Strange But True

* It was American humorist Evan Esar who came up the following definition: "Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions."

* The Emperor Charlemagne, who conquered much of Western and Central Europe during the first century, had an unusual relationship with his daughters. He refused to allow them to get married, but he evidently had no objections to their forming, shall we say, less formal relationships. He doted on his illegitimate grandchildren and even gave money and gifts to their fathers.

* If you look at a list of the names of the 50 states, you'll find every letter of the alphabet except Q.

* For reasons unknown, a law in New Jersey forbids the sale of cabbage on Sunday.

* You won't be surprised to learn that the most dangerous device that is common in the modern world is the automobile. You might be surprised to learn, though, that the second most dangerous is the stair step.

* You've probably never heard of Countess Rosa Branicka, but she accomplished an amazing feat. In the mid-19th century, at the age of 63, the wealthy Polish noblewoman became ill. The diagnosis given by experts in Germany was breast cancer, and immediate surgery was recommended. For reasons unknown, the countess declined the treatment, then set about purchasing her own surgical instruments. Once all the tools were assembled, Branicka checked into a hotel in Paris and removed the tumor herself. Reports indicate that she healed well and quickly, and lived to the ripe old age of 82.

* The only chemical element that is not a solid at a temperature of absolute zero is helium; it remains a liquid.

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Thought for the Day: "One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time. -- Carl Sagan