Interesting Facts About Pencils

• A pencil will write in zero gravity, upside down, and under water!

• More than 14 billion pencils are produced in the world every year - enough to circle the globe 62 times.

• One pencil will draw a line 70 miles long.

• Pencils don't really contain lead.That gray matter is graphite and clay.

• Two billion pencils are made in the United States each year.

• The pencil was invented more than 400 years ago, in 1565.

• Famous novelists Ernest Hemingway and JohnSteinbeck used pencils to write their books.

• Pencils didn't have erasers on them until 100 years ago because teachers felt they would encourage children to make mistakes.

• It would cost $50 in labor and materials for a person to make a 10-cent pencil.

• One million pencils are used annually on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

• The average pencil can be sharpened 17 times, write 45,000 words or draw a line 35 miles long.

• A good-size tree will make about 300,000 pencils.

• In 1908 A.C. Steward developed a press that could imprint round pencils.

• Seeing a pencil in your dream indicates that you are making a temporary impact in a situation. It may also suggest that a relationship may not last long.

• Dreaming that you are sharpening a pencil, suggests that you need to be more flexible in your way of thinking.

• More than 2 billion pencils are used in the United States every year, and most of them have erasers! However, most pencils sold in Europe do not have erasers!

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Interesting Facts About Mangos

• The mango is known as the 'king of fruit' throughout the world.

• The name 'mango' is derived from the Tamil word 'mangkay' or 'man-gay'. When the Portuguese traders settled in Western India they adopted the name as 'manga'.

• Mangos originated in East India, Burma and the Andaman Islands bordering the Bay of Bengal. Around the 5th century B.C., Buddhist monks are believed to have introduced the mango to Malaysia and eastern Asia - legend has it that Buddha found tranquility and repose in a mango grove. Persian traders took the mango into the middle east and Africa, from there the Portuguese brought it to Brazil and the West Indies. Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830's and in California in the 1880's.

• The Mango tree plays a sacred role in India; it is a symbol of love and some believe that the Mango tree can grant wishes.

• In the Hindu culture hanging fresh mango leaves outside the front door during Ponggol (Hindu New Year) and Deepavali is considered a blessing to the house.

• Mango leaves are used at weddings to ensure the couple bear plenty of children (though it is only the birth of the male child that is celebrated - again by hanging mango leaves outside the house).

• Hindus may also brush their teeth with mango twigs on holy days (be sure to rinse well and spit if you try this at home - toxic).

• Many Southeast Asian kings and nobles had their own mango groves; with private cultivars being sources of great pride and social standing, hence began the custom of sending gifts of the choicest mangos.

• The Tahis like to munch mango buds, with Sanskrit poets believing they lend sweetness to the voice.

• Burning of mango wood, leaves and debris is not advised - toxic fumes can cause serious irritation to eyes and lungs.

• Mango leaves are considered toxic and can kill cattle or other grazing livestock.

• In India, a certain shade of yellow dye was attained by feeding cattle small amounts of mango leaves and harvesting their urine. Of course as stated above, this is a contraindicated practice, since mango leaves are toxic and cattle are sacred. It has since been outlawed.

• Mangos are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the mango is green the amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases.

• There are over 20 million metric tons of mangos grown throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world. The leading mango producer is India, with very little export as most are consumed within the country. Mexico and China compete for second place, followed by Pakistan and Indonesia. Thailand, Nigeria, Brazil, Philippines and Haiti follow in order.

• According to the Foreign Agricultural Organization, the top mango exporters reported in 1997 are as follows in order: Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Haiti, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic.

• The fruit of the mango is called a Drupe - consisting of the mesocarp (edible fleshy part) and endocarp (large woody, flattened pit).

• The mango is a member of the Anachardiaceae family. Other distant relatives include the cashew, pistachio, Jamaica plum, poison ivy and poison oak.

• The over 1,000 known mango cultivars are derived from two strains of mango seed - monoembryonic (single embryo) and polyembryonic (multiple embryo). Monoembryonic hails from the Indian (original) strain of mango,polyembryonic from the Indochinese.

• Dermatitis can result from contact with the resinous latex sap that drips from the stem end when mangos are harvested. The mango fruit skin is not considered edible.

