16-20 Kickass Random Fact
16. Byzantine emperor Basil II “the Bulgar Slayer” after the battle of Kleidion divided 15,000 war prisoners into groups of 100 men, blinded 99 men in each group, and left one man in each with one eye so that he could lead the others home. – Source
17. Many navies around the world throughout history have a ritual to “celebrate” crossing the equator as an initiation for those doing it for the first time. – Source
18. From 1976 to 1989 an unknown taping noise was audible worldwide on commercial and civilian communications (tv broadcast, commercial aviation, SW radio). The source was the Duga radar “The Russian Woodpecker” a huge over-the-horizon radar used by the Soviets as a missile detection system. – Source
19. An apocryphal story states that the Roman Emperor Honorius was shocked upon the news of the 410 AD Sack of Rome. However, the emperor thought the news regarded one of his favorite pet chickens named Roma, and upon learning it was the city of Rome, the emperor breathed a heavy sigh of relief. – Source
20. Jack White of the White Stripes originally wanted to save the guitar riff used in “Seven Nation Army” if he got the chance to make a James Bond theme song. 5 years after the song was released, he wrote the theme for the 2008 Bond film Quantum of Solace. – Source
21-25 Kickass Random Fact
21. There is a North American monsoon. Also known as the New Mexican monsoon, it is a pattern of pronounced increase in thunderstorms and rainfall over large areas of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, typically occurring between June and mid-September. – Source
22. The U.S. Forcibly Detained Native Alaskans During World War II. 881 Aleuts were forcibly relocated and interned in unsanitary camps in southeast Alaska, nobody was allowed to bring more than one suitcase of possessions. Troops then set fire to the villages to prevent it’s use by the Japanese. – Source
23. Prior to human settlement New Zealand had no land-based mammals apart from three bat species. – Source
24. The mistreatment of African diplomats forced the United States government to clamp down on racism. This would help push the Civil rights act to pass in July 1964. – Source
25. American Yellow Mustard was introduced in 1904 by George J. French as “cream salad mustard”, and is made entirely with less-piquant yellow mustard seeds and a high proportion of vinegar, it is a very mild prepared mustard colored bright yellow from the inclusion of turmeric powder. – Source
