Catty Country

Sorry about the big paws. To make up for it, here is a fact about small paws.

New Zealand has the highest ownership of cats per capita in the world.

"Alroight brew! Lotts of kitts in en zid, eh!" said a government spokesman, yesterday.

The Wicket Truth

Where did the first test cricket match take place, PRAY TELL? Was it upon the hallowed turf of Lords? Some dusty, palm-fringed pitch outside old Madras? Perhaps amidst the nascent city centre of Sydney? Nein, nein, and thrice nein. It was in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, in 1844.

And while you're reeling from this horrendous blow to everything you held dear, have this: the two countries represented were those well-known cricketing hubs, Canada and the USA.

Shitty Wizard

Kaboom! Let's recommence facts.

The origins of Merlin, King Arthur's wizardly chum, are shrouded in obscurity. However, one theory is that the wizard's original name was MERDINUS, and that this was changed to 'Merlin' by Geoffrey of Monmouth (one of the first writers to mention him) who was worried about the resemblance of the name to the French merde (shit).

Nasty Romans

The Nazis weren't the first bunch of deranged, power-crazed rulers who believed that disability should be eliminated from society.

Chances are you've heard of the Tarpeian Rock in Rome - a high point from which traitors and murderers were flung to their deaths. But did you know that those nasty Romans also used to fling people with mental and physical disabilities from there? Not because they'd committed any crimes, but because they were thought to have been 'cursed by the gods'. Nice.

Talented Family

Matthew Corbett - the bearded man who presented the Sooty Show - is the great-nephew of HARRY RAMSDEN, the Fish and Chip Shop magnate.

I.E and E.G.

Just a quick one today:

i.e. stands for id est - meaning 'that is'.

e.g. stands for exempli gratia - meaning 'for example'.

Snot Fair

Nottingham was originally known as Snotta, or just Snot.

Its first recorded mention (in 1016) sees it called Snotinghamscir.

What next? London originally known as 'Bumdon'? Leicester originally dubbed 'Molester'? Truro's real name 'Big Sweaty Bollocks'? Madness.