• Every part of the mango is beneficial and has been utilized in folk remedies in some form or another. Whether the bark, leaves, skin or pit; all have been concocted into various types of treatments or preventatives down through the centuries. A partial list of the many medicinal properties and purported uses attributed to the mango tree are as follows: anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-tussive (cough), anti-asthmatic, expectorant, cardiotonic, contraceptive, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative, stomachic (beneficial to digestion)....

• Mangiferin - rich in splenocytes, found in the stem bark of the mango tree has purported potent immunomodulatory characteristics - believed to inhibit tumor growth in early and late stages.

• As the mango became cultivated, as early as 2000 BCE, its flavor, size, and texture developed into the exotic, richly flavored succulent treat we enjoy today.

• Mangos are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and for those who are physically active, whether working out or constantly on the go, mangos are a great way to replenish that lost potassium.

• An average sized mango can contain up to 40% of your daily fiber requirement. If you are eating your mango-a-day, irregularity is not a problem for you and so we'll spare the gruesome details regarding constipation, piles and spastic colon.

• Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against degenerative diseases, especially with regards to the heart; may help prevent certain types of cancer, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels.

• The Mango is one of the finest and most popular tropical fruits and has been cultivated in India since 2000 BC or earlier. There are over 400 varieties of Mango throughout the world.

• Mangoes are available late December through August.

• Mangoes should be eaten when soft, and will ripen at room temperature.

• Only 10 percent of all mangoes are grown in the United States.

• To choose a Mango gently squeeze the 'nose' of the fruit. If there is slight give then the mango is ripe. Color is not the best indicator of ripeness.

• A Mango stored at 55 degrees will last for up to two weeks. Do not refrigerate.

• The two most widely available varieties of Mango in the UK are 'Kent' - a green fruit with a red blush and a rich, sweet flavour and 'Keitt' - a green Mango with a non fibrous flesh and a mild, sweet flavour.

• Over 20 million tons of mangoes are grown in the tropics and sub tropics.

• Top Mango exporters are India, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, South Africa and Peru.

• Mangoes can range from 2 - 10 inches in length.

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Interesting Facts About Hitler

• Born on the 20th of April, 1889, in Brannau, a town in Austria, Adolf Hitler was the 4th child of Klara Hitler and Alois Schickelgruber.

• Adolf Hitler’s early life was spent in Austria. He liked drawing; however, he was unsuccessful in passing the examination at the academy of arts. He then went to Munich and joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment of World War I, wherein he was gassed and wounded, and was also given an award for bravery in action.

• It was in 1919, after the end of the war, that Hitler joined what was known as the German Workers Party, which he later renamed as the National Socialist German Workers Party, which in turn was abbreviated to the Nazi Party. Soon, he took charge of the propaganda of the party and by the year 1921 he was made the leader.

• It was in 1923 that the National Socialist German Workers Party, led by Adolf Hitler tried to seize power, from the ruling German Weimar Republic, in the famous Beer-Hall Putsch. However, Hitler was unsuccessful and was imprisoned.

• It was during the nine months that he spent in prison that Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, or My Struggle, his autobiography as well as his manifesto. He then emerged from prison and became a populist spokesman for nationalistic and poor Germans.

• After that, in 1932, Hitler tried to become the chancellor by challenging Paul von Hindenburg in the election that was held, but could not succeed.

• Later, after the death of Hindenburg, Adolf Hitler became the Fuhrer and Chancellor, or Reichskanzler, in 1934. He at once set about establishing an absolute dictatorship, enforcing his newly formed rules with the help of the Gestapo, the brutal secret police. Concentration camps were set up for the organized killing of Jews, political opponents, and Gypsies.

• He then went about invading and annexing as much territory as he could in Europe, such as the Sudetenland and Austria, in 1938, and then invading Poland on the 1st of September, 1939, whereupon France and Britain declared war on Germany on the 3rd of September, thus beginning World War II.

• In the initial years of the war, Adolf Hitler, using the might of the German infantry and tanks to unleash a Blitzkrieg, had remarkable success, sweeping through large parts of Western Europe, with nations falling one by one to the great German war machine.

