Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 519, click here
1-5 Kickass Random Facts
1. Astronaut Jim Lovell was asked if he would go on another spaceflight after an explosion almost killed the crew of Apollo 13 on its way to the Moon. Lovell was about to say yes. Then he saw a hand shoot up from the audience and slowly give the thumbs-down sign. It was his wife, Marilyn. – Source
2. A suicide bomber with explosives in his laptop boarded the Somali owned Daallo Airlines in 2016 intending to blow the whole aircraft. Twenty minutes after the takeoff, the bomb exploded, creating a hole in the plane, and the suicide bomber was sucked out of the plane. He was the only fatality. – Source
3. A man in the UK grew tired of cold callers to his phone line, so he set up his own phone line as a premium rate number. When cold callers phoned him, he would be making money by keeping them talking. – Source
4. A Texas state representative introduced a bill honoring Albert DeSalvo, widely thought to be the Boston Strangler, for his work in “population control.” He wanted to prove that his colleagues passed legislation without due diligence. They passed the bill unanimously. – Source
5. Michael Jackson removed “Dirty Diana” from his concert setlist in London for Princess Diana to be respectful, but she asked for him to keep it in the setlist as it was one of her personal favorites. – Source
6-10 Kickass Random Facts
6. A 4th-century female poet wrote a poem on a 29 x 29 grid of characters that produced 3000 more rhyming poems when read in different directions. – Source
7. Candy Land was invented to cheer up children living in polio wards. Polio paralyzed many of its victims and the game offered the illusion of movement. Allowing the sick children to loose themselves in the sweet imaginative world of the game. – Source
8. George Fan (Designer and Creator of Plants vs Zombies) was fired by EA in 2012 for refusing to add microtransactions as he was against the idea of making Plants vs Zombies a pay to win the game. – Source
9. The ‘cyber seat’ was the world’s first park bench with free internet. It was installed in the UK in 2001 by Microsoft. Within days, two teens had plugged their house phone into it, attempting to call Bill Gates to say ‘we are calling you from your bench’. They managed to reach his secretary. – Source
10. The Catalina Wine Mixer from Step Brothers wasn’t a real thing when the movie was made but has since become a real event because of the movie. – Source
11-15 Kickass Random Facts
11. Betty Ong was a flight attendant aboard American Airlines Flight 11. Ong notified the American Airlines ground crew of the hijacking, staying on the telephone for 25 minutes and relaying vital information that eventually led to the closing of airspace by the FAA for the first time in history. – Source
12. The first-ever Roman fire brigade was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. During fires, they would do nothing while Crassus would offer to buy the burning building from the owner at a very low price. If the owner agreed, they would put out the fire. If he refused, they would simply let it burn. – Source
13. The Mayan people constructed the temples in a way that a handclap at the base of the temple produces an echo that sounds like the call of the sacred Quetzal bird. For them, the bird was a messenger of the gods. – Source
14. The B-side of the cassette release of “In God We Trust, Inc” by Dead Kennedys is left blank. The B-side label states “Home taping is killing record industry profits! We left this side blank so you can help.”. – Source
15. Diarrhea was the leading cause of death among soldiers in the American Civil War. And soldiers had a code of honor against shooting at someone who was pooping. – Source
It’s sad and ridiculous that such snowflakes got their feelings hurt by random words on Coke caps. (#22) They probably complained hoping to get some money.