Strange... Unusual... And Interesting Facts...

[the_lock_man]

 

 


 
 
I found out the other day, thanks to QI, that kingfishers aren't blue 

 
They just look blue because of the way their feathers refract light (some butterflies wings do this too).Their feathers are actually pigmented brown!
 

 
Similarly, polar bears are not white. Their outer fur has no pigmentation at all, however it reflects light across the spectrum, and thus appears white.
 

And... I did read somewhere that the skin of a tiger is also striped... not only the fur??,,,,,
 


 
Having just Wiki'ed it, you are quite correct. (That's assuming you believe Wikipedia)

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Jan Smuts, a soldier and South African statesman (1870 – 1950), was the only person to sign the treaties ending both World Wars I and II.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Jan Smuts, a soldier and South African statesman (1870 – 1950), was the only person to sign the treaties ending both World Wars I and II.

 
Wow... that is a very interesting one-liner ..... esp. for my SA friends who will all know about Jan Smuts... but certainly not about this attribute.... Definitely the fact of the day I'm using tomorrow!!... Thanks for that one!!!!

 

[TallTree01]

Here's a gold one,
Santa Claus as we know him today ( red coat, beard, black boots and a tendency to disperse presents among children ) originated from none other than a coca cola ad.
However back in merry old England, there was a Father Christmas. He did not give gifts or wear the red suit. He came and had feasts with families at Christmas time.
Here is one of the first renditions of Santa Claus today:

 

[daizeUK]

Before the coca cola adds, Father Christmas wore a green suit.

 

[TallTree01]

Before the coca cola adds, Father Christmas wore a green suit.

Indeed.
I tried to find an image but the traditional English Christmas figure has been over run by the American coke franchise.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

Before the coca cola adds, Father Christmas wore a green suit.

Indeed.

I tried to find an image but the traditional English Christmas figure has been over run by the American coke franchise.

 

 
What do you expect... Coke's trademark color is red. 

 

[daizeUK]

I wonder if Nicholas Claus's gave them his permission to use his image?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

daize- I really hate to burst your bubble, but in 1886, Coca-Cola was invented by a pharmacist named John Pemberton.
 

 
or, 'Santa's Portrait' byThomas Nast, published in Harper's Weekly, 1881
 

 
For more fun with Santa http/publicdomainreview.org/collections/a-pictorial-history-of-santa-claus/

 

[sawickib]

Yea i learned about that he boasted that it was a cure for illness but it wasnt at all, and he barely sold any bottles at first, if i recall the mixture was by accident like the potato chip.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Before the coca cola adds, Father Christmas wore a green suit.

 
The original coke was green in color.... actually.... it still is .... something is added to change the color.......

 

[daizeUK]

I knew somebody would have fun going on a fact-finding mission

 

[Ch4rlie]

Probably common knowledge amongst you. Coca Cola did in fact have Cocaine as an ingredient, hence the brand name.

They had, apparently, about 9 milligrams of cocaine per glass, but cocaine was removed in 1903.

Not to be mixed with Pepsi Cola even though that also had trace amounts of cocaine, something like 1/400 of a grain of cocaine per ounce of syrup.

 

[fluttermoth]

Dr Pepper is older than both Coke and Pepsi.

But I like the Santa = Sami (Lappish) Shaman hypothesis. Here's the 'evidence';

Santa;                                                                                                                                                                    
Wears red and white
goes up and down chimneys                                                                                                                             
is accompanied by reindeer
visits all the children in one night
comes from the North Pole or Lapland
knows whether you've been good or bad
 
Sami Shaman;
Eats red and white mushrooms to go into a trance
enters and leaves tents through the smoke hole
is accompanied by spirit guides, in the form of horses, wolves or reindeer
can travel at superhuman speeds, or bilocate
comes from the northern part of Lapland
can learn things outside their knowledge with the help of the spirit world
 
 
Case solved 

 
 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Dr. Pepper is also far better than either Coke or Pepsi.
 
As for the Shaman connection...