Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Wise Up!
Bathroom Readers’ Institute
* * *
* * *
The Bathroom Readers’ Institute
Ashland, Oregon, and San Diego, California
UNCLE JOHN’S BATHROOM READER WISE UP!
Copyright © 2009 by Portable Press. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
“Bathroom Reader,” “Portable Press,” and
“Bathroom Readers’ Institute” are registered trademarks of Baker & Taylor, Inc. All rights reserved.
For information, write…
The Bathroom Readers’ Institute
P.O. Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
www.bathroomreader.com
e-mail: mail@bathroomreader.com
ISBN 13: 978-1-60710-673-9
E-book Edition: October 2012
10 11 12 13 14 6 5 4 3 2
Thank You!
The Bathroom Readers’ Institute thanks the following people whose advice and assistance made this book possible:
Gordon Javna
JoAnn Padgett
Melinda Allman
Amy Miller
Jay Newman
Michael Brunsfeld
Jeff Altemus
Angie Kern
J. Carroll
Dan Mansfield
Chris Stuart
Scot A. McKibbin
Maggie McLaughlin
Stephanie Spadaccini
John Dollison
Sydney Stanley
David Cully
Monica Maestas
Amy L. and Lisa M.
Ginger Winters
Jennifer Frederick
Brian, Thom, and Julia
David Calder
Karen Malchow
Sophie, J.J., and Bea
Porter the Wonderdog
Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Wise Up! is a compilation of running feet and selected articles from the following previously published Bathroom Reader titles: Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Golden Plunger Awards © 2008, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Great Lives © 2003, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into History © 2001, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into History Again © 2004, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood © 2005, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Music © 2007, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into National Parks © 2007, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into the Presidency © 2004, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Texas © 2004, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Takes a Swing at Baseball © 2008, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Tees Off on Golf © 2005, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Wonderful World of Odd © 2006, Uncle John’s Curiously Compelling Bathroom Reader © 2006, Uncle John’s Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader © 2005, Uncle John’s Great Big Bathroom Reader © 1998, Uncle John’s Slightly Irregular Bathroom Reader © 2004, Uncle John’s Triumphant 20th Bathroom Reader © 2007.
Contents
BIG STUFF
BIG News
BIG Debuts
BIG Business
AMERICAN HERITAGE
Eleanor Roosevelt
States of the Union
American Politics
On the Job
The Nation’s Locations
American Institutions
Black History
Living in America
ARGHH! PIRATES!
Talk Like a Pirate
A Pirate’s Life
GRUB & GROG
Ancient Eating
Food!
Flour Power
Global Gourmets
Food Bites
Espresso Yourself
Presidential Dining
Dear Dairy
Food Stuff
Confection-ately Yours
Tasty Titles
The Boozery
Sauerkraut
American Food
BATTLE STATIONS
World War I
Facts of War
Life in the Military
World War II
Military Miscellany
More Military Miscellany
Warriors
5 Turning Points: WWII
Facts of War, Part 2
HOORAY FOR CANADA!
Canada
Canadian Firsts
Canadian City Names
O, Canada!
Born in Canada
BIRDS, BEES, & BUGS
Loony
I’ll Fly Away
Ewww…Insects
For the Birds
Duck, Duck, Goose
Creepy Crawlies
A Bug’s Life
Bees & Things
For the Birds, Part 2
ON THE MOVE
Transportation
Travel Abroad
Historical Transportation
Nautical Notes
THE HUMAN BODY
The Senses
Body Parts
Hair It Is
Bodies at Work
To the Teeth
The Body
Body Talk
Dentistry
Eyes & Ears
RICH & FAMOUS
Too Cool for School
Impressive Feats
Leading Ladies
Leading Men
Names
Simons Say
That’s Rich
Ups & Downs
Facts About the Famous
Tough Guys
Name Changes
Say It in Quotes
Young & Old
Age Doesn’t Matter
First, Last, & Once
Nicknames
Exceptional Talents
Celebrity Gossip
Can’t Win ’Em All
Hard Workers
Real Names
Celebrity Hodgepodge
Also Known As
Cameos
Bond, James Bond
All in a Day’s Work
More Celebrity Gossip
Love, Sweet Love
COLORFUL FACTS
The Blues
Reds
Living Colors
Green Things
GLOBAL NEWS
Around the World
World Politics
Kings & Queens
World Leaders
England & France
Ancient Designs
Ah, Britannia
Leaders of the World
International Landmarks
Go International
Indigenous People
Worldy Matters
Get Lost
The Ruling Class
World Leaders & Politics
Came, Saw, Conquered
BATTLE OF THE SEXES
In the Name of Love
Men & Women
AWARD WINNERS
World Records
The Noble Nobel
It’s An Honor
More World Records
At the Oscars
And the Winner Is
COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING
Stars’ Common Ground
Animal Comparisons
Comparisons
Uncommon in Common
ENTERTAINMENT
Dance, Dance, Dance
TV Trivia
Comic Relief
Beatlemania
Hollywood Prop-erty
Survivor Realities
Movie Price Tags
Wheel of Fortune
What Could’ve Been
At the Movies
Elvis Lives!
