CONTENTS
Let’s Get Started p9
Facts 1-28
Etiquette p21
Facts 29-52
Fax and Figures p31
Facts 53-71
At Work p39
Facts 72-81
Fashion p45
Facts 82-144
Sex and Steak p63
Facts 145-173
Food and Drink p75
Facts 174-194
Grooming p83
Facts 195-217
Movies and Groovies p93
Facts 218-228
Health and Wealth p101
Facts 229-273
Driving and Dating p117
Facts 274-292
And Finally… p125
Fact 293
12 The little threads you see floating in your eyes when you look at the sky are called floaters. They’re the remains of the hyaloid artery, which carried blood to your eye when you were a foetus, and which disintegrated shortly after your birth.
13 How to light a cigar
• Pick a quality cigar; the outer leaf must be intact and the cigar should not be too dry, firm or soft to the touch.
• Clip the cap end of the cigar with a cigar cutter, leaving about 3mm of the cap intact.
• Don’t use the bite-and-spit method. You’re not Clint Eastwood, this is not a Western.
• Use a butane lighter or a match to light the cigar. Ordinary lighters or Zippos ruin the taste with lighter fuel. Slowly rotate the foot of the cigar in the flame.
• Put the cigar in your mouth while gently puffing. Blow lightly on the lit end of the cigar to ensure it’s burning evenly.
14 How to interpret equestrian statues: Legend has it that the stance of the horse clues you in to the fate of the rider: if the horse is rearing, its rider died in battle; if only one leg’s in the air, he was wounded in battle; if all four hooves are on the ground, he died of other causes (usually syphilis). Interesting, right? But legend is, in fact, wrong...
15 Which paint to use
Oil-based on raw wood exteriors; latex everywhere else. Flat on walls, semigloss on moldings, semigloss or high-gloss on kitchen and bathroom walls. For oil-based paints, use bristle brushes and clean up with paint thinner; for latex, use nylon brushes and clean up with warm, slightly soapy water.
16 To keep chisels and other bladed tools rust-free, store them in wooden boxes. The wood absorbs moisture in the air, preventing rust.
17 How to catch bigger fish:
Simple. Cast your line closer to the bank. The current in the middle of a stream is about four times faster than the current near the bank, and the faster the water, the smaller the fish.
18 That weird metallic taste in your mouth when you chew on
aluminium foil is electric current. The aluminium reacts with the water and fillings
in your mouth to form a tiny battery.
19 You can survive without food for up to a month, but only up to seven days without water.
20 Drinking eight glasses of water a day will keep you hydrated and prevent unnecessary snacking – often, when you’re feeling
peckish, you’re actually thirsty.