Arts and Literature

Bizarre Fact #81:
Did you know...
Crossing one's fingers is a way of secretly making the sign of the Cross. It was started by early Christians to ask for divine assistance without attracting the attention of pagans.

Bizarre Fact #82:
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During the Civil War, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant believed that onions would prevent dysentery and other physical ailments. He reportedly sent the following message via wire to the War Department: "I will not move my army without onions." Within a day, the U.S. government sent three trainloads of onions to the front.

Bizarre Fact #83:
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During the middle ages, it was widely believed that men had one less rib than woman. This is because of the story in the Bible that Eve had been created out of Adam's rib.

Bizarre Fact #84:
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Girls weren't dressed in blue, apparently because people didn't think that evil spirits would bother with them. Eventually, however, girls did get their own color: pink. Pink was chosen because of an old English legend which said that girls were born inside of pink roses.

Bizarre Fact #85:
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Hindu men once believed it to be unluckily to marry a third time. They could avoid misfortune by marrying a tree first. The tree (his third wife) was then burnt, freeing him to marry again.

Bizarre Fact #86:
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In Dante's "Inferno" the Ninth Circle of Hell is reserved for those who betray family or country. The denizens of this deepest circle, who are frozen in ice, include Judas (betrayer of Christ) and Cassius and Brutus (betrayers of Julius Caesar).

Bizarre Fact #87:
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In Greek culture, brides carry a lump of sugar in their wedding glove. It's supposed to bring sweetness to their married life.

Bizarre Fact #88:
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In medieval times, thunderstorms were believed by some to be the work of demons. So when it stormed, bell ringers would go up into the bell towers to ring the consecrated bells in an effort to stop the storm. This practice didn't always work out well for the bell ringer.

Bizarre Fact #89:
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In the 1700's you could purchase insurance against going to hell, in London England.

Bizarre Fact #90:
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Influenza got its name from that fact that people believed the disease was because of the evil "influence" of stars.