Author: Maria Zaldivar

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Coolest Facts About Greenland You Need to Know

Greenland is not a common tourist destination, considering most of the island is covered in a massive ice sheet.

So in lieu of traveling there, here are some facts about Greenland that you might not know.

The name is not fitting but served a purpose.

We all know Greenland is not green, but did you know it got its name in order to lure people to move there?

While exiled on icey island, Erik the Red gave Greenland its name in hopes that it would attract settlers.

Most people living there are Inuit.

Today 88% of the island’s population are Inuit, who call their country Inuit Nunaat or Kalaallit Nunaat, meaning Land of the People or Land of the Greenlanders in Greenlandic.

It is pretty big.

Greenland is the world’s largest non-continent island, covering over 840,000 square miles.

That’s larger than France, Germany, Spain, the UK, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, and Belgium combined.

And it’s seriously frozen.

Almost 80% of the landmass of Greenland is covered by ice caps and glaciers. But the remaining 20% is nearly as large as Sweden.

The entirety of Greenland has a population of roughly 56,000. About 17,000 of those people live in Nuuk, the capital.

And old.

Scientists estimate that the Greenland ice sheet is between 400,000 and 800,000 years old.

The Ilulissat Icefjord is the most productive glacier in the Northern Hemisphere and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

And, they like fishing.

The primary source of income for Greenlanders is fishing. Most exports are halibut and shrimp.

And golf.

In mid-March, Greenland holds the Ice Golf World Championships in Uummannaq.

The golfers play on a course cut between icebergs and in snow fields.

It is considered Denmark territory.

Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark. As a result, grants from Denmark also make up a large portion of income. The island was a Danish colony until 1953, attained home rule in 1979, and began full self-governing in 2009.

The government is a constitutional monarchy, with a 31-member unicameral parliament.

The country sends two representatives to the Danish Folketing, and the nominal head of state is the Danish Queen.

The official language of Greenland is Greenlandic. Danish is a secondary language, and English is widely understood.

But a lot of people want to visit.

The tourism on the island is expanding as well, as climate change has made it easier to explore the region.

And, with good reason.

One of the most incredible phenomena in Greenland is the midnight sun.

Above the Arctic Circle in the summer, the sun doesn’t set for months.

Instead, in many places, it looks like early evening when it’s midnight. Many hotels are outfitted with blackout curtains for this reason.

Mainly to visit the springs.

Greenland is home to a number of hot springs. These springs average 98 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

There is so much history.

The Hvalsey Church, the first Christian church on the continent, is one of the best-preserved Norse ruins.

Geographically, Greenland is part of North America. But as a Danish territory, it’s considered part of Europe.

And, summers are beautiful.

July is the only month when Greenland’s temperature reaches above freezing.

The National Day in Greenland is June 21st. It’s celebrated with coffee, cake and, in many places, a big buffet. Many Greenlanders also put on a flag parade, complete with national costumes.

If you want to travel to Greenland, there are only two ways to get there:

By plane from Iceland or Denmark, or on a cruise ship sailing to the region.

It’s a secluded island, but it has a lot of marvels.

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Electrifying Facts About Eels

The deepest parts of the ocean remain a mystery to people and scientists alike. And eels are just a tiny part of it. But, they are still incredibly interesting.

Here are some eel facts that will slither right into your brain and shock you.

So many options

There are over 800 different species of eels in the world. They can be as short as the 2-inch one-jawed eel, or as long as the 13-foot slender giant moray eel.

Most eels live in the shallow waters of the ocean, but some live in waters as deep as 13,000 feet.

They can burrow into sand, mud, or among rocks.

They are rarely seen in the wild

Most eels are also nocturnal, so they’re rarely seen by people.

And they come in all sizes

The heaviest eel is the European conger. The maximum size reported of one of these eels is 240 pounds.

That’s a lotta eel.

They are not cute babies

Most eels begin life as larvae. The larvae are flat and transparent, and they eat marine snow, which are small particles floating in the water.

From there, they become glass eels, so named for their appearance.

At this stage, they transition from the ocean to freshwater.

And they have different names

As they grow, they become what are called elvers.

In the 19th century, Londoners would call the passage of young eels along the Thames “eel fare.” It’s been theorized that that’s where the term “elver” comes from.

After being elvers, eels mature into yellow stage eels, and finally, silver stage eels.

At this point, most eels will be back in the ocean to mate.

Everyone knows them for their spark

One of the most commonly known types of eel, the electric eel, is not actually an eel at all!

It’s really a South American knifefish, and it’s more closely related to carps and catfish than to true eels.

