such as smoking and/or overeating. Studies have been done showing that chewing on gum relaxes muscles and helps relieve stress and tension from people.
- Because of gravity, you must measure bubble gum bubbles by their width, not their height.
- Japanese chemists have invented 'Mood Gum'. Like the Mood Rings popular from America, Mood Gum changes color when you're happy, sad, angry, etc.
- Chewing bubble gum is said to keep you from crying.
- Swallowed bubble gum will not get stuck from your intestines, but it will pass through your system, because gum base can not be digested.
Sources: The Wrigley Company. The Chewing Gum Book, Robert Young. 1989 Dillon Press.
http://www.betteroralhealth.info/orbit_us/about-wrigley/fun-facts/index.htm
Vietnam War Facts
While many aspects about the Vietnam War are debatable, the facts and figures of the war have a voice of their own and are indisputable.
On these pages we list some of the commonly accepted facts about the Vietnam War.
58,148 Americans were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.59 million who served.
The average age of those killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years.
50,274 were enlisted, average age 22.37.
The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year, thanks to the mobility of the helicopter.
After Vietnam the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand managed to stay free of communism. The Indonesians expelled the Soviets in 1966.
During the Vietnam War the national debt increased by $146 billion (1967-1973). Adjusted for inflation, the debt in 1992 dollars was $500 billion.
6,598 were officers, average age 28.43.
91 percent of Vietnam veterans say they are glad they served.
74 percent said they would serve again even knowing the outcome.
1,276 were warrant officers (NCOs), average age 24.73 years.
11,465 were less than 20 years old.
From 1957 to 1973 the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese and abducted 58,499. Death squads focused on leaders that included schoolteachers and minor officials.
The number of North Vietnamese killed was approximately 500,000 to 600,000. Casualties: 15 million.
One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. Although the percentage who died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. 75,000 Vietnam veterans are severely disabled.
The Tet '68 offensive was a major defeat for the VC and the NVA.
Two-thirds of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers, two-thirds who served in World War II were draftees.
Weird News:: Two-Headed Turtle Found in China
In biology, two heads are rarely better than one. But this unusual golden coin turtle, found in China, appears to be doing just fine. A businessman from the city of Qingdao says he bought the reptile at an animal market last year.
According to press reports released Wednesday, the turtle's two heads cooperate well and can even eat at the same time. Its owner says the reptile eats more than one-headed turtles do and has grown over the past year.
The creature most likely developed its unusual anatomy while still in the egg. Its embryo began to split in two—the process that gives rise to identical twins—but then failed to fully separate.
While uncommon, abnormalities caused by incompletely split embryos occur in many animal species, including fish,snakes, rats, cows—even humans, where the phenomenon leads to what are known as Siamese, or conjoined, twins.
Experts say survival rates for two-headed animals tend to be lower in the wild. But in captivity such animals can prosper. At the San Diego Zoo a two-headed corn snake named Thelma and Louise produced 15 normal offspring before it died.
Space Facts
Isaac Newton was the first man to give the space laws.
The first artificial satellite to be launched was the Russian Sputnik.
The first living being sent up to space was Laika, the dog.
The first manned space flight was Vostok 1.
The first space shuttle was the Colombia (US-1981).
The first woman cosmonaught was Valentina Tereshkova(1963).
Some facts about mercury
ALTHOUGH best known as the silver liquid in thermometers, mercury has over 3,000 industrial uses. It occurs in nature mostly as mercuric sulphide, known as cinnabar, which has been refined for its mercury content since the 16th century. Mercury is present in numerous compounds and is toxic even in its elementary form.
A blob of the silver liquid, which is toxic even in its elementary form.
Properties such as the ability to alloy with most metals, liquefy at room temperature, vapourise and freeze with ease and conduct electricity make mercury an important industrial metal. Mercury in elemental or inorganic form is transformed into organic forms (especially the methylated form) by biological systems when it comes into contact with micro-organisms in the soil and water.
