interesting facts...or perhaps some mixed in interesting rumour....

* In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'

* Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden'.. .and thus, the word GOLF entered into the English language.

* The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

* Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury.

* Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

* Coca-Cola was originally green. (to me it STILL IS...)

* It is impossible to lick your elbow.

* The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska

* The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28%

* The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%

* The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $16,400

* The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000

* Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair (does this mean they've been eating pennies?)

* The first novel ever written on a typewriter, Tom Sawyer.

* The San Francisco cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

* Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:

Spades - King David

Hearts - Charlemagne

Clubs - Alexander, the Great

Diamonds - Julius Caesar

* 111,111,111 x 111,111,111= 12,345,678,987,654,321

* If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

* Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4 -- John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

* Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of Their birthplace

* Most boat owners name their boats. The most popular boat name requested is "Obsession"

* If you were to spell out numbers, you have to go until you would find the letter 'A' to the word "One thousand"

* What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers have in common? All were invented by women.

* Honey is the only food that doesn't spoil.

* Father's Day is the day where there are more collect calls than any other day of the year.

* In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phase ...'Goodnight, sleep tight'

* It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

* In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.' It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's'

* Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.

Results of reading this…

* At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!