16-20 Kickass Random Facts
16. During WWI, President Wilson recruited “Four Minute Men” – 75,000 volunteers gave 4-minute public speeches nationwide to encourage patriotism and participation in the war effort. An estimated 7.5 million talks were given to 300+ million listeners (in a nation of 103 million) in just 18 months. – Source
17. When Ozone gas was first identified in 1840 its harmful effects were not widely understood – it was associated with fresh air and recuperative properties. In 1882, a businessman coined the name Ozone Park (NY) to promote the area’s proximity to “fresh tonic ocean air”. – Source
18. Some “enhydro” crystals contain sealed pockets of water from millions or billions of years ago. – Source
19. “Trap Crops” are secondary crops planted with the purpose of blocking or diverting insects/parasites off the main crop. In some cases, even decoys made of plastic or cardboard can be helpful to disrupt insects. – Source
20. Retired South Korean boxer Byun Jung-il lost his bantamweight match at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Upset by the loss he refused to leave the ring for over an hour to the point that officials turned out the lights in the auditorium until he left. – Source
21-25 Kickass Random Facts
21. The Pioneer 10 space probe passed the orbit of Neptune, the furthest planet away from the Sun at the time, on June 13, 1983. It was the first man-made object to leave the Solar System. – Source
22. William Cunningham was a body snatcher in Ohio who responded to medical students playing a prank on him, by sending them a corpse that was diseased with the deadly and highly infectious smallpox. – Source
23. In 1893, Oregon Governor Sylvester Pennoyer was asked by the Grover Cleveland Administration to use his resources to protect Chinese Americans. Pennoyer responded to the request via a telegram that simply told the President to mind his business. – Source
24. In 1898, William McLean imported the first motor vehicle into New Zealand. An urgent act was passed through parliament to allow motor cars on roads, set a maximum speed of 12mph, and allow local authorities to license vehicles. – Source
25. Billie Holiday was arrested on drug charges in 1947 and tried in utterly bizarre circumstances. The prosecutor asked for leniency, while her defense attorney convinced her to plead guilty, assuring her she’d be sent to a hospital. Instead, the judge sentenced her to a year in federal prison. – Source
