QUESTIONS:
1. There is a man who lives on the top floor of a very tall building. Everyday he gets the elevator down to the ground floor to leave the building to go to work. Upon returning from work though, he can only travel half way up in the lift and has to walk the rest of the way unless it's raining! Why?
This is probably the best known and most celebrated of all lateral thinking puzzles. It is a true classic. Although there are many possible solutions which fit the initial conditions, only the canonical answer is truly satisfying.
2. A man and his son are in a car accident. The father dies on the scene, but the child is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives the surgeon says, "I can't operate on this boy, he is my son!" How can this be?
3. A man is wearing black. Black shoes, socks, trousers, coat, gloves and ski mask. He is walking down a back street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its light off but somehow manages to stop in time. How did the driver see the man?
4. One day Kerry celebrated her birthday. Two days later her older twin brother, Terry, celebrated his birthday. How?
5.. Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square ones? This is logical rather than lateral, but it is a good puzzle that can be solved by lateral thinking techniques. It is supposedly used by a very well-known software company as an interview question for prospective employees.
6. A man went to a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone else at the party who drank the punch subsequently died of poisoning. Why did the man not die?
7. This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out.
8. A woman had two sons who were born on the same hour of the same day of the same year. But they were not twins. How could this be so?
9. A man walks into a bar and asks the barman for a glass of water. The barman pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says 'Thank you' and walks out. This puzzle claims to be the best of the genre. It is simple in its statement, absolutely baffling and yet with a completely satisfying solution. Most people struggle very hard to solve this one yet they like the answer when they hear it or have the satisfaction of figuring it out.
10. A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him?
11. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?
12. There are two plastic jugs filled with water. How could you put all of this water into a barrel, without using the jugs or any dividers, and still tell which water came from which jug?
13. What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away?
14. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? (or day names in any other language)
SOLUTIONS:
1. The man is very, very short and can only reach halfway up the elevator buttons. However, if it is raining then he will have his umbrella with him and can press the higher buttons with it.
2. The surgeon was his mother.
3. It was day time.
4. At the time she went into labor, the mother of the twins was traveling by ship. The older twin, Terry, was born first early on March 1st. The ship then crossed a time zone and Kerry, the younger twin, was born on February the 28th. Therefore, the younger twin celebrates her birthday two days before her older brother.
5. A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round.
6. The poison in the punch came from the ice cubes. When the man drank the punch, the ice was fully frozen. Gradually it melted, poisoning the punch.
7. The letter "e," which is the most common letter in the English language, does not appear once in the long paragraph.
8. They were two of a set of triplets (or quadruplets, etc.). This puzzle stumps many people. They try outlandish solutions involving test-tube babies or surrogate mothers. Why does the brain search for complex solutions when there is a much simpler one available?
9. The man had hiccups. The barman recognized this from his speech and drew the gun in order to give him a shock. It worked and cured the hiccups--so the man no longer needed the water. The is a simple puzzle to state but a difficult one to solve. It is a perfect example of a seemingly irrational and incongruous situation having a simple and complete explanation. Amazingly this classic puzzle seems to work in different cultures and languages.
10. The third. Lions that haven't eaten in three years are dead.
11. The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.
12. Freeze them first. Take them out of the jugs and put the ice in the barrel. You will be able to tell which water came from which jug.
13. The answer is Charcoal.
14. Sure you can: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!
ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS:
4. Because one of them did not necessarily celebrate their birthday on the day they were born, but celebrated later or earlier. Much simpler than having Mom giving birth while crossing the International Date Line and tossing in a Leap Year and the like. Needlessly complicated.
6. Because he was the one who put the poison in the punch. Of course he wouldn't drink any *after* he poisoned it. Who goes to the effort of making poison ice cubes, except Bond villains and those bad guys in the "Encyclopedia Brown" mystery stories we read in elementary school?
8. Because they were adopted. It's a coincidence they were born on the same exact day. OK, so Occam's Razor could be applied equally to both solutions...
This simple checklist can help measure how you are nurturing your relationships.
The Gift of Listening
But you must really listen. Don't interrupt, don't daydream, don't plan your response. Just listen.
The Gift of Affection
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.
The Gift of Laughter
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."
The Gift of Solitude
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.
The Gift of a Favor
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.
The Gift of a Written Note
It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime.
The Gift of a Compliment
A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or
"That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.
The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone.
