Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 792, click here
1-5 Kickass Random Fact
1. Famed aviator, Charles Lindbergh, once received a Nazi medal, and when speaking of him, Roosevelt remarked that “if I should die tomorrow, I want you to know this, I am absolutely convinced Lindbergh is a Nazi.” – Source
2. After being scolded by a woman who felt that his shoes were too expensive for kids, Shaq forwent a $40 million deal with Reebok & signed one with Walmart. He then brought in designers from Reebok so that his Walmart shoes would look costlier than the $20 price. Over 400 million pairs were sold. – Source
3. In 2011, a Russian would-be suicide bomber died when her mobile phone detonator was activated by a spam message wishing her a happy new year. – Source
4. Mr. Snuffleupagus from ‘Sesame Street’ was originally a friend of Big Bird’s that everyone else thought was imaginary, and it was decided that he should be seen by other people to encourage children to talk about any abuse they might have suffered. – Source
5. Pac-Man grossed $1 billion in quarters in its first year of release. In the following year, 1982, it earned $6 billion in quarters, which was more than the combined amount of money spent in Vegas casinos and US movie theaters that year. – Source
6-10 Kickass Random Fact
6. Longyearbyen, Norway is the world’s northernmost settlement with a population greater than 1,000. There is a ban on cats, a monthly alcohol purchase limit, and a requirement to carry a rifle while outside for protection from polar bears. – Source
7. There’s a board game called ‘The Campaign for North Africa’ which can take up to 1,500 hours to complete. – Source
8. The white dried dog poop on lawns of the 70s and 80s was related to excess calcium in dog foods at the time. A less commercial bone meal in today’s dog food recipes makes it virtually a thing of the past. – Source
9. Dogs have much more expressive faces than wolves. Dogs make an effort to make eye contact with humans and have notably high control over their eyebrows when compared to wolves. Looking into a dog’s eyes has comparable results to a parent looking at their child. – Source
10. For a scene in his movie Tenet, where a Boeing 747 plane crashes into (a fictional) Oslo Airport, they crashed an ACTUAL, REAL 747, because Christopher Nolan determined it would actually be cheaper than models or CGI. – Source
11-15 Kickass Random Facts
11. In 1996, a couple named their son “Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116” claiming it was pronounced, “Albin.” This was in protest to a $740 fine they’d received for failing to register a name by his fifth birthday. – Source
12. Aunt Bethany, from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, is played by the famous actress Mae Questel. Mae is best known for voicing Betty Boop, Minnie Mouse, and Olive Oyl. – Source
13. Van Gogh’s rendering of the stars in Café Terrace at Night is so precise that the painting can be dated within a day or two of its creation. – Source
14. Richard M. Daley authorized the midnight bulldozing of Meigs Field, a small, downtown, lakefront airport in Chicago. This stranded 16 planes on the ground including several Fire Department helicopters. The FAA fined the city $33,000 for not giving 30 days’ notice ahead of an airport closure. – Source
15. Stephen King has almost no memory of writing Cujo because of problems he had at the time with cocaine, Xanax, Valium, NyQuil, Robitussin, and mouthwash. – Source