Translated Titles
Movie Miscellany
Toon Town
On Location
Literary Lights
Also Known As, Part 2
GREEN SCENE
Trash Talk
Pollution
Earth News
CROPS & FARMING
Cash Crops
Cotton
Agricultural History
On the Farm
FAMILY TIES
Famous Siblings
Motherhood
Kid Stuff
Kid Stats
Sister Acts
Love & Marriage
Relatively Speaking
Moms & Dads
All in the Family
Family Matters
FIRSTS
Female Flyers
First Americans
Firsts
U.S. Firsts
The First Woman to
The First…
PLANTS & ANIMALS
Flower Power
Trees
Creatures Great & Small
Foreign Flora
Calls of the Wild
Menagerie
Animal Facts
Plant Kingdom
TRAVEL TRIVIA
Rhode Island
Welcome to California
Place Names
Ocean & Coast
Range of Facts
Land o’ Lakes
Hawaii’s Spooky Spots
All Over the Map
All Around Town
A River Runs Through It
Alaska
Parks Great & Small
Peculiar Places
AMAZING HISTORY
Everyday Inventions
Death…and Taxes
Fighting Women
Inspired By
Inventions
People in the Bible
Circus, Circus
The Queen’s Titles
1980s Milestones
Jailbirds
Counting Costs
The Women’s Room
Censored
The Oregon Trail
Historical Surprises
By George!
Ancient History
Biblical Facts
Women in Politics
Costs in 1910
Religion
Banned!
That Old-Time Religion
Days & Times
Huh?
Random History
Gold Rush
HOLIDAY CHEER
Special Occasions
Easter in Sweden
Merry Christmas!
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Holidays
THE CLOTHES CLOSET
Women’s Fashion
Underwear
Shopping
What to Wear?
It’s A Shoe-In
Passion for Fashion
BUSINESS & LAW
Brand Names & Logos
Celebrity Contracts
Legal Roots
Law & Disorder
Laws Against Nature
Crime and
Punishment
In the Olden Days
Behave in Public
From Our Sponsors
Advertising
International Law
MIXED BAG
It Would Take
One & Only
What’s In A Name?
The Human Condition
Water
Patron Saint Of
Tips & Advice
8 Ways to Crack a Safe
Myth-conceptions
Real Headlines
Mailbag
Higher Education
Hot & Cold
More Real Headlines
Found in the Ground
Random Facts
Page of Lists
6 Ways to Spot a Lie
People & Places
Common Scents
It’s True
Spaces & Places
All Mixed Up
ORIGINS
Why’s It Called That?
Everyday Origins
Random Origins
Food Origins
Underwear Origins
ODDBALLS
Dim Bulbs
Quirky Folks
Human Relations
Sybil’s Personalities
Dictator Dictations
IN THE BATHROOM
Bathroom Break
Soap
Bath Time
MUSICAL MADNESS
10 Strange Bands
Music Men
Music on TV
Instruments
They Write the Songs
Anthems
Opera Notes
Music Milestones
Music Notes
Music Lessons
THE SEASONS
Winter Facts
Spring Facts
Summer Facts
Fall Facts
PLAYTIME
Sports Milestones
Sports & Games
Toys & Games
Have a Ball
About Pitchers
Golf Hazards
Baseball Humor
SCIENCE & WEATHER
Science
Scientific Numbers
Scientific Streets
For What Ails You
It’s Elemental
Under the Weather
X-treme Weather
Doctor! Doctor!
