h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Speaking Chinese may take more brainpower than speaking English, a study suggests.

Researchers in Britain have found that people who speak Mandarin Chinese use both sides of their brain to understand the language. This compares to English-language speakers who only need to use one side of their brain. The researchers said the findings could boost understanding of how the brain processes languages.
http://www.sunderlandschools.org/mfl-sunderland/facts.htm

From "England: a thousand things you need to know"

Henry I had 94 mint workers castrated for making bad coins.

Frozen pizza will never be any good, and there is nothing science can do about it.

Frozen Pizza is my favorite kind. Particularly Red Baron.

Really? I've never tried Red Baron. Its better than a fresh baked pizza?

In my opinion. Especially the crust; 'tis nice and crunchy.

The only problem, of course, is that it doesn't have the same degree of variety.

I will try a Red Baron and let you know my opinion. I don't need a lot of variety, just basic cheese, sausage, ... I would REALLY like to find a good frozen pizza, but I have my doubts ...

-Speaking Chinese may take more brainpower than speaking English, a study suggests-

In his book Musicophilia, Oliver Sacks points out that Chinese speakers are far more likely to have perfect pitch than speakers of non tonal languages. It's not a genetic thing. Third generation immigrants are as likely to be tone deaf as anyone else. Children of musicians, even adopted ones, are far more likely to have perfect pitch.
He speculates that we are all born with prodigious musical potential that will only develop if we start at an early age.
He also points out that it is likely that, thousands of years ago, when language was first evolving, we sang to each other in normal conversation instead of tonelessly speaking as we do now. (Chinese excepted)

Paleolithic Opera!

Surely it would be a rock opera.

I think that was the Stones original gig.

In parts of Alaska, it's illegal to feed alcohol to a moose.

Mario was modeled after the landlord for Nintendo USA's New York offices in the 1970's.

-In parts of Alaska, it's illegal to feed alcohol to a moose-

I swear, officer, he must have shown me a fake drivers licence!

Mario's classic mustache was created to make him easier to animate.

And one of my personal favorites: General Jackson's left arm was buried and marked several miles away and weeks before the rest of his body.

the actor hedy lamarr was granted a patent on 11 August 1942, (U.S. Patent 2,292,387)relating to frequency hopping spectrum as an automated method of controlling machines. this was so far ahead of its time that it wasn't used until 1962 by which time the patents had expired. miss lamarr derived no income whatever from it.

in some parts of america it is illegal to have sex with a fish.

Straight men are better at reading maps than gay men are, who in turn are better at it than lesbians, who are better at it than straight women (according to a repeat episode of Have I Got News for You).

Which ones are best at folding them though?

gay men, but it take twice as long and takes up the use of an iron

Peter Thatchell, gay campaigner, was smacked in the chops when he visited Moscow.

Over a quarter of the world's scientific literature is published in Russian.