Electric eels can emit shocks up to 650 volts. That’s over five times the power of a standard American wall socket. But despite their electrifying power, these eels aren’t usually very aggressive.

They’ll usually just shock to stun prey or ward off predators. They also use a weak electric pulse as a kind of radar because their eyesight is very bad.

They’re delicious

The eel used in sushi is usually unagi, which are freshwater eels.

But some are protected

The European eel, a common type of freshwater eel is currently an endangered species.

And they can be extremely dangerous

Eel blood is toxic to humans and other mammals if it is directly injected into the bloodstream.

Serum from an eel is about three times as poisonous as the most venomous viper. Luckily, the toxins in eel blood can be easily killed either by cooking or digestion.

Who knew eels could be suck fascinating creatures.

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Iconic Red Carpet Outfit Facts That Deserve Their Own Award

Red carpets have turned into one of the most iconic aspects of award season. Who can forget that iconic Versace green dress JLo wore to the Grammy’s in 2000.

These are some facts about some of the most iconic red carpet looks ever.

Be it at the Oscars, the Grammy’s, or the MET Gala, no one can wait to see the gowns and glamour on the red carpet.

Many red carpet looks have become as famous as the celebrities wearing them!

Lady Gaga’s Meat Dress

Such as Lady Gaga’s Meat Dress from the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, designed by Franc Fernandez and made entirely of raw meat!

 

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Lady Gaga claimed the dress was meant to represent fighting for what one believes in.

The controversial dress drew an expectedly mixed reception from fans and critics.

It was condemned by both PETA and The Vegetarian Society, but was named by TIME magazine as the top fashion statement of 2010.

Lizzy Gardiner’s American Express Gown

Costume Designer Lizzy Gardiner’s American Express gown was something of a full circle achievement.


Gardiner wowed audiences with her costumes for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

But one of the looks she envisioned for the film, a dress made entirely of credit cards, never came to be. As no bank gave approval to be used.

But when she was nominated for an Academy Award, Gardiner returned to the idea for her own Oscar gown.

And this time, American Express was very excited about the concept!

Providing 254 expired AMEX cards for Gardiner to use. While Gardiner’s designs for Priscilla won the 1995 Oscar, her Amex Gown is often considered one of the worst Oscar gowns of all time.

Bjork’s Swan Dress

As is The Swan unforgettably worn by Bjork at the 2001 Academy Awards.

 

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The Marjan Pejoski creation even came with an egg purse, and the Icelandic singer mimicked laying an egg on the red carpet!

Bjork claimed that the look was meant to represent “fertility.”

An endless source of humor for years thereafter, the team at Valentino saw some potential in the gown. Creating a similar, wrap around swan dress in their 2014 collection.

Billy Porter’s Iconic Hat

While men on red carpets are often beholden to traditional black-tie, there are always a few who leave a sizable impression.

None more so than Billy Porter.

Guaranteed to make a splash in whatever he’s wearing, particularly his dazzling Turquoise Jumpsuit at the 2020 Grammy Awards.

 

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And It’s accompanying hat, by Sarah Sokol featuring retractable, remote controlled metal fringe!

Billie Eilish’s face covering Bonnet from the 2019 AMA’s was what inspired Porter to don a hat.

But Porter told Studenberg and Sokol:

“After 30 years of working [my] way into Hollywood, y’all gonna see my face!”

Two Dresses to Remember

Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1999 Oscar Gown, and Jennfier Lopez’s 2000 Grammy Gown are easily two of the most admired red carpet gowns of all time.

 

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A slow clap for this Versace moment.

 

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So much so, that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, donned replicas at the 2000 Academy Awards!

 

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Outspokenly opposed to award shows,

The comic duo reportedly considered arriving dressed in chicken outfits or pirate costumes before settling on the gowns.

While plenty found it hilarious, the duo claimed many of the attendees did not.

Including Gwyneth Paltrow who reportedly shot Stone a dirty look on the red carpet.

Though as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Either way, these iconic looks will go down in history as some of the most memorable award ceremony moments.

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Facts That Will Decrypt Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is said to be the future of finance, but no one knows who started it or how it’s backed up exactly.

If cryptocurrency is a bit of a riddle to you, you’re not alone.

This probably won’t fix that, but it’s a good place to start or at least have some fun facts to drop at parties.

Here are some facts you should know about the digital currency.

What is it?

In its simplest form, Cryptocurrency is digital cash that can be exchanged online for goods and services.

It is secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend.

And no one can really regulate it.

A defining feature of cryptocurrencies is that they are generally not issued by any central authority, like a government.