Twister!
Natural Disasters
NOTABLE NUMBERS
Random Thirteens
Numbers
Doubles
And Now…Percents
Money, Money, Money
Money Matters
THE MYSTICAL CORNER
The 7 Chakras
Dreams
Basic Feng Shui
A Mystical Potpourri
HOW PRESIDENTIAL
Hail to the Chief
The White House
Mr. President
Presidential Pastimes
Presidential Numbers
George Washington
The First Family
The White House, Part 2
STATISTICS
Questionable Behavior
That’s the Size of It
Average Humans
Body Numbers
Everyday Americans
An Average Page
More Averages
People, Statistically
Notable Numbers
WORDPLAY
Words & Language
Books
Learning the Language
It’s Called a
All About Words
A Way with Words
Foreign Words
Who Coined the Term?
Alphabet Soup
Vocabulary Builders
GEEK SPEAK
Technology Bytes
Communications
The Information Age
More Communications
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Under the Sea
Mating Rituals
Animal Parts
Speed Demons
Man’s Best Friend
Snakes & So On
Animal Tales
Go Fish
Assorted Animals
Amazing Animals
Baby Animals
The Circle of Life
More Animal Facts
A Dog’s Life
One-of-a-Kind Animals
Cats
WATCH OUT!
To the Extreme
Ewww!
Everyday Dangers
Bad Luck
Oops!
Animals Attack
Don’t Be Scared
Hard Times
THE FINAL FRONTIER
The Planets
Space Facts
Star Trek & Star Wars
To the Moon
THE END
Dead Ends
Causes of Death
Burial Grounds
Grave Matters
INDEX
The Intro-duck-tion
Here at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute, we’re suckers for cool facts, and we’re constantly quizzing each other: How many gallons of peanut oil does it take to deep-fry a turkey? What cartoon character is prohibited from running for elected office in Texas? Why did the game of bingo used to be called beano?
So a few years ago, when Uncle John noticed that many of the letters we received from fans were asking for the same thing—an entire book of running feet (those fun factoids at the bottom of Bathroom Reader pages)—he called in a team of bathroom-reading writers and sent them on a fact-finding mission: search old Bathroom Readers for running feet and then organize the facts into interesting lists. The finished product turned out so great that even more readers wrote in asking us to do it again.
We got right to work…diving into a whole new batch of Bathroom Readers and pulling out the running feet. We sorted the facts, organized them, argued (gently) about how best to arrange them, and then organized them again. We also came up with 50 new pages of facts.
The end result is Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Wise Up!, more than 380 pages packed with useful—and sometimes useless—but always interesting information.
If you’re joining us for the first time, welcome! And if you’re on your second Bathroom Reader book of facts, welcome back! We’re really glad you’re here. And as always, go with the flow…
—Uncle John and the BRI Staff
P.S. We’re already gathering new running feet for the next Bathroom Reader. So email your favorite obscure bits of trivia and fun facts to mail@bathroomreader.com!
It Would Take…
…630 silkworm cocoons to make one silk blouse.
…a chicken-plucking machine 14 seconds to pluck a whole chicken.
…a drop of ocean water more than 1,000 years to circulate around the world.
…a manned rocket ship 70,000 years to reach the next closest solar system.
…about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
…a combine harvester nine seconds to harvest enough wheat to make 70 loaves of bread.
…a car traveling at 75 mph 258 days to drive around one of Saturn’s rings.
…a year’s worth of corks from all the wine bottled in France to circle the world three times.
…Pluto 248.53 years to travel around the Sun.
…every star in the Milky Way to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool (if each star were the size of a grain of salt).
…the Milky Way about 200 million years to make one revolution.
…about 600 grapes to make a bottle of wine.
…70 separate pieces of wood to make a violin.
…up to six gallons of peanut oil to deep-fry a turkey.
…only one steer to yield enough ground beef for 1,000 McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
…the average American 40 days to earn enough money to pay for a year’s worth of food.
One & Only
Colorado is the only state to have turned down the opportunity to host the Olympics, in 1976.