10 New Uses for Coffee Filters
Use Coffee Filters to:
1. Diffuse the flash on a camera. When you’re taking a close-up, soften the brightness by placing a coffee filter over the flash.
2. Strain wine from a bottle with a broken cork. Place the filter over a pitcher or a carafe and slowly pour the wine into it.
3. Serve popcorn or other snacks. The filters act as disposable bowls, so there’s no dishwashing.
4. Make yogurt dip. Use a rubber band to secure a paper coffee filter over the mouth of a deep cup or jar. Slowly pour 8 ounces of plain yogurt onto the filter. Let drain for one hour. In a bowl, mix the thickened yogurt with 1 small minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers.
5. Heat up leftovers in the microwave. Use a filter as the protective covering over a bowl or a plate.
6. Prevent soil from draining out of flowerpots. When repotting, place a filter at the bottom, over the drainage hole, then add the soil.
7. Prevent scuffs and scratches on fine china. Use flattened coffee filters as spacers when you stack your dishes.
8. Protect hands from Popsicle drippage. Slide the wooden stick of an ice pop through a coffee filter so your hands stay mess-free.
9. Serve pita sandwiches. A circular filter is the perfect size for carrying a sandwich on the go.
10. Clean windows and glass when you’re out of paper towels. Coffee filters leave no lint or other residue.
10 New Uses for Olive Oil
Use Olive Oil to:
1. Shave. Olive oil can provide a closer shave when used in place of shaving cream.
2. Shine stainless steel. Many cleaning standbys, such as ammonia, can dull and even corrode chrome and stainless steel. Olive oil, however, is a safe and effective shining agent.
3. Remove eye makeup. Dab a little under the eyes and rinse off with a washcloth.
4. Prevent wax from sticking to a candle holder. Rub a thin coat on the base of the holder before inserting a candle. Dripped wax should peel away easily.
5. Care for your pet. Add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to your cat’s food to help prevent hair balls.
6. Moisturize cuticles. Apply a small amount of olive oil to the nail beds.
7. Treat dry skin. Rub a thin layer over the skin after a shower or a waxing.
8. Unstick a zipper. Using a Q-tip, apply a drop to lubricate the teeth. (Avoid touching the fabric.) The zipper should move up and down freely.
9. Dust wooden furniture. Apply a bit of oil to a cloth and wipe.
10. Silence squeaky doors. Lubricate hinges by applying a small dab to a cloth, then wiping the top of the hinges so that the oil runs down the sides.
10 New Uses of Lemon
Use Lemon to:
1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.
10 New Uses for Dryer Sheets
Use Dryer Sheets to:
1. Freshen smelly shoes. Insert a dryer sheet into the offending pair and let sit overnight.
2. Remove static from clothing, hair, TV screens, and computer monitors. Wipe the surface with a sheet.
3. Clean pet hair from the floor or furniture. Rub a dryer sheet over the spot where Fluffy left her fur.
4. Replace a sachet. Keep a dresser drawer smelling fresh and clean by placing a dryer sheet on the bottom of it.
5. Loosen caked-on food from a pan. Place a fresh sheet in the bottom of a dirty pan, fill with lukewarm tap water, and let sit in the sink overnight. The pan will be easier to clean in the morning.
6. Tackle suitcase and gym-bag odors. Place a dryer sheet in your suitcase or gym bag so your clean clothes won’t take on the odors of the dirty ones.
7. Prevent old books from smelling musty when in storage. Stick a dryer sheet between the pages of your beloved copy of Pride and Prejudice.
8. Wipe up sawdust after working in the garage. Rub a dryer sheet over the fine wood particles.
9. Prevent thread from tangling when sewing. Run a threaded needle through a dryer sheet right before you begin your handiwork.
10. Dust venetian blinds. Close the blinds, then wipe up and down with a dryer sheet.
10 New Uses for Baking soda
Use Baking Soda to:
1. Exfoliate skin. Wash your face, then apply a soft paste made of three parts baking soda and one part water. Massage gently with a circular motion, avoiding the eye area; rinse clean.
2. Erase crayon, pencil, ink, and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces. Sprinkle soda on a damp sponge, rub clean, and rinse.
3. Unclog a drain. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar after it. Let sit for five minutes (covered, if possible). Follow with a gallon of boiling water.
