Fun Facts and Trivial Tidbits - Midweek

Happy Hump-Day one and all!  Tonight we are going to hopefully brighten your week up with some fun facts and trivial tidbits.  The focus here is to provide some fun, silly and sometimes useful trivia information to amaze or torment your friends and co-workers.  Wednesdays are typically difficult, it is the middle of the week, you may have managed to struggle through the first two days of the work week, and you are now looking at two more days to work through before you can relax (supposedly) and enjoy the weekend.

Last week we mentioned that September 9th is National Teddy Bear Day.  Initially it was a U.S. specific holiday, but is becoming more celebrated by bear lovers around the world.  That being said, how many of you know the origins of the name "Teddy Bear"? 

The name "Teddy" bear was based on U.S. President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt.  More interestingly, do you know the story of WHY the bear ended up being named "Teddy"?  The name came about after a 1902 hunting expedition.  At the time, no game was found, so by the end of the day, someone brought out a baby bear and suggested that Theodore Roosevelt might like to shoot at it instead.  Roosevelt (understandably) felt that this was not sporting and refused the offer.  This was illustrated in a newspaper cartoon entitled "Drawing the Line".  A New York toymaker saw an opportunity and brought out a cute stuffed bear named "Teddy's Bear" and the rest became history.

Now on to some fun statistics - did you know that 81% of people say a "harmless lie" every day?
- Most people lie 3 time in 10 minutes of conversation (makes you really think about what you are talking about...)
- 2% of people think that lying is sometimes necessary (I can see that...)
- 65% of people think that it is often or sometimes OK to lie so as to not hurt someone else's feelings.
- 44% of people think that it is often possible to exaggerate the events of the story to make it more interesting (I know a LOT of people who do that....)

Along the lines of lying, did you know that 35% of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married?  YUCH!!!

Did you know that Walt Disney was afraid of mice?  Kinda funny, guess he worked this phobia out...

Do you know how they made the sound of E.T. (from the movie E.T. the Extra Terrestrial) walking?  It was made by a woman squishing her hands in jelly - makes you want to go out and try that....yeah, right...

Lastly, do you know who the voice of E.T. was?  Debra Winger.  Never would have guessed that... Now I have to go rent the movie again and take a good hard look and listen...

Hopefully this weekly edition of Fun Facts and Trivial Tidbits was as much for you as it was for me.  Have a wonderful rest of the week, and we will chat more on Monday (or perhaps this Friday if I am feeling chatty...

Until later...