(Mashable) -- For all their buzz and value, location-based social networks haven't really gone mainstream yet. Only 7 percent of Americans are aware of location-based social networks, according to data from Edison Research.

Part of the explanation for this is that the majority of mobile users aren't using smartphones. And as a result, just 10 percent of those surveyed use mobile location services at least once a week, according to the Mobile Marketing Association's latest Mobile Consumer Briefing survey. For smartphone users, like those of the iPhone (a popular device among early adopters), that number jumps all the way up to 63 percent.

Still, even with smartphones predicted to overtake feature phones sometime next year, there may still be adoption hurdles for location-based social networks. Here's a look at why location-based services haven't yet hit critical mass and what those platforms are doing about it.

Privacy concerns remain an issue

Kristine van Dillen, director of industry initiatives and partnerships at the Mobile Marketing Association, said location-based services aren't growing as quickly as they should be. One reason for the lag is concern over privacy and who has access to users' data.

Sites like PleaseRobMe.com, which humorously bring awareness to location-based privacy issues, may have scared some social media users from opting in. Furthermore, the use of geo-location data for commercial purposes has also raised concerns, prompting the Congressional subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection to hold hearings on the issue.

Concerns about loopholes in Foursquare that give others the ability to announce your check-inshave also been raised.

"There's still a perceived risk in accessing location data," van Dillen said.

Location-based service providers are addressing these concerns by giving consumers more control. Most current iterations of the popular location-based networks allow users to opt-out of location tagging and notifying users when their location is being shared.

Consumer education is also key. Users need to know how their location data will be used, and feel comfortable that the companies that have access to it will behave responsibly, according to van Dillen.

She said consumers will become more comfortable sharing information with their friends and trusted applications. Brands will view these services as less risky, and more mainstream, and new types of location-based services will come to the forefront.

Where is the value?

Because of privacy concerns, it is imperative for location-based services to clearly communicate the value proposition to users. Without a clear picture of what they're getting in return, users may be hesitant to share location data.

One of the ultimate promises of location-based check-ins is more accurately targeted advertising. For some users, the privacy concerns of sharing their location might be trumped by the potential utility of receiving highly targeted advertising and promotions.

However, even though Gowalla, Foursquare, BrightKite and Yelp allow for check-ins at "places," rather than just map coordinates, which makes the data more valuable for targeted advertising, actual advertiser value hasn't yet totally materialized.

Michael Boland, a senior analyst and program director at BIA/Kelsey said check-ins represent the makings of a business model, but they haven't reached their full potential value yet because there isn't a well-defined system to buy and sell advertising. "I think it does have a lot of staying power. We're only going to see it grow and evolve," he said.

For early adopters, though, the long-term promise of more value through targeted ads, coupons and deals, along with the game mechanics (i.e., badges and "mayor" competitions) instituted by some networks has made location-based services worth the potential privacy headaches.

As Twitter and Facebook move into the location tagging space, they might finally take the trend mainstream.

During its Chirp developer conference in April, Twitter announced the launch of its annotations feature, which gives users the ability to attach metadata to tweets, including location. Facebook, meanwhile, will also reportedly soon enable members

who gets buzz from tech media
What percent were aware of it ?
What does the app do ?
what is not achieving popularity
What are getting buzz from tech media?
What percent of america are aware?

Answer: location-based social networks

Answer: 7

Answer: bring awareness to location-based privacy issues,

Answer: location-based social networks

Answer: location-based social networks

Answer: 7

Summary:
Sites and apps that let users track their locations get buzz from tech media .
But the sites are not achieving mainstream popularity, according to surveys .
Only 7 percent of Americans are aware of location-based social networks .
Facebook and Twitter may soon popularize the idea, however.


(Mashable) -- It was speculative before given the lack of independent confirmation, but now apparently Apple has gone on record to confirm that the original deal signed with AT&T for iPhone exclusivity back in 2007 was a five-year deal.

That means at least some legal hoops would need jumping through if we're ever going to see that oft-rumored Verizon iPhone before 2012.

Engadget reports that court documents filed by Apple in a California class-action suit confirm the original AT&T exclusivity deal had a five-year duration. The suit, ongoing since 2007, claims that Apple and AT&T were exerting a monopoly over iPhone service by surreptitiously locking iPhone buyers into renewing contracts with AT&T once their initial two years was up.

On the flip side, there are a number of reasons such a contract might be amended or canceled, so it's not exactly a total given that the iPhone won't appear on another carrier before 2012. But given the original terms, it could require some tricky negotiation or legal fancy footwork to get there.

Moreover, the class-action suit also alleges an illegal monopoly over the iPhone App Store, which the court ruled substantial enough to move forward.

On both fronts then -- consumer market and legal proceedings -- it will be fascinating to watch for further details on when the AT&T iPhone exclusivity curtain might drop or even be forcibly struck down.

Do you think we'll see the iPhone come to another carrier before 2012?

© 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

Who have Apple signed a five-year deal with?

Apple signed a five-year deal with which company?

Could the iPhone appear on another carrier before 2012?

When could the iPhone possibly still appear before?

Answer: AT&T

Answer: AT&T

Answer: Apple and AT&T were exerting a monopoly over iPhone service by surreptitiously locking iPhone buyers into renewing contracts with AT&T once their initial two years was up.

Answer: illegal monopoly over the iPhone App Store,

Answer: that Apple and AT&T were exerting a monopoly over iPhone service by surreptitiously locking iPhone buyers into renewing contracts with AT&T once their initial two years was up.

Answer: won't

Answer: 2012.

Answer: gone on record to confirm that the original deal signed with AT&T for iPhone exclusivity back in 2007 was a five-year deal.

Summary:
Apple signed a five-year deal with AT&T for iPhone exclusivity back in 2007, court documents show .
Lawsuit claims that Apple and AT&T exerted a monopoly over iPhone service .
But the iPhone could possibly still appear on another carrier before 2012 .


(Mashable) -- Social media management company Vitrue released a free tool Thursday, the Social Page Evaluator, designed to help marketers get a better understanding of a Facebook page's value.

Just submit a Facebook page URL and the app will come up with a valuation based on factors like number of fans, number of posts per day, number of interactions and so forth.ssss

It's a cool -- if not completely scientific -- way to gauge the potential value of your Facebook page to advertisers. The formula used by the Social Page Evaluator is related to the formula that Vitrue released last month to estimate the relative value of Facebook Fans to big brands.

The tool, which was built over 63 hours in a Startup Weekend-style project, is adjustable and interactive. For instance, the base rate of Earned Media Value (or CPM in more traditional terms) is $5, but this can be adjusted to a higher or lower value depending on the brand in question.

Likewise, there is a "Fan-tasize" section that lets you manipulate other features like number of posts per day, engagement level and Fan count to see how that affects the valuation.

You can also compare a Facebook Page with up to three other brands at a time and view a Page's value history. In addition to the valuation data, there is also a list of best practices for getting the most out of your Facebook Page.

So how accurate is this tool? It's difficult to determine, as it is based on a formula that, while derived from a study of large brands, is obviously not going to be applicable to all companies.

Still, it's a fun, easy way to get an idea of the factors that impact a Facebook Page valuation. It's also a good stepping stone for marketers to start thinking about the potential advertising power of a Facebook Page.

What do you think of the tool? Let us know!

© 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

What do you have to submit to see a valuation?

What helps marketers get a better understanding of a facebook page value?

What features does the tool have included?

Answer: the Social Page Evaluator

Answer: Facebook

Answer: a Facebook page URL

Answer: Social Page

Answer: Vitrue

Answer: Evaluator,

Answer: Evaluator,

Answer: help marketers get a better understanding of a Facebook page's value.

Summary:
A new app helps marketers get a better understanding of a Facebook page's value .
Submit a Facebook page URL to see a valuation based on factors like number of fans .
The tool, built in a Startup Weekend-style project, is adjustable and interactive .


(Mashable) -- Stuart Hughes, the British jeweler known for his expensive remakes of popular gadgets, is at it again, this time with a diamond-clad iPhone 4 with a price tag of 5 million pounds, or roughly $8 million.

The handmade bezel contains approximately 500 individual flawless diamonds that total more than 100 carats.

There's 53 additional diamonds in the back, and the main navigation button is made of platinum, holding a single cut 7.4 carat pink diamond.

If you know diamonds, all of this probably means something to you. To us, it just sounds really, really expensive.

Only two of these will ever be made, so don't worry: if you buy one, the chances of bumping into someone who has the exact same phone at a party are quite slim.

© 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

How much of these Iphone 4s will be made?

What number of these iPhone 4s will be made?

Who is known for his expensive remakes of popular gadgets?

Answer: 5 million pounds, or roughly $8 million.

Answer: two

Answer: 5 million pounds, or roughly $8 million.

Answer: his expensive remakes of popular gadgets,

Answer: two

Answer: Stuart Hughes,

Summary:
Stuart Hughes is known for his expensive remakes of popular gadgets .
Only two of these iPhone 4s will ever be made .
The device has a price tag of 5 million pounds, or roughly $8 million .


(Mashable) -- The AP Stylebook has released its new social media guidelines, including the official change from"Web site" to "website" (a move first reported back in April) and 41 other definitions, use cases and rules that journalists should follow.

Among the more interesting changes -- at least from a grammar and style standpoint -- are separating out "smart phone" as two words, hyphenating "e-reader," and allowing fan, friend and follow to be used both as nouns and verbs.

Beyond that, the AP has also defined a number of acronyms that are commonly used in texting and instant messaging. While most of them should be fairly well-known to regular web and mobile phone users (ROFL, BRB and G2G are among the definitions) one actually was new to me: POS.

According to the AP, this stands for "parent over shoulder" (I've used POS to refer to something else occasionally, but I digress), and is used by "teens and children to indicate, in an IM conversation, that a parent is approaching." Elsewhere, other terms making the cut include "trending," "retweet" and "unfriend" ("defriend" is also acceptable, though the AP concludes it's less common).

Finally, the AP also offers some basic rules of thumb for how social media should and shouldn't be used by journalists, with a focus on making sure they continue to confirm sources and information they find on blogs, tweets and other forms of social media.

The full 2010 AP Stylebook, which includes the new social media guidelines, was released today and is available on the AP's Web site.

© 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

What has also defined a number of acronyms?

what is it the AP has defined a number of?