That means that theoretically, governments can’t tamper with or manipulate them making them potentially more insulated from issues like inflation.

There are a lot of different types.

There are over 10,000 types of cryptocurrency currently in circulation.

On May 27, 2021, the total value of all cryptocurrencies was more than $1.7 trillion.

The most popular type of cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, which has a market capitalization of $735.3 billion. In the last 5 years the price of Bitcoin has risen 23%.

But no one knows who started it.

No one knows who created Bitcoin or even cryptocurrency in general.

The anonymous creator of Bitcoin is referred to as Satoshi Nakamoto.

A popular belief is that this name is an acronym for four leading tech companies:

Samsung, Toshiba, Nakamichi, and Motorola.

Before buying it you had to mine it.

Crypto-mining is the act of using high-powered computers to solve complex mathematical equations in order to find, verify, and log transactions.

Being the first to solve the equations came with a reward: cryptocurrency coins.

But, there are other types of cryptocurrency.

The second most popular crypto is Ethereum at $324.2 billion; the third is Tether at $61 billion.

They are all incredibly volatile because of market changes.

And people are super into it.

The currencies’ market capitalization is so high because much of the interest surrounding them right now is rooted in the trade for profit.

The total amount of Bitcoin in the world is limited. That’s why it continues to increase in value as supply decreases. Think of it as a finite resource like water or oil, someday, we will run out.

The technology behind cryptocurrencies is called blockchain.

People like it because it’s a decentralized processing and recording system and it can be more secure than traditional payment systems. Ensuring that there isn’t one central hub can protect the currency from cyberattacks.

But, not all countries trust it.

There are currently six countries that have banned all activities involving cryptocurrencies:

Algeria, Bolivia, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

Qatar and Bahrain ban the use of cryptocurrencies locally, but allow their citizens to trade crypto outside their borders.

China, on the other hand, is the biggest cryptocurrency miner.

Financial specialists have complicated views on the matter.

Billionaire Warren Buffet has stated that he doesn’t own cryptocurrency and probably never will since there is no real backing.

While explaining the risks of crypto, Buffett compared the currency to paper checks.

“It’s a very effective way of transmitting money and you can do it anonymously and all that. Are checks worth a whole lot of money? Just because they can transmit money?” – Warren Buffett

This is also because Buffett only invests in things he understands. So many people invest based on trends or what their advisors say, but professionals such as Buffett do their own research and only invest in things they can understand and back.

At the end of the day, planning your financial future and deciding where to invest your hard-earned money is a personal experience. So, do your research and remember that what works for some might not work for all.

Cryptocurrency might be a mystery for now, but technology influences the market often so, we must try to learn as much as we can and try to stay ahead of the curve.

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Facts Even New Yorkers Don’t Know About New York City

New Yorkers are notorious know-it-alls.

But New York City is more than just the perfect slice of pizza or that subway performer you thought was cool at first but now find kind of annoying.

Sex And The City might not be the best representation of New York City, but we should all feel like Carrie walking around in a tutu every once in a while.

There is so much history in the city. And, there is no way someone knows all of it. But, this is a good place to start.

These are the best New York City facts even the most loyal New Yorkers may not know.

Where does it come from?

Lenape, Rockaway and Canarsie Indians once occupied what is now New York City.

In fact, Manhattan comes from the Munsi language from the Lenni Lenape “Manhatta.” This means the island of many hills. The city might not have any hills now, but it is a way to remember the land that used to be here.

The same, but different.

Houston Street and Houston, Texas are pronounced differently because they are named after different people.

Houston, Texas, pronounced HUe-stun, was named after Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas and one of the first individuals to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.

On the other hand, Houston Street, pronounced HOW-stun, was named for William Houstoun. Houstoun’s father-in-law, Nicholas Bayard III, carved up his farmland in what is now SoHo into a grid pattern and named the newly formed streets.

But, it’s been updated.

All the original street names have since changed except for Houstoun, which just lost a “U” somewhere in the mix and became Houston.

And you can say it in different languages.

Some experts believe that there are over 800 languages spoken in New York City. Which makes it one of the most linguistically diverse place in the world.

Makes sense, since people come from all over the world to make this city their home.

It’s a confusing way to tell time.

The giant digital countdown board on the south end of Union Square is pretty much just a clock.

The first seven digits explain what time it is by counting from midnight in military time, to the hundredth of a second. And the last eight digits explain how long until it is midnight again.

Because isn’t that what everyone needs?

There’s a reason why they’re called “islands.”

