Interesting Trivia and Fun Facts

Since I was having major Internet issues last night, I was unable to post any of our traditional Monday Fun facts and interesting trivia. So, today we are going to catch up on the fun we missed yesterday (before I tried to drop-kick the wireless card into the pool). This week we are going to look at some of the odd and interesting trivia bits from the American Civil War (1861-1865):

There was a new invention called the hypodermic needle. This new contraption made it easier to get morphine into a soldier's bloodstream when he needed a limb amputated while still on the battlefield. These needles were eventually sold through the Sears and Roebuck catalog, so that the soldiers who ended up hooked on morphine could get fresh needles to inject more morphine...

On a slightly brighter note, the popular romantic way to spend a date was to walk hand in hand through a cemetery. You have to wonder what to talk about when taking a romantic walk through a cemetery. Perhaps that is what kept the pregnancy rate so low????

The electric telegraph was patented by Samuel Morse (the same man who created Morse Code). This was the beginning of mass communications. I wonder what Samuel Morse would think about communications now?

This was the time of the Industrial Revolution. With the Revolution, we got some really great inventions, like the elevator, which was first presented in 1852 at a New York Store. This was such a strange contraption at the time that some people encountered "Elevator Sickness" because of the fast motion of this new invention.

The book, "On the Origin of Species", by Charles Darwin was published in 1859. The shocking observations contained within this writing was considered an atrocity by many church-going people. If you have not perused this book, Charles Darwin basically threw out the theory of evolution and propounded the heretical theory of "survival of the fittest". Basically, in his book, Charles Darwin outlined his theory of evolution. Only the fittest of the particular species survived. It is fascinating reading for those who love history, there are great descriptions of the Galapagos Islands and what Charles Darwin found there.

Lastly, with P.T. Barnum, the art of hoaxing and humbugging came into vogue. The Feegee Mermaid was on of his most famous hoaxes. The "Mermaid" was the head of a monkey sewn onto the body of a fish. People flocked to see this "Mermaid" and believed it to be real. Perhaps on the heels of Darwin's "Origin of Species" people became more willing to believe in the strange and outrageous...

Since I fell behind on blogging last week, (largely in part to Internet issues) tomorrow we will follow up on the traditions of Harvest Festivals which I promised to have last Friday. We will again get back to focusing on the techniques of various Millionaires again this Friday. In between now and then I have a few surprises (hopefully) in store. If you don't see the blog, I will hold my Word document very close to the computer so you can read what should have posted...(that is a JOKE, with luck the Internet speed issue has been resolved...)

Until tomorrow...