Answer: today

Answer: AP

Answer: a number of acronyms that are commonly used in texting and instant messaging.

Answer: the AP

Answer: acronyms

Answer: "parent over shoulder"

Answer: "parent over shoulder"

Summary:
The AP has also defined a number of acronyms that are commonly used in texting .
According to the AP POS stands for "parent over shoulder"
The full 2010 AP Stylebook was released Wednesday .


(Mashable) -- There's no denying that Facebook has had an impact on the way the younger set flirt, fall in love and break up. Now, Seventeen magazine has released a study that depicts just what kind of repercussions the social networking site has had on modern courtship.

"Teens are incredibly social, and Facebook plays a huge role in their love lives," says Ann Shoket, editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine.

According to the study -- which polled 10,000 guys and girls ages 16 to 21 -- Facebook plays an important part in how amorous teens make a connection.

Within one week of meeting a new person, 79 percent of people click "friend," and after adding a new friend; 60 percent of people stalk their crush's profile once a day (40 percent check in on their would-be soulmate several times a day).

Moreover, contrary to beliefs that social networking is erroding interpersonal communication, 72 percent of those surveyed said that talking to someone online brings you closer to them IRL.

As we have already seen in other studies, Facebook also plays a role in how we fall out of love.

Mashable writer Samuel Axon wrote a detailed feature about how Facebook has changed dating for the worse, Facebook dating app AreYouInterested released a study in which 21 percent of respondents said they would break up with someone via changing their statuses, and, most recently, infographic wizard David McCandless came out with a chart that shows popular breakup periods by way of status updates.

Seventeen, for its part, reports that 10 percent of people have been dumped over Facebook, and the same number would just change their relationship status to "single" to cut a lover loose.

The report also depicts the anguish the site can cause after a breakup, citing that 27 percent of people change their connection to their exes after a breakup via blocking (getEx-Blocker for that extra push), hiding him or her on the News Feed or unfriending.

Surprisingly, 73 percent of people keep their exes in the friends list. I'd like to see some stats on how many of those 73 percent stalk said ex after the breakup.

A couple of other interesting tidbits from the study:

Girls are more judgmental: 43 percent of girls would decide not to date someone based on their Facebook profile, compared to 33 percent of guys.

Guys are more likely to keep relationship statuses under wraps: 17 percent of guys don't share their status, compared to 12 percent of girls.

Girls think it's exciting to change their relationship status: 50 percent of girls get a kick out of the status change -- one-third of guys agree; 24 percent of guys find it unnecessary, compared to 17 percent of girls.   What do you think? Has Facebook affected your love life?

© 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

How many people have been dumped over Facebook?

Which magazine has released a study on Facebook?

What percent of people have been dumped over Facebook?

What percentage of people keep their exes in the friends list?

Which magazine released a study on Facebook and modern courtship?

Answer: 10 percent

Answer: Seventeen

Answer: Seventeen magazine

Answer: 10

Answer: 73 percent

Answer: Seventeen

Answer: social networking site

Summary:
Seventeen magazine has released a study on Facebook and modern courtship .
The study reports 10 percent of people have been dumped over Facebook .
Surprisingly, 73 percent of people keep their exes in the friends list .


(Mashable) -- We've seen some major world events unfold on the social media stage in the past week, the biggest being Google's threat to pull out of China and the Haiti earthquake.

Google's actions have brought attention back to the long-standing Internet censorship that blankets China, while the destruction in Haiti has mobilized hundreds of thousands to open their wallets and their hearts.

Just like the Iran election crisis, those events are causing people to reassess the impact of social media on the world. It's clear that social media has the power to impact world politics and the lives of billions, but some have overstated what social media can actually do. We need to understand what social media really is in order to use it effectively for social good.

iReport: Looking for loved ones in Haiti

Let me explain by highlighting a few examples of social media's impact on the world stage, and then concluding with how I view social media's impact in the larger context of mobilization and world discussion.

Iran election crisis

During summer 2009, the world's eyes were fixated on Iran. Questions were raised after Ahmadinejad was declared the winner over rival Mousavi in Iran's Presidential elections. The abnormalities and potential tampering of the vote resulted in massive protests that engulfed the Islamic nation.

Social media's role in the Iran Election Crisis started with #CNNFail, but that was only the beginning of social media's role. With the Iranian government clamping down on information and enforcing censorship, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube became the primary mediums for bringing information out of the conflicted nation and spreading notes between dissidents.

Take a look at the Iran election social media timeline we built if you want to see its full impact. Key moments in the crisis, especially the death of Neda, were recorded and spread like wildfire, creating an outpouring of support for the protesters. Twitter's role was so important in fact that the U.S. government got involved in scheduling Twitter's downtime.

In the end though, social media didn't topple any governments, although it has helped shift the political climate in Iran. In some cases the use of Twitter in Iran was overstated, yet the result is that the tipping point for Iran is close, thanks to social media.

Haiti earthquake

After a magnitude 7.0 earthquake (and multiple aftershocks) devastated the nation of Haiti, social media became the medium in which everybody spread the word. Dramatic Haiti earthquake Twitter pictures swept across the Web, while tech giants mobilized.

iReport: Earthquake rocks Haiti

The most impressive part of social media's impact on Haiti has to be the charity text message campaign that has already raised more than $10 million for Haiti victim relief. Social media spread the word. Technology made it possible.

It's not all perfect, though: the money raised is small compared to the relief coming from world governments and donations face 90 day delays. Still, social media for social good is becoming more effective with each crisis.

China-Google standoff

While we are still far from the conclusion of this messy affair, Google's threat to pull out of China has already had a dramatic effect in both social media and political circles.

Politically, China has been put under pressure. The U.S. government has thrown its support behind Google, though it's doubtful that the Obama Administration will get involved in the end.

More importantly though, social media is being used to lift China's blanket of censorship. Social tools, while many are blocked by the Chinese, can get through China's great firewall. We have the tools to undo censorship in China. Google's efforts have re-ignited the debate over censorship, but they won't break the barrier.

Social media's global impact

In all three cases -- China, Haiti and Iran -- social media has had an impact, especially as the course of events evolved. Real-time communication platforms like Twitter and Facebook have spread the word about what's happening within these nations, long before the mainstream media prints the story. These tools have also created a level awareness we've never

Social media has helped mobilize people where?

Technology and what are tools people must use?

Answer: Haiti

Answer: social media

Answer: social media became the medium in which everybody spread the word.

Summary:
Author: Social media has helped mobilize people in China, Haiti and Iran .
After Haiti's earthquake, aid groups solicit donations by text message .
Social media's ability to help people has been overstated in the past, author says .
Ultimately, technology and social networks are tools people must use .


(Mashable) -- You know there's something significant going on when Google creates one of its whimsical "doodles" on its home page, and Halloween is no exception.

In case you can't see it where you are, this year (in some countries), there's a time-lapse video showing some of the most gigantic pumpkins in the world, going through a metamorphosis from blobs of orange to art as night falls.

Here's how the Googlers describe the making of this kooky video on the official Google blog:

"To celebrate Halloween this year, the doodle team wanted to capture that fascinating transformation that takes place when carving a pumpkin. Instead of picking up a few pumpkins from the grocery store, however, we decided to work on six giant pumpkins, specially delivered from nearby Half Moon Bay (some weighing well over 1,000 pounds). What you see is a timelapse video of the approximately eight hours we spent carving in the middle of our Mountain View, California, campus."

Mashable: Where do Google doodles come from?

Watch the video of this Halloween Google doodle -- or go to Google.com to experience the doodle for yourself.

© 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

What does the video show the emplees doing?

What is the weight of some of the pumpkins?

Answer: some of the most gigantic pumpkins in the world,

Answer: well over 1,000 pounds).

Answer: carving a pumpkin.

Answer: fascinating transformation that takes place when carving a pumpkin.

Answer: some of the most gigantic pumpkins in the world, going through a metamorphosis from blobs of orange to art as night falls.

Answer: (some weighing well over 1,000 pounds).

Answer: over 1,000 pounds).

Answer: Halloween

Summary:
Google's Halloween-themed doodle shows time-lapse carving of giant pumpkins .
Video shows employees carving massive pumpkins into Google logo .
Some of the pumpkins in the video weigh more than 1,000 pounds .


(Mental Floss) -- Almost everyone knows that each state of the Union has its own flag. State flags, however, are just the most visible elements of an elaborate, esoteric system of legalized symbols that characterize and codify our united states. It's time we were all exposed to the bizarre symbology of state identity-politics. Texas' state flower, the bluebonnet, is celebrated in the Texas state song. To begin with, some of the most well-known state symbols allude to lesser-known meanings and histories. I grew up in Wisconsin and only recently learned that the Badger State title originally refers not to Bucky, nor to the savage beast itself, but to lead miners in the 1820s and 30s. These miners moved from prospect to prospect in southwestern Wisconsin, traveling light and often, with little money for luxury. When winter came and conditions worsened, those miners too far from home to migrate would dig themselves sheltering caves in the hills -- like badgers. These temporary dwellings could be abandoned if a prospect proved fruitless, without much regret; and if the lead pickings were good, the lucky miner could fluff up his badger hole or upgrade to a more traditional Euro-American residence. For this practice Wisconsin miners were dubbed "badgers" -- a jibe that was soon appropriated as a proud, statewide nickname. Bucky didn't come along until 1949; the furry, quadruped badger, notoriously vicious when cornered, wasn't declared Wisconsin's state animal until 1957. Other miners migrated south for the winter to the far end of Illinois, much like the region's sucker fish; which earned them the nickname of Suckers, and their state of Illinois its unenviable nickname, The Sucker State. Mental Floss: How 22 colleges got their nicknames 'Rebel' woodpecker The state bird of Alabama has another tale behind it. They honor a little woodpecker they call the yellowhammer, which is known outside of Alabama as the northern flicker, the common flicker, or simply The Flicker. (It eats a lot of ants, and is not to be confused with the yellowhammer bunting of Europe and New Zealand.) State birds are chosen for reasons many and varied, some meaningful and others frivolous -- from the pretty songs they sing to their proximity to extinction -- and I believe this is the only bird singled out for its resemblance to Confederate uniforms. The story goes that a clean, trim, flashy bunch of new Confederate recruits one day passed by a weary, bedraggled, dusty pod of veterans, and their fresh uniforms, grey tinged with brilliant yellow, reminded some jokester vet of the woodpecker, so he let out a mocking call: "Yallerhammer, yallerhammer, flicker, flicker!" The jeer stuck, and the recruits were soon labeled the Yellowhammer Company. Later, as these things go, all Alabama troops were known as Yellowhammers, the whole state as the Yellowhammer State, and Confederate veterans developed a habit of wearing yellow feathers in their caps and lapels to dress up for post-war reunions. How entertaining and informative. But the real fun starts when these state symbols more shamelessly approach the ridiculous. Let us consider some of the finest specimens: Eat and drink to the honor of the state Most states have at least one form of official food. In Louisiana, the official doughnut is the beignet. (I'm unaware of any other state doughnuts -- and I'm disappointed.) New York's official muffin is made with apples; Minnesota's with blueberries; and none have yet found it fit to honor the vegan bran and raisin muffin, despite whatever strange wonders it works on the abdominal tubing. Vermont is the only state with an official flavor: maple, as in maple syrup -- but because they've designated the "flavor," not the "syrup," we can assume the appointment includes everything from maple-glaze for ham to autumnal maple lattes. Shockingly, Oklahoma has recognized a complete (and daunting) meal: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbeque pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, chicken friend steak, black

What is the origin of the Badger State symbol?

