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Neighbor News

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by Florence Shea

Melrose Mirror, Neighbor
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(qacblog.org)

Goliath frogs, Dr. Seuss , Lady Godiva …...

Dating back to the 1600's thermometers were filled with brandy instead of mercury.

In 1976 an LA secretary named Jannene Swift officially married a 50 pound rock in a ceremony witnessed by more than 20 people.

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April 16 is save the Elephant Day.

Scientists believe the frog's ability to jump helped it escape being eaten by dinosaurs.

Find out what's happening in Melrosefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The largest frogs are the Goliath Frogs of Cameroon, West Africa, with bodies nearly a foot long.

In Cleveland Ohio it is illegal to catch mice without a hunting license.

The second week of April is "Read a Road Map Week".

The name "Vaseline" is a combination of the German word wasser and the Greek word elaion.

The optimum depth of water in a birdbath is two and a half inches.

Racecar driver Lee Petty once left a pitstop and did a full lap with a pit crew member still on the hood.

On average, 42,000 balls are used and 650 matches are played at the annual Wimbledon tennis tournament.

The ancient Greeks awarded celery to winners of sports events.

Sam -I-Am

Dr. Seuss wrote "Green Eggs and Ham" after his editor dared him to write a book using fewer than 50 different words. (picture- cliparting .com/dr-seuss-clip-art/)
April 4 is "Tell a Lie Day."
When potatoes first appeared in Europe in the seventeenth century, it was thought that they were disgusting, and were blamed for starting outbreaks of leprosy and syphilis. As late as 1720 in America, eating potatoes was believed to shorten a person's life.
In Siberia, in 1994, a container full of marijuana was discovered in the 2,000-year-old grave of a Scythian princess and priestess, among many other articles buried with her.
April 8 is "Draw a Picture of a Bird Day."
In 1997, Hong Kong businessman Leung Ka-Ching successfully appealed against a fine imposed on him for chewing gum in court. His explanation was that he had been chewing the gum to show respect for the court by having fresh breath.
Nudist Tomas Camesville was fined a total of $124 in July 1982 in Pontevedra, Spain. The sum of $114 was for appearing naked in a public place (the beach) and $10 for failing to carry identity papers.
Lady Godiva- or Godifu- was a real person. She was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and is said to have ridden naked through the town of Coventry in exchange for her husband promising to cut taxes. The story about the naked riding first appeared about a century after her death and is almost certainly a myth.

Sources: www.funfunnyfacts.com; www.alltrivia.net; www.corsinet.com; www.holidayinsights.com; Encyclopedia of Useless Information by William Hartston

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