The name of the planet Uranus was conceived as a practical joke. Lord Simon Nyes of the Royal Astronomer's Society chose the peculiar name because there is no polite way to say it. "Spoken with the short 'a' you seem to be discussing the listener's back end. And employing a long 'a' sound, one appears to be stating something even ruder!" quipped the rascally old scientist. Other members of the Society concurred as they were drunk.

Source : Herschel, Billy. Why'd They Call It That?, 1915.

The holes in Swiss cheese are caused by overly flatulent cows. The cows are made to develop the valuable excess gas by being fed hay with extra air incorporated between the strands. The first Swiss cheeses were created by accident high in the windy Alps sometime in the early 1400s.

Source : Rott, Tommie. Amazing Origins and Fascinating Facts, 1973.

An offshoot of the Mormons, the Church of the Saturday Saints has weekends off and limits marriage between followers to seldom or never. Sect founder Proffett Smith (1840-1910) maintained that people did not have to have more than one spouse to have one spouse too many.

Source : O'Nett, Mary. History of Religious Types of the United States, 1986.

Lake Titicaca, located on the border between Bolivia and Peru, was named after just what you think it was. The toponym was bestowed in 1955 after a troupe of burlesque performers ate some questionable seafood while working in the area. The lake was formerly known as Lake Poopyboobies after a similar mishap in 1928.

Source : Mack, Beth. Place Names and Their Origins, 1968.

Antique Admirers Monthly revealed in a recent issue that things were not better made by the craftsmen of yesteryear. It's just that all the crap fell apart years ago.

Source : Pidd, Stew. "Stew's Old Thoughts." Antique Admirers Monthly, April 2008.

A staggering 85% of all accidents in the United States, Canada, and Liechtenstein occur in the home or workplace. While alarming, it should be remembered that this is where the people of those nations spend 85% of their time.

Source : United Countries Federation. "Life is a Deathtrap", Accidents by Nation, May 2007.

Some famous last words:

• Go on. Poke it with a stick
• Let's get a closer look at that
• I can't see a thing. Hand me your lighter
• My husband doesn't suspect a thing
• Hey guys! Watch this!
• It's such a nice night. I think I'll walk back to the hotel
• I wonder who could have sent this. There's no return address
• There's the exit!
• Mmm. This coffee smells like almonds
• I can reach the other side
• The governor said no, huh?
• That Mary Mallon is some cook
• Big man! Can't fight without your buddies!
• Cool! A nail gun!

Source : Urerry, Mort. Last Writes, 1986.

Mass transit may be better for the environment, but it can be hazardous to your health. Researchers at the Hircine Institute have isolated the many compounds that compose "Subway Stench". The chemicals that make up the unique odors of subways include bromidrosis, lant, and sudor. Dr. Carrie Yon of the Institute stated that should you have to use a subway, or to a lesser extent a bus, try to hold your nose and limit yourself to only necessary respiration.

Source : Yon, Carrie. "Tempest in a Pisspot : Olfactory Analysis of Public Transport." New Jersey Journal of Health, May 2008.

Chickens in the American Midwest are deathly afraid of nachos. This was discovered during an ill-fated government program to distribute surplus cheese. The affected chickens pecked and fought violently when exposed to the snack food. Farmers, working in cooperation with federal agencies, saved the day by developing the innovative and delicious "Chicken and Cheese" tenders.

Source : United States Department of Chickens. "Foul Food : No Gouda" Poultry Reports, June 2003.

French fries have been discovered in the ruins of a newly unearthed tomb in Egypt. Several large orders were prominently placed on golden banquet table as food for the royal family in the afterlife. Cruets with traces of various vinegars were found nearby. Ketchup, however, was noticeably absent. Archaeologists postulate that the pharaoh may have been visited by an Ancient Canadian people.

Source : Crock, Ray. "Snack Food of the Gods?" Newsmonth, June 2, 2008.

According to a recent study from Addams University in Moldavia, eating lemons less than 1/2 hour before sleep can cause a person to dream they are a lemon. In tests of over 10,000 individuals, more than 79% reported "vivid dreams" in which they had been transformed into the popular citrus fruit. Researchers are uncertain as to the cause of this phenomenon, but hypothesize them acid in the lemons may be a factor.

Source : Drekzki, Stanislaw. "The Role of the Limon-Citrus in Oneiric States". Eastern European Journal of Gamboge, July 2008.

The African nation of Burkina Faso was formerly called Upper Volta. The name was officially changed in 1984 when the country's UN ministers figured out the reason other delegates snickered whenever anyone said "Upper Volta". The new name was chosen in a contest of the nation's schoolchildren.

Source : CIA Declassified Country Briefs, 2008.

The United States Mint prints an equal number of one and two dollar bills. But because Americans perceive the twos as rare they keep them. Thus, they have created a self-perpetuating myth.

Source : Coin Universe Magazine, June 2004.

The armies of King Oscar of the Ancient Franks had a battle standard of a sausage held aloft by a spear. A contemporary (456 A.D.) manuscript referred to the "hoerrt daawrg" that struck fear and hunger into the hearts of the enemy. Historians believe this to be the first known mention of the modern hot dog.

Source : Van Horn, Melvin. Ancient Kings and Kingdoms and Sausage, 1936.

People afflicted with fauxphobia aren't afraid of anything. This rare disorder is most often found in race car drivers, stuntmen, and middle-school teachers.

Source : Estda, Beth. Don't Be Afraid : The Big Book of Phobias, 1984.

In 1938, Jack Kass attempted the first around-the-world pogo stick journey. While he successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean, he became stuck somewhere in the Spanish Sahara and was never seen again. His hometown of Bouncie Springs has made his birthday a local holiday.

Source : Popnecker, Herbert. Ill-Fated Idealists of the Modern Midwest, 1943.

Three Bean Salad is poisonous. Alone, each bean is harmless. But when combined they form a powerful toxin. The awful taste is nature's warning sign. Don't ignore it. Ingesting Three Bean Salad can lead to hours of retching and nausea.

Source : Tate, Anna. Dangerous Salads and Side Dishes, 1966.

Giraffes are fond of swing music from the 1940s. According to researchers at Worldwide Geographic, the Andrews Sisters and Billy Eckstine are the animal's favorites. They do not like bebop style jazz or the works of Paul Whiteman.

Source : Big Animals Jazz Annual, 1992.