Humans come into contact with mercury through environmental, occupational or accidental exposure. Methylated mercury compounds are toxic and can accumulate in the environment and in the food chain.
Mercury magnifies up to 100,000 times in predatory fish. In the 1950s, the consumption of fish contaminated by methylated mercury led to the poisoning of thousands of fishing families in Minimata, Japan. The pollution, caused by an acetaldehyde manufacturing unit owned by the Chisso industrial group, affected over 10,000 people over a period of three decades.
Occupational exposure to mercury occurs through the inhalation of contaminated air, skin contact with liquid mercury, or oral exposure through contaminated hands or food. Mercury can cause acute or chronic health problems. It accumulates in the kidney, the brain and the blood. The amount of mercury absorbed by the body - and thus the degree of toxicity - depends upon its chemical form. Elemental mercury, the form workers are exposed to, is the most hazardous when inhaled. Only about 25 per cent of the inhaled dose is exhaled.
Very high exposure to mercury vapour can cause acute poisoning. This may lead to pneumonia and can be fatal. People with chronic mercury poisoning experience wide mood swings and become irritable, depressed or excited for no apparent reason. The earliest symptom is tremor of the hand, tongue and eyelids, which can progress to problems with balancing and walking.
Over 40 States in the United States and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued at least 2,000 public health warnings about mercury contamination. Several States and municipal administrations have begun to check the amount of mercury in the environment by banning mercury thermometers, as "even if one thermometer contaminates a drinking water supply source, it can be permanently unusable".
Do you know !!! about Biiliards.
Billiard Origin
The origin of all billiard games is an outdoor game similar to croquet, used to be played in France on the 14th century. Due to the game popularity among royalty as well as common people and thanks to the capriciousness of the European weather, the billiard game was born as an indoor game. Billiard was played on a table covered with green felt in order to resemble the lawn on which the ancestor game was played.Billiard and the Law
The billiard game was outlawed for many years and in different countries: still at the early days of billiard, the game was accused of being immoral. Therefore, this faulty activity and its devoted players were chased by the Church. On the early history of American billiards, when the term "pool room" was still a synonym for horse betting parlor, the game was illegal in many states. Even Thomas Jefferson had to hide a billiard table in his residency.1st World Championship
Nevertheless, the first world championship in sports history was the 1873 World Billiards Championship. William Cook won the title. John Roberts was the runner up.
Billiard and Celebs
Other historic celebrities who had owned a billiard table include King Louis XI and Mary the Queen of Scots (whose billiard table cloth was used by her assassins as cerements). Captain Mingaud, whose responsible for inventing the leather cue tip, had a billiard table in his prison cell.Pool halls History
The first public pool hall in history was built in England during the end of the 18th century. The pool hall featured one billiard table with one pocket. The biggest pool hall in history was built in Detroit in the 1920s; it featured more than 100 tables in addition to an exhibition room attached to a 250-seats theatre hall.
Billiard's French Origins
The term "billiard" is derived from the French word for mace – billiart. Before the cue stick was invented (the term "cue" also has French origins. Queue, is tail in French), a wooden mace with a handle, similar to a tail, was used to shoot the balls. For a long period after the cue stick invention, only men were allowed to use it; women billiard players were automatically accused of misusing the cue and ripping the table cloth.
Billiard's 1st Female ChampionThe first woman who won in World Billiard Champion was actually a man. The woman billiard champion, who was known by the name of Frances Anderson and for outplaying (almost) every man and woman in both the American and European billiards world throughout the first centuries of the 20th century, came out as a man that was born under the name of Orie and created quite a stir on the 1920s billiards circle.
NOKIA Phones - Known , Unknown Facts
1. Unlike other modern day handsets, Nokia phones do not automatically start the call timer when the call is connected, but start it when the call is initiated. (Except for Series 60 based handsets like the Nokia 6600)
2. The name of the town of Nokia originated from the river which flowed through the town. The river itself, Nokianvirta, was named after the old Finnish word originally meaning sable, later pine marten. A species of this small, black-furred predatory animal was once found in the region, but it is now extinct.
