Fun facts to ponder

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I avoid going to stores on Black Friday.

Too many people. I don’t care how good the deals are, chances are I don’t need any of what the stores are selling.

I already have what I need at home and for that I am thankful. 😊
 
As Black Friday has become more of a dog eat dog contest, I am so thankful that the rise of internet shopping has meant that I can avoid the dogs and still get the deals! 😂
 
During the U.S. Civil War from 1861-1865, Father William Corby became famous for his absolution of the Irish brigade at Gettysburg in 1863 as they went into battle. Shortly after this absolution many Irish soldiers would be cut down, but in the mercy of the Lord, they died with the sacramental comfort of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. This act is still commemorated by a statue of the absolution at Gettysburg National Battlefield. Father Corby later became president of Notre Dame and wrote a memoir of his three years in the Civil War which is still in print titled Memoirs of Chaplain Life: Three Years in the Irish Brigade with the Army of the Potomac.
 
I may ignore Black Friday but I admit I do “window shopping” online on Cyber Monday.

I usually end up not buying anything.
 
The longest non-technical word in the English language is.

floccinaucinihilipilification

It means an estimation of something worthless.
 
This word came to worldwide attention when it was uttered by UK politician Jacob Rees Mogg.
 
The 2020 Oscar for Best Actor went to Joaquin Phoenix for playing Arthur Fleck (the Joker} in Joker.
 
The heart of the Triple Crown winner, Secretariat, was estimated to weigh 22 pounds, compared to the average Thoroughbred heart, which is about 9 pounds. In the words of Dr. Thomas Swerczek, who performed the necropsy:

“We were all shocked. I’ve seen and done thousands of autopsies on horses, and nothing I’d ever seen compared to it. The heart of the average horse weighs about nine pounds. This was almost twice the average size, and a third larger than any equine heart I’d ever seen. And it wasn’t pathologically enlarged. All the chambers and the valves were normal. It was just larger. I think it told us why he was able to do what he did.”

Secretariat’s world record of 2:24.0 for a mile and a half on a dirt track, set in the 1973 Belmont Stakes, still stands. The second-fastest time for that race (set by Easy Goer in 1989 ) is 2:26.0. Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes by an estimated 31 lengths; he would have beaten Easy Goer by about 10-12 lengths or so, assuming Easy Goer could have avoided exhausting himself trying to keep within striking distance of Secretariat (which is what happened to Secretariat’s 1973 competition).

Secretariat also owns the records for the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, meaning he ran fast enough to have beaten every other runner who has ever run the three races, including every other Triple Crown winner.
 
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The structure of the silk of a recluse spider web–which is 5 times stronger than steel by weight–was investigated using an atomic force microscope.


They found that each strand of recluse spider silk—which is 1000 times thinner than a human hair—actually has a cable-like structure, being made up of thousands of “nanostrands”, each only 20 millionths of a millimeter in diameter.

The new discovery builds on a finding the team made last year, which demonstrated how the brown recluse spider reinforces its main silk strands with a special looping technique. Equipped with a tiny sewing machine–like spinneret, the spider weaves about 20 microloops into every millimeter of silk it ejects, which strengthens their sticky spool and prevents it from collapsing.
 
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Banging your head against a wall for one hour burns 150 calories.​

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After an explosion, Father John P. Chidwick, Chaplain of the U.S.S. Maine, immediately gave a mass absolution, and then feverishly began rescuing and administering to the wounded. Last Rites were also given to the dying. Needless to say all these actions were done at great risk to his own life. One cadet noted that night Chaplain Chidwick was “everywhere.” Father Chidwick would also be one of the last to leave the stricken ship.
 
Only three popes were over 80 when elected. The last, chosen by cardinals in 1406, was Pope Gregory XII. He was 81.
 
Life is a Supreme Gift from a Divine Giver…life is worth celebrating!
 
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