4. Remove tough stains from enameled cast iron and stainless steel. Scrub enameled cast iron with a soft nylon brush and a thick paste of baking soda and water. Clean stainless steel with a soft cloth and 4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
5. Scrub pans. Sprinkle soda on crusted casseroles and roasting pans and let sit for five minutes. Lightly scrub and rinse.
6. Brush teeth. Use a paste of baking soda and water.
7. Fight class-B fires (flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, and grease). Baking soda can be used to smother only a small flame.
8. Deodorize. Dust baking soda under your arms to absorb body odor.
9. Clean up minor oil and grease spills on a garage floor or driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.
10. Settle a stomach during occasional indigestion. Stir 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 1/2 cup of water and drink for a safe and effective antacid.
10 New Uses for Vinegar
Use White Vinegar to:
1. Pinch-hit for lemon in a savory recipe. Use 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar in place of 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
2. Remove coffee or tea stains from the bottom of a cup. Swish 2 tablespoons of vinegar around in the cup, then wash as usual.
3. Treat oily hair. Vinegar is a good degreaser for oily hair because it helps adjust pH levels. Shampoo your hair as usual, rinse, then pour 1/4 cup over it and rinse again.
4. Wipe salt stains off boots. Dip a cloth or an old T-shirt into vinegar, then wipe away the white residue.
5. Make wool sweaters fluffier. Drop in a couple of capfuls of vinegar during the rinse cycle for an extra-soft feel.
6. Deodorize a garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through the drain.
7. Clean a teakettle or a coffeemaker. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in a teakettle, then wipe away the grime. Fill the reservoir of a coffeemaker with a mixture of vinegar and water and run it through a brewing cycle.
Follow this with several cycles of water to rinse thoroughly.
8. Clean a dishwasher. Once a month, with the machine empty, run a cup of vinegar through an entire cycle to reduce soap buildup on the inner mechanisms and glassware.
9. Remove stubborn price tags or stickers. Paint them with several coats of vinegar, let the liquid soak in for five minutes, then wipe away the residue.
10. Kill weeds between cracks in paving stones and sidewalks. Fill a spray bottle with straight vinegar and spray multiple times. (Be careful not to get any on the surrounding grass, as it will kill that too.)
10 New Uses for Ziploc Bags
Use Ziploc Bags to:
1. Knead dough. Place dough in a Ziploc bag so your fingers don’t get sticky. Or slip your hand into the bag and wear it like a glove.
2. Store panty hose. Nude, Tan, Nearly Naked — they look the same out of the package. Tear off the corner of the package listing the brand, size, and color, then slip it into a bag. Store each pair in its own bag to keep hose organized and prevent snags.
3. Remove chewing gum or candle wax from a tablecloth, a couch, or carpeting. Gently rub gum or wax with a Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes until the substance hardens. Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips. Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula.
4. Pipe frosting. Snip off a tiny corner to use a Ziploc as a pastry bag.
5. Store homemade soup. Fill up bags, then lay them flat in the freezer. When the bags of soup freeze flat, you’ll be able to pile them up like stacked books for easy, space-saving storage.
6. Protect precious cargo. No bubble wrap? Slip a straw into the top of a nearly closed Ziploc bag and inflate. Remove the straw and seal to make a cushion. (Heirlooms, however, should wait for that bubble wrap.)
7. Break up graham crackers or vanilla wafers to make a piecrust. Fill a bag with the cookies, then roll a rolling pin over it.
8. Prevent a handbag from turning into a snow globe. Store pressed powder and other compacts in Ziploc bags.
9. Gather herbs from the garden. Before winter frost sets in, wash, pat dry, and freeze the herbs in Ziploc bags.
10. Ice an injury. Fill a bag with ice cubes to create a cold compress.
10 New uses for Salt
Use Salt to:
1. Make eggs or cream whip up faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt before beating.
2. De-ice sidewalks. In a pinch, it can be used as a substitute for rock salt.
3. Keep chicken or turkey moist. Rub salt in the cavity of the bird before cooking.
4. Prevent sautés made with eggplant or zucchini from getting watery. Sprinkle salt on these vegetables before cooking. 5. Eliminate sticky residue from an iron. Run the hot iron (no steam) over plain paper sprinkled with salt.
