Cracked Egg Trivia

1. Candy canes date way back and have an interesting timeline. In fact the first candy cane was made around 350 years ago although you probably wouldn't recognize it. The first candy canes looked very different from modern day ones. Originally they were straight and missing those classic stripes, the first ones were all white. It wasn't until 1874 however that candy canes were first mentioned in relation to Christmas in a magazine called the  Nursery Monthly . Further down the timeline in 1882 a magazine called  Babyland  was the first one to mention them being hung on Christmas  trees. It took even longer for the candy canes to get their stripes, that didn't happen until around 1900. In 1921 the process of making candy cane was finally automated when Brasher O. Westerfield invented a machine to make them. Before that people had to make the classic treats by hand. 2.   Upside down Christmas trees are in style. In recent years Christmas trees hanging upside down from the cei

1. For a little over thirty years President's have been saving turkey's lives. Starting in the 1870's people started sending US President's turkeys for Thanksgiving. President Coolidge tried to discourage the practice in 1923 since the number of turkeys being sent was skyrocketing. The tradition resumed soon however, and he even started receiving other kinds of animals such as ducks, rabbits, and deer. One time he even got a raccoon which he kept as a family pet. Although some turkeys may have been pardoned before President George H.W. Bush he was the first to officially pardon one, starting a new tradition. He stated that the turkey looked "understandably nervous" before assuring everyone that this turkey wouldn't end up on anyone's table and that he was "... granted a presidential pardon as of right now." 2. If you love cranberry sauce, you're not alone. Not everyone appreciates it, but I know I do. It's actually one of my favorite

To understand this wild story fully it is important to note that the presidential election in 1800 happened before the 12th Amendment. This meant that there were no official tickets, and whoever had the most votes for them won the presidency and the vice president position went to whoever was in second place. Previous to the 1800 election John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had run against each other with Adams winning the match therefore making Jefferson his vice president. In 1800 it was time for the rematch with Adams on the Federalist side with Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Jefferson on the Democratic-Republican side with Aaron Burr. When the votes from the Electoral College came in there were seventy-three votes for both Jefferson and Burr while Adams only had sixty-five. This put Jefferson and Burr in an obvious tie, the solution of which was to bring Congress into the matter. Alexander Hamilton despite disliking all the candidates decided to back Jefferson and try to persuade the

This month it was my birthday, and it left me feeling pretty nostalgic so these facts will all pertain to something important that has happened to me so far in life or things I just like. I also just want to thank my amazing mom for not only spending fourteen hours in labor with me, but also for raising me to be the person I am today. I love you Mom. 1.   Each modern Shih Tzu owes their existence to two of the fourteen that rebuilt the breed. During the Chinese Communist Revolution the Shih Tzu breed almost went extinct. One of the main reasons was the death of Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi in 1908 which resulted in her breeding program for Shih Tzu, Pekingese, and Pugs falling apart. From the almost non existent numbers rose seven males and their seven female counterparts who were used to bring about the return of the Shih Tzu. My mom got me my Shih Tzu when I was seven years old, and my little old man is still kicking. 2. Tornadoes can be invisible. Sometimes you can see something called a

When you hear the name Tasmanian Devil I can almost guarantee that the first thing that comes to mind is the famous Looney Tunes character, Taz. At least that's what I normally think of. But these little guys are actually animals although they look quite different from the cartoonish image that your mind conjures up. In real life Tasmanian Devils are small marsupials. They grow to about 23-26 inches long with a bushy tail roughly half that length, weighing in at anywhere from 11 to 30 pounds. Their coat is mostly black with the exception of whitish mark on their chest, and sometimes other white marks along their rump and sides. They also have an infamously large gape that paired with their large teeth gives them that devilish look. Contrary to popular belief this gape is less likely to signal aggression than it is to signal uncertainty or fear. These little guys are carnivores and rely on scavenging for the most part, and for this reason are very eco friendly because they'll ea

1. Crabs have some really  cool physical features. For instance, their stomachs have teeth to help them digest food since most crabs have rather soft mouths. Another fun feature that most crabs share is their flat bodies that enable them to fit in narrow spaces. A small amount of land crabs even have lungs as well as gills meaning that they have dual-circulatory systems. Bonus Fact: Hermit crabs are not tru e crabs. They were misnamed and are technically more closely related to certain kinds of lobsters than to their namesakes. 2. Dandelions are so much more than weeds. While scientifically these flowers are actually weeds they're still undeniably beautiful and can mean many different things. Technically the name originates from the word Dens-leonis which means "lions tooth". But the dandelion's floral meaning is to provide happiness and promise total faithfulness to a loved one. They can also represent healing since they have some medicinal properties among their man

