False Facts 19

A city councilman (Carl Freeborn) from Asheville, North Carolina is attempting to legally change his name to "Arack Bobama" to perhaps ride on the coattails of another famous politician.

In many Eskimo schools, they don't teach multiplication. Division is taught, however.

During the Civil War, America had a demand for poodles that was not met until the mid-1920s.

The wobble in the rotation of the earth is causing a shift in its magnetic field. By the year 2327, the magnetic North Pole will be located in mid-Kansas, while the South Pole will be just off the coast of East Africa.

Silica gel, when mixed in with asphalt, makes highways that actually absorb rainfall. A side effect is that automobile tires would last two to three times as long when used on this type pavement. The tire industry has fought this breakthrough.

Scuba divers cannot pass gas at depths of 33 feet or below.

A tank can only be used to hold helium for three fillings (depending on tank size) before being recycled. The very small helium atom actually leaks out of the tank - in between the molecules of the steel tank - in effect actually "eating away" the tank walls.

There is no literal translation for "boss" in Japanese, so in Tokyo, Bruce Springsteen is known as "The Supervisor".

Johnny Plessey batted .331 for the Cleveland Spiders in 1891, even though he spent the entire season batting with a rolled-up, lacquered copy of the Toledo Post-Dispatch.

Fidel Castro's brother Raul has a large collection of Beanie Babies.

Due to a calendar mix-up, there were two years in a row identified as "1973".

To research his role in "Tootsie", Dustin Hoffman spent two years living as a woman.

In the early drafts of "Moby Dick", Moby Dick was a turtle.

In the Blackfoot Indian language, there is no translation for the name "Clarence". (thanks to Eric Snyder)

Abraham Lincoln was wearing his stovepipe hat when he lost his virginity.

More than 30% of the world's salt is used to garnish margaritas.

Approximately 200,000 drivers a year are seriously burned by EZ-pass sensors.

93% of American TIVOs contain at least one episode of "Sanford & Son".