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Ten Random Facts

False eyelashes were invented by the American film director D.W. Griffith while he was making his 1916 epic, "Intolerance". Griffith wanted actress Seena Owen to have lashes that brushed her cheeks, to make her eyes shine larger than life. A wigmaker wove human hair through fine gauze, which was then gummed to Owen's eyelids. "Intolerance" was critically acclaimed but flopped financially, leaving Griffith with huge debts that he might have been able to settle easily - had he only thought to patent the eyelashes.
History

Two chapters in the Bible, 2 Kings and Isaiah 37, are alike almost word for word.
Miscellaneous

Three pints (1.3 liters) of blood per minute flow through the kidneys.
People

Despite its popularity as a seasoning, basil has a controversial history. Basil was a sacred plant in ancient Hindu religion, and it was handled warily by European herbalists of the Middle Ages, who feared it as a scorpion breeder.
Food and Drink

African elephants only have four teeth to chew their food with. However, each tooth is 12 inches long, and their tusks are elongated teeth that grow throughout their lives, like fingernail.
Animals

Johnny Carson was born in Corning, Iowa and grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska.
People » Celebrities and Public Figures

According to Beatles producer George Martin, Neal Hefti's catchy composition of the 1960's "Batman" Emmy-winning theme song inspired George Harrison to write the hit song "Taxman."
Entertainment » Music

The nearly 1,000 kinds of bats account for almost a quarter of all mammal species, and most are highly beneficial.
Animals

Danny Kaye was the third choice to play opposite Bing Crosby in the film "White Christma"(1954). Fred Astaire, who had co-starred with Crosby in the earlier hit "Holiday Inn," was the original choice for Phil Davis, but he turned it down because, at age 55, he felt he was too old for the part. Donald O'Connor was next selected for the sidekick role, but he injured his back and couldn't dance for months. Kaye was quite miffed about being third in line, and also resented playing second-banana to Crosby. The atmosphere on the film set was professional, but frosty.
Entertainment » Movies

The Luxor Hotel (shaped like an Egyptian Pyramid) is 36 stories tall, required more than 150,000 cubic yards of concrete, six thousand construction workers and 18 months to build. It takes a specially designed window washing device 64 hours to clean the sides of the pyramid, which is covered by 13 acres of glass. The Luxor atrium is the world's largest and could comfortably hold nine Boeing 747 airplanes.
Miscellaneous

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