Coney Island isn’t an Island today, but it once was, thus the name.

The Coney Island Creek once separated the island from mainland Brooklyn but the creek was filled in to create the Belt Parkway before WWII.

Similarly Kips Bay was once a bay even though it’s now just another Manhattan neighborhood. The East River inlet extended into Manhattan just west of what is now First Avenue and filled what is now about 5 city blocks.

The bay became reclaimed land but the name still stuck.

We all know the nickname.

Speaking of names, the Big Apple was once almost the Big Orange.

For more than a year around 1673, NYC was known as the New Orange before the Dutch ceded the land to the British under the Treaty of Westminster.

And the name “The Big Apple” well that comes from 1920s horse racing when the phrase was used to describe the city’s big racing venues.

The name of a traitor?

In Manhattan’s Lower East Side, there’s a plaza named after a Soviet Spy.

Samuel Dickstein Plaza is named after a former New York congressman who was later revealed provided information to the Soviets in exchange for monthly
payments in the late 1930s.

But no one has gotten around to renaming the intersection.

New Yorkers love to read.

The New York Public Library consists of 92 locations with 53 million items. They serve Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. Queens and Brooklyn have their own library system.

The New York Public Library is the second largest library system in the country, following the Library of Congress, and the fourth largest in the world.

The Main Branch has become an iconic building. It was named a National Historical Landmark in 1965, and a New York City Landmark in 1967.

We love pizza.

New York City has the first recognized pizzeria in the country. “Lombardi’s” was the first place to bring the Italian tradition to the U.S. However, they were forced to close in 1984 and re-opened 10 years later, so it is not considered the oldest continuously operated pizzeria in the country.

Now, you can still find quality $1 pizza slices all over the city.

This lead to the Pizza Principle.

New Yorkers are so passionate about pizza that there is a whole economic theory based on it.

The Pizza Principle, or the Pizza-Subway Connection was proposed by native New Yorker Eric M. Bram. In the early 60’s the price of a slice of pizza matched the price of a subway ride.

This continued for years until the MTA decided to discontinue the subway token and Metro Cards became the norm.

At one point people were able to predict a rise in subway fare by the raise in price of a pizza slice. And many argue this principle still holds true.

We all take the subway.

We care about subway fares since approximately 1.6 billion people use the subway every year.

There are 7 numbered lines and 15 letter lines in the New York City subway system. And, the MTA has 6,684 subway cars and 472 stations with the deepest being 191 St in Manhattan,180 feet below street level.

The busiest subway station is Times Square at 42st with 65 million riders. The longest line is the A train from 207th Street in Manhattan to Far Rockaway in Queens.

Finding a U-Haul would be impossible.

Until the 1920s, May 1 was the city wide moving day, everyone’s leases expired on the same day.

Imagine the mayhem!

Living is New York can be chaotic, but learning about it’s history and cultural impact shows how amazing the city truly is.

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Fascinating Facts About Your Favorite ‘TGIF’ TV Shows

Do you remember those nights watching episode after episode of your favorite shows?

There was nothing quite like ordering pizza, making popcorn, and watching the new episode of Full House.

On September 22, 1989, ABC officially launched “TGIF,” a two-hour block of family-friendly sitcoms. 

And the rest is TV history.

What does TGIF mean?

Although many argue it is a riff on the phrase “Thank God It’s Friday,” this particular acronym actually stood for “Thank God It’s Funny”.

The block featured some of ABC’s most iconic programming, Including Full House, Family Matters, Step By Step, Boy Meets World, and Sabrina The Teenage Witch.

As well as some shows that are less well remembered such as Free Spirit, Camp Wilder, You Wish, and Teen Angel.

Family Matters

Urkel stole the hearts of many with his iconic catchphrase “did I do that?” But, he was only supposed to be in one episode.

The inspiration for Steve Urkel’s name actually came from co-creator Michael Warren’s real life friend Steve Erkel.

Urkel was so popular that he had cross-over episodes in various shows such as Full House and Boy Meets World.

Family Matters was the second longest-running sitcom focused on an African American family with 9 seasons. The longest-running one was actually The Jeffersons, which ran for 11 seasons.

Richie was played by twins because of California state regulations. But, they were only credited as one person: Joseph Julius Wright, rather than Joseph and Julius Wright.

Boy Meets World

Corey was originally supposed to have a group of friends instead of just Shawn, but no characters stuck.

In fact, the cast used to call the chair where those actors sat the “death chair” since they never made it longer than one episode.

Danielle Fishell was not the original Topanga. But, after the first actress was fired she was determined to take all notes to heart