From the well-profiled Barbie, to a chess game, to the Three Wise Monkeys down to the popular game Monopoly, here is a list of FYI trivia.

Vodka

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Besides being a great drink to serve during special occasions, do you know that vodka has other uses? You can keep your glasses clean and shiny by wiping them off with a piece of soft cloth  moistened with vodka. If you want to have a healthier scalp then add a small amount of vodka to your shampoo, the alcohol removes toxins from your hair. And if you’re annoyed with your foot’s odor, then a good remedy is to wash your foot with vodka.

Coca Cola

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Speaking of Coca Cola, do you know that besides being a good thirst quencher, this popular soft drink has other useful uses? An ingredient in Coke, citric acid is a good stain remover. Now, you don’t have to worry about your toilet bowl, just use Coca Cola to clean it. You can also use Coke to get rid off corrosion from your battery terminal. One more useful application of Coca Cola, it is also perfect for loosening a rusted bolt.

Bar-codes

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Are you wondering where the “Bar-code” was first ever use? The honor goes to Wrigley’s Gum. For all we know, the Bar-code is a machine-readable representation of information that are read by bar-code readers.

Checkmate

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For those who play chess, Do you know the true meaning of the word “Checkmate”? It is Persian for “the king is dead” or “the king is defeated.” If you are unfamiliar with chess, it is a game for nobles and upper class several centuries ago. This is also reflected in the names of the pieces – king, queen, knight, etc.

Japanese Bow

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“When in Rome, do what the Romans do” as the saying goes, is a good thing to follow when you’re in  a different country. But do you know that observing traditions can be sometimes dangerous. Take the case of the Japanese bow, in Tokyo alone, records showed that more than 20 people have either suffered serious  skull injuries or died –all because of following the customary local greeting of bowing!

Windmill

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Windmills are familiar fixture in Netherlands, but do you know that the numbers of  these structures, which functions primarily to pump water have declined considerably. From a high of more than 10,000, it is now down to about 1000 windmills. Another one for the book, windmills always turn counter-clockwise, but not those in Ireland!

Sealed with a Kiss

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Do you know that the X’s we put at the end of letters to show kisses first appeared during the medieval period. To show their allegiance to God and the king, nobles such as; lords, earls, duke, etc. put a cross which they kissed before sealing important letters and documents.  Over the years though, crosses turned into X’s.

Barbie

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Many will agree with me, if I say Barbie is the most popular doll in the world. Here are the facts that will back up my claim: Barbie is the only doll that has a full name, her name Barbara Millicent Roberts! Add to this is her impressive profile: she resides the fictional town of Willows. Her parents are George and Margaret Roberts and has five siblings. Wow! Even her school credential is something to think about: she has attended secondary studies at Manhattan International High School and Willows High School in New York City. Not even her romantic life was spared — in 2004 Barbie and her long-time beau Ken had decided to call it quit, but it was announced that in February 2006 they were back in each others arms.

Monopoly

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Do you know that the record for the longest Monopoly game lasted for 70 days non-stop. Whew! What an accomplishment. The inventor of Monopoly based the colored properties on the board on actual places in Atlantic City.

The Three Wise Monkeys

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Are you familiar with the Japanese  graphic maxim “The three wise man” that was made famous during the 17th century by a by carving over a door of the Tosho-gu shrine. If so, then can you give me the names of the three wise monkeys? Can’t recall their names, then here they are: Mizaru (see no evil), Mikazaru (hear no evil), and Mazaru (speak no evil).

Checkmate!

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This is another trivia for chess players. What is the shortest way to achieve a checkmate? Theoretically, you need only two moves! It is called in chess lingo “Fool’s Mate” and follows this line: 1. g4 e5; 2. f4 Qh4 checkmate.

Piggy Bank

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Don’t be surprised, if I tell you that the piggy bank’s name was not derived from its traditional shape; but vice versa. During the Middle English period, there was a type of clay called “pygg” that was used for making jars, which people often used for saving money. By the 1800, the spelling of “pygg” changed and so the phrase “pygg jar” evolved to “pig bank.”

Monotremes

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Have you heard of the term monotremes ? They are an order of animals that both lay eggs and breast-feed their offspring. To date, the platypus and the echidna are the only two remaining species of this order. Monotremes are also unique mammals for they are capable of electroreception (recognizing electrical impulses with their bodies).

Toilet Paper

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Have you ever thought how the toilet paper evolved? The Chinese Emperor during the 14th century, first produced the toilet paper for their own use. It was made in 2×3 feet (60×90 cm) sheets. In the United States, the first packaged toilet paper was produced in 1857 by Joseph C. Gayetty. In 1897, Scott Paper Company produced the first toilet paper on a roll. “Splinter-free” toilet paper was advertised by Northern Tissue in 1935. Later, many other improvements to the product (such as making it two-ply) were marketed to the public.

Hershey’s Kisses

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Do you know where the name Hershey’s Kisses originated? Workers at the factory plant have noticed that the machine that produces them seems like it is kissing the conveyor belt in the process. So in 1907, Hershey’s Kisses was introduced to the market with several varieties to choose from including Peanut butter, Caramel, Milk Chocolate, Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Mint, etc.