Betcha Didn’t Know... •• A psychological disorder named “boanthropy” makes a person believe that he or she is a cow or some other bovine. •• Mr. Potato Head was the first toy to be advertised on TV. •• Bullfrogs do not sleep. •• Alligators will give manatees the right of way if swimming near each other. •• Sunsets on Mars are blue. •• Digging a hole to China is theoretically possible if started in Argentina. •• The Flintstones was the most profitable network cartoon until the arrival of The Simpsons. •• People don’t sneeze in their sleep due to the brain shutting down. •• A single ant can live for up to 29 years. •• In six hours, the world’s deserts receive more sun energy than humans consume in a year. •• The word “robot” comes from the Slavic word for “slave labour.” •• The first American film to show a toilet being flushed on screen was Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. •• Melting glaciers and icebergs make a distinctive “fizzing” noise known as “bergy seltzer.” •• Eel-flavoured ice cream is sold in Japan. Answers to Outside the Box Puzzles from page 50 1.Birds of a feather 2. Etched in stone 3. Sticking out like a sore thumb 4. Offside 5. Centre ice 6. Three sheets to the wind Fast Facts Tongue in Cheek What would life be without humour? Canucks are good sports, so it doesn’t bother us when famous entertainers poke harmless fun at “our home and native land.” Here are a few quotes. “I don’t trust any country that looks around a continent and says, ‘Hey, I’ll take the frozen part.’” Jon Stewart, TV star/satirist “Canada is the essence of not being. Not English, not American, it is the mathematic of not being. And a subtle flavour – we’re more like celery as a flavour.” Canadian comedian Mike Myers “I was in the ROTC. Of course ROTC meant Running Off to Canada.” American comedian Jay Leno “I love Canada. It makes a nice hat for America.” Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds “I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada.” American singer Britney Spears “I’ve never been any place before where they have four seasons in one day. I’m wearing out my body changing clothes.” the late Bob Hope OUCH! Vincent van Gogh, one of the world’s most famous 19th-century artists, is widely known to have cut off one of his ears. To this day, however, it’s argued whether he sliced off the entire ear or merely the earlobe. What is undisputed is this: there was blood and, at the very least, part of his ear was gone. More than a century later, it’s the most debated event in the Dutch painter’s complicated life, including why he did it. It has even been suggested that during a scuffle, it was his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin, who actually did the cutting. Here’s a brief look at van Gogh’s complex life. ▶▶ He was born on March 30, 1853 and died on July 29, 1890. ▶▶ During his lifetime, the Netherlands-born painter failed to enjoy fame. It wasn’t until after his death that his brilliant work was recognized. ▶▶ He was largely self-taught and didn’t start painting until he was 27 years old. ▶▶ During his lifetime, he created hundreds of pieces of art with more than 800 of them oil paintings. ▶▶ Van Gogh had many illnesses: epilepsy, hallucinations and mental issues. ▶▶ It was during an epileptic seizure that he cut off his ear...or part of it. ▶▶ He created some of his most iconic work during treatment in an asylum. ▶▶ Because he couldn’t afford to pay models, he initially painted flowers, landscapes and 30 self-portraits. ▶▶ Van Gogh died after shooting himself in the chest while painting in a field. The circumstances of his death is another subject of debate. ▶▶ Because his name was constantly misspelled, he often simply signed his paintings “Vincent.” ▶▶ While he was alive, van Gogh sold only one painting, The Red Vineyard. ▶▶ He was originally intended to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a pastor. TAKE A HIKE! It’s a well-known fact that Canada has some of the most scenic drives on the planet, so hit the road this summer using whatever mode of travel you choose: car, bike, motorcycle or on foot. Here are 10 of the country’s best routes. •• Viking Trail, Newfoundland and Labrador. •• Alberta’s Icefields Parkway. •• Yukon’s Gold Seekers’ Trail. •• Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia. •• Thousand Islands Parkway, Ontario. •• Bay of Fundy Coastal Drive, New Brunswick. •• Nova Scotia’s South Shore and Annapolis Valley. •• PEI’s Blue Heron Drive. •• Ontario’s Algonquin Park Corridor. •• Sea to Sky Highway, British Columbia. 54 | www.snowbirds.org
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