Answer: miners

Answer: miners too far from home to migrate would dig themselves sheltering caves in the hills

Answer: yellowhammer,

Summary:
Wisconsin's Badger State comes from miners who dug caves to survive winters .
Alabama's state bird is a flashy-looking woodpecker .
State drinks: Nebraska -- Kool-Aid, Indiana -- water .
Mississippi state toy: the teddy bear; Massachusetts state bean: navy bean .


(Mental Floss) -- Although you probably use it every day, here's some interesting trivia you may not know about deodorant. Actor Matthew McConaughey reportedly doesn't wear deodorant. 1. Be thankful for your foul body odor. According to anthropologist Louis Leakey, it might be responsible for early man's survival. Leakey's theory claims that most predators avoided feasting on humans because our body odor was "too repugnant." 2. Not only did the ancient Egyptians give us pyramids and flush toilets, they also pioneered the field of deodorants. Egyptians were the first to popularize the idea of applying scents to armpits, usually using cinnamon and other spices that wouldn't turn rancid in the heat. 3. The Roman poet Ovid preferred a more proactive solution. In Book III of the Art of Love, he cautions women against carrying goats under their arms. 4. Antiperspirants are classified as drugs by the FDA. Technically, they affect and/or alter your body's natural functions. 5. The first modern brand of antiperspirant, EverDry, hit drugstores in 1903. The original formula was so acidic that it regularly ate through clothing. 6. Of course, modern antiperspirants can also ruin your clothing. Aluminum chloride, the ingredient that blocks glandular openings and prevents sweating, is notorious for turning T-shirts yellow. So, blame your antiperspirant for your pit stains, not your body. 7. Offensive body odor is actually illegal in libraries in San Luis Obispo County, California.  Mental Floss: Weird wedding laws still on the books 8. One thing modern antiperspirants don't do is cause degenerative diseases. Medical science has found no conclusive evidence that absorbing aluminum chloride through the skin can lead to memory loss or slurred speech. 9. Aoki, a Japanese company known for its menswear, has developed a deodorant suit that supposedly absorbs sweat and neutralizes odors all over the body. 10. But that's nothing! The greatest Japanese innovation in the fight against B.O. is Fuwarinka scented gum. The so-called "functional candy" contains aromatic compounds that cause your skin to release "Fresh Citrus" or "Fruity Rose" aromas for up to 6 hours after chewing. 11. When Kurt Cobain wrote the lyrics for Nirvana's breakout song "Smells Like Teen Spirit," he didn't know Teen Spirit was a popular deodorant brand. The Mennen Company, which produced the deodorant, wouldn't say whether the song caused sales to spike, but six months after the single debuted, Colgate bought the company for $670 million. Mental Floss: 7 food promotions gone horribly wrong 12. In May 2008, actor Matthew McConaughey revealed that he never uses deodorant or antiperspirant. The next day, he received a year's supply of deodorant body spray from the Axe Company, along with a note on why he might want to start. For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com

What reason did predators avoid early humans?

Who were the first to popularize applying scents to armpits?

What is illegal in one of the U.S. city's libraries?

According to anthropologists, what did predators avoid because of body odor?

Which actor reportedly doesn't wear deodorant?

Which people first popularized applying scents to armpits?

Answer: our body odor was "too repugnant."

Answer: Matthew McConaughey

Answer: Egyptians

Answer: Egyptians

Answer: Offensive body odor

Answer: feasting on humans

Answer: Matthew McConaughey

Answer: ancient Egyptians

Answer: it might be responsible for early man's survival. Leakey's theory claims that most predators avoided feasting on humans because our body odor was "too repugnant."

Summary:
Anthropologist: Predators avoided early humans because body odor too rank .
Egyptians were first to popularize applying scents to armpits .
Offensive body odor is actually illegal in one U.S. city's libraries .
Actor Matthew McConaughey reportedly doesn't wear deodorant .


(Mental Floss) -- Because you weren't going into botany, the priesthood, or coin manufacturing, you thought you were safe to dismiss Latin as a dead language. Obviously, you didn't graduate cum laude. I think, therefore I am the famous statue "The Thinker" by French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Latin is about as dead as Elvis (who, by the way, made $54 million in 2004). Whether you're deciphering a cryptic state seal or trying to impress your Catholic in-laws, knowing some Latin has its advantages. But the operative word here is "some." The ability to translate The Aeneid probably isn't going to come in handy anytime soon, so we'll start you off with 9 phrases that have survived the hatchet men of time (in all their pretentious glory). Caveat Emptor:   (KAV-ee-OT emp-TOR): "Let the buyer beware" Before money-back guarantees and 20-year warranties, caveat emptor was indispensable advice for the consumer. These days, it'd be more fitting to have it tattooed on the foreheads of used-car salesmen, infomercial actors, and prostitutes. For extra credit points, remember that caveat often makes solo appearances at cocktail parties as a fancy term for a warning or caution. Oh, and just so you know, caveat lector means "let the reader beware." Persona Non Grata: (puhr-SOH-nah non GRAH-tah): "An unacceptable person" Remember your old college buddy, the one everybody called Chugger? Now picture him at a debutante ball, and you'll start to get a sense of someone with persona non grata status. The term is most commonly used in diplomatic circles to indicate that a person is unwelcome due to ideological differences or a breach of trust. Sometimes, the tag refers to a pariah, a ne'er-do-well, a killjoy, or an interloper, but it's always subjective. Michael Moore was treated as a persona non grata at the Republican National Convention. Bill O'Reilly would experience the same at Burning Man. Habeas Corpus: (HAY-bee-as KOR-pus): "You have the body" When you wake up in the New Orleans Parish Prison after a foggy night at Mardi Gras, remember this one. In a nutshell, habeas corpus is what separates us from savages. It's the legal principle that guarantees an inmate the right to appear before a judge in court, so it can be determined whether or not that person is being lawfully imprisoned. It's also one of the cornerstones of the American and British legal systems. Without it, tyrannical and unjust imprisonments would be possible. In situations where national security is at risk, however, habeas corpus can be suspended. Cogito Ergo Sum: (CO-gee-toe ER-go SOME): "I think, therefore I am" When all those spirited mental wrestling matches you have about existentialism start growing old (yeah, right!), you can always put an end to the debate with cogito ergo sum. René Descartes, the 17th-century French philosopher, coined the phrase as a means of justifying reality. According to him, nothing in life could be proven except one's thoughts. Well, so he thought, anyway. E Pluribus Unum: (EE PLUR-uh-buhs OOH-nuhm): "Out of many, one" Less unique than it sounds, America's original national motto, e pluribus unum, was plagiarized from an ancient recipe for salad dressing. In the 18th century, haughty intellectuals were fond of this phrase. It was the kind of thing gentlemen's magazines would use to describe their year-end editions. But the term made its first appearance in Virgil's poem "Moretum" to describe salad dressing. The ingredients, he wrote, would surrender their individual aesthetic when mixed with others to form one unique, homogenous, harmonious, and tasty concoction. As a slogan, it

what does it mean to be a persona non grata?

What number of Latin phrases are commonly used today?

how many Latin phrases commonly used today

Answer: "An unacceptable person"

Answer: 9

Answer: 9

Answer: "An unacceptable person"

Summary:
Nine Latin phrases commonly used today .
Persona non grata: Person unwelcome due to ideological differences .
Quid pro quo refers to a deal or trade .
Sui generis refers to something so new or bizarre it defies categorization .


(Mental Floss) -- Behind every good war are many good women. Using their feminine (and in at least one case masculine) wiles, the following five spies would make James Bond proud. Noor Inayat Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross for her spy service. 1. Mata Hari While Margaretha Geertruida Zelle MacLeod (1876--1917) may not have caused World War I, she sure as heck kept it going. Having spent time in Java with her husband, Captain Campbell MacLeod, Margaretha returned to Holland and sued for divorce. To make ends meet she took up exotic dancing and the name Mata Hari (meaning "the light of day" in Malay). With her sensual performances becoming the attraction of the major European cities came the men and the gifts for her favors. Many of these favors came from royalty and high-ranking French and German military officers. As World War I progressed, both sides became suspicious that Mata was spying for the other side. The French eventually put her on trial and, although the charges were never proven, Mata Hari was convicted of espionage and was executed by a firing squad on October 15, 1917. Playing the seductress up until the end, Mata refused a blindfold, smiled, and blew a kiss to the firing squad as the fatal shots were fired. Mental Floss: When a criminal survives execution 2. Noor Inayat Khan Khan was born in 1914 and at a young age moved with her family first to England and then to France. In 1940, Khan, along with her mother and sister, escaped back to England just before France surrendered to Germany. While in England she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), but her ability to speak fluent French soon caught the attention of the Special Operations group and Khan agreed to become a spy. Khan was flown to Le Mans, where she teamed up with other female spies and traveled to Paris, France. There they joined the French Resistance Prosper Network. Soon after their arrival, the network was infiltrated and many were arrested. Khan was ordered to return to England, but instead she stayed on and continued to pass information on to England. Eventually she was arrested again and interrogated by the Gestapo. When she refused to speak, she was sent to a prison in Germany and then to the Dachau concentration camp. On September 13, 1944, Khan and three other female British spies were executed by the Nazi SS. In 1949, Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross. 3. Belle Boyd (aka "La Belle Rebelle") Born Isabelle Boyd in Martinsburg, Virginia, in 1844, the beautiful Belle soon became the star attraction in Washington, D.C., social circles prior to the beginning of the Civil War. With the outbreak of the war, she returned to Martinsburg. When the Union soldiers occupied the city, Belle mixed with the officers and soon gathered information on troop movements, which she passed on to the Confederate forces. However, she is probably best known for warning Stonewall Jackson that the Union intended to blow up all the bridges around Martinsburg. With this information, Jackson, with a small number of troops, was able to surprise the Union troops and drive them from the area. In 1864, Confederate president Jefferson Davis asked Belle to carry letters for him to England. The Union Navy captured her ship, but the officer in charge fell in love with Belle and let her escape. The officer, Lieutenant Samuel Harding Jr., after being courtmartialed and discharged from the Navy, traveled to England, where he married Belle. After the war, Boyd toured the United States as an actress under the stage name of La Belle Rebelle. 4. Elizabeth Van Lew Crazy Bet, as she was known, was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1818 but educated at a Quaker school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After developing a hatred for slavery, Elizabeth returned to Richmond and freed all her family's slaves. She also went so far as finding where her freed slaves' relatives were and purchased and freed them also.

