Alex's Fun Facts Thread - Page 3 - iPhone 3G

projectdarkside · 07-20-2008, 08:09 AM

Why is blue for boys and pink for girls?
In ancient times, it was believed that certain colours could combat the evil spirits that lingered over nurseries. Because blue was associated with the heavenly spirits, boys were clothed in that colour, boys then being considered the most valuable resource to parents. Although baby girls did not have a colour associated with them, they were mostly clothed in black. It was only in the Middle Ages when pink became associated with baby girls.

Youngbinks · 07-20-2008, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hondamaker

Sorry Binks, I wasn't trying to prove you wrong, I was just curious.

Haha no I'm glad you did. I just took it at face value. Seriously I can't tell you how many people I've told that "fact" to. Oops.

projectdarkside · 07-20-2008, 09:45 AM

Why do people kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas?
In ancient myth, when the son of the Norse goddess Frigga was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe and then brought back to life, she blessed the mistletoe and bestowed a kiss on all who passed beneath it. In the 18th century, the legend was adopted as a promise to marry. At Christmas a lady standing under a mistletoe may not refuse a kiss. If she does, she cannot expect to marry the following year. So it is told.

Alexander · 07-20-2008, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Youngbinks

Haha no I'm glad you did. I just took it at face value. Seriously I can't tell you how many people I've told that "fact" to. Oops.

Yeah seriously, apologize to everyone you have misinformed in your life with this fact - starting with me.

Alexander · 07-20-2008, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saverino

In Italian, formica means "ant(s)"

Those crazy romance languages got their roots in Latin, so this of course comes as no surprise.

patrickj · 07-20-2008, 09:39 PM

I like this thread a lot, good entertainment value. My only gripe with it so far - no offense iCafe - I much prefer the bite-sized additions to it (one to ten at a time maybe), not the 'Throw a Hundred of 'em Up' entries - I find I just skip right over those ...

Alexander · 07-20-2008, 10:09 PM

Originally Luke Skywalker was named Luke Starkiller.
The first TV commercial showed a Bulova watch ticking onscreen for exactly 60 seconds.
Onions have no flavor, only a smell.
You have no sense of smell when you're sleeping!
Until President Kennedy was killed, it wasn’t a federal crime to assassinate the President.
Among older men, vanilla is the most erotic smell.

projectdarkside · 07-20-2008, 10:14 PM

Its impossible for even the most flexible normal human to lick their elbow

psylichon · 07-20-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander

Among older men, vanilla is the most erotic smell.

That just made me wretch.

And how can onions have no taste when smell and taste are so closely related? Couldn't you say that about all food?

...

Oh yeah, and all tunas, no matter the size, have the same number of scales.

Alexander · 07-20-2008, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psylichon

That just made me wretch.

And how can onions have no taste when smell and taste are so closely related? Couldn't you say that about all food?

...

Oh yeah, and all tunas, no matter the size, have the same number of scales.

Well taste and smell are obviously two different senses completely. However, 70%-75% of what we perceive as taste is in fact smell - So if we scientifically determine onion has no taste, we can attribute 100% of it's flavor to smell.

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