1.   Beluga whales have some cool advantages when it comes to hunting. Beluga whale's neck vertebrae isn't fused together so this means that they can turn their head from side to side as well as up and down. This feature comes in handy when they're locating their prey in the icy waters of their natural habitat. They also travel in small groups called pods so there are normally multiples. In addition to all of that Belugas can also swim backwards. Bonus Fact - When they catch their prey they eat them whole despite being a "toothed whale". 2. We have been fed false information about pirates. I for one feel betrayed, but it turns out that pirates actually didn't make people walk the plank very often. IF they were going to kill someone they just did it straight up, or if they preferred torture then they would probably opt for a good ol' keelhaul. The reason I say "IF" is that usually pirates actually took a lot of prisoners and kept them alive. The r

This month it was my baby sister's birthday, and this post will have facts about ten things she's interested in. I purple you sis! 💜💎 1. Beagles used to be pocket sized.  When the breed was first developed they were only about 8-9 inches from their feet to their shoulders. They died out during the 19th century although some people still claim to sell Pocket Beagles today, don't fall for it though because it's just a scam. Back when they did still exist they were a favorite of the first Queen Elizabeth, she called them her "Singing Beagles." Another surprising fact about these tiny Beagles is that they were still used for hunting, they rode around in saddle bags before they were let loose to hunt. 2. The Once Upon a Time creators brought over some of their old cast. Before OUAT Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, who are the creators of the show, worked on a show called Lost. And quite a few of the actors from that show popped up in Storybrooke. The list include

This month it was my mom's birthday so I want to dedicate this post to her and her amazing (as well as hereditary) curiosity. Happy Birthday Mom, I love you! 😍 1. The Irish like their beer. They rank 4th in the world for the highest per-capita beer consumption. In Dublin there is even one pub for every one hundred people. Ireland is also home to not only the largest brewer of stout style beer in the world, Guinness (their biggest beer brand), but they also have Sean's Bar which is the oldest bar in the world. Bonus Fact: One of the oldest working lighthouses in the world is located in Ireland. It's called Hook Lighthouse, and it's about 800 years old. 2. Frogs have some pretty weird eating habits. Once a week their own skin is on the menu. I know it's disgusting but frogs shed their skin every week and then eat it to recycle the nutrients stored there. Another strange habit is showcased when they swallow their prey, blinking. When they blink their eyeball

Downton Abbey is one of my family's favorite shows. We've watched it through more times than I care to count, and I've even found myself mouthing out lines as they're being said. Needless to say, Downton means a lot to me, in fact "It's my third parent and my fourth child." (Sorry I just couldn't resist quoting Robert. Extra points if you remember that scene.) So here are five fun facts about everyone's favorite show. 1. The upstairs bedrooms are all the same. Apparently they only used one bedroom as the sets for Cora's, Mary's, and Edith's bedrooms. The production team simply redecorated every few days of shooting which made for walls thick with paint and wallpaper by the end of the season. And if you want proof I'm not lying to you just look out the windows of the bedrooms next time you're watching the show, it's always the same view. 2. There was more truth in certain storylines than you'd think. I'm su

1. They aren't as mean as you think. In fact, rattlesnakes only attack humans when they are provoked. A lot of times the victim has stepped on the snake and didn't even realize. They also give plenty of warning. Not only do they rattle their tails, but they hiss as well. Although sometimes the rattle cancels out the hiss because it's louder. 2. Sometimes they don't have rattles. A rattlesnake without a rattle, what's wrong with that picture? But even if it sounds weird it's true. Young rattlesnakes don't receive their rattle until they are about two weeks old, and even then it is only one section. The baby will grow another section each time it sheds its skin. And adults have been known to lose their rattle. Quick Tip: The second most distinctive physical characteristic of a rattlesnake is its triangular head. So if you don't see a rattle, look to the head for identification. 3. They don't eat very often. Adult rattlesnakes eat about once e

Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison was born on July 25, 1775, near Morristown, New Jersey. Her parents were John Cleves Symmes and Anna Tuthill, who died a year after she was born. Three years after her mother passed away her father decided to take Anne to her maternal grandparent's home on Long Island since he was a soldier in the Continental Army and didn't feel like he could properly take care of a little girl. The War for Independence was going on at that time so in order to get his daughter through New York, which was British-occupied at the time, he dressed up as a British soldier and traveled by horseback with his then four year old. She lived with her grandparents until 1794, and while there she received an excellent education. She went to school at Clinton Academy, and then moved on to live at the Boarding School of Isabella Marshal Graham until she was fifteen years old. Graham was ahead of her time and believed in women's rights to equal education. At the age of

1. You can't get lead poisoning from lead pencils. Forget everything you've ever heard. It isn't possible because, and you better sit down for this one, lead pencils were never made with lead. They are actually made out of graphite. So why are they called lead pencils? The answer lies in the early 1500s at which time people actually thought that graphite was a form of lead, and they named the pencils accordingly. Of course there is one exception, if the pencil was made before 1978 then you could get lead poisoning from it but not by poking yourself. In 1978 the United States stopped allowing lead to be an ingredient in paint, but the pencils made before then would still have lead in the paint and you could get lead poisoning from sucking on it. 2. Spring is one of many names used to describe this time of year. Nowadays spring is definitely the most frequently used term, but in the old days they called it Lent in some parts of the world. Lent came from the Old English

