Trivia

Because I haven’t done a trivia post in a while, here is a sampling from mental_floss.

* While a stiff penalty for panda hunting in China (20 years imprisonment) has helped to cut down on poachers, the number of giant pandas in the wild hasn't recovered since it dipped below 1,000. This is not only due to destruction of their natural habitat by China's ever-increasing human population, but also the result of a low reproductive rate. It's well-publicized that the animals have trouble mating in captivity, but their success in the wild isn't much better.

* Would some panda "performance enhancement" pills help? Probably not. Panda mating season only lasts from March until May, and females give birth only once every two years. The creatures spend so much time foraging and eating to stay healthy that amour is typically way down on their list of priorities.

* While pandas may occasionally dine on eggs, fish, rodents, or insects, they subside almost exclusively on bamboo. Unfortunately, bamboo isn't the most nutritious foodstuff, so it may take a panda 12 hours a day to locate and consume enough bamboo to survive. A large panda may consume more than 50 lbs. of food daily.

* Teflon is a brand-name DuPont plastic used to keep kitchen pans scratch-resistant. It was invented in 1938, when chemist Roy Plunkett was experimenting with Freon gas. He found that by freezing and compressing one of the chemicals used in the production of the gas, he could create a plastic that was super-slippery. Today, Teflon is not only used for cookware, but in various applications. The outside of the roof of the Metrodome in Minneapolis, for instance, is coated in the stuff. It helps snow and other debris just slide right off.

* Some trivia books indicate that the name Wendy was "invented" by author J.M. Barrie for a character in his story Peter Pan. While research shows that the name was around before then, there's no doubt that the tales of Neverland led to the explosion in its popularity during the 20th century. One of the most famous Wendys is the freckled-face youngster that's the namesake for the fast food chain of the same name. While she's quite real – a daughter of the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's – her real name wasn't Wendy. It was Melinda. The family used Wendy as a nickname for her growing up.

* The Chinese dish known as Moo goo gai pan didn't get its name because it's cooked in a pan. The "pan" part of the name actually means "sliced, " to go along with "moo goo" ("mushrooms") and "gai" ("chicken"). So there you have it – sliced chicken with mushrooms.

* Tin Pan Alley was a section of lower Manhattan known for being the center of the songwriting and song publishing business in New York. There are two legends of how the area got its name, but they both relate to the pianos used in music offices in the area. Due to complaints from others in the neighborhood about the volume of the piano music coming from the offices, players were forced to muffle the pianos using various techniques. The resulting sound was "like a tin pan, " according to songwriter Harry Von Tilzer, leading to the moniker. Others believe the "tin pan" name is simply a corruption of "tinny piano" in reference to the sound.

40 years ago, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band—one of The Beatles’ best and most well-received albums—was released. Here are a few trivia facts:

* In "With a Little Help from My Friends," the Lennon and McCartney lyric "What would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me?" originally contained a line about throwing tomatoes at the singer. Ringo remembered the years when George was pelted onstage with jelly babies by fans after he mentioned that they were his favorite candy. Just in case they ever took to the stage again, Starr asked the composers to change that line, and they obliged.

* Two people that were originally included on the Sgt. Pepper album cover were "retouched" out of the picture before the album was pressed. One was Bowery Boy Leo Gorcey, who requested a fee for his likeness. The other was Mahatma Gandhi, removed on the request of record company EMI, lest any fans in India feel offended.

* Speaking of the cover, the Sgt. Pepper's packaging was innovative for its day. Not only was it one of the first gatefold (open-up) album covers, but the full lyrics were printed on the inner spread, something never before done. A special cardboard insert featured fun cut-outs, including a stand-up of The Beatles and a wear-it-yourself moustache.

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