6. Clean drains. Pour a hot, strong solution (1/2 cup salt for every quart of water) down the drain.
7. Remove dirt from leafy vegetables, such as spinach. Wash the vegetables in a bath of salt water.
8. Prevent frost from accumulating inside car windows. Rub the glass with a solution of 2 teaspoons of salt in 1 gallon of hot water. Wipe dry.
9. Remove sangria and red-wine stains from your washables. Stretch the fabric over a bowl, cover the stain with salt, and carefully pour boiling water over it.
10. Keep shells from cracking when boiling eggs. Add a few pinches of salt to the water.
11. Chill a bottle of bubbly — fast. Place ice around its base in an ice bucket; sprinkle with a few tablespoons of salt. Layer salt and ice until they reach the neck. Fill with water. Wait 10 minutes; serve.
On November 17th, the Paycheck Fairness Act went to the Senate for vote. The bill would have provided "improvement and modifications" to the Equal Pay Act of 1963. President Obama called it a common sense bill. Nonetheless, it failed to pass due to an overwhelming surge of Republican opposition. Democrats voted 56:1 in favor, while Republicans went 1:40 against it.
So what have women lost as a result of this vote? As Jezebel reports, the Act would have "required employers to provide a business justification for paying men and women differently for the same work and make it easier for employees to obtain salary data and ask about salaries without retaliation." A lack of transparency is a key reason why many women remain underpaid. Currently, a woman makes 77 cents to each dollar a man earns.
What do Senate Republicans and one Democrat have against a woman knowing what her co-worker earns? Some argued that the Act would kill jobs, and that a woman's lower pay is a result of her choices in balancing family life with work.
Others argued that it would have opened up the work place for unnecessary lawsuits. But as the Washington Post points out, the Act would have simply "clarified vague language in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and applied well-established legal standards that are in place for other types of pay discrimination."
To mourn the death of the Paycheck Fairness Act, check out our homage to some of the more ridiculous laws regarding women on the books. Hopefully, some will soon be repealed. Let's just not send them to Congress to do so.
01. In Maryland, a woman cannot go through her husband's pockets while he is sleeping. Not even if she really wants a piece of gum.
02. In Vermont, a woman must obtain written permission from her husband if she wishes to wear false teeth. Because women really lead with their teeth in wanton, uncontrolled sexuality.
03. In Tucson, Arizona, women are not allowed to wear pants. No word on the stance on booty shorts or thongs.
04. In Carrizozo, New Mexico, it is illegal for a woman to appear unshaven in public. Rejoice, razor industry, rejoice!
05. In Dyersburg, Tennessee, it is illegal for a woman to call a man on a date. I don't want to live in a world where equal-opportunity drunk dialing isn't free to all.
06. In Carmel, New York, women may not wear high heels within the city limits. They are obviously just protecting their citizens, as this move effectively disqualifies the city from ever letting a "Sex and the City" sequel to be shot in their town. Good move, Carmel!
07. In Michigan, a woman isn't allowed to cut her hair without her husband's permission. But what if her husband cuts it for her?
World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed around the world every year on May 31. It is meant to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the globe. The day is further intended to draw global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health effects. The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day in 1987.
Tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Here are some of the shocking facts about Tobacco:
- There are more than 1,000,000,000 (one billion) smokers in the world i.e. about 15% of World population.
- Approximately 10,000,000 (10 million) cigarettes are purchased a minute which accounts to 15,000,000,000 (15 billion) cigarettes a day, which is 5,000,000,000,000 (5 trillion) cigarettes are produced and used every year.
- Globally, use of tobacco products is increasing, although it is decreasing in high-income countries.
- Almost half of the world's children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke.
- The epidemic is shifting to the developing world.
- More than 80% of the world's smokers live in low- and middle-income countries.
- Tobacco use kills 5,400,000 (5.4 million) people a year - an average of one person every six seconds - and accounts for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide.
- Tobacco kills up to half of all users.
- It is a risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of deaths in the world.
- 100,000,000 (100 million) deaths were caused by tobacco in the 20th century. If current trends continue, there will be up to 1,000,000,000 (one billion) deaths in the 21st century.
- Unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will increase to more than 8,000,000 (eight million) a year by 2030, and 80% of those deaths will occur in the developing world.
World Health Organization (WHO) Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2009.
We all have a sense of smell, and we all use it constantly, whether we realize it or not. Scents and smell are two of the most important yet often overlooked elements of everyday experience. Want to learn a few truly amazing facts about the things your nose knows? Then just keep reading.
