Did a British company make a fortune selling a phony bomb detector?

The Dog Days of Summer! If you’re a regular reader of this silliness, you already know why they’re called that. But for those just tuning in, here’s the short version:

Back in the day, ancients believed that during this part of the year, the Sun wasn’t the only star bringing light and heat to Earth. There was also Sirius, the “Dog Star,” the brightest star in the night sky then and now. Their belief that light and heat from Sirius was reaching Earth gave rise to the term “Dog Days.”

There. Now you’re up to date.

Since you are, let’s get to this week’s trivia, shall we? And don’t forget the book, Did You Know…? Yet Another Compendium of Useless Trivia, available at amazon.com!

Did you know …

… a horse has more than one horsepower? The term was coined in the 18th Century as a measurement of the rate at which work is done. One horsepower is currently measured at 745.7 watts, and one horse can actually produce about 15 horsepower. (I’m now sufficiently confused.)

… Santa Claus has a U.S. pilot’s license? Jolly Old St. Nick was issued a U.S. government pilot’s license in 1927, and the government also said runway lights would be kept on for him every Christmas Eve. (Well, good. I’d hate to think Santa was violating the law.)

… a stuffed animal was created that was modeled after a U.S. president? After the popularity of the teddy bear, named for Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), a toy company tried to capitalize on it by creating “Billy Possum,” a plush toy based on Roosevelt’s successor, William H. Taft (1857-1930). Though cute, the Taft toy never did take off. (Neither did Taft, come to think of it.)

… in the pupal stage of development, a caterpillar turns into total liquid before becoming a butterfly? The larva of the butterfly turns into a cocoon, as we all know, and out comes the beautiful insect. But in between, it’s pretty gross. The caterpillar actually digests itself, disintegrating to a greenish goo. At that point, the cell division that will eventually be a beautiful butterfly takes place. (Pretty much ruined your whole opinion of butterflies, didn’t I?)

… researchers have found the most common mistake people make while flirting? It’s too much eye contact, according to the Social Issues Research Center. Their studies show that a non-romantic glance lasts 1.18 seconds, while a flirtatious glance can last 2-3 seconds – and anything longer than that is uncomfortable and just plain weird.

… a British company made a fortune selling a fake bomb detector? Advanced Tactical Security and Communications, Ltd., or ATSC, created a device called the ADE 651 in the 1990s. Its developers said it would be capable of detecting various types of explosives from a long range, and it could also be programmed to find drugs, ivory, or other substances. The gizmos sold for $60,000 each, and governments in the Middle East invested millions in them. Problem – they didn’t work. In 2010, the manufacture and sale of the device was prohibited, and the owners of the company went to prison for fraud. The device was nothing more than a golf ball finder with various electronic parts added to it for effect. The ADE 651 did not even have a power source – the creators said the user’s own static electricity was enough to drive it. It was little more than a modern divining rod, authorities said when they shut the company down. (Boy, some people will buy anything! After all, I’m still selling trivia books!)

… a human could hold shut the jaws of an alligator with his bare hands? Alligators have a very powerful bite, but the muscles that open the animal’s jaws are relatively weak. It is possible for an adult human to hold an alligator’s jaws shut with bare hands and brute force. (Most people challenged by an alligator won’t remember that, however.)

… there is a monastery in Greece where nothing female is allowed to enter? The Greek Monastery at Mount Athos prohibits women, as many do, but they carry it to the extreme: roosters may enter, but no hens; horses, but no mares; bulls, but no cows. Armed guards patrol the borders of the monastery to ensure that nothing female enters. This has been the monastery’s policy for more than 700 years. (Mother’s Day is not celebrated there, of course.)

… the United States is the only industrialized country in the world that taxes its citizens who live overseas? Even if that income is generated totally by working in a foreign country and they never return to America, they are subject to paying income taxes. (No comment. The IRS reads this column.)

… for a period of time, the money of the African nation of Zimbabwe was totally worthless? During the later years of the rule of President Robert Mugabe (1924-2019), he tried to stop a press critic of the nation’s incredible rate of hyperinflation by levying ridiculous taxes on the man’s newspaper. In retaliation, the publisher printed advertisements on Zimbabwe’s famous trillion-dollar bills, which were cheaper than actual blank paper. Mugabe ordered the Zimbabwean dollar discontinued soon after, replacing it primarily with U.S. dollars.

… a popular salad came about as a way to use leftovers? In 1926, Los Angeles restaurant owner Robert H. Cobb (1899-1970) was looking for a way to use up leftovers in the kitchen of the Brown Derby Restaurant. Cobb tossed together some avocado, celery, tomato, chives, watercress, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, bacon, and Roquefort cheese. The salad became a hit, and Cobb named it after himself – the Cobb salad. (Calling it “Leftover Salad” was not deemed a good idea, it seems.)

Now … you know!

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