What was exotic dancer Mata Hari convicted of?

Who did Belle Boyd pass on information to?

Who passed on information to Confederateforces?

Answer: Elizabeth Van Lew

Answer: espionage

Answer: the Confederate forces.

Answer: freed all her family's slaves. She also went so far as finding where her freed slaves' relatives were and purchased and freed them also.

Answer: Margaretha Geertruida Zelle MacLeod

Answer: warning Stonewall Jackson that the Union intended to blow up all the bridges around Martinsburg.

Answer: Belle Boyd

Answer: executed by a firing squad on October 15, 1917.

Answer: Stonewall Jackson

Summary:
Elizabeth Van Lew pretended to be crazy so no one would take her seriously .
Belle Boyd passed on information to the Confederate forces .
Sarah Edmonds fought and spied as a man during the Civil War .
Exotic dancer Mata Hari convicted of espionage and executed by firing squad .


(Mental Floss) -- Either I had a really short attention span as a kid and never made it past the first verse of a song -- which is entirely possible -- or there are some obscure lyrics to the songs we all know and love.

1. "The Teapot Song" goes on to further explain this little teapot character:

I'm a clever teapot, Yes it's true Here let me show you What I can do I can change my handle And my spout Just tip me over and pour me out!

2. "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" I'm impressed that a children's song contains the word "semaphore."

Do your ears hang high? Do they reach up to the sky? Do they droop when they are wet? Do they stiffen when they're dry? Can you semaphore your neighbour with a minimum of labour? Do your ears hang high?

3. "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" involves terrifying nightmares:

Last night as I lay on my pillow Last night as I lay on my bed Last night as I lay on my pillow I dreamed that my Bonnie was dead.

Mental Floss: 10 adult versions of children's songs

4. "Oh My Darling Clementine" I didn't know anything beyond the "Oh my darling" chorus, but there's a whole little tale that goes along with the tragic Clementine. There are a few variations. One of them goes like this:

In a cavern, in a canyon, Excavating for a mine Dwelt a miner forty niner, And his daughter Clementine Light she was and like a fairy, And her shoes were number nine, Wearing boxes, without topses, Sandals were for Clementine. Drove she ducklings to the water Ev'ry morning just at nine, Hit her foot against a splinter, Fell into the foaming brine. Ruby lips above the water, Blowing bubbles, soft and fine, But, alas, I was no swimmer, So I lost my Clementine. How I missed her! How I missed her, How I missed my Clementine, But I kissed her little sister, I forgot my Clementine.

5. "Bingo" The earliest recorded version from 1888 adds two verses after the one that spells out the famous farmer's dog's name. They went like this:

Thys Franklyn, syrs, he brewed goode ayle, And he called it Rare good Styngo! S, T, Y, N, G, O! He call'd it Rare goode Styngo! Nowe is notte thys a prettie song? I thinke it is, bye Jyngo, J wythe a Y -- N, G, O -- I sweare yt is, bye Jyngo!

Mental Floss: Look What the Dog Swallowed!

6. "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" just keeps going:

When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. Then the traveller in the dark, Thanks you for your tiny spark, He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so. In the dark blue sky you keep, And often through my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky. As your bright and tiny spark, Lights the traveller in the dark, -- Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

7. "Baa Baa Black Sheep" If you feel the need to deplete the rest of the barnyard denizens of their precious goods after you've taken the sheep's wool, you certainly can:

Cluck, cluck, red hen, have you any eggs? Yes sir, yes sir, as many as your legs. One for your breakfast and one for your lunch; Come back tomorrow and I'll have another bunch. Moo, moo brown cow, have you milk for me? Yes sir, yes sir, as tasty as can be. Churn it into butter, make it into cheese, Freeze it into ice cream or drink it if you please. Buzz,

What does "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" involve?

"My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" involves terrifying  what?

Answer: terrifying nightmares:

Answer: "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"

Answer: "Bingo"

Answer: nightmares:

Summary:
There are some obscure lyrics to the children's songs we all know and love .
"My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" involves terrifying nightmares .
After spelling out BINGO the dog's name, this song goes on about some fine ale .
And after a girl drops a green and yellow basket, someone else takes it .


(Mental Floss) -- Even in the midst of the Civil War, there was still one thing the North and South shared -- a serious addiction to caffeine. Confederate troops were less likely to get a cup of coffee. In that respect, the Union clearly had an advantage. Not only did the North have more than two-thirds of the population and control most of the heavy industry, railroads, and financial reserves in the country, it hoarded supplies of the highly addictive little bean, leaving the Confederacy to wage its own war against java deprivation. Coffee: It's what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner Throughout the Civil War, coffee was as prevalent on the battlefields as it is in offices today. In fact, the Union army was fueled by the stuff to the point that, if there was no time to boil water, the Boys in Blue would chew on whole beans as they marched. And at night, Union campsites were dotted with tiny fires, each boiling a pot of coffee like a million miniature Starbucks. Beyond caffeine cravings, Union troops loved their coffee because it was, literally, the best thing on the menu. Before the advent of helpful (and tasty!) artificial preservatives, a marching soldier's rations were neither varied nor particularly appetizing. Typically, they consisted of salted meat, unleavened bread (accurately christened "hardtack"), and a little sugar and salt. It didn't help that Union supply chains were riddled with corrupt food contractors who charged the government top dollar for rotten, stale, and insect-ridden foodstuffs. Coffee, however, was almost always fresh because it was delivered in whole-bean form -- making it difficult for even the most dishonest supplier to skimp on quality. Not that they didn't try, of course. In fact, officials began requesting coffee as whole beans after some crooked contractors tried to up their per-pound profits by slipping sand and dirt into packages of ground coffee. In 1861, hoping to cut down on the time soldiers spent roasting and grinding beans, the army switched to a concentrated proto-instant coffee. The new concoction, called "essence of coffee," was made by boiling prepared coffee, milk, and sugar into a thick gloop, which soldiers then reconstituted by mixing it with water. The product reportedly tasted every bit as bad as you'd imagine, and thanks to the corrupt dairymen who sold the army spoiled milk, it also tended to cause diarrhea. Needless to say, the Union army was soon back on the bean. Southern discomfort Noxious as essence of coffee was, Confederate soldiers would have gladly downed a cup or two. But, because of a Union naval blockade, coffee (along with weapons, machinery, medicine, and other vital materials) was in short supply in the South. Before the war, a pound of beans would have set you back around 20 cents in Yankee dough. Once pre-war stockpiles ran out, however, the same amount was running as high as $60 in Confederate money. (Despite the undervalued currency, that was still a lot.) There was some coffee that made it into the Confederacy -- usually carried by steam-powered blockade-runner ships. But, for the most part, Southerners had to rely on coffee substitutes, including various forms of roasted corn, rye, okra seeds, sweet potatoes, acorns, and peanuts. Unfortunately, all these imitations lacked potency, tasted awful, and upset the bowels. The only slightly better alternative was tea made from the leaves of the native yaupon shrub. The good news was that it contained caffeine; the bad news was that it was incredibly difficult to digest. Luckily, there was one surefire way for Southern folk to get their coffee -- by making peace with the Union. Soldiers on the front lines often called informal truces so Rebels could swap tobacco for Yankee coffee and then dash back to their camps before they were reported missing. E-mail to a friend For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com

What did the suppliers sometimes ground into the beans?

What was a hot commodity in the civil war

What Union troops had it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Answer: sand and dirt

Answer: coffee.

Answer: coffee

Answer: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Answer: Coffee:

Summary:
Coffee was a hot commodity in the Civil War .
Union troops had it for breakfast, lunch, dinner .
Suppliers sometime ground dirt into beans .
Blockade kept coffee had to get for Confederate troops .


(Mental Floss) -- Everyone goes through a rebellious phase. And, if you're lucky, you'll be able to look back on those years and laugh. If you're less lucky, you spent those years on a reality show, so for the rest of time, millions of strangers can look back on them and laugh instead.

In modern times, cats frolic among the ruins of ancient Rome.

But, hey, it could be worse. You could be responsible for the fall of Western Civilization, just like Justa Grata Honoria, the Roman princess whose wild ways and (literally) naked ambition set off a chain reaction that culminated in the destruction of the Roman Empire.

Barely regal

Smart, conniving, and ruthless, Honoria possessed all the attributes befitting a Roman emperor, except for that pesky Y chromosome.

As a young girl, she watched as her dimwitted six-year-old brother, Valentinian III, was crowned emperor of the Western Roman Empire, while she was set aside to await a suitable marriage.

Hardly content to lead a quiet and chaste life, Honoria rebelled with aplomb, sleeping her way through the royal court while still in her teens.

Although her after-hours habits caused quite the scandal, they failed to satiate her need for attention and power, so Honoria set her eyes on the throne. Employing her ample charms, she seduced her brother's royal chamberlain, Eugenius, and together, they plotted to murder Valentinian and seize power.

But, alas, their scheme was soon exposed. Eugenius was executed, and Honoria was sent to a convent in Constantinople.

Life as a nun was a fate worse than death for Honoria, but even that couldn't quell her ambition. She spent her years at the nunnery plotting one escape attempt after another.

Finally, out of sheer desperation, she turned to sources outside the empire. Her savior would have to be powerful enough to defy Valentinian and risk open war with Rome. Only one man fit that description: Attila, king of the Huns.

Attila the hubby

Honoria got the barbarian's attention with a mutually beneficial proposal: If Attila would rescue her, she would marry him, and he would get half of the Western Empire as her dowry.

Of course, Honoria was in no position to rightfully offer any portion of the Roman Empire. But she was betting that after marrying her, Attila would conquer the whole Empire, and she'd become queen to boot.

Attila had secretly been planning a move against Rome for years, and Honoria's letter gave him the perfect opportunity to strike. Wasting no time, he told Valentinian that he planned to marry Honoria, and demanded the dowry he'd been promised.

Naturally, Valentinian refused, and Attila used his status as a "wronged husband" to invade Roman territory in 451 C.E. The Hun armies quickly swept through the Empire, destroying everything in their path, and eventually they arrived in Rome. Like all the other cities before it, Rome would also have been annihilated were it not for the famine and disease that devastated the Huns during the invasion.

Rome survived Attila's assault with the unlikely help of another nomadic enemy tribe, the Visigoths, but the Western Empire never recovered. Within a generation, the armies of the Goths, Franks, and Huns had overrun the area.

The Princess bride

Ultimately, Honoria became neither Roman empress nor a Hun queen. Attila never rescued her, and she was eventually sent back to Rome and left to her brother's justice.

Not wanting to cause a scandal by having her executed, and unwilling to send her back into exile where she could scheme again, Valentinian settled on a suitable third option.

After years of struggle, Honoria finally suffered the fate she had been dreading all along: She was married off to an elderly Roman senator, and the rest of her life went unrecorded by history. E-mail to a friend

For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com

Who plotted to kill the emperor of the Roman Empire?

Who did Justa Grata Honoria offer to marry?

Who did Justa Grata Honoria plot to kill?

What did Justa Grata Honoria plan to do?

Answer: murder Valentinian and seize power.

Answer: Attila

Answer: Eugenius,

Answer: Attila, king of the Huns.

Answer: used his status as a "wronged husband"

Answer: was married off to an elderly Roman senator,

Answer: Attila

Answer: Valentinian

Answer: Attila

Answer: king of the

Answer: was married off to an elderly Roman senator,

Answer: Life as a nun

Answer: murder Valentinian and seize power.

Answer: Rome

Answer: Employing her ample charms, she seduced her brother's royal chamberlain, Eugenius, and together, they plotted to murder Valentinian and seize power.

Answer: She was married off to an elderly Roman senator,

Answer: Honoria

Summary:
Justa Grata Honoria plotted to kill her emperor of Roman Empire .
When first plot failed, she offered to marry Attila the Hun .
He failed to annihilate Rome, or marry her .
She then suffered the fate she dreaded .


(Mental Floss) -- Fantasy football drafts are firing up, and workplace productivity will soon grind to a halt as half the office spends half the day managing their rosters in an attempt to get the next Steve Slaton off the waiver wire. Just because you're not a football fan doesn't mean you have to be left out of the fantasy mania, though. There are all sorts of alternative fantasy leagues you can join. Why not try one of these? Pick your breed of dog, then allocate your "funds" to help train and groom it into a champion on Showdog.com. Fantasy music league If you spend more time listening to the radio than watching sports, the Fantasy Music League might be right up your alley. In this league your job is to compile a roster that has more real-life chart movement and album sales than other owners' "labels." You shell out a certain salary to sign the acts you think have the most promise, and if they out-earn your competitors, you'll earn the fantasy world's equivalent of a Grammy. The label that's at the top of the standings for this season, Jenny Baird Records, boasts a roster that includes Fall Out Boy, Daughtry, Justin Timberlake and Fergie. Fantasy dog shows If fantasy leagues come any more adorable than this, we don't want to see them. Showdog.com allows you to enter a virtual simulation dog show league. You pick your breed of dog, then allocate your "funds" to help train and groom it into a champion. Your simulated dog can take on other owners' pooches in a dog-eat-dog competition to help ascertain the best way to breed a champion show dog. All of the glory, none of the fetch! Mental Floss: America's most lavish dog spas Fantasy water skiing Water skiing is great fun, but it takes some practice before you can do it well. Why not skip all of those embarrassing spills and noses full of water by just joining a fantasy skiing league instead? Pick your professional skiers, then get points according to how many buoys your slalom skiers pass, how many points your tricksters pile up, and how far your jumpers soar. Never again will you and your buddies just have to argue in vain about which one of you is really the most hardcore water skiing fan! Fantasy pro wrestling Like the violence of football but wish you had a fantasy league that stuck to a script? Try fantasy pro wrestling. Web-based E-wrestling federations allow you to draft a stable of grapplers and then receive points for their performance in the ring and appearances on broadcasts. (We're guessing the Undertaker is the fantasy wrestling equivalent of Peyton Manning: maybe not the top guy every year, but you know you're going to get consistently solid production out of him.)Mental Floss: Where are they now? WWF superstars Fantasy bass fishing The only thing more exciting than watching someone else fish is beating your friends at predicting who will get the nicest bass in their livewell! ESPN.com offers a Fantasy Fishing Challenge that allows angling fans to create a team of their favorite pro anglers while working under the constraint of a $100 salary cap. Each angler has a set "salary" that he earns, and when you sign one to your team they score you points according to their performances in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. Fantasy Congress Just because you prefer C-SPAN to ESPN doesn't mean you can't find a way to waste several hours on a fantasy league each week. Try out Fantasy Congress. Although the game's Web site is currently down, FantasyCongress.com launched in 2006 to allow politics junkies to draft their favorite legislators and then rack up points according to how their Congressmen's proposed legislation fared, how often they voted, and their willingness to cross party lines to up their "Maverick Score." Fantasy eating Do you watch the Nathan's hot dog eating contest each Fourth of July and find yourself feeling pangs of jealousy because you can't match the competitors' gluttony? Now you can life vicariously through them! Krystal

What can the wrestler site do?
The website allows you to do what?
what is showdog.com?

Answer: draft a stable of grapplers and then receive points for their performance in the ring and appearances on broadcasts.

Answer: Pick your breed of dog, then allocate your "funds"

Answer: a virtual simulation dog show league.

Summary:
Showdog.com allows you to enter a virtual simulation dog show league .
Web-based E-wrestling federations allow you to draft a stable of grapplers .
Krystal Square Off offers fantasy eating leagues for four to seven teams .


(Mental Floss) -- For most of us, college donations entail little more than occasionally dropping a small check in the mail after receiving repeated pleas for cash from our alma maters. Some people, though, tend to be a bit more individualistic with their generosity.

Let's take a look at some of the quirkier donations schools have received:

1. Bequest puts jocks on the ropes

In 1907, fledgling Swarthmore College received a bequest that was estimated to be worth somewhere between $1 and $3 million. If the school wanted the cash, though, it would have to stop participating in intercollegiate sports. Swarthmore badly needed the cash -- its entire endowment was only in the $1 million range -- but in the end, the school turned down the gift and the sports survived.

2. Ivy League has to produce homemakers

When former Massachusetts Attorney General A.E. Pillsbury gave Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia $25,000 apiece in his 1931 will, he had a catch in mind: the schools had to use the bequests to combat the feminist movement that had "already begun to impair the family as the basis of civilization and its advance."

Pillsbury envisioned the schools creating a lectureship that could help keep women in the home.

3. Auburn goes to the dogs

When Miss Eleanor Elizabeth Ritchey, granddaughter of the founder of the Quaker State Oil Refining Company, died in 1968, she left Auburn University a generous gift of $2.5 million.

She also gave the school something a bit more unusual: the responsibility for 150 dogs. Ritchey, who owned a ranch in Florida and loved to adopt homeless dogs, made the large cash donation contingent on the school finding good homes for all 150 of her dogs. The cash was then earmarked for veterinary research.

Mental Floss: Videos: Dogs welcoming home soldiers

4. Bryn Mawr goes on the clock

Did Bryn Mawr need any new clocks in 1957? It didn't matter. They were getting one. Philadelphia physician Florence Chapman Child left the school $50,000 in her will if they would also agree to take her 150-year-old grandfather clock. The doctor stipulated that the school's administrators had to "install it in an appropriate place, keep it in proper condition and repair, make no changes in the fundamental appearance, and are not to have it electrified."

5. Donor wants flowers in perpetuity

For years, Indiana University offered a scholarship with a strange condition: the recipient was supposed to drive from Bloomington to Indianapolis once a year to put flowers on the donor's grave. The school gradually decided it was a bit much to ask a student to take a roadtrip to a stranger's headstone, though, so for 20 years it didn't enforce the requirement.

Eventually the donor's attorney found out that the flowers weren't being placed, but instead of being indignant he worked with the school to remove the clause from the bequest.

6. Colleges find a fountainhead of cash

In 2008, Marshall University received a $1 million gift to establish the BB&T Center for the Advancement of American Capitalism. The catch was that the school had to agree to teach Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" as part of its curriculum. BB&T executives said the requirement was designed to spark debate on the ethical underpinnings of capitalism.

This wasn't the first time BB&T had made this sort of gift, either. In 2005, it gave the University of North Carolina Charlotte another million big ones to make "Atlas Shrugged" required reading for its students.

7. Small potatoes lead to big cash

In 1950, the government had a surplus of potatoes and started looking for ways to get rid of the excess tubers. The Department of Agriculture decided to give the potatoes to Hiwassee College, a small Methodist school in eastern Tennessee. College president D.R. Youell told the government that he didn't want its charity, though.

A short time later, the school received a $10,000 donation with a note praising the institution for taking a stand against "the dangerous trends toward socialism in our Government."

Mental Floss: 7

What is the largest donation that a college has passed up because of conditions?

What does the donor's scholarship require?

Who could have had $3million to cut its sports program?

Answer: between $1 and $3 million.

Answer: the recipient was supposed to drive from Bloomington to Indianapolis once a year to put flowers on the

Answer: Swarthmore College

Summary:
Some colleges have received or turned down donations with strange strings attached .
Heiress leaves $2.5 million to school that must find homes for her 150 dogs .
Donor's scholarships requires students to place flowers on his grave .
Swarthmore College could have received up to $3 million if it cut sports program .


(Mental Floss) -- From the moment Justice David Souter announced he'd be stepping down, Washington has been gearing up for a confirmation fight. But as Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Judge Sonia Sotomayor yesterday, "Unless you have a complete meltdown, you are going to get confirmed." Robert Bork is not the only nominee who did not make it to the Supreme Court. Let's take a look back at eight nominees who didn't make it to the bench, at least on their first try. 1. Robert Bork In our time, the most famous rejected nominee is Robert H. Bork, a legal scholar and U.S. Court of Appeals judge with a long paper trail of conservative opinions. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, Bork could have tilted the Court decisively to the right. As a known quantity, he was an easy target for liberal opponents, who organized a campaign against him. He was rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee after 12 days of hearings. Mental Floss: Washington's struggle to find a chief justice 2. Alexander Wolcott "Oh degraded Country! How humiliating to the friends of moral virtue -- of religion and of all that is dear to the lover of his Country!" the New-York Gazette Advertiser wailed in 1811 over President James Madison's nomination of customs inspector Alexander Wolcott. Wolcott's strong enforcement of the controversial embargoes against Great Britain and France cost him support in the Senate and in the press. The Senate turned him down by a 9-24 vote, the widest rejection in Supreme Court history. 3. Roger Taney Roger B. Taney (pronounced tawny) is largely remembered as the chief justice who handed down the Dred Scott decision in 1857. With his sepulchral countenance, Taney is inextricably linked to the grim ruling that all blacks -- slaves as well as free -- were not and could never become citizens of the United States. But when President Andrew Jackson nominated him in 1835 as associate justice, opposition Whigs were still smarting from Taney's removal of government deposits from the Second Bank of the United States while he was a recess-appointed Secretary of the Treasury. The Senate voted to indefinitely postpone the nomination. However, after Chief Justice John Marshall died in 1836, Jackson sent Taney's name up again. He was confirmed, this time as chief justice. 4. Ebenezer Hoar You might think the Senate just couldn't stomach elevating to the highest court in the land a man with the name Ebenezer Hoar, but it seems the senators were offended by something other than aesthetics. As President Ulysses S. Grant's attorney general, Hoar had insisted on rewarding merit rather than political loyalty, thus blocking a well-trod route for patronage. So when Grant nominated Hoar to the Court in 1869, miffed Republican senators gave the virtuous Hoar thumbs down. Mental Floss: What was Marbury v. Madison? Who were Roe and Wade? 5 and 6. Wheeler Hazard Peckham and William B. Hornblower A senator has the right to reject a court nomination simply because the nominee is from the senator's home state. Upon this invocation of "senatorial courtesy" rests the demise of Wheeler Hazard Peckham and William B. Hornblower. Both men were nominated by President Grover Cleveland. Both nominees were New Yorkers, and New York Sen. David Hill invoked senatorial courtesy to squelch their nominations in 1894. (Peckham's brother, Rufus Wheeler Peckham, became a justice in 1896.) 7. Harriet Miers Some nominees withdrew themselves from consideration before they could be rejected. Such was the case of Harriet Miers, whom President George W. Bush nominated in 2005, but withdrew under criticism that she was unqualified. Mental Floss: Why there's a Mohammed statue at the Supreme Court? 8. Douglas Ginsburg Another withdrawal was that of Douglas Ginsburg (not related to current justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg), the conservative, former pot-smoking federal appellate judge who is a footnote in the Bork saga. After Bork was Borked, Reagan eyed the more moderate Anthony Kennedy for the seat. But Sen. Jesse Helms (R-

how many people have failed to get a seat

Who was rejected through home state courtesy?

Who claimed Alexander Wolcott's nomination degraded the country?

What number of Supreme court nominees have failed to get a seat on the high bench?

Answer: Alexander Wolcott

Answer: eight

Answer: eight

Answer: Ebenezer Hoar

Answer: Robert H. Bork,

Answer: Ebenezer Hoar

Answer: New-York Gazette Advertiser

Answer: eight

Summary:
A total of eight Supreme Court nominees have failed to get a seat on the high bench .
Ebenezer Hoar got a thumbs down after blocking a well-trod route for patronage .
Wheeler Peckham and William B. Hornblower rejected through home state courtesy .
Newspaper claimed Alexander Wolcott's nomination degraded the country .


(Mental Floss) -- Have you ever been watching television and thought, "Wow, this soap opera is so good it could cause the downfall of a corrupt communist regime," or even, "I bet one day this show is going to send the first woman into space"? Well, maybe you're not giving the boob tube enough credit. Popular television shows have influenced politics in the United States and around the world. While others are busy blaming television for all of society's downfalls, we think it's time someone stood up for ye olde idiot box. After all, these 10 television shows didn't just entertain, they helped convince the world to get with the program. 1. "DALLAS" The Show that Overthrew a Dictator (Well, kind of.) "Dallas" was one of the most popular TV shows in history -- and nowhere was it more talked about than in Nicolae Ceausescu's communist Romania. How did the soap opera get past Romanian censors? With help from "Dallas" leading man, J.R. Ewing, of course. Because J.R. was portrayed as a despicable oil baron, Ceausescu's government presumably decided the show must be anti-capitalist. Whatever the reasoning, "Dallas" became a runaway hit when it arrived in Romania in 1979. A series about wealthy, beautiful people (evil or not) was an inspiration to Romania's poor and dejected masses. Eventually, the government decided such Western television was a bad influence, and "Dallas" was taken off the air in 1981. But by then, it was too late. The fantasies of Western life lived on in the imaginations of Romanians, and in 1989, Ceausescu was overthrown during a public uprising. Not incidentally, the actor who played J.R., Larry Hagman, visited Romania some years later and was treated as a hero. In an interview following the experience, Hagman said, "People from Bucharest came up to me in the street with tears in their eyes saying, 'J.R. saved our country.' " 2. "SEE IT NOW" The Show that Ended McCarthyism If you know your 1950s history (or if you saw the movie "Good Night, and Good Luck"), you know the impact crusading journalist Edward R. Murrow had on American politics. His vehicle for galvanizing change? The current affairs show, "See It Now," which premiered in 1951. Well known as a World War II radio correspondent, Murrow wasn't a fan of television initially. He wanted to go beyond the talking-head discussions and newsreels that filled most nightly news shows at the time. So when he finally decided to move forward with "See It Now," he did so on his own terms. The show's debut episode featured television's first live coast-to-coast transmission, which included a split-screen of the Brooklyn Bridge on one side and the Golden Gate on the other. Murrow also broke new ground by airing a day in the lives of Korean War soldiers. Of course, the show's most influential role was in exposing Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist fear campaign and opening Americans' eyes to the many lives and careers it was ruining. Thanks in part to fallout from Murrow's broadcast on March 9, 1954, the U.S. Senate reprimanded McCarthy for abusing his power, and McCarthyism came to an abrupt end. Murrow wasn't afraid to take on rogue senators, and later, he proved he wasn't scared to take on Big Tobacco, either. Two episodes of "See It Now" explored the link between cigarettes and cancer -- a brave move, considering television depended heavily on tobacco sponsorships at the time. But perhaps Murrow had a personal interest in the story. A three-pack-a-day smoker who regularly appeared on camera with a cigarette in hand, Murrow died of lung cancer in 1965. 3. "GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER" The Show that Turned Ronald Reagan into a Republican In the early 1950s, film actor Ronald Reagan was at a low point in his career. So when Taft Schreiber, of

Which show gave Romanians a view of a better life?

What  gave poor Romanians a view of a better life?

Where is Larry Hagman treated as a hero?

Who was  greeted as hero in the country?

Answer: "Dallas"

Answer: Larry Hagman,

Answer: "DALLAS"

Answer: Romania

Answer: J.R., Larry Hagman,

Summary:
"Dallas" gave poor Romanians a view of a better life .
J.R. Ewing actor Larry Hagman greeted as hero in the country .
Hubert Humphrey blamed comic for election loss .


(Mental Floss) -- Have you ever wondered about the origins and namesakes of our favorite spreads, sauces, and dressings? Here are a few stories that you can use to regale your friends the next time you chow down. Peppers were imported from the Mexican state of Tabasco to make spicy Tabasco sauce, giving the condiment its name. 1. Thousand Island Dressing Is the delicious dressing that gives a Reuben its tanginess named after an actual chain of islands? You bet it is. The Thousand Islands are an archipelago that sits in the Saint Lawrence River on the U.S.-Canada border, and there are actually 1,793 of them, some of which are so small that they contain nothing more than a single home. So why is the dressing named after an archipelago? No one's quite sure. Some people claim that early film star and vaudevillian May Irwin, who summered on the Thousand Islands, named it, while others contend that George Boldt, the famed proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria, gave the dressing its name because of his own summer place in the region. No matter who named it, it's tough to beat on a sandwich. 2. Ranch Dressing Yep, the beloved dressing and dipping sauce actually got its start on a real ranch. When Steve and Gayle Henson opened a dude ranch in California in 1954, they had an ace up their sleeves: a delicious dressing that Steve had concocted while the couple was living in Alaska. The couple did a nice business at their Hidden Valley Ranch, but guests were always flipping out over just how tasty Steve's dressing was. Eventually, the Hensons started bottling the stuff, and the popularity grew so quickly that they had to hire a twelve-man crew just to help mix up each batch. Steve's culinary creativity turned out to be lucrative; in 1972 Clorox forked over $8 million for the recipe. Mental Floss: Foods named after people 3. A1 Steak Sauce According to the brand's Web site, A1 has been around for quite a while. Henderson William Brand worked as the personal chef for King George IV from 1824 to 1831, and at some point during this employment mixed up a new sauce for the king to use on his beef. George IV allegedly took one bite of Brand's creation and declared that it was "A1." Brand then left the king's employ in order to go peddle his new sauce. 4. Tabasco Sauce Tabasco sauce is perhaps the most famous of all hot sauces, but where did it get its name? When Edmund McIlhenny, a former banker, invented the sauce in Louisiana in 1868, he didn't have a huge supply of chili peppers at his disposal. To keep cooking, he imported peppers from the Mexican state of Tabasco and slapped the region's name on his bottles. Mental Floss: The origins of salt, pepper and other popular spices 5. Heinz 57 Legend has it that Heinz 57 takes its name from H.J. Heinz's company formerly marketing 57 products at once, and except for the number, the story holds up. Heinz's Web site tells a story that Henry John Heinz was riding a train when he saw a billboard advertising 21 varieties of shoes. He so liked the idea he wanted to try it with his own condiment company. Thus, he started touting Heinz's 57 varieties. There was only one catch: Heinz marketed well over 60 products at the time. So where did the 57 come from? Heinz thought the number was lucky. Five was Heinz's lucky number, and seven was his wife's. He mashed the charmed digits together, got 57, and never looked back. 6. Tartar Sauce Fish's best friend is named after an alternate spelling of the word "Tatar," which was how Western Europeans once referred to almost anyone of Mongolian or Turkic descent. Many of these Tatars/Tartars ran roughshod over Europe in the time of Genghis Khan, but they knew how to cook. One of the dishes they left behind, beef tartare, came back into fashion in 19th-century France. These helpings of

Thousand Island dressing is named after which islands?

who imported peppers from the Mexican state of Tabasco?

Tabasco Sauce's name derives from where?

Answer: an archipelago that sits in the Saint Lawrence River on the U.S.-Canada border,

Answer: an actual chain of islands?

Answer: Edmund McIlhenny,

Answer: the Mexican state of

Answer: Peppers

Summary:
Thousand Island dressing is named after 1,793 islands in the Saint Lawrence River .
Tabasco's founder imported peppers from the Mexican state of Tabasco .
Hollandaise isn't actually Dutch; it's one of the most well known French sauces .


(Mental Floss) -- In his victory speech on Tuesday night, Barack Obama promised his daughters Sasha and Malia that they'd get to bring a new puppy with them to the White House in January. President Bush's dog Barney, left, plays in 2001 with Spot, the offspring of George H.W. Bush's dog Millie. It's a good thing Obama said "Yes, we can" to the girls' request to getting a dog; for all of his charm, ability, and oratorical flair, he could never be our nation's chief executive without a White House pet. Counting Obama, the country has had 44 Presidents, and only two of them -- Chester A. Arthur and Franklin Pierce -- left no record of having pets. Like Obama himself, the family pooch will have some big shoes to fill. Previous White House pets have set the bar pretty high. iReport.com: What pet would you want if you lived in the White House? Here are a few of our favorites:  Watch Obama on "mutts like me" » 1. Billy: Calvin Coolidge's pygmy hippopotamus Calvin Coolidge may have been known for his reticence, but he showed little of his trademark reserve when it came to acquiring pets. After taking over the presidency upon the death of Warren G. Harding, Coolidge assembled a menagerie that would rival most zoos' collections. He had six dogs, a bobcat, a goose, a donkey, a cat, two lion cubs, an antelope, and a wallaby. The main attraction in his personal zoo, though, was Billy, a pygmy hippopotamus.  Watch new baby pygmy hippo » Billy was born in Liberia, but was captured at a young age. He came into the possession of tire mogul Harvey Firestone, who gave Billy to President Coolidge as a gift, possibly because Firestone didn't want to feed the critter. (Even a pygmy hippo is still quite rotund; Billy was six feet long and weighed upwards of 600 pounds.) Coolidge donated Billy to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Because there were only a handful of pygmy hippos in the U.S. at the time, Billy quickly went to work as a stud, an endeavor at which he found some success. He sired 23 little hippos, and many of the pygmy hippos you see in American zoos today are his offspring. Mental Floss: 7 crafty zoo escapes 2. The White House gators Herbert Hoover wanted to put a chicken in every pot, a car in every garage, and ... a gator in the Oval Office? It's true. Hoover owned a slew of dogs, but those weren't his only pets. His second son, Allan Henry Hoover, owned a pair of gators that were occasionally allowed to wander around the White House grounds. Sound crazy? Blame John Quincy Adams for setting the precedent. The sixth president also had a pet gator. His was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette; it lived in a bathroom in the East Room of the White House. According to some reports, he enjoyed using the gator to scare his guests. 3. Fala: FDR's traveling companion What do you get the Depression-conquering president who has everything? A lapdog. In 1940 Franklin Roosevelt received a Scottish Terrier puppy named Big Boy as an early Christmas gift from a family friend. FDR immediately realized that Big Boy was no name for a presidential companion and rechristened the pooch Murray the Outlaw of Falahill, after a Scottish ancestor. For the sake of simplicity, though, he called his new pal Fala. After that, Fala became FDR's inseparable companion and traveled everywhere the President went. The dog "gave" $1 a day to the war effort, generosity that earned him the rank of honorary private in the Army. Each morning when FDR's breakfast tray came in, it included a bone for Fala. Fala also made a famous appearance in one of his master's speeches. When FDR was decrying personal attacks from his political opponents, he jokingly said that it was okay to mock him,

What did Obama promise the girls?
What did Barack Obama promise the girls

Answer: that they'd get to bring a new puppy with them to the White House

Answer: they'd get to bring a new puppy with them to the White House in January.

Summary:
Barack Obama promised puppy for girls; past presidential pets have been strange .
What the heck? First lady Abigail Adams had a dog named Satan .
President Harding's dog gave "interviews" and had a seat at Cabinet meetings .
Original name of FDR's dog: Big Boy; President Grant had fighting gamecocks .


(Mental Floss) -- In the words of Vice President John Nance Garner, the vice presidency "isn't worth a pitcher of warm piss." Vice President Aaron Burr is best known for shooting and killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. That may be true, but the characters who've held the job are definitely worth a few good pages of trivia. Join mental_floss in toasting seven backup plans that made this country great. 1. Chester Arthur: James Garfield's V.P. Chester Arthur took office under the thickest cloud of suspicion. As a lieutenant in Senator Roscoe Conkling's political machine, Arthur held one of the most lucrative positions in government: collector for the port of New York. For seven years, Arthur raked in approximately $40,000 annually (about $700,000 today), running a corrupt spoils system for thousands of payroll employees. With so much money and power, Arthur developed an affinity for fancy clothes and earned the nickname "the Gentleman Boss." But his luck didn't last. President Rutherford Hayes eventually stepped in and fired him from the post. Even with the kickback scandal and claims that he'd been born in Canada (which should've disqualified him for the vice presidency), Arthur still managed to get elected on James Garfield's 1880 ticket. After Garfield passed away 199 days into his presidency, Arthur didn't hesitate to sign the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. Much to the chagrin of Conkling, the Act revamped civil service by effectively killing the same patronage system that made Arthur very, very rich. In cleaning up civil service, Arthur also cleaned up his reputation, and he exited the White House a hero. 2. Henry Wallace: Franklin Roosevelt's second V.P. Henry Wallace was a dedicated devotee of Eastern mysticism. While serving as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in the 1930s, he allegedly sent his guru to Mongolia under the pretense of collecting grasses that could withstand drought. In reality, Wallace was diverting funds to help his guru hunt for evidence that Christ had visited Asia. But it wasn't Wallace's spiritual beliefs that landed him America's No. 2 job. Wallace was a big Franklin Roosevelt fan and supported his entire platform, which is why Roosevelt handpicked him as his third-term running mate in 1940. Wallace wasn't popular with the Democratic Party, but when Roosevelt made it clear he wouldn't run without him, the party acquiesced. As vice president, Wallace made many international goodwill trips. Most famously, he traveled to the Soviet Union, where he experienced a political transformation that resulted in him becoming an avowed Soviet apologist. His communist leanings did nothing for his image, especially once he became secretary of commerce under President Truman. In 1948, Wallace unsuccessfully ran for president on the Progressive Party ticket, espousing views that sounded shockingly Marxist. He even described corporations as "midget Hitlers" attempting to crush the labor class. But nobody can say Wallace didn't know how to own up to his mistakes. In 1952, he recanted his support of the Soviet Union in a magazine article called "Where I was Wrong." By then, however, his political career was over. Wallace spent the rest of his life conducting agricultural experiments on his farm in New York. 3. William Rufus de Vane King: Franklin Pierce's V.P. William R. King was sworn into office in Cuba, becoming the only executive officer to take the oath on foreign soil. King had gone to Cuba to recuperate from tuberculosis and severe alcoholism, but it didn't work. He died in 1853 after being vice president for just 25 days. That might not be the most memorable thing about King, though. It's widely rumored that the former V.P. was homosexual. Further still, he's suspected of being James Buchanan's lover. Neither King nor Buchanan ever married, and they lived together in Washington for 15 years before Buchanan became president. Of course, King's predilection for wearing scarves and wigs only fanned the rumors. President Andrew Jackson used to call him "Miss Nancy," and Aaron Brown, a fellow Southern Democrat,

What was Chester Arthur job?
Where did Chester Arthur work?

Answer: Arthur still managed to get elected on James Garfield's 1880 ticket. After Garfield passed away 199 days into his presidency, Arthur didn't hesitate to sign the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act.

Answer: New York.

Summary:
Chester Arthur maintained lucrative employment as the collector for port of NY .
Andrew Johnson took his 1865 vice-presidential oath drunk and belligerent as hell .
Aaron Burr tried to conspire with Napoleon to conquer Florida, but failed .
Both Aaron Burr and John Breckenridge were charged with treason .


(Mental Floss) -- It's Nobel Prize announcement week, and if you had Carol W. Greider, Elizabeth Blackburn, or Jack Szostak in your office pool, you're off to a good start (the trio will share this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine). As we await news of the rest of the winners, here are some stories about past Nobel laureates. Nobel Prize winners receive a medal and a cash award. 1. Robert Lucas, winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on the theory of "rational expectations," split his $1 million prize with his ex-wife. If there were a Nobel Prize for Foresight or Timing, she should be nominated, based on a clause in their divorce settlement from seven years earlier: "Wife shall receive 50 percent of any Nobel Prize." The clause expired on October 31, 1995. Had Lucas won any year after, he would have kept the whole million. 2. Physicist Lise Meitner, whose work helped lead to the discovery of nuclear fission, was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Prize 13 times without ever winning (though nominations are kept secret, so we don't know for sure). This makes her the Dynasty of the Nobel Prize scene -- that show was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards but never won. Other analogies we'd accept: The Color Purple (11 Oscar nominations in 1985, no wins), the Buffalo Bills or Minnesota Vikings (4 Super Bowl losses each without a victory) and William Jennings Bryan (three-time Democratic nominee for President, losing twice to McKinley and once to Taft.) 3. People who refused the prize: • Le Duc Tho was awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with Henry Kissinger for their roles in brokering a Vietnam cease fire at the Paris Peace Accords. Citing the absence of actual peace in Vietnam, Tho declined to accept. • Jean Paul Sartre waved off the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature. His explanation: "It is not the same thing if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre or if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre, Nobel Prize winner. A writer must refuse to allow himself to be transformed into an institution, even if it takes place in the most honorable form." • Afraid of Soviet retribution if he traveled to Stockholm to claim his prize, Boris Pasternak declined to accept the 1958 Prize in Literature, which he'd earned for Doctor Zhivago. The Academy refused his refusal. "This refusal, of course, in no way alters the validity of the award. There remains only for the Academy, however, to announce with regret that the presentation of the Prize cannot take place." Yevgeny Pasternak accepted the prize on behalf of his deceased father in 1989. • Swedish poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt won for Literature in 1918. He did not accept because he was Secretary of the Swedish Academy, which awards the prize. He was given the award posthumously in 1931. This was allowed because the nomination was made before Karlfeldt died -- no candidate may be proposed after death. Mental Floss: 10 technologies we stole from the animal kingdom 4. In 2007, 90-year-old professor Leonid Hurwicz became the oldest person to ever win (one-third of the Prize in Economics); at 87, writer Doris Lessing became the oldest woman (Literature). 5. DNA expert Kary Mullis -- 1993 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry -- was scheduled to be a defense witness in O.J. Simpson's murder trial. However, Simpson's lawyer Barry Scheck felt the prosecution's DNA case was already essentially destroyed, and he didn't want Mullis' personal life to distract jurors (he'd expressed an affinity for LSD.) 6. Nobel Laureates you must know: Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Elie Wiesel, Mikhail Gorbachev, Nelson Mandela, Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Jimmy Carter, Toni Morrison, William Faulkner, T.S. Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, Samuel Beckett, Pierre & Marie Curie, Max Planck and Albert Einstein. 7. Big names who

To whom did some Nobel prize winners have to give money to

Who was nominated for the Nobel Prize 13 times?

Answer: ex-wife.

Answer: Physicist Lise Meitner,

Summary:
More than one Nobel winner had to share or give prize money to ex-wife .
Marie Curie was urged not to collect her second Nobel because of affair .
Three U.S. presidents have won the Nobel prize .
Lise Meitner  was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Prize 13 times, but never won .


(Mental Floss) -- It's hard to walk down the aisle of a liquor store without running across a bottle bearing someone's name. A costumed reveler at a Captain Morgan party celebrates the rum named after the 17th century privateer. We put them in our cocktails, but how well do we know them? Here's some biographical detail on the men behind your favorite tipples: 1. Captain Morgan The Captain wasn't always just the choice of sorority girls looking to blend spiced rum with Diet Coke; in the 17th century he was a feared privateer. Not only did the Welsh pirate marry his own cousin, he ran risky missions for the governor of Jamaica, including capturing some Spanish prisoners in Cuba and sacking Port-au-Prince in Haiti. He then plundered the Cuban coast before holding for ransom the entire city of Portobelo, Panama. He later looted and burned Panama City, but his pillaging career came to an end when Spain and England signed a peace treaty in 1671. Instead of getting in trouble for his high-seas antics, Morgan received knighthood and became the lieutenant governor of Jamaica. Mental Floss: 5 drinking stories that put yours to shame 2. Johnnie Walker Walker, the name behind the world's most popular brand of Scotch whisky, was born in 1805 in Ayrshire, Scotland. When his father died in 1819, Johnnie inherited a trust of a little over 400 pounds, which the trustees invested in a grocery store. Walker became a very successful grocer in the town of Kilmarnock and even sold a whisky, Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky. Johnnie's son Alexander was the one who actually turned the family into famous whisky men, though. Alexander had spent time in Glasgow learning how to blend teas, but he eventually returned to Kilmarnock to take over the grocery from his father. Alexander turned his blending expertise to whisky, and came up with "Old Highland Whisky," which later became Johnnie Walker Black Label. 3. Jack Daniel Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel of Tennessee whiskey fame was the descendant of Welsh settlers who came to the United States in the early 19th century. He was born in 1846 or 1850 and was one of 13 children. By 1866 he was distilling whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Unfortunately for the distiller, he had a bit of a temper. One morning in 1911 Daniel showed up for work early and couldn't get his safe open. He flew off the handle and kicked the offending strongbox. The kick was so ferocious that Daniel injured his toe, which then became infected. The infection soon became the blood poisoning that killed the whiskey mogul. Curious about why your bottle of J.D. also has Lem Motlow listed as the distillery's proprietor? Daniel's own busy life of distilling and safe-kicking kept him from ever finding a wife and siring an heir, so in 1907 he gave the distillery to his beloved nephew Lem Motlow, who had come to work for him as a bookkeeper. Mental Floss: The many myths of Jack Daniel 4. Jose Cuervo In 1758, Jose Antonio de Cuervo received a land grant from the King of Spain to start an agave farm in the Jalisco region of Mexico. Jose used his agave plants to make mescal, a popular Mexican liquor. In 1795, King Carlos IV gave the land grant to Cuervo's descendant Jose Maria Guadalupe de Cuervo. Carlos IV also granted the Cuervo family the first license to commercially make tequila, so they built a larger factory on the existing land. The family started packaging their wares in individual bottles in 1880, and in 1900 the booze started going by the brand name Jose Cuervo. The brand is still under the leadership of the original Jose Cuervo's family; current boss Juan-Domingo Beckmann is the sixth generation of Cuervo ancestors to run the company. 5. Jim Beam Jim Beam, the namesake of the world's best-selling bourbon whiskey, didn't actually start the distillery that now bears his name. His great-grandfather Jacob Beam opened the distillery

What did Jack Daniel lose to?
When was the real Jack Daniel born?
Who did Captain Morgan marry?
What country did Capt. Morgan plunder?

Answer: blood poisoning

Answer: 1846 or 1850

Answer: his own cousin,

Answer: Cuban

Summary:
Capt. Morgan married his own cousin, plundered Cuba and won a knighthood .
Jack Daniel died after losing a fight with a ... safe?
Which best-selling bourbon whiskey was originally called "Old Tub?"
Gin-maker Tanqueray descended from three-generations of clergymen .


(Mental Floss) -- Most people limit their gambling to March Madness pools or the occasional trip to Vegas. Celebrities, of course, tend to do everything on a grander scale. Let's take a look at some famous people and the high-profile bets on which they cashed in or lost big.

1. Truman defeats Dewey, Jimmy the Greek defeats Vegas

Everyone remembers the "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline from the 1948 presidential election, but Harry Truman wasn't the only big winner that night.

Legendary gambler Jimmy the Greek had bet $10,000 on Truman at steep 17:1 odds. His logic? His research showed that female voters weren't too keen on candidates with facial hair, which didn't bode well for the mustachioed Dewey.

2. Phil Mickelson has a nice 2001

PGA golfer Phil Mickelson had a hot hand during 2001. Fans might remember that two longshots won titles that year: the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl, and the Arizona Diamondbacks knocked off the New York Yankees in a classic World Series.

Mickelson was part of betting groups that had picked both squads. Their $20,000 bet on the 28-to-1 Ravens yielded a cool $560,000, and they hit again with $20K on the 38-to-1 Diamondbacks. And to think people used to say Mickelson couldn't get a big win.

3. Getting into the White House is tougher than free throws

Last July, NBA star Shaquille O'Neal and a member of his entourage had a fiery debate about whether or not Shaq could just drop by the White House unannounced and be welcomed with open arms. After much back-and-forth, Shaq decided he'd give it a try. If he couldn't get past the gate, he would do 1,000 pushups. If he made it inside, his buddy would have to do the pushups.

Unfortunately for Shaq, even the Big Aristotle needs an appointment to see the President. When O'Neal walked up to the gate, the Secret Service politely but firmly turned him away. He later told the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg that he was working off his debt in increments of 20 to 30 pushups.

Mental Floss: Great photos found in presidential libraries

4. Paul Ehrlich's population bomb doesn't go off

Even celebrity scientists have tried their hands at high profile gambling. Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich is famous for his grim predictions concerning overpopulation; he famously predicted in 1968 that 20 percent of the world's population would starve to death before 1985.

As you might expect, these claims were somewhat controversial. When Ehrlich commented in 1980 that he would make an even money bet that England would not exist in the year 2000, economist Julian L. Simon had heard enough. Simon decided to book an unusual bet of his own with Ehrlich.

Since Ehrlich's underlying Malthusian argument involved the depletion of natural resources, Simon made this challenge: Ehrlich could name whatever natural resource he wanted, buy $1,000 worth of it, and pick a time frame.

If at the end of the time frame the commodities were worth more than the initial $1,000, Simon would pay Ehrlich the difference. If they were worth less than $1,000, Ehrlich would fork the difference over to Simon. If Ehrlich's predictions about dwindling natural resources came to pass, the prices of commodities would skyrocket and Simon would be out a lot of cash.

Ehrlich was game. He spread his $1,000 evenly among chrome, copper, nickel, tin, and tungsten and told Simon to wait 10 years. Although the world's population shot up by 800 million people in the intervening decade, the metals' prices crashed. When the bet ended in 1990, Ehrlich had to cut Simon a check for $576.07.

5. Ringo says don't bet on a Beatles reunion

By 1974, legions of fans were clamoring for a Beatles reunion, but Ringo Starr was having none of it. The drummer told London reporters that he had bet a thousand pounds that the Beatles wouldn't play together that year, and that he would be happy to throw a thousand quid down on the group never playing together again.

Mental

What did Jimmy the Greek do when Harry Truman won the White House?

In which year did Ringo Starr put his money down against the Beatles reuniting?

Who puts his money down in 1974 against the Beatles reuniting?

Answer: defeats Vegas

Answer: 1974,

Answer: Ringo Starr

Summary:
When Harry Truman won the White House, Jimmy the Greek hit the jackpot .
Ringo Starr put his money down in 1974 against the Beatles reuniting .
Arnold Palmer gambled to pay off his wife's engagement ring .