Fact Of The Day

[Newt]

Well, not strictly entirely of ice: they were Pycrete,  which is a mixture of sawdust and water that has some remarkable properties.

[ER]

In 1957, when Hollywood gangster Johnny Stompanato, boy-toy of Lana Turner (and later stabbed to death by Turner's daughter) pulled a gun on Sean Connery, Connery coolly disarmed him and punched Stompanato out.

[Trevor]

In 1957, when Hollywood gangster Johnny Stompanato, boy-toy of Lana Turner (and later stabbed to death by Turner's daughter) pulled a gun on Sean Connery, Connery coolly disarmed him and punched Stompanato out.

Any man who raises his hands to a woman to hurt her should be punched out. 

[ER]

Boris Karloff played Captain Hook in a Broadway production of Peter Pan.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Napoleon

In the 24 hours at Waterloo . . .

high + low divided by 2 =

28,000 French casualties
17,200 Ally casualties
7,000 Prussian casualties
52,200 total casualties

or about 36.25 casualties every minute

64 French generals
26 casualties
or 40.625%

60 battles
won 48 80%
drew 5 8.33%
lost 7 11.66%
but . . .?! it is the last one that counts the most

In his life, he had only . . .
2 wives, but . . .?! he had
22 mistresses

15,000 books have been written about Lincoln, but . . .?!
300,000 books have been written about Napoleon
or 20 books about Napoleon for every book about Lincoln.

In his lifetime, he wrote
33,000 letters
or on the average almost 2 letters every day, since he was born.
Sometimes writing or dictating more than 1 letter at a time.

We consider him short, the "Napoleonic Complex," but . . .
he was actually tall for his time and place, as at
5'6" he was an 1" taller than the average Frenchman, who was only
5'5" tall.

At the heights of his empire Alexander the Great ruled over 40,000,000 people, but . . .?!
at the height of his empire Napoleon ruled over 70,000,000 people or 30,000,000 or 75% more.

25% of the legal systems in the world are based upon the Napoleonic Code, not including the state of Louisiana.

Next time: the future of Marvel and Star Wars

[ER]

The events that opened Peter Straub's novel If You Could See Me Now, happened sixty years ago today.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Upcoming films from Marvel Films.

05/06/16 Captain America : Civil War
11/04/16 Doctor Strange
05/05/17 Guardians of the Galaxy 2
11/03/17 Thor : Ragnorak
05/04/18 Avengers : Infinity War, part 1
07/16/18 Black Panther
11/02/18 Captain Marvel
05/03/19 Avengers : Infinity War, part 2
07/12/19 Inhumans

The Captain Marvel is the Carol Danvers Captain Marvel. Oddly enough, or maybe not, DC/Warners also has a Captain Marvel film coming out the year after in 04/05/19. It'll be out under the better known title of "Shazam." And . . .

Every two years, D23, the fan club of the Walt Disney Company has a big to-do. This year its August 14-16 in Anaheim, California, and the rumor has it that the 1st peek of the upcoming "Captain America" will be shown. And rumor also has it, that Disney's Hollywood Studio at Walt Disney World will be undergoing a billion $ redo, with many of the rides and attractions based on the Marvel characters. At least those characters whose rights are not owned by NBC Universal. But . . .?! with NBC Universal's recent agreement with Nintendo to develop rides and attractions based on the Nintendo characters, they might kick back all  the rights they have to the Marvel characters to Marvel and Disney.

Next time: upcoming films from Lucas Films.

[ER]

Up until about 150 BC, Romans traditionally made oatmeal the basis of their diet. After they conquered Greece, they adopted the Greek custom of eating bread.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Up until about 150 BC, Romans traditionally made oatmeal the basis of their diet. After they conquered Greece, they adopted the Greek custom of eating bread.

Did they put raisins in it?

And from Lucas Films . . .

Star Wars : Episode VII
12/18/15

Star Wars Anthology : Rogue One
12/10/16

Star Wars : Episode VIII
5/26/17
with Benicio Del Toro (rumored)

Star Wars Anthology : Untitled Han Solo film
5/25/18
with the Kasdans writing
Kathleen Kennedy producing
and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directing

If the names Lord and Miller mean nothing to someone, then think "The Lego Movie."

Star Wars : Episode IX
2019

Star Wars Anthology
2020?

So far, only in the script stage. Though, one does wonder if this is to be the Boba Fett film that has long been rumored to be coming.

And, finally, from Marvel Comics what has long been rumored, a series of Star Wars comic books. So far, it looks to be a dozen titles, but . . .?! Unlike before, where everyone was lumped into the same comic, each character will get their own comic book or books. So far we have . . .

Darth Vader
Kanan
Lando
Princess Leia
and for the 1st time Chewbacca gets his own comic book.

Sometimes the local library will buy comic books. If they buy any of these, I'll have a review for later.

Next time: the power to influence

[ER]

George Lucas originally envisioned Indiana Jones having an affair with Marion when she eleven but they finally decided on her being fifteen.

http://www.polygon.com/2015/8/3/9089181/indiana-jones-abusive-creep

[BoyScoutKevin]

A baker's dozen of films that influenced human behavior, excluding fashions worn.

Billy Elliott
ballet lessons for boys

Dark Voyager
lighting 2 cigarettes at the same time

Lair of the White Worm
the scenes with the lady and the boy scout. From the time she picks him up from the side of the road till she drowns him in the tub. re-enacted by couples. snakes 'n' ladders game extra.

Last Year at Marenbad
the match game

The Princess Bride
the wedding ceremony. recreated by couples for their own wedding.

Saturday Night Fever
helped to inspire the disco craze

This Is Spinal Tap
Black Sabbath's 1974 Born Again Tour's Stonehenge stage set

Urban Cowboy
mechanical bull riding

Unfortunately, not all is fun and games

The Birth of a Nation
helped to revive the Klu Klux Klan

Jaws
shark killing

Natural Born Killers
robbery and murder

The Program
laying down on the white line on the highway

Thelma and Louise
method of suicide

Next time: American trails

[BoyScoutKevin]

American Trails

The 11 longest trails in the American trail system. From longest to shortest.

4600 miles North Country
3100 miles Continental Divide
2700 miles Pacific Crest
2200 miles Appalachian
1400 miles Floridian or Florida
1200 miles Ice Age
1200 miles Pacific Northwest
0800 miles Arizonian or Arizona
0800 miles Potomac Heritage
0444 miles Natchez Trace
0215 miles New England

total = 18,659 miles
average = 1696.25 miles approximately

Next time: cosplay

[Chainsawmidget]

A group called "The Barbie Liberation Organization"  switched the voiceboxes of hundreds of GI Joes and Barbies and snuck them back into stores   in 1993.  

The Barbies would yell things like "Vengeance is mine," and "Eat Lead, Cobra!' while the Joes ended up saying "Want to go shopping? or "the Beach is the place for summer!""

[ER]

It's a fact that this theory exists: Stanley Kubrick was a member of the Illuminati, which murdered him for exposing so much about it in Eyes Wide Shut.

[Chainsawmidget]

A 10 year old named Laura Buxton from Staffordshire, England released a balloon with her name and address on it, asking whoever found it to write back to her.  It was floated 400 miles and was by a different ten year old girl named Laura Buxton, who wrote back and included her phone number. 

When the two girls met, they were both wearing pink sweaters and blue jeans. 
They found out they were the exact same height, the same build, and had the same eye color.
They also found out they both had three year old black Labradors, a pet rabbit, and a guinea pig.
Both girls were also avid swimmers and had parents that married the same year.