6 Feb 2010

Interesting Fact # 1251 - Human Rights

The Cyrus Cylinder, a 2,500-year-old clay cylinder covered with cuneiform lettering is thought to be the world's first declaration of human rights.

(The cylinder is from Persia, now known as Iran, and was ordered by the Persian king Cyrus following the conquest of Babylon. In Babylonian, it states how every man, woman and child would be free to practise their culture and religion.)

5 Feb 2010

Interesting Word # 96 - Girl

The word "Girl" once referred to a child of either sex.

(Boys were called knave girl, and girls were called gay girl. I'm not kidding, I couldn't possibly make this up. What really makes me happy is that the word "Boy" used to mean servant, or "rough, unruly person". You can see why it replaced "knave girl", can't you.)

4 Feb 2010

Interesting Fact # 1250 - Mobile Phones

According to a study published in the journal New Media and Society boys much more use their mobile phones to play games, share photos and videos, listen to music and send e-mails much more than girls.

(Girls tend to use their phones primarily for talking and or text messaging, but the boys used their phones for talking and texting just as much as the girls, plus the gaming etc. Of course what the researchers didn't realise is the boys were phoning and texting their girlfriends.)

3 Feb 2010

Interesting Fact # 1249 - The Internet

According to a study carried out at the University of Leeds in the UK, excessive internet use is associated with depression.

(The study, published in the journal Psychopathology, found that 1.2% of people surveyed could be classed as "internet addicts", and many of these were depressed. But they couldn't figure out if the depression was caused by excessive internet use, or if depressed people just use the internet a lot?)

2 Feb 2010

Interesting Fact # 1248 - Apologising

A study, published in the journal Hormones and Behaviour, has concluded that apologies are better received when they are spoken into the right ear.

(Their explanation is that when people are angry, the right ear becomes more receptive to sound than the left. So, if you're not interested in someone's pathetic attempt at an apology, just stick your finger in your right ear.)