- Everyone has a unique "smellprint". No two people smell things the same way because each of us has scent blind spots, meaning specific odors we can't pick up on. So that room spray that smells like cupcakes to you and like creamed corn to your friend? You're both right.
- You really can smell fear. You can also smell happiness and sexual arousal, as long as the person you're smelling is a close romantic partner.
- Women generally have stronger senses of smell than men. So it's not surprising that you know the milk's gone bad long before your guy roommate does.
- Good smells make you happier. Smelling a fragrance you perceive as pleasant has a profoundly positive effect on your mood. So if you love vanilla, keeping a little scented oil on your desk can help lift you when you're down. The same goes for citrus, jasmine, or any other scent that makes you feel contented.
- There are fewer scents than you think. Some researchers hypothesize that there are only seven primary odors: musky, putrid, pungent, camphoraceous (like mothballs), ethereal (like dry cleaning fluid), floral, and minty.
- Pregnant women's weird food cravings may be because of their senses of smell. Because your nose is hypersensitive when you're enceinte, you develop an abnormal sense of taste, leading to bizarre cravings like pickles and ice cream.
- You actually smell with your brain. Not your nose, as you might assume.
- Scents can cue memories. Most of your scent memories, however, come from the first decade of your life, unlike visual or other sensorial memory types.
- Men can smell when women are ovulating. Both sexes can smell whether other people have major histocompatability complexes (MHCs) different from their own. This is interesting because mating with someone whose MHC is not too like your own creates offspring with hardier immune systems.
- Humans have 350 functional olfactory receptor genes. Mice have 1,300.
1: An Ohio restaurant specializing in cheeseburgers offers a lifetime 25% discount for anyone who has a tattoo of a cheeseburger and at an unrelated tattoo studio in a nearby town, they're offering a 25% discount on cheeseburger tattoos- Sounds suspicious.
2: Tattoos are rarely done in ink, what is commonly called inks, are actually suspended solid color particles, mostly metal salts and plastics, but not vegetable dyes as commonly believed.
3: There are no reported cases of HIV infection from a tattoo in the U.S., but there are three from dentist's offices.
4: More women than men are getting tattooed today.
5: Tattoos are considered a minor medical procedure.
6. Until 2006 it was illegal to get a tattoo in Oklahoma.
7: Lucky Diamond Rich of New Zealand is the most tattooed person in the world, and after running out of space, has started putting lighter tattoos on top of the darker ones, and vice versa.
8: Robbie "the coon" Koch recently broke the world's record by inking 577 tattoos in 24 hrs. The old record was held by Kat Von D of the television show, "LA Ink." Update- Hollis Cantrell actually owns the record as of 2009 (801 tattoos) but Robbie the coon sounded better. Hollis's final tattoo was on his thigh
.
9: The first recorded tattoo is believed to have been found on a mummified iceman in 3300 BC. He had 58 tattoos, mostly dots and lines.
10: In 1876 Thomas Edison invented a machine that ultimately became the tattoo machine, but it took modifications by Samuel O'Reilly in 1891 to adapt the device for tattooing.
11: The record for the longest tattoo session is 43 hours and 50 minutes and was completed by the very observant and talented artist Melanie Grieveson, of Australia. The tattooed was Stephen Grady.
12: In 2005 Kimberly Smith was paid $10,000 to have Golden Palace.Com tattooed on her forehead by the casino, to help pay for her daughter's education. The casino is noted for its outlandish promotions.
13: Thomas Edison had five dots tattooed on his left forearm, similar to the dots on dice.
14: Lip tattoos only last 1 to 5 years and need to be frequently retouched, the most common a cosmetic lip liner.
15: The second most common reason for tattoo removal is mistranslation.
16: In 2010 Channel will unveil its new line of fashionable temporary tattoos. The set of 55 tattoos sells for $75.
17: Most Tattoo machines hold between 1 and 10 needles and some ancient methods using rakes hold up to 27.
18: Anil Gupta is considered NYC's most expensive tattoo artist at over $350 per hour.
19: In the majority of cases, the outline of a tattoo shouldn't bleed at all, and the shading for only a few minutes.
20: As of 2006, 1 in 4 women aged 18 to 50 have at least one tattoo.
21: U.S. President James Polk is said to be the first white man to have a Chinese character as a tattoo.