3. The native Finnish pronunciation of “Nokia” is [’no.ki.a], i.e. stress on the first syllable and all vowels short. English speakers often pronounce the name approximately [nou.ki.ə] (adapting the Finnish short ‘o’ [o] to the English “long O” [əυ]) or [nak’kii.ə] (postponing stress and replacing the short ‘i’ [i] with a “tense I” [ii]).
4. The “Special” tone available to users of Nokia phones when receiving SMS (text messages) is actually Morse code for “SMS”. Similarly, the “Ascending” SMS tone is Morse code for “Connecting People,” Nokia’s slogan. The “Standard” SMS tone is Morse code for “M” (Message).
5. The ringtone “Nokia tune” is actually based on a 19th century guitar work named “Gran Vals” by Spanish musician Francisco Tárrega. The Nokia Tune was originally named “Grande Valse” on Nokia phones but was changed to “Nokia Tune” around 1998 when it became so well known that people referred to it as the “Nokia Tune.”
6. Nokia is sometimes called aikon (Nokia backwards) by non-Nokia mobile phone users and by mobile software developers, because “aikon” is used in various SDK software packages, including Nokia’s own Symbian S60 SDK.
7. Nokia sponsored several pan-European Alternate Reality Games from 1999 to 2005, under the name Nokia Game. These were used to promote their latest phones, as well as introducing the ARG format to Europe.
8. Nokia was listed as the 20th most admirable company worldwide in Fortune’s list of 2006 (1st in network communications, 4th non-US company).[6]
9. Nokia is currently the world’s largest digital camera manufacturer, as the sales of its camera-equipped mobile phones have exceeded those of any conventional camera manufacturer.
10. In the mobile phone market, Nokia is in direct competition with Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Samsung Electronics, LG, Philips, Kyocera, SAGEM, among others.
11. In Asia, the digit 4 never appears in any handset model number, because 4 is considered unlucky in many parts of Southeast/East Asia.
12. The Nokia corporate font (typeface) is the AgfaMonotype Nokia Sans font, originally designed by Eric Spiekermann. Previously in advertising and in its mobile phone User’s Guides Nokia mostly used the Agfa Rotis Sans font.
Important Facts About Alexander the Great
- Born around July 20, 356 B.C.
- Son of King Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, daughter of King Neoptolemus I of Epirus. Olympias was not the only wife of Philip and there was much conflict between Alexander's parents.
- Tutored by Leonidas (possibly his uncle) and the great Greek philosopher Aristotle.
- During his youth, Alexander tamed the wild horse Bucephalus. Later, when his beloved horse died, Alexander renamed a city in India for Bucephalus.
- In 340 B.C., while father Philip went off to fight rebels, Alexander was made regent in Macedonia. During Alexander's regency, the Maedi of northen Macedonia revolted. Alexander put down the revolt and renamed their city Alexandroupolis.
- In 336 B.C. his father Philip was assassinated, and Alexander the Great became ruler of Macedonia.
- Had several rivals executed in order to secure the throne.
- Alexander the Great had three wives: Roxane, Statiera, and Parysatis.
- Children: Herakles, son of Alexander's mistress Barsine, and Alexander IV, son of Roxane. Both children were killed before they reached adulthood.
- One of the legends about Alexander the Great is that when he was in Gordium, in Turkey, in 333 B.C., he undid the Gordian Knot which had been tied by the legendary King Midas. The prophecy about the Gordian knot was that the person who untied it would rule all of Asia. Alexander the Great is said to have undone the knot by slashing through it wilth a sword.
- In 323 B.C. Alexander the Great returned to Babylonia where he became ill suddenly, and died at age 33. The cause of his death is unknown. It could have been disease or posion.
