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Interesting History - Fun Facts

The Turbulent HISTORY Of The LITTLE MERMAID SCULPTURE.

August 5th 2009 12:06
Little Mermaid
One of Denmark's most famous attractions is the statue of The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen who was based on the story by Danish Storyteller Hans Christian Anderson. Usually tourists are surprised at first, on witnessing her small size as she is only 1.25 metres high and weighs around 175 kg. She was sculpted by Edvard Eriksen and revealed to the public in August 1913.

Her history since has been a very turbulent one, even having her cut cut off more than once. There is actually a very faint line that can still be seen on her neck from having her head replaced. Having just come back from seeing her myself, I can attest to that, but I had no idea until this that she had been vandalised so often until I was introduced to her 'vandalism timeline'.

* 24 April 1964 – Her head was sawn off and stolen.The head was never recovered and a new head was produced and placed on the statue. (Apparently, or so I was told, the original mould for her head is still in existence.)

* 22 July 1984 – her right arm was sawn off. The arm was returned 2 days later.

* 1990 – another attempt was made to cut her head off as she was discovered with an 18 cm deep cut in the neck.

* 6 January 1998 – she lost her head again. The head was returned anonymously to a nearby TV station, and by February the head was back on.

* Red paint has been thrown on her several times, including one episode in 1961 where her hair was painted red and a bra was painted on her.

* March 8, 2006 – a dildo was attached to the statue's hand, green paint was dumped over it, with 'March 8' scrawled on it. Suspicion pointed to something to do with International Women's Day (March 8).

* March 3, 2007 – the statue was covered with pink paint.

* May 2007 – the statue was again covered in paint.
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BOOKS & Other Literary Works The CRITICS Got WRONG!!!

July 28th 2009 12:10
In a tale as old as time, here is a short list of classic books and other literary works that were originally attacked by critics and subsequently given bad reviews.

* A Midsummer Night's Dream - William Shakeaspeare - performed in London in 1662.
[ Click here to read more ]
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LOOSE STUFF 2 MAKE U LAUGH!

July 25th 2009 12:10
Charlie Sheen was once asked whether he'd like to have his father's job playing the American president on "The West Wing".
"I could never be the president," Sheen replied. "Think about it. I've abused cocaine, I've been arrested, I'm not a very smart guy. It's a big joke to think people would want someone like me just because his dad was president."
funny button

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WHY Are SHIPS Christened With A Bottle Of CHAMPAGNE???

June 30th 2009 16:10
Upon the launching of a newly completed ship, a bottle of champagne is usually smashed over the bow to christen it. The origins of this are a little unclear and can vary slightly from culture to culture, but for the most part it is believed that blood or wine, depending on the particular culture, was originally used as a sacrifice to the gods of the sea to allow for a smooth passage.

Namcy Reagan ship christening
Over time this became wine by those who originally used blood, and the wine was poured first into a silver chalice, from which a sip was taken before spilling the wine over the ship and casting the chalice into the sea.
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STRANGE IRISH CURSES

June 25th 2009 19:49
grave
May your obituary be written in weasel's piss.

May the lamb of God stir his hoof through the roof of heaven and kick you in the arse down to hell.
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CRAZY About CARROTS And Their NON-ORANGE COLOUR!!!

June 17th 2009 08:13
coloured carrots
According to the World Carrot Museum, (yes, it really does exist!), carrots are the second-most popular vegetable after potato, and the most popular in the UK.

Originally carrots were found in a variety of colours including purple, white, black, yellow and red. Orange carrots did not appear until later on in the 1500's when the Dutch Royal House of Orange was in power and the Dutch decided therefore to breed an orange carrot by using a mutant yellow carrot seed from North Africa. Beta carotene, found in orange carrots is converted in the human body to vitamin A.
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The ORIGINS of GOLF

May 31st 2009 08:21
Lorena Ochoa Number 1 golfer
Lorena Ochoa, currently World No.1 female golfer.
The origins of golf can be a little murky as some researchers claim they have discovered references to a form of golf from Egyptian hieroglyphics, while in China, Chui Wan ("chui" = striking and "wan" = small ball) a game of driving a ball with a stick into holes in the ground, was first mentioned in records from the 11th century.

The Dutch game also seemed to have an early version played with a stick and leather ball, while the Scottish game of 'goulf' was mentioned in two ancient laws prohibiting its play.
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The REAL Story Behind The Location of HOLLYWOOD!!!

May 30th 2009 07:58
Hollywood sign
Many people think that Hollywood is situated in California because of all of the glorious sunshine associated with the area, but the real reason behind the placement of Hollywood is a little more sly than most would think.

While it is true that it takes a lot of light to produce good films, especially in the early days of the industry, it actually had much more to do with patent infringement.
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FOOTBALL, MEAT PIES, KANGAROOS AND HOLDEN CARS!!!

May 12th 2009 10:10
Yesterday while setting up the lesson on lamingtons, I began thinking back to my younger days and the tune of "Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars."

I couldn't remember what is what for exactly as I was pretty young at the time, but thanks to the wondrous combination of the Internet and YouTube, I was able to refresh my memory. It was the jingle used to sell GM Holdens during the 70's (showing my age now aren't I!), and it's stuck with me ever since.
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A LESSON IN LAMINGTONS!!!

May 11th 2009 09:19
The chocolate Lamington is as Australian as meat pies, kangaroos and Holdens. (Who else remembers that song/chant from way back when - "Football, meat-pies, kangaroos and Holden cars...?")

For years lamingtons have been a way of putting stale or over-cooked sponge cake to good use, but where did it actually start?
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Are FRENCH FRIES Really FRENCH???

May 5th 2009 10:29
French fries hot chips
French fries. Are they actually French?

It turns out the answer is actually no.
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IS SHE, ISN'T SHE?!!

April 30th 2009 13:48
During the 1936 Olympic Games, Stella Walsh, otherwise known as Stanislawa Walasiewicz, a Polish sprinter, was then known internationally as the fastest woman in the world, so when she was beaten by Helen Stephens of the U.S. who simultaneously set a world record, running 100 metres in 11.4 seconds, a Polish journalist protested that Helen Stephens must be a man.
sprinters sprint

Supporters of Stella Walsh joined in the protest, arguing that no woman could possibly run that fast.
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K Stands For KALAMITY!!!

April 28th 2009 13:36
Model of a K-Class Submarine
Model of a K-Class Submarine

During World War 1 while the German Navy displayed its supremacy beneath the waves, the British Military decided that it needed its own fleet of similar submarines to contest them.

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The MYTH Behind SALUTING As A WINNER Or LOSER Of The WAR!

March 7th 2009 10:00
US naval salute
U.S Naval salute - palm down.
Recently I was involved in a conversation where an American decided to, quite arrogantly I might add, tell an Englishwoman that the reason that the American military salute with their palms down (as if shading the eyes from the sun) is because they have never lost a war, whereas the British, who salute with their palms facing outwards, have lost in the past and therefore must salute as such.

Upon pointing out that they lost at Vietnam, the American initially tried to deny that it was actually a war, and when challenged on the issue subsequently snapped and the night turned into a smaller, but more tense version of Fawlty Towers ‘don’t mention the war.’
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