Random Facts 33

Speaking with Gestures
Gesturing with your hands while speaking improves memory.
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.178.


Multiplication
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321.
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.199.


Last Names of Barbie & Ken
Barbie (the doll) has a last name - Roberts, and Ken's last name is Carson.
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.245.


Pacific Ocean - Deepth
At its deepest point, the Pacific Ocean is 36,198 feet deep (about 6.85 miles).
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.253.


No McDonald's
Montpelier, Vermont is the only state capital without a McDonald's.
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.470.

Alcohol Rundown
Beer: Lighter Domestic Beer starts with Barley Malt (a grain thats sprouted then dried), cook the malt with Hops (dried flower bits from a vine in the hemp family) for flavor, then add yeast. Lager yeast stays at the bottom of the pot and Ale yeast floats. The brew ferments for days or weeks and the starches in the grain turn to alcohol. Different blends of grains, yeasts, hops and waters and maybe some caramel or sugar will get differnt beers like stout or porter.
Whiskey: Scotch is distilled mostly from barley malt heated over a peat fire for flavor. Irish is similar but without the peat smoke. In Canada they use wheat, corn and rye (along with the barley) and local water which brings a different taste. In the US, Bourbon is mainly from corn, straight malt (mainly barley) straight rye and blends. Whiskey is usually 40-50% alcohol.
Gin: is distilled from grains like whiskey but flavored with juniper berries. Added tonic water staves off malaria or vermouth for a martini. Vodka: was originally made from potatoes, these days substituted with grain. Most do not have a flavor and are an easy mixer. Rum: is made from sugar cane molasses, leads to Daiquiris. Tequila & Mescal are distilled from different agave plants from mexico, leads to Margaritas. Wine: is fermented grape juice and Brandy is distilled from wine or Cognac Brandy made near the French town of the same name. Champagne occurs after a second fermentation to add bubbles.
The Big Book of Vice, 1999, p. 40-41.


Wine Bottle Sizes
Fillette (375 milliters, half a bottle), Magnum (1.5 liters, 2 bottles), Marie-Jeanne (3 bottles occassionally used by Bordeaux France), Jeroboam (or a Double Magnum in Bordeaux France, 3 liters, 4 bottles), Rehoboam (4.5 liters, 6 bottles), Methuselah (or an Imperial in Bordeaux France, 6 liters, 8 bottles), Salmanazar (9 liters, 12 bottles), Balthazar (12 liters, 16 bottles), Nebuchadnezzar (15 liters, 20 bottles), Melchoir (sometimes called a Solomon, 18 liters, 24 bottles), Primat (27 liter, 36 bottles), Adelaide (largest ever blown, once, in 1958, held 26 gallons).
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.255-256.

Playing Cards
French mass production of card decks created the suits to represent different classes of French society, Swords for Knights which became Spades, derived from the spanish word for knight, Espads. Hearts for the church, the Heart of French Society. Diamonds for Merchants and Clubs for peasants which represented three blades of grass.
First cards appeared in the 12 century in China for amusement. Gypsies brought paper cards to Europe in the form of Tarot. The most popular card game in 16th century England was a 3 card ancestor of Poker called Brag. In 1800s Faro was the game of choice in Mississippi riverboat casinos. In the 19th century the modern game of Poker evolved from New Orleans. A favorite in the Wild West, Wild Bill Hickok was shot dead in a game holding two pair, aces and eights - which went on to become known as a Dead Man's Hand. Gin Rummy comes in second most favorite. Bridge is a descendent from the English game Whist, revised by American millionaire Harold Vanderbilt (Contract Bridge) which is considered the game of choice amongst the ultra-rich. In 1930's US & England tried to make a fifth suit Eagles or Crowns but they did not catch on.
The Big Book of Vice, 1999, p. 145-148.


Billion
If you had $1 billion and spent $1,000 a day, it would take 2,740 years to spend it. The ratio of billionaires to the rest of the US population is 1 to 4.5 million.
Uncle John's 16th Bathroom Reader - Unstoppable, 2003, p.188.


Most Portrayed Character
Sherlock Holmes is the character most often portrayed on-screen with at least 204 films.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood, 2005, p.41.


Movie Attendance
In 1946 100 million Americans, out of a total population of 141 million, attended the movies every week. In 1947 it dropped to 90, in 1950 - 60, 1957 - 40, and leveled out at about 15 million in the 1970's. Today it is about 25 million out of a population of 295 million.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood, 2005, p.69.


Sequels
Charlie Chan: 44 Films - 1931.
Blondie: 28 Films - 1938, & 1 TV Season in 1957.
James Bond: 23+ Films - 1962.
Andy Hardy: 15 Films - 1937.
Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone/Bruce): 14 Films - 1939.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood, 2005, p.214-215.


Movie Theaters
The US has the most movie theaters - 32,992. India is second with 12,867.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood, 2005, p.419.


Raisinete Caffeine
50 rasisinets have more caffeine than a cup of coffee.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood, 2005, p.443.