During the reign of Rome's first emperor, Caesar Augustus, what was then the sixth month of the year (Sextillis), was renamed in his honor. He considered it his lucky month.
I Bet Ya Didn't Know
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The term "dog days" originated with the ancient Romans, who associated the rising of the dog star Sirius with the sweltering heat July and August.
Originally, August had 30 days. It now has 31 because, not to be outdone by his great-uncle Julius Caesar, after whom July is named, Augustus stole a day from February so his month would be just as long.
Chester Greenwood was 15 years old in 1873 when he invented earmuffs.
The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of gold and silver coins to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals.
There are 1,792 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
On the cartoon show Scooby Doo, Shaggy's real name is Norville. On the cartoon show 'The Jetsons', Jane is 33 years old and her daughter Judy is 15.
The oldest known compact, a gold vanity case, was found in the tomb of an Indian beauty and was interred with her 5,000 years ago.
38% of Americans have discussed health information they found on the Internet with their doctors; 40% think the Internet will improve the doctor/patient relationship.
Some 10,000 Americans sustain spinal-cord injuries every year from car accidents (44%), gunshot wounds or other violence (24%), falls (22%), or sports (7%), largely diving.
Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons, incorporated his initials into the drawing of Homer. M is his hair and G is his ear.
MTV first showed up on television at 12:01 A.M., August 1, 1981.
The first zoo in the U.S. opened in 1876 in Philadelphia.
Wrigley chewing gum spearminted, spearheaded a trend when it became the first product to be identified by a bar code.
The first guest host of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE was George Carlin.
In the past 60 years, the groundhog has only predicted the weather correctly 28% of the time.
Since the Lego Group began manufacturing blocks in 1949, more than 189 billion pieces in 2000 different shapes have been produced. This is enough for about 30 Lego pieces for every living person on Earth.
The first VCR, made in 1956, was the size of a piano.
It has been determined that less than one patented invention in a hundred makes any money for the inventor.
It was Swiss chemist Jacques Edwin Brandenberger who invented cellophane, in 1908.
James J. Ritty, owner of a tavern in Dayton, Ohio, invented the cash register in 1879 to stop his patrons from pilfering house profits.
In both 1952 and 1956 Adlai Stevenson finished second in the running for the U.S. presidency.
53% prefer ATM machines over tellers.
The first typewriter was built by William Burt in 1829 and was intended to be used for the blind.
Every year, Americans eat 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The groundhog is only accurate in predicting the weather 28% of the time. (This is still a higher average than my local weatherman.)
Two researchers at Columbia University calculated the value of pi to 2,260,321,336 places.
Mary Todd once dated both Abe Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.
When Sir Walter Raleigh introduced tobacco into England in the early 1600's, King James I wrote a booklet against it.
The sperm whale has an efficient depth gauge--the outer membrane of its eye--which flashes a warning to its brain when the whale has descended to the danger point.
A typewriter invented prior to 1860 had a piano keyboard.
From NEW SCIENTIST magazine: "On the sun-drenched Caribbean island of St. Thomas, there is a plant known to the locals as the tourist tree, so called because its red bark peels off in long pale strips."
Cigar bands were introduced in Cuba by feminine smokers so that the stogies wouldn't stain their dainty fingers.
Ericus Aurivillus (1643-1702) Professor of Law at the University of Uppsala, Sweden, lectured daily at the university, yet in 18 years only one student ever attended his class.
The facade of the monastery of San Bruno, Italy, is still standing more than 872 years after its construction, although an earthquake in 1783 wrecked the structure, whirled its facade entirely around, and then back to its original position.
WILLIE MAYS has been the only player to hit four home runs in one game and three triples in another.
The video game Pac-man was released in 1980.
In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said in his inaugural address, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
In 1913, President Wilson said, "The great government we loved has too often been made use of for selfish purposes."
The average wage of the workmen who dug the Erie canal: $1 and one quart of whiskey per day.