• Hitler attacked the U.S.S.R. in 1941, ignoring a non-aggression pact he had earlier signed with them in 1939. After initial victories, Hitler’s forces suffered crushing defeats, first at Moscow in December 1941, and then later in Stalingrad, in the winter of 1942 to 1943.

• It was in the month of December in 1941 that the United States of America entered the war. The Allies began their invasion of occupied Europe by landing on the French coast at Normandy Beach, in 1944. Then German cities began being bombed and destroyed and the allied troops entered Germany and made their way to Berlin by 1945. In the meantime, Italy, under the rule of the Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, who was an ally of Germany, also fell.

• During the war, many high ranking Nazis became desperate, and a number of attempts were made to assassinate Hitler, all of which were unsuccessful. In the meantime, the forces of the Soviet Union were also closing in on Berlin, which was the place Hitler had his headquarters.

• As it became quite apparent that the war was lost, and his hand-picked lieutenants went against his orders, on realizing the futility of continuing, Adolf Hitler committed suicide on the 30th of April, 1945. However, on the night before, he married Eva Braun, his long-term mistress, who also committed suicide with him. Thus came to an end both the war as well as Nazi rule.

• The official name of the Nazi regime was the Third Reich, which Hitler had bragged would last 1000 years, but it collapsed within a week after the death of Hitler.

• However, it can be said the Hitler was the one who was responsible for three of 20th century’s most climactic events: 1) World War II; 2) The Holocaust; and 3) The Cold War, which followed World War II. Plus, Israel would not have come into existence in the Middle East if the holocaust had not taken place.
  

• Adolph Hitler had a half brother named Alois Hitler, he owned a bar in Germany that was frequented by prominent Nazi officials. Alois would never share his opinion on Adolph because he was afraid Adolph would revoke his liquor license!

• Adolf Hitler had some Jewish heritage in him. His great great grandmother was Jewish who was a maid.

• Hitler ordered tanks to be made in Michigan and told the company to not worry about sending them to Germany, he'd 'pick them up on his way through Detroit.

• "Quisling," which is used to describe a traitor, was the name of Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian fascist and supporter of Adolf Hitler, who was appointed Führer of Norway in World War II. Arrested in 1945, Quisling was so despised, Norway broke with their centuries-old policy against capital punishment and executed him.

• Hitler's 3rd grade report from his teacher remarked that Hitler was...'bad tempered and fancied himself as a leader.'

• Adolf Hitler was fascinated by hands. In his library there was a well-thumbed book containing pictures and drawings of hands belonging to famous people throughout history. He liked particularly to show his guests how closely his own hands resembled those of Frederick the Great, one of his heroes.

• The NY phone book had 22 Hitlers before WWII. The NY phone book had 0 Hitlers after WWII.

• Hitler was voted Time Magazines man of the year in 1938

• Adolph Hitler kept a framed photograph of Henry Ford on his desk and Ford kept one of Hitler on his desk in Dearborn, Michigan. Hitler had used in 'Mein Kampf' some of Fords anti-semitic views, and he always welcomed Ford's contributions to the Nazi movement.

• Hitler never allows anyone to see him while he is naked or bathing. He refuses to use cologne or scents of any sort on his body

• No matter how warm he feels, Hitler will never take off his coat in public

• In 1923, Nazi press secretary Dr. Sedgwick tried to convince Hitler to get rid of his trademark mustache or grow it normally. Hitler answered: "Do not worry about my mustache. If it is not the fashion now, it will be later because I wear it!"

• While dining with the others, Hitler will allow the conversation to linger on general topics, but after a couple of hours he will inevitably begin one of his many monologues. These speeches are flawless from start to finish because he rehearses them any time he gets a moment.

• His favorite topics include: "When I was a soldier," "When I was in Vienna," "When I was in prison," and "When I was the leader in the early days of the party."

• If Hitler begins speaking about Wagner and the opera, no one dares interrupt him. He will often sermonize on this topic until his audience falls asleep.

• Hitler has no interest in sports or games of any kind and never exercised, except for an occasional walk.

• He paces frequently inside rooms, always to the same tune that he whistles to himself and always diagonally across the room, from corner to corner

• Hitler’s handwriting is impeccable. When famous psychologist Carl Jung saw Hitler’s handwriting in 1937, he remarked: "Behind this handwriting I recognize the typical characteristics of a man with essentially feminine instinct."