22: A brothel in Cologne, Germany is offering any patron who gets a tattoo of the businesses logo, by their in house artist, free entrance for life ($6.25 US) and discounts on lap dances ($25.00 US. ea)
25: The word "tattoo" has been in the top ten searched terms since Lycos started tracking search engines.
26: Democrats are more likely to have a tattoo then republicans, 18% to 14%.
27: January 23, 2010. A new US Marine Corp directive prohibits anyone with a full sleeve tattoo from becoming an officer. It also prohibits tattoos on the hands, wrists, fingers, and the inside of the mouth.
28: July 17th, 2009. 18 year old Kimberly Vlaminck sues a Romanian tattoo artist over the 56 stars that she awoke to, scattered across her face, 53 more than see asked for. She later admitted that she lied in the lawsuit and had asked for all fifty six.
29: Blues singer Janis Joplin had a wristlet tattoo and a small heart on her left breast.
30: In Oregon, it is a felony to practice tattooing without a license or in an unlicensed shop.
31: Heiress and socialite Paris Hilton had one tattoo to her credit, the name of then boyfriend Nick Carter on her right butt cheek. It has since been removed by laser.
32: The traditional Samoan tattoo, pe'a, covering the body from mid torso to the knees, takes 3 months to complete and up to 1 year to fully heal. A typical session lasts from dawn till dusk, or until the pain becomes too great, and resumes the next day unless the skin needs a few days to heal.
33: In a 2002 survey, 8 of the top 10 voted, "most beautiful people in the world" had tattoos.
34: Tattoos done today don't turn blue when they age, unless they were originally blue, the inks are much more stable.
35: The first occurrence of the word tattoo in the Oxford English Dictionary came in 1769 and is credited to Captain John Cook.
36: A rooster tattooed on one leg and a pig on the other is said to protect a sailor from drowning. Neither animal can swim.
37: Queen Kamamalu of Hawaii (1808-1824) was the first woman to have her tongue tattooed.
38: Most tattoo artists will not tattoo a pregnant woman.
39: Some tattoo artists claim that if you shield a new tattoo from sunlight for the first two years it will remain brighter and clearer for decades.
40: Over 40 million people in the U.S. have tattoos.
41: 26% of Americans with a tattoo say they make them feel more attractive, with women voting that way almost 2 to 1 over men.
42: Tommy Lee of Motley Crue holds the record for highest altitude tattoo, having been inked in 2008 at 45,000 feet. The tattoo was said to cost $150,000 dollars.
43: 73 year old Isobel Valley, the world's most tattooed women, has every square inch of her body tattooed, except her face, and also has fifty piercings, 15 of which are visible. The majority of the piercings are below the belt because she wants to jingle when she walks, she says.
44: An increasing number of people are having medical alerts tattooed to aid doctors in case of an emergency.
45: 43 year old former soldier Shawn Clark has the names of all 232 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan tattooed on his back.
46: At one time red ink was known to fade; not so with today' inks.
47: The title of The "Hardy Boys" #47 is "The Mystery of the Whale Tattoo."
48: When Cortez landed on the Mexican coast in 1519 he was horrified to find the natives practicing devil worshiping and had somehow permanently marked images of their idols on their skin. He called it the work of the devil.
49: A tattoo of an anchor on a sailor indicates they have sailed across the Atlantic.
50: One third of Americans with tattoos say they make them feel sexier.
51: Tattoo ink is injected into the second layer of the skin, the dermis, and become encapsulate by the body as a defense mechanism, leaving the image stable and intact.
52: Gabrial Carbona, an American teenage hit man for a Mexican cartel, has his eyelids tattooed so they never look closed. His idea is not working as well for him in prison.
53: Jimmy Buffet sings about tattoos in this song of the same name, "It's a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling."
54: In the 1920's, American circuses employed more than 300 people with full body tattoos and paid them up to $200 a week, a lot of money during those times.
55: The percentage of males and females with tattoos is now statistically equal.
56: Tattoo equipment is sterilized in an autoclave, a high pressure steam machine, similar to a pressure cooker and how hospitals do theirs.
57: 57% of people without a tattoo feel that those with them are more rebellious and threatening.
58: 35 0f the first 43 U.S. Presidents reportedly have tattoos.
59: Tattoo inks are not regulated by the by any government agencies so there is no way of knowing exactly what's in them.