Further Reading:
Kohinoor, World's Best Diamond
Information about the famous Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
Discover some fascinating information about the famous Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
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Facts and Information about the Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
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The Curse of the Koh-i-Noor diamond
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History & Timeline of the Kohinoor Diamond
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Kohinoor Diamond - one of the World's most famous diamonds the Koh-i-Noor diamonds
Description of the Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
The Kohinoor Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. The Kohinoor diamond was first mentioned in 1306 when it was taken from a Rajah of Malwa, whose family had held the diamond for centuries. It was described as weighing 186 carats and was an oval cut white diamond - the shape and size of a small hen's egg. The Kohinoor diamond belonged to various Indian and Persian rulers but it became part of the Crown Jewels of England at the time that Queen Victoria was proclaimed empress of India. The Kohinoor was re-cut at this time and now weighs 108.93 carats and is kept in the Tower of London.
Origin / Meaning of the name Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
The Kohinoor (Koh-i-Noor) originated from India in Golconda at the Kollur mine and was specifically mined from the *Rayalaseema diamond mine (meaning *Land of Stones) during the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty. The Kohinoor was then passed from one ruling dynasty to the next. The original name of the diamond was ‘Samantik Mani’ (Prince and leader among diamonds). In 1739 Nadir Shah, the King of Persia, invaded India and was said to refer to the diamond as the "Mountain of Light". The Persian-Arabic words for "Mountain of Light" were Koh-i-Noor. The magnificence of the diamond and its value symbolized the power of an Empire. It was said that "He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes." Possession of the Kohinoor led to murder, torture, mutilation and treachery and stories of the Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond...
The Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
The Curse of Kohinoor Diamond dates back to a Hindu text from the time of the first authenticated appearance of the diamond in 1306. The Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond reads:
"He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all
its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity."
The history and lives of the rulers who owned the Koh-i-Noor diamond were filled with violence, murders, mutilations, torture and treachery. Whether or not people believe in the Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond, the history of the stone is undeniable - and the threat of the Koh-i-Noor curse is enough to make people cautious. The British Royal family were obviously aware of the Curse of the Kohinoor and from the reign of Queen Victoria, when the Kohinoor diamond came into their possession, it has always gone to the wife of the male heir to the British throne. The History Timeline details the story of the Kohinoor diamond.
History of the Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
Myths and legends surround the stone. It was of incredible value and described by one of its owners, the Emperor Babur, the Great Mogul, as "Worth the value of one day's food for all the people in the world". The men who fought for it, and the Kingdoms and great Empires that were won and lost, produced many stories of ill-luck that plagued the owners and became part of the history of the Kohinoor diamond.
The History Timeline of the Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
The following timeline & history of the Kohinoor details important historical events and dates:
Dates in History of the Kohinoor Timeline & History of Kohinoor Diamond (aka Koh-i-Noor)
1200 - 1300's
There were many dynasties who owned the Kohinoor diamond including the Slave dynasty (1206-90), the Khilji dynasty (1290-1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320-1413), the Sayyid dynasty (1414-51), and the Lodi dynasty (1451-1526)These were all brief reigns ending with war and violence
1306 In 1306 the Rajah of Malwa was forced to give the diamond to the rulers of the Kakatiya Empire
1323
Soon after, in 1323, the Kakatiya Empire fell after a rule stretching from 1083 to 1323. The diamond was taken by Muhammad bin Tughluq who became the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351
1323 - 1526
The diamond came into the possession of the Delhi Sultanate which consisted of many Muslim dynasties that ruled in India to 1526. During the Delhi Sultanate Muslim armies consisting of Mongol, Turkic, Persian, and Afghan warriors invaded India
1526
In 1526 the Kohinoor Diamond passed to the Mughal Empire when the Timurid Prince Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans, at the First Battle of Panipat. Mughal is the Persian word for Mongol
Babur mentions in his memoirs, the Baburnama, that the diamond had belonged to an un-named Rajah of Malwa
The Mughal Empire ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for two hundred years and the Kohinoor passed from one Mughal Emperor to the next. Violence and bloodshed followed these years often marked by the sons of the Emperors rebelling and overtaking their fathers
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1592 – 1666), who was famous for building the Taj Mahal, had the Kohinoor Diamond placed into his ornate Peacock Throne
1639
The Koh-i-Noor changed ownership several more times until the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan took the throne. In 1639 a struggle for the Empire started between his four sons - Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad Baksh when brother killed brother. Shah Shuja executed his brother Dara Shikoh and in then 1658 Aurangzeb defeated Shuja and Shuja who was tortured to death together with all his family
1665
In 1665 Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605 – 1689), French traveller and pioneer of jewelry and diamond trade with India, recorded his experiences in which he describes a great Mughal diamond said to be the biggest in the world. It was called the "Great Mogul" by Tavernier
1739
In 1739 the Persian King Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire defeating their Emperor and stole the great Koh-i-Noor diamond (Nadir Shah is credited with giving the diamond the name it is known by today). The Koh-i-Noor Diamond was taken to Persia
1747
In 1747 the empire of Nadir Shah quickly disintegrated after he was assassinated - the Curse of the Kohinoor strikes again? After Nadir Shah's assassination, the diamond passed to his successors, each were dethroned and ritually blinded (Blinding was used to render an enemy powerless and make him a burden on his community.)