• Hitler loves the circus. He takes real pleasure in the idea that underpaid performers are risking their lives to please him.

• He went to the circus on several occasions in 1933 and sent extremely expensive chocolates and flowers to the female performers. Hitler even remembered their names and would worry about them and their families in the event of an accident.

• He isn’t interested in wild animal acts, unless there is a woman in danger

• Nearly every night Hitler will see a movie in his private theatre, mainly foreign films that are banned to the German public. He loves comedies and will often laugh merrily at Jewish comedians. Hitler even liked a few Jewish singers, but after hearing them he would remark that it was too bad he or she wasn’t Aryan.

• Hitler staff secretly made films for him of torture and execution of political prisoners, which he very much enjoyed viewing. His executive assistants also secured pornographic pictures and movies for him.

• He loves newsreels - especially when he is in them.

• He adores gypsy music, Wagner’s operas, and especially American college football marches and alma maters.

• To excite the masses, he also uses American College football-style music during his speeches. His rallying cry - "Sieg Heil!" - was even modeled after the cheering techniques used by American football cheerleaders.

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Interesting Facts About Silver

• Silver has been coined to use as money since 700 BC.

• The term 'sterling silver' in reference to the grade .925 silver emerged in England in the 13th century.

• In ancient Egypt and Medieval Europe, silver was often more valuable than gold.

• Words for silver and money are the same in at least fourteen languages.

• Silver iodide has been used in attempts to seed clouds to produce rain.

• Most mirrors are backed with aluminum. For a superior quality finish, silver is used because of its high quality reflectivity.

• Because of its ability to take the highest polish, silver has a greater reflectivity than even gold!

• Mirrors are coated with silver because it reflects nearly all light.

• Of all the metals in existence, silver is the best conductor of electricity.Silver is what makes photography possible. Silver halide crystals are present in unexposed film.

• In 2003, the UK minted half a million ounces of silver into coins and medals.Silver bearings are used in jet engines because they provide superior performance.

• Silver is used in long life batteries. Billions of silver oxide-zinc batteries are in use everyday powering everything from quartz watches to digital cameras.

• Silver possesses, it's working qualities similar to gold but can achieve the most brilliant polish of any metal. To make it durable for jewelry, however, pure silver (999 fineness) is often alloyed with small quantities of copper. In many countries, Sterling Silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) is the standard for Jewelry and has been since the 14th century.

• The copper toughens the silver and makes it possible to use silver 925 for decorative and fashionable jewelry.

• Throughout the ages, silver jewelry has been associated with magical powers; believed to promote healing, bring good luck and for warding off evil spirits to the wearer.While these beliefs are not part of mainstream thinking today, some people still hold them true.

• Silver has always been held in high esteem and displayed as a status symbol since it was mined approx. 4,000 BC in Asia Minor.

• By the 18th century, things began to change in Europe and a new fashion fad surfaced: silver buckles appeared on shoes where laces had always been. Although today we generally consider shoe buckles to be functional items, back in the 1700's, they were a form of jewelry.

• Silver jewelry was a significant indicator of status until the very end of the 18th century, because it was limited to a privileged few. It was the Industrial Revolution, through mass manufacturing, which finally made jewelry available to the general population.

• Silver's melting point is 1761 degrees F or 960 degrees C

• Silver is being put into paper used in medical professions because of its antibiotic-like characteristics.

• Silver is a dental alloy and used to be used in cavity fillings. Now dentists have clear fillings that do not contain silver.

• Silver can be eaten, although it is not advised.

• Silver was mentioned in the book of genesis (bible)

• The name silver came from the old english word seolfor.

• In India, food can be found decorated with a thin layer of silver, known as Varak.

• The crystal structure of silver is cubic.

• Silver is harder than gold, but softer than copper.

• Man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3,000 B.C. Silver has been mined and prized for its beauty and durability for at least 6,000 years.

• Silver has superior bactericidal qualities. Small concentrations of silver orsilver salts kill bacteria by chemically affecting the cell membranes, causing them to break down. Bacteria do not develop resistance to silver, as they do to many antibiotics.

• Silver is the best conductor of heat of all elements. Its uses in solar panelsand automobile rear window defoggers take advantage of this quality.

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