Home The Mine of Useless Information - everything you never needed to know!

Ten Random Facts

The world's most valuable Barbie doll is the 40th Anniversary De Beers customized doll that was worth $82,870 and wore a total of 22 carats of diamonds. At around $17,000 the second most valuable Barbie is an original prototype. Next, if in mint or never-removed-from-box condition ONLY, is a brunette 1959 ponytail Barbie that may reach values of $9,500.
Statistics

Harrison Ford is listed as one of 50 people barred from entering Tibet – apparently, Disney Studios clashed with Chinese officials over the film Kundun (1997). Ford's wife, at the time, Melissa Mathison wrote the screenplay.
Entertainment » Disney

The state of Maine has at least 28 cities or towns that begin with the word "North," 23 with the word "South," 22 with "West," and 28 with "East."
Geography » US

About 110,000 million tons of carbon dioxide enter the atmosphere each year as the result of burning fossil fuels. Removing this amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere requires a forested area the size of Australia.
Environment

Pamela Anderson Lee has appeared on the cover of Playboy more than any other woman in the magazine's history.
Entertainment

The five deadliest floods of the 20th century are that of 1931 when the Yellow River in China flooded and 3.7 million died; the Bangladesh flood in 1970, where 500,000 died; 1939's flood by the Henan in China where 200,000 died; the 1911 flood of the Chang Jiang River in China; where 100,000 died; and India's Bengal River flood in 1942, where 40,000 people died.
Geography » Asia

A frog is a device at the intersection of two railroad tracks to permit the wheels and flanges on one track to cross or branch for the other.
Technology

During the Middle Ages, a popular warm drink for those who were sick was called a caudle. Wine or ale was mixed with eggs, bread, sugar, and spices, and was used to soothe and heal the ill.
Food and Drink

To an observer standing on Pluto, the sun would appear no brighter than Venus appears in our evening sky.
Science and Technology

Theodore Roosevelt's mother and first wife died on the same day in 1884.
People » Celebrities and Public Figures

More random trivia, or select from the menu on the left to browse.

© 2006 The Mine of Useless Information