Monday, January 31, 2011

Bird brain – Ethel Smyth

When Mrs. Ethel Smyth (1858-1944), composer and famous English feminist, was invited to dinner by writer Virginia Woolf and her husband, she decided to come to their home – on a bicycle.

Since she was supposed to travel about 30 kilometers on a bike, to reach the house of Leonard Wolf, she decided to wear a tweed suit, which was not very “elegant”.

Near the house of her hosts, it occurred to her that she is maybe inappropriately dressed, because Woolfs have invited and other distinguished guests. Ethel Smyth was almost convinced that she was supposed to wear a dress and a corset.


She entered into a local rural store and asked if maybe they have corsets. Unfortunately, they didn’t.

Then, in the corner of the store, she saw a birdcage...

Half an hour later, Virginia Woolf noticed that something unusual was happening in her backyard. When she came out, she was astonished with what she saw.

Ethel Smyth was trying to get into a birdcage, instead of a corset, to reduce her waist a little bit.
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Zuma Fact: #90: Acorn Woodpeckers!


Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) are storing food (acorns) in the holes they drill. These holes are serving them as granaries. The squirrels, however, are “stealingacorns from them. 
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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Tempest! – Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), famous German composer, was asked once why is his Sonata Op.31 No.2 in D minor named "The Tempest Sonata ".

Beethoven, who was known as closed and unfriendly man, replied:

- You want to know why is this is sonata called "The Tempest "? Then read attentively Shakespeare’s Tempest!
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Zuma Fact: #89: Hottest months at the equator!



The two hottest months at the equator are March and September.
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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Blue Blood – Alexander Korda

Alexander Korda (1893-1956), renowned British director and producer of Hungarian-Jewish origin, was knighted in 1942 because of his contribution to British cinema.

Shortly after that, Korda, who was a passionate gambler, won $10,000 playing poker with the famous American film producer Samuel Goldwyn. The next day Goldwyn sent a check to Korda, written in red ink, and a letter in which he wrote:

- Bloodsucker, I signed this check with my own blood!

Shortly afterwards, Korda played again poker with Goldwyn. This time the British director lost approximately the same amount of money that he previously won. The next day he sent a check to Goldwyn written with ordinary, blue ink, with a note:

"Bloodsucker, this check is signed in my blood to. Knight Korda.”
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Zuma Fact: #88: The most stolen book!



Guinness Book of Records (Guinness  World Records) holds the record as the most stolen book from city libraries.
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Plain and simple – Clive Barnes

Clive Barnes (1927-2008), a prominent theater critic for The New York Times, once attended the first performance of second-rate theatrical play called "The Cupboard". After the premiere of the play, in the newspaper appeared unusually short theatrical criticism.

In the article entitled “The CupboardBarnes wrote only one word: "Bare".
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Zuma Fact: #87: The Book of Esther!

 

In the Hebrew Bible, only in the Book of Esther (Megillat) God is not mentioned.
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Crazy about architecture – Donald Trump

American millionaire, Donald Trump (1946), owner of numerous casinos in the U.S. and the world, was once asked which work of architecture he admires the most.

"Empire State Building in New York!", Tramp replied. "Here's the reason. I was the owner of the land on which it was built, but I sold it at tremendously high price, much higher than I paid to acquire it. Now I just love that building. "
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Zuma Fact: #86: Sex cells!

 
 
Every man is producing about 300 million sex cells every day.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Wise prediction – Louis XI, King of France

Louis XI, King of France who lived in the 15th century, believed in astrological interpretations. He often made decisions according to predictions of his personal astrologer who took care of his daily horoscope.

The King was unpleasantly surprised when one day his astrologer told him that one very influential person from his court - female - will die in eight days. Believing that this prophecy, and the event itself, could in some way, threaten his reign, Louis XI gave order to his men to kill the astrology expert, by will throwing him from the highest tower of his castle.

