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Random Facts


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Microwaves in U.S. households

In 1978, only eight percent of U.S. households had microwave ovens. As of 2006 over 80 percent have them.

Reference: U.S.

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The energy consumption needs of technology

As late as 1993, high-tech paraphernalia like computers, printers and video games had a negligible effect on power usage. Today, it's estimated to account for more than 13 percent of a typical household energy budget. By 2020, it could be as much as 25 percent

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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What is the amount of electricity generated from various sources?

In 2002, the following amount of electricity, in gigawatt-hours, was generated from the following sources of fuel:
  • Coal: 1,925,792 GWh
  • Nuclear: 779,461 GWh
  • Gas: 695,226 GWh
  • Hydro: 255,077 GWh
  • Fuel oil: 91,629 GWh
  • Biomass: 71,534 GWh
  • Other (geothermal, non-wood waste, wind and solar): 22,737 GWh


Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Biomass usage in the u.s.

Biomass currently supplies about four percent of the energy produced in the U.S., and could potentially provide almost 20 percent.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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Potential renewable energy resources

Energy crops, like switchgrass or fast-growing trees, could provide more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity annually by the year 2010, supporting more than 170,000 jobs and diversifying local farming operations.

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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How much and how often a wolf eats

Wolves can go days on end without food. They can also eat 20 pounds of meat in a single sitting.

Reference: Animal Planet

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Most single-game rushing yards in nfl history

Walter Payton had the flu when he broke the NFL record with 275 rushing yards when Chicago played Minn 11/20/77.

Corey Dillon broke this record in 2000 rushing for 278 yards Cincinnati vs Denver (10-22-2000)

The record was then broken by Jamal Lewis in 2003 (295), and again in 2007 by Adrian Peterson (296) against the San Diego (and LaDainian Tomlinson) amazingly in his rookie season.

Reference:

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Is there a difference between crack & champagne?

According to the federal Center for Substance Abuse prevention, "For kids under twenty-one, there is no difference between alcohol and other drug use and abuse." Incredibly, it makes no distinction between a self-reliant 20 year old toasting his love at their wedding reception with a sip of champagne and a drug-addicted 20 year old doing crack cocaine!

Reference:

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When was the country of Iraq founded?

There was no country of Iraq until it was created by the British in 1920. The modern state of Iraq was created out of the three provinces controlled by the Ottoman Turks, Basra, Mosul, and Baghdad.

Reference:

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When was the dawn of the new millennium?

Popular culture also holds the year 2000 as the first year of the twenty first century and the third millennium. In the Gregorian Calendar, however, this distinction falls to the year 2001. This is because the first century began with the year 1 (there was no year zero)

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000

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When was penicilin discovered?

Penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928 and heralded for it's antibacterial effects.

Reference:

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Bathroom Facts

An average person visits the toilet 2,500 times per year. (6-8 times per day) People spend at least 3 years of their lives on the toilet. Seven million cell phones are dropped in the toilet per year. Americans use a lot more toilet paper than any other country. (7 sheets on average) People have flushed down the toilet: goldfish, false teeth, socks, underwear, bras, shirts, shoes, mice, hamsters, toy cars, action figures, Barbies, toothbrushes, and whole rolls of toliet paper. Most toilets flush on an E-flat note. 10,000 times you have to change a baby's diaper until it learns how to go to the bathroom itself. Men spend 140 days of his life shaving. Brushing your teeth with the water on wastes 5 gallons of water. Shaving with the water on wastes 15 to 20 gallons. Females takes 3 times longer than males in the bathroom.

Reference: http://www.createblog.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t164727.html

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The most searched phrase of 2007 on lycos.com is ....

"Poker" was the most searched keyword phrase on lycos.com in 2007.

Reference: http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3627937

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What is the altitude of the sun relative to Earth ?

The altitude of the sun varies throughout the year. On December 21st (sometimes the 22nd) the sun is 20 degrees above the horizon, it's lowest point of the year. On June 21st (sometimes the 20th) the sun is 65 degrees above the horizon, it's highest point of the year. Do you know what days these are? They are the winter & summer solstice.

Reference: Winter Sun Design

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What is up with the sun?

The sun is 93,000,000 miles from earth. It takes the suns rays 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach the earth, traveling at a rate of 186,282 miles per second.

Reference:

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Proof that football (soccer) is the most popular sport in the world

At World Cup 2010 2.72 million tickets will be sold.

Reference: http://www.cup2010.info/Facts/SoccerWorldCup_facts.html

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What was the best political joke of 2006?

According to about.com and their top 25 funny jokes "I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers, and rubble, and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message that no matter what happens to America she will always rebound with the most powerfully staged photo-ops in the world." --Comedian Stephen Colbert, roasting Bush at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Our favorite: “To the vice president's credit, he did own up to it (shooting hunting partner in the face). On FOX News he said the fault was his, he can't blame anybody else. Boy, it's amazing, the only time you get accountability out of this administration is when they are actually holding a smoking gun." --Bill Maher

Reference: http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/funnyquotes/a/funnyquotes2006_2.htm

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The efficiency of converting sunlight to electricity in pv cells

The company SunPower in 2008 announced 22% efficiency converting light to electricity. Current high-performance panels, on average, convert about 20 percent of the light that strikes it into electricity. Conventional silicon solar panels convert about 14 to 17 percent of light.

The theoretical maximum is around 26 to 27 percent, although some have said it could go slightly higher.

Reference: http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-6114383-7.html

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When were women given the right to vote in the united states?

In 1920 the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed giving the right of women to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment prohibits state and federal government from denying the right to vote to vote by any citizen because of their sex.

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NFL Hall of Fame great Walter Payton

Walter Payton, known as "Sweetness" for his smooth style, until 2002 was the leading National Football League (NFL) rusher of all time, with a career total of 16,726 yards.

Walter Payton played all 13 years of his professional career with the Chicago Bears winning a championship in 1985.

Payton died of a rare liver disease in 1999. He was remembered as both a great player and a great man.

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