useless facts

[Jimbuna]

The “dot” over the letter “i” is called a tittle.

[Eisenwurst]

Pope Francis used to be a nightclub bouncer.

[Jimbuna]

Sleeping through summer is called “estivation.”

[Platapus]

In September 1942, Pharmacist's Mate Wheeler Lipes performed an emergency appendectomy aboard a US Submarine... in a combat zone....with no surgical experience nor training... as a 22 year old high-school dropout....without any surgical instruments....and the patient (Darrell Rector, 19) survived.


Upon hearing about this, the Navy medical establishment was angered by the occurrence, and there was talk of a court martial.



60 years later, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for his accomplishment.


For a very nice write up https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...05Apr18_2.html

[Jimbuna]

A group of hippos is called a “bloat.”

[Platapus]

In 1758, a young candidate in Virginia for the House of Burgesses footed a huge liquor bill to woo voters on Election Day.



George Washington spent his entire campaign budget, 50 pounds, on 160 gallons of liquor served to 391 voters.

[Jimbuna]

Rainbows were called “bows of promise” in Victorian English.

[Platapus]

Time is running out


If, in Poland, you want to go to Hel, you would take the 666 bus.


Later this month, the bus number will change to 669 based on complaints from irate and fearful christians.



The bus company says that if enough customers request it to be changed back, they would consider it.

[Jimbuna]

The chicken and the ostrich are the closest living relatives of the Tyrannosaurus rex.

[Rockstar]

By the time the Civil War began in 1860, the Cherokee nation owned more than 4,000 Black slaves and aligned themselves with the Confederacy once hostilities broke out. In the 160 years since, the tribe has continually denied the descendants of its Black slaves full citizenship or any measure of equal rights under the law. As recently as 2011, the tribe denied requests for citizenship from this group. However, thanks to a landmark Cherokee Supreme Court ruling, the 8,500 living descendants of the Cherokee Freedmen have finally been given their proper status.

[Jimbuna]

A giraffe can go longer without water than a camel can.

[Platapus]

We did not always have the secret ballot for elections in the United States.



It was not until after 1884 that the US started widely using the Secret Ballot for voting.


Prior to that the political parties pre printed already filled out ballots, which were accepted for the election. Voters were not offered any privacy when filling out blank ballots.



This new Secret Ballot was commonly known as an Australian Ballot due to it being first used in Australia in 1856

[Jimbuna]

Due to a genetic defect, cats can’t taste sweet things.

[Platapus]

Not a useless fact but interesting trivia


Donald Gray Triplett, the first person diagnosed with autism symptoms, died 15 Jun 23, according to his longtime employer. Triplett was 89.

Triplett was identified as “Donald T.” in the 1943 paper “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact” by Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins Hospital

[Jimbuna]

A blob of toothpaste is called a nurdle.