However, curiosity, and belief in the power of stars, gave no peace to the king. Without mentioning that he gave the order to kill him, the king called his astrologer.

"You claim to know everything about the position of stars and their impact on human destiny. Now tell me, what is your destiny? Do you know when you will die? " the king asked his astrologer.

"Of course I know, " replied the wise astrologer. "I will die exactly three days before you!"

After that, of course, Louis XI canceled his order and let his astrologer live.
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Zuma Fact: #86: Letters!

 
 
Despite the phone and the Internet, post offices, all around the world, send out about 1.2 billion letters each day.
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Monday, January 24, 2011

Rivals – Bette Davis and Joan Crawford

In Robert Aldrich’s psychological thriller "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" from 1962, actresses Bette Davis (1908-1989) and Joan Crawford (1905-1977) played roles of sisters which deeply hate each other. Both actresses played perfectly their movie roles. That was, perhaps, because they also fiercely hated each other and in private life...

While speaking of her colleague Joan, Bette Davis once said:

- I do not want to waste words about her morality! She has slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie.

After that, Ms. Crawford said:

- I don’t hate Bette Davis even though the press wants me to.  I resent her.  I don’t see how she built a career out of a set of mannerisms, instead of real acting ability.  Take away the pop eyes, the cigarette, and those funny clipped words and want have you got?  She’s phony, but I guess the public really likes that.
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Zuma Fact: #85: Skin cells!




Every 40 minutes, 40 million skin cells die in each man.
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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Always respect your host – Sergei Rachmaninoff and Arthur Rubinstein

On one occasion, famous pianist Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982), hosted a dinner in honor of his esteemed colleague and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943).

As it was expected, everyone was talking about music.

During dinner, Russian composer pointed out that, in his opinion, Grieg’s Piano Concerto is the most beautiful piano concerto ever written.

 
- How fortunate! - Arthur Rubinstein added happily - I just made a record of me playing Grieg Piano Concerto!

Sergei Rachmaninoff received this news with enthusiasm. He asked from his host to play him that record. After that, with closed eyes, he listened with great care Rubinstein‘s interpretation of Grieg’s music. At some point, Rachmaninoff suddenly opened his eyes, as if he woke up, and exclaimed:

- Rubinstein, you must have played it on a broken piano.
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Zuma Fact: #84: Pyramid of Rice!


About 1.5 million tons of rice is eaten each day in Asia. The size of that kind of quantity of rice is, roughly, six times bigger then the Cheops pyramid.
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Monday, January 17, 2011

Most beautiful day – Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot (born 28 September 1934), famous French film actress, was once asked by a reporter from French television, which was the most beautiful day in her, undoubtedly, exciting life.

After a short thinking, the actress who was considered to be one of the most attractive women in the world in the sixties, said:

- The most beautiful day? It seems to me that it was - night.
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Zuma Fact: #83: The most mysterious manuscript in the world!

The most mysterious manuscript in the world (The Voynich Manuscript, named after its discoverer Wilfrid M. Voynich) was discovered in 1912, in Italy. Voynich found it in villa Mondragone in Frascati, near Rome. Script in which it is written no one was able to decipher to this day.
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Don't break my illusions – Noel Coward

British playwright Noel Coward (1899-1973) loved to travel around the world. But he was not interested in cultural sights, he wanted to meet interesting people.

When Coward visited India, he didn’t go to see the famous Taj Mahal. He remained in some restaurant and chatted with locals who he just met.

"Why don’t you come along with us and visit the Taj Mahal?" his friend asked him.

I do not want to even think about that!Coward replied "I saw Taj Mahal on a box of cookies and after I've often thought about its beauty. So just go there without me and do not try anymore to break my illusions."
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Zuma Fact: #82: The greatest disaster in the history of rock music !


