FACTS

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In 2007, Corey Taylor, a private consultant from Chicago, had had enough of what he thought was terrible cell service but found that he would have to pay $175 to break his contract with his service provider. He typed a fake death certificate and had a friend send it off to the provider but the provider’s billing department saw through it. He had to pay the $175, commenting "But I bet I sent a definite message about how much people hate being strapped to a cellphone that doesn't work".

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Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin. In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson hated that Americans were tempted by hedonistic places like saloons and brothels. In response he set out to straighten up one of the most immoral places he could think of: Coney Island in New York. There, he built America’s first roller coaster to give New Yorkers some good, clean fun, away from seedier pastimes.

LaMarcus Thompson

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The oldest condoms ever found date back to the 1640s. They were found in a cesspit at Dudley Castle in England and were made from animal and fish intestines.

The castle's latrines were sealed during the demolition of the Castle's defences in 1647. The intact deposits of the latrines, uncovered during excavations, contained both the domestic and organic remains of the occupying Royalists who defended the Castle under siege conditions between 1642 and 1646. They represent a microcosm of the castle garrison's lifestyle. The contents of the keep's garderobe were recovered intact and processed by sieving and hand-sorting. Seeds of coriander, figs, grapes, pumpkins and strawberries were uncovered alongside animal, bird and fish bones.

Examination of the compacted mass produced a startling discovery - the blackened remains of five animal membrane condoms - presumably used and discarded and a further five condoms - presumably unused as they nestled one inside the other. After further analysis by the Dept of Scientific Research, British Museum, their significance was magnified due to the nature of the find and the extraordinary archaeological circumstances in which they were found.

The Dudley Castle condoms represent the earliest definitive physical evidence of the use of animal membrane condoms in post-medieval Europe.

Who might have used the condoms is not known; however the complexity of manufacture must have made them relatively expensive so perhaps the preserve of the officer class? It is known that officer's wives were present during the Royalist occupation. Dorothy Beaumont, the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beaumont, was recorded as having a child 'borne and buryd' on the same day in 1644. However, as this testifies this was neither the time or place to introduce children into the world.

The oldest condoms found are from 1640, discovered in Dudley Castle in England. They were made of animal intestine, and it is believed they were used for STD prevention.

Much earlier an Italian doctor Gabrielle Fallopius suggested that linen sheath condoms be used to protect against syphilis, a deadly epidemic at that time in history, 1500s

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Supermarket apples can be a year old and are often called “anniversary apples”.

They are picked, hot air dried and held in cold storage. After six to twelve months, they finally land on supermarket shelves.

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Adolf Hitler was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

The Swedish politician who sent the letter of nomination in 1939 meant it ironically and withdrew his nomination.

In an even more ironic twist, Hitler had banned Germans from accepting the awards four years before his own name was put forward

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