Willing and not-so-willing sacrifices for love
What sacrifices are you willing to make for love? Brits are more willing to move house (73 per cent), than become a vegetarian (14 per cent) for the sake of their long-term relationship, with very few willing to convert religion (5 per cent). Sixty-six per cent said they'd stop smoking and 45 per cent said they'd stop drinking, 29 per cent said they'd give up a job and 14 per cent said they'd ditch a friend. More than four in 10 people would dump someone who wasn't willing to change. (Via yougov.co.uk)
Sports that were actually in the Olympics
1. It would have been an animal rights activist's worst nightmare. Almost 300 birds were reportedly killed when the live pigeon shooting event made its only Olympic appearance at the Paris Games in 1900. Belgian Leon de Lunden gunned down 21 birds to take the title. But he was unable to repeat his win as clay targets replaced live birds in future games.
2. Paris' muddy River Seine hosted the 200m obstacle swimming race for the first and only time at the 1900 Games. Swimmers had to clamber over a pole and a row of boats before swimming under another row of vessels. Australia's Fred Lane took home the gold medal in the event.
3. Croquet appeared at the Olympics just once. It's notable for being the first Olympic event in which women took part - albeit against their male counterparts and not in their own competition. Home nation France took gold in all four categories, but the sport was removed from subsequent Olympiads after just one spectator reportedly showed up to watch. (Source: Huffington Post)
Trump machine ignores THAT name
A reader writes: "Has the Trump PR machine deliberately avoided mention of verifiable fact? Donald Trump's father's name was Frederick Christ Trump ... so Donald could have been publicised as 'the son of Christ'. And although it's a fact, even the Trump publicity machine might have seen that as pushing its luck."
Boys fool headmaster with the old water trick
"April Fools Day mid 60s. Small rural school," writes Keith. "Mischievous boys turn off water mains tap. Headmaster says school can't run without water. Organised school buses to take students home. All dispatched by 12 noon. Boys turn tap back on."
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