Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 774, click here
1-5 Kickass Random Fact
1. The oldest ship in the world still afloat is the USS Constitution. Built-in the 1790s to serve as one of the first ships of the brand-new US Navy, she served for approximately 80 years before being removed from service and converted into a floating museum. – Source
2. In response to fans demanding the show Metalpocalipse be continued, Adult Swim set up a live stream of the fax machine printing the petition to bring back the show… only for the faxes to be dropped straight into a trash bin. – Source
3. At the ancient Olympics, cheating athletes would be fined and the fines were used to build bronze statues at the entrance of the Olympic stadium, each inscribed with the name of the cheater and how they cheated. – Source
4. In 1956, the Comics Code Authority tried to prevent a story from being printed because it involved a black astronaut, even though this was never actually forbidden by the Code. Fortunately, the publisher managed to get the CCA to back down by threatening to take the matter to court. – Source
5. There were many “Southern Unionists” during the US Civil War. 40% of US Military Officers from Virginia fought for the Union and approximately 100,000 Southern Unionists served in the Union Army, with units of White Troops raised from every Southern state except South Carolina. – Source
6-10 Kickass Random Fact
6. 95% of all thoroughbred racehorses today can trace their lineage back to a single horse, Darley Arabian, born over 300 years ago. – Source
7. There’s a room in the basement of Oregon State Hospital now known as, “The Room of Forgotten Souls.” In 2004, several copper cans were discovered containing the remains of 3,600 psychiatric patients cremated on-site between 1917-1973. – Source
8. In silkworm farms of 16th century Italy, delicate silkworm eggs were incubated by women who carried them in small bags next to their skin, sometimes between their breasts. – Source
9. The most effective surrender leaflet in WWII was known as the “Passierschein”. It was designed to appeal to German sensibilities for official, fancy documents printed on nice paper with official seals and signatures. It promised safe passage and generous treatment to any who presented it. – Source
10. Militant Buddhist warrior monks were a major force during the warring states era of Japan with the ruler of Kaga province being overthrown by them. They were only defeated when oda Nobunaga waged a decade-long war against them. – Source
11-15 Kickass Random Facts
11. Empress Anna of Russia was known for her cruelty and once forced a prince to act as her jester and had him married to her maid. Anna had an ice palace constructed for their wedding where they were locked in for the night and informed they had to consummate if they wished to survive the cold. – Source
12. John Michell in 1783, published a paper speculating the existence of black holes which was forgotten until the 1970s. – Source
13. The final episode of M*A*S*H was two and a half hours long and was viewed by an audience of 121 million. – Source
14. In the wake of the Mississippi Burning murders, the FBI, having no leads or informants, enlisted the help of mafia enforcer Gregory Scarpa. His kidnap and ‘interrogation’ of a local suspect provided the information the DOJ needed to prosecute within days. – Source
15. Freddie Mercury’s introductory scatting vocal on “Under Pressure” was improvised during an experiment suggested by David Bowie, as Brian May recalls it: “David said, ‘Okay, let’s each of us go in the vocal booth and sing how we think the melody should go and we’ll compile a vocal out of that.'” – Source