1800
1800 - Ranjit Singh took the Empire and possession of the Kohinoor diamond. Rajah Ranjit Singh died in 1839 and his successors lacked his bravery and vision
The Sikh kingdom became weak and the British conquered India which became part of the British Empire and the British Raj or rule gained control of India from 1858 - 1947
The British Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, was responsible for the British acquiring the Koh-i-Noor
1851
1851 - Dalhousie arranged that the Kohinoor diamond should be presented by Ranjit Singh's successor, Duleep Singh, to Queen Victoria, the Empress of India
1851
1851 - The Great Exhibition was staged in Hyde Park in London when the Koh-i-Noor was put on view by the British public
1852
In 1852 Prince Albert ordered that the Koh-i-Noor diamond to be re-cut from 186 carats to its current 105 carats thus increasing its brilliance. The Koh-i-Noor diamond was mounted in a tiara with more than two thousand other diamonds
The Koh-i-Noor diamond was then used as the centre piece of the crowns of the Queen consorts to the British Kings. The Queen Consorts Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary wore the crowns
1936
In 1936, the stone was set into the crown of the wife of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother), wife of King George VI
The British Royal family were obviously aware of the Curse of the Kohinoor - "He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity." And from the reign of Queen Victoria the Kohinoor diamond has always gone to the wife of the male heir to the British throne
In 1850, it was given to Queen Victoria in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Oriental India Company. The Queen asked for the stone to be cut again, its 186ct then became 108,93. In 1911, a new crown was made for Queen Mary with the Koh-I-Noor as central stone. In 1937, it was transferred to the crown of Queen Elizabeth for her Crowning.
The diamond is now, along with other famous diamonds, part of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. The government of India has repeatedly lobbied the British Government and the British monarchy for the return of this diamond, claiming legitimate ownership. As of 2003, nothing has come of these requests.
Origin of Vastu
Origin of Vastu
These days, the concept of consulting Vastu expert for creating peaceful settings at home and workplace, has gained popularity. This architectural scientific study of directions, more popularly known as Vastu is not new. In fact it has its origin in the Stapatya Veda, a part of the Atharva Veda. Thus, the origin of vastu study can be said to have taken place thousands of years ago. It is interesting to explore facts about Vaasthu origin. Read further to know about Vaastu shastra history…
The early principles of Vastu were framed on the basis of observation of the sunrays at different durations during the day. Vastu study has incorporated the principles of sculptures, construction and architecture, as were described in the epics. One can find its mention in different epics like Mataysya Purana, Skanda Purana, Agni Purana, Garuda Purana, and Vishnu Purana.
References can also be found in the Mahabharata; of different houses built for the kings, which were constructed following Vaastu guidelines. Even Buddhist literature makes numerous mentions of different buildings based on Vaasthu. It has become a tradition of passing the knowledge of Vastu shashtra from one generation to another.