60: Winston Churchill's mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, had a tattoo of a snake on her wrist. They were popular for rich aristocrats during that period. She chose a snake because it could be easily covered by a bracelet.
61: U.S. President Andrew Jackson had a giant tattoo of a tomahawk that ran down the length of the inside of his thigh. No one knows exactly why.
62: Almost all U.S. corporations have some form of restrictions or policy regarding tattoos on the job.
63: As of Sept. 29th 2009, the 19 year old ban on tattooing was lifted in DeKalb, Illinois.
64: Actress Halle Berry has a tattoo of a sunflower on her rear end covering up the name of her ex, baseball player David Justice.
65: The popularity of tattooing during the latter part of the nineteenth century and first part of the twentieth century owed much to the circus sideshow.
66: People with antisocial personality disorder are more likely to have a higher number of tattoos in more visible locations, and covering a larger percentage of their bodies.
67: Ancient Egyptians used tattoos to differentiate between slaves and peasants.
68: During the late 18th century in Europe, collecting the tattooed heads of Maori people became so popular that many were murdered to meet the demand. The heads were commonly paid for in guns.
69: In the 1870s the Japanese government outlawed tattoos forcing the practice underground where it flourished.
70: 3% of Americans say having a tattoo makes them feel more athletic.
71: The world's most tattooed women, Isobel Varley got her first tattoo, a flower, at age 49.
72: 4% of consumers spend over $1000 on a tattoo.
73: When you see someone's tattoo you are viewing it through the first layer of the skin, the epidermis.
74: 50% of all tattoos are not covered up by clothing and are openly visible.
75: Tattoo machines can make upwards of 200 hits per second, that's up to 12,000 times a minute and 720,000 an hour.
76: In ancient Greece and Rome, tattoos were considered barbaric and were only used to mark slaves and criminals.
77: 52% of those in prison are tattooed.
78: In recent studies, memorial tattoos have been shown to overwhelmingly turn grief into joy and morning into celebration by creating a lasting memory.
79: A 2009 study conducted at Liverpool Hope University found that people with three or more tattoos had significantly lower levels of self esteem.
80: 4% of Americans say that their tattoos make them feel healthier.
81: It is untrue that white or lighter colored inks are more painful to use.
82: A tattoo is art, only, if the person doing the tattoo is an artist and a skilled technician.
83: President James Buchanon had a tattoo of a scantily clad woman on his chest with the initials BFL (bachelor for life).
84: In 2002, 18 year old hair dresser Lee Becks was shocked to find out the tattoo he thought said, "Love, honor, and obey" actually translated to, "at the end of the day, this is an ugly boy."
85: New York City outlawed tattoos from 1961 to 1997 because of a tattoo related outbreak of hepatitis "C".
86: In a 2002 study a group of male high school and college students viewed pictures of models with and without tattoos, and graded them in 13 categories. The models with tattoos scored much lower in 9 of the 13 ratings.
87: Some people experience pain or a burning during sensation during an MRI because of the metallic particles in some inks.
88: The US Navy prohibited tattoos of naked women during World War II, so many future sailors had to get their tattoos reworked to include cloths.
89: The first recorded instance of death following tattooing was reported in 1837 in France. The young woman, a prostitute, was covering up another unwanted tattoo and died from the infection that followed.
90: Apr. 30, 2009. To celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday Mattel comes out with the new "Totally Stlylin' Barbie, complete with a set of place able tattoos, one a lower back tattoo featuring the name Ken.
91: 35% of all NBA players have tattoos. Michael Jordan has none and teammate Dennis Rodman has at least 22.
92: Lorette Fulkerson was the last woman to work the circus sideshows, retiring in 1995 at the age of 80.
93: Eyeball tattoos are not done with a machine, but rather, the ink is directly injected into the eye with a syringe.
94: Urine was sometimes used in early ink mixtures.
95: 5% of Americans with a tattoo say they make them feel smarter.
96: The first case of a syphilis being transmitted by a tattoo came in 1853. The artists ink was drying up so he spit in it, transferring the disease.
97: Never go back to the person who gave you a bad tattoo to have it fixed, it will not get better.
98: The time to ask questions is before you get a tattoo.
99: Good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good.
100: Women are more than twice as likely to have a tattoo removed as men.
101: Over 50% of the tattoos created today will be removed by laser at great expense, intense pain and permanent minor scaring. Think before you ink.