The greatest disaster in the history of rock music happened in December 1979. Then while entering the Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium where a group WHO was supposed to hold a concert, a stampede of 7000 people hurled toward the stands and ran over 11 people.
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Good performance – Sir James Matthew Barrie

Creator of "Peter Pan", English journalist and playwright Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937), often attended theatrical performances of his most famous work.

During one performance of "Peter Pan”, there was a boy in Barrie’s lodge. That particular boy was continually jumping from his seat and leaning on the fence, like trying to jump into the audience.

Since the opinion of children was very precious for his writing, Matthew Barrie asked the boy:

- What did you liked the most in tonight’s performance?

 
- Tearing the program, and then throwing pieces of paper on the heads of those who sat down! - cheerfully answered a small theater aficionado.
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Zuma Fact: #81: Wallpaper Coverings!

 
 
Wallpaper coverings were made in China just shortly after the paper itself (2nd century AD).
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Sunday, January 09, 2011

Who is that man? – William Randolph Hearst

When William Randolph Hearst (1861-1951), famous American newspaper publisher (and millionaire), bought St. Donat's Castle in Wales, he said nothing to his wife. He knew that she did not have much understanding for historical monuments, no matter how luxurious they were.

However, one day, Hearst was forced to admit to her what he did.

"So, who is the main architect of that big old house?“,  Mrs. Hearst asked.

 
 
"How could I know?" Hearst said. "I suppose some Norman ..." (He refers to Normans, descendants of Vikings)

"Nonsense! " Mrs. Hearst sighed in disappointment. "Who is that Norman? I've never heard of him. "
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Zuma Fact: #80: Spitting in public places!



More than 60 percent of men are spitting in public places.
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Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Stick to your own business – Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards

During the shooting of the film comedy "The Return of Pink Panther", in the middle of the night the phone rang in the room of director Blake Edwards. It was Peter Sellers, lead actor who, for several days, couldn’t do right a certain scene...

"Imagine what happened to me!" Peter Sellers shouted, all excited, into the receiver. "I just talked to God and he told me exactly how to do that damn scene!"

The next morning, on the set, Sellers was even worse than the day before...

"Peter, the next time you talk with God, tell him to stay out of our business, " Blake Edwards said, tapping him on the shoulder.
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Zuma Fact: #79: Parkinson's disease!



Men who consume a lot of dairy products have an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease. This is not the case with women.
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Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Kiss of God – Luciano Pavarotti

Celebrated Italian tenor, Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007), was known for not missing any opportunity he had to flirt with beautiful women.

Famous actress Isabella Rossellini, daughter of famous actress Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini, in an interview with Pavarotti, on a show broadcasted on Italian television, said that Luciano has such a beautiful voice as if his vocal chords were kissed by God.

"If this is true," Luciano said, unable to restrain himself, "then God kissed you all over your body."
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Zuma Fact: #78: Jellyfish!



Jellyfish (medusas) are in a shape of an open umbrella and are composed of just two layers of cells between which is a gelatinous mass, called mesoglea.
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Sunday, January 02, 2011

Bad Luck – Mark Twain

During his fruitful life, the famous American writer Mark Twain (1835-1910) held numerous lectures in many cities of the United States. On one occasion, he was supposed to hold a lecture in certain small town that he hadn’t visited before.

Before the lecture, he went to the barbershop.  He told the owner that he wanted to be shaved and after that, he mentioned that it was his first visit to this town.

"In due time you visited our town", the barber politely said to him.

"Why is that?" Mark Twain asked.

"The famous writer Mark Twain will give a lecture this evening. You will not miss that, right?", the barber replied.

"Well, I hope that I will not ..."

"Have you bought a ticket? It will be a big crowd."

"No, I haven’t yet ..."

"Unfortunately, they are all sold out. You will have to stand."

"I have bad luck,” sighed Mark Twain. "Whenever he is holding a lecture, I have to stand.”
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Zuma Fact: #77: Taj Mahal!


It is prohibited to fly an aircraft above Indian mausoleum Taj Mahal.
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