Random thoughts that float into my mind and make me wonder or little known facts that I come across and want to share.

Posts in the Trivia and tidbits category
Is an NFL QB or World-class archer more accurate? - 11 Aug 2009

If you had to guess, would you say a world-class archer or an NFL quarterback is more accurate? My bet was on the archer. As you probably surmised, I was dead wrong. To see just how accurate Drew Brees is, take a look at this video. I made the video jump past the boring intro […]

Death by Quicksand a Myth - 15 Apr 2008

As much as I love The Princess Bride, it perpetuates the myth that quicksand will take you under. And as Wesley so aptly stated, “We are men of action, lies do not become us.” You may think it inconceivable, but research shows that quicksand doesn’t suck you in. It’s more dense then water and the […]

The 63 dollar riddle - 31 Mar 2008

Here’s a brain teaser for you (or is it a riddle? I’ve never quite understood the difference). A man owed $63 and paid the debt without using coins or one dollar bills. There were no online transfers, checks, or any tricky business. He paid exactly $63 without getting any change back. How did he do […]

How Fast Do You Read? - 26 Mar 2008

Here’s a reading speed test to assess how fast you read and your comprehension at that speed. I read at 767wpm and had 81% comprehension (9/11 questions right). What about you?

Pennies from heaven - 16 Aug 2007

This article tells about all sorts of weird things falling from the sky, including coins, frogs, blood, flesh and one instance of it raining on only two graves in a cemetery (it was witnessed by several people). In most cases a suitable explanation was never found.

What’s the next number? - 21 Mar 2007

What is the next number in this sequence? 1, 1, 1, 1 The answer is 42. Good luck if you get that question on the SAT. (via reddit)

Most shoplifted item in America - 22 Jan 2007

What is the most shoplifted item in America in 2005? Meat. Of all the things people could shoplift, meat would not have been my first guess. Meatlifting is a grave problem for food retailers: According to the Food Marketing Institute, meat was the most shoplifted item in America’s grocery stores in 2005. (It barely edged […]

The top bestsellers of all time - 03 Jan 2007

I’ve read several books whose front covers said that millions of copies had been sold. Some that come to mind are “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, “Man’s Search for Meaning” and “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” I didn’t know how many books were in that category, or which ones continue to […]

The percentages in weather - 01 Nov 2006

I got a strange phone call (well, a voicemail actually) on Sunday, October 22nd from a guy named Ben asking if I would research the percentages for weather forecasts. As far as I can recall, this is the first time I’ve received a phone call about my blog. As a side note to Ben, if […]

Hiding answers on your page - 07 Sep 2006

I started a weekly Tuesday Trivia on my coin collecting site, but it took me a while to find a good solution for displaying the questions and answers. I had the following requirements: 1. Easy to enter, since I have to do it every week. 2. Easy for the reader to get the answers, but […]

does hot water freeze faster? - 07 Jun 2006

There was a braingle brain teaser based on the claim that hot water freezes faster than cold water, known as the Mpemba effect, but I found out that there’s quite a bit of controversy on the veracity of the claim. There was also quite a bit of discussion on the braingle web site itself. The […]

which door do you pick? - 02 Jun 2006

In my Statistics class we discussed the problem below and my knee jerk reaction was you have a 50/50 chance of winning whether you switch or stay. What do you think? Suppose you’re on a game show and you’re given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. […]

great wall of china not visible from space - 05 Aug 2005

I’ve heard from several different people that the Great Wall of China was the only man-made object visible from space. I heard it so many times that I became convinced of its veracity, and having not had the opportunity to take a jaunt into space, I had no way of verifying it. I had never […]

a riddle to be solved - 08 Jul 2005

I received the following e-mail from Nathan (he asked that I not use his last name), asking me to help solve a riddle he came across. this is a riddle i have come across through ways its best not to say , i would like to see what suggestions and ideas you have on what […]

glove or jockey box? - 04 Mar 2005

What is the official name for the compartment in front of the passenger seat in a car where people store insurance and registration forms along with other odds and ends (gloves perhaps)? I’ve always used glove compartment but have heard glove box. I recently heard someone call it a jockey box and that caught me […]

how well can an infant see? - 14 Nov 2004

I have heard conflicting statements regarding what a baby can see when they are first born, so I decided to see what I could find on the web. I found what I was searching for at The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, more specifically the article entitled What Can My Baby See? The short answer is […]

gold stripes on inside of tie - 20 Sep 2004

When I was wee lad, friends told me that the number of gold stripes on the inside liner of your tie was an indication of its quality. I don’t know why, but I recently thought of those claims and became suspicious. If that were the only indication of quality, why couldn’t other manufacturers add stripes? […]

introverts versus extroverts - 10 Sep 2004

Today’s Ask Yahoo question asked what the ratio was between introverts and extroverts, and they answer was 60% to 75% of the world population are extroverts. They did point out that 60% of gifted children are on the introvert team. I wouldn’t have guessed there were that many extroverts. What are you? (You can take […]

a gesture to avoid - 11 Jun 2004

Yesterday’s daily survival tip on my desktop calendar says you should avoid making the A-okay sign internationally. The gesture is made by touching the tips of your thumb and index finger to form a circle with the rest of the fingers fanned out and pointing up. In the US it just means okay, but according […]

trivia #2 - 16 Mar 2004

Here are some more random facts. 1. It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year’s supply of footballs. 2. The first novel ever written on a typewriter was The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 3. Restroom tip: The first stall is usually the cleanest. Most people, seeking privacy, skip it. […]

trivia #1 - 17 Feb 2004

I’m fond of trivia, and have found what I consider to be a reliable (and wonderfully entertaining) source. I would imagine others share my appreciation for trivia, so I want to share some of my favorites. Here’s the first installment. 1. The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C. 2. […]