Since some of these insects have been spotted here in America, I thought this was the perfect time to learn about them. So do they live up to the hype? The truth is nothing is really as scary as it seems at first and the Asian "Murder Hornets" are no different. By the way, the first thing that you need to know about these insects is their actual and less terrifying name, the Asian giant hornet or if you wanted to be really fancy the Vespa mandarinia . Their Sting A solitary sting from an Asian giant hornet probably won't kill you unless you have some sort of allergy. The real danger would be if you were stung multiple times which is unlikely unless you disturbed a hive as these bugs aren't normally aggressive unless provoked. In fact, yearly more people die from bee stings. In the US alone there 60 to 80 deaths resulting from reactions to bee stings each year, while in Asia (mostly in Japan) only about 50 people die every year from reactions having to do with stin

1. The actors did a lot of their own... stunts. I'm sure you all remember that classic scene where Aragorn throws an apple at Pippin's head for complaining about not getting enough food. Viggo Mortensen threw it himself, sixteen times in fact because that's how many times it took to get the scene right. Billy Boyd thinks that Mortensen loved each take, but in his defense who wouldn't. And then we have to talk about the fact that in the scene in Shelob's lair, if you don't remember her she's the big creepy spider that almost killed Frodo, Elijah Wood actually wasn't blinking. Apparently one of his many talents is the ability to stare without blinking for long periods of time. 2. Gandalf hit his head on that ceiling beam for real. Since this isn't really a stunt I couldn't put it in the section above, but Ian McKellen's famous encounter with that ceiling beam at Bilbo's wasn't planned. He hit his head accidentally, but acted

1. Five out of six types of corn won't pop. There are six types of corn : dent, pod, flint, sweet, flour, and lastly popcorn (better known as Zea mays everta 😉). So as is obvious by the name popcorn will pop, but only when the pressure in the kernel reaches 135 pounds per square inch. If there is too little moisture in the kernel it won't pop at all, and if that happens the kernel becomes an "old maid". 2. Tornadoes can hit anywhere. It is true that in some places they are more likely to happen, but a tornado has hit every continent with an exception of Antarctica. Furthermore contrary to popular belief tornadoes can continue over things like valleys and mountains. They can also go over lakes and rivers in which case they become a waterspout. 3. Michelangelo fired his workers. IL Divino was one of the most famous things to come out of the Renaissance. In case you don't already know, it's a 1,000 square metered fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chap

The Black Death is the name of the deadly spread of bubonic plague that killed an estimated 25 million Europeans in the 1300's, and was also a problem in Asia. We now think the plague was caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. It is spread through the bites or stings of infected fleas and animals, and attacks the lymphatic system first before moving into the blood or lungs. Most people think that the plague was spread for the most part by rats, but researchers say that it spread too fast for rats to be responsible. And furthermore the lack of dead rats found as archaeological evidence helps to prove the point. The plague arrived in Europe along with "death ships" in October 1347. The 12 ships from the Black Sea were docked at a Sicilian port, and people waiting for the ship were shocked to find that almost everyone was dead. Those that were alive were covered in large black boils that oozed pus and blood, a telltale sign of the plague although they didn't kno

1. The American Goldfinch is a very unique member of the finch family. They have many special characteristics including the fact that they are the only  member of the finch family to shed all their feathers twice during one year. They're also different from other finches in the way they eat, other finches don't use their feet to feed very often but American Goldfinch use their feet most of the time. These adorable birds also breed later than other birds, their breeding season starts in July and lasts until September. (I had to add a picture, look at this cutie.) 2. Napoleon didn't play solitaire during his exile. Some people may not know this, but there is a popular misconception that Napoleon enjoyed games of solitaire whilst in exile. This rumor is untrue since solitaire didn't gain popularity in France until the mid-19th century Napoleon probably played games that were popular in his time, such as Whist. When solitaire did take hold in France it was also becomi

1. Green is the second most popular color. Green is the runner up to the color blue, which is the most common favorite color. And it's no wonder, green is used all over the world to signify things like nature, life, safety, and hope. Although if you're a stock holder in East Asia then green isn't what you want to see, because there green indicates a drop in stock prices. 2. Tennis hasn't always looked like what we know. Back in the old days tennis courts were actually hourglass shaped. It wasn't until 1875 that they were replaced by rectangular ones. And tennis balls weren't always yellow either. They used to be white, but then research showed that yellow balls were more visible to those watching the matches on television at home, and then in 1986 Wimbledon adopted the new color palette making it official. 3. Sweden is home to the world's first "sustainable" dance floor. In 2008 at Club Watt in Rotterdam, Sweden the first "sustainable&