Strange But True: July 18, 2019

* It was noted 20th-century American poet Carl Sandberg who made the following sage observation: "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

* Those who study such things have determined that one out of every four alcoholic drinks consumed in the world has vodka in it.

* You weigh more at the North Pole than you do at the equator.

* In response to increased airport security, a company in Japan has created the "Frequent Flyer Bra." It has no metal wires or clasps to set off metal detectors.

* Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the U.S. Treasury.

* Karaoke and karate: Other than the fact that they are both from Japan, you wouldn't think they have much in common. However, they both have the same root word, "kara," which means empty. "Oke" means "voice" and "te" means "hand;" hence, "karaoke" is "empty voice," and "karate" is "empty hand."

* A researcher in Britain calculated that local farmland contains more than 2 million spiders per acre. Must be small ones, I'd say.

* There once was a law in Marshalltown, Iowa, stating that it was illegal for a horse to eat a fire hydrant. And in Oregon, it was at one time illegal for a dead person to serve on a jury.

* Do you want an excuse to use the number six sextillion, five hundred eighty-eight quintillion? Ask someone if he wants to know how much the Earth weighs.

* Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace.

* The youngest pope was 11 years old.

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Thought for the Day: "The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing -- and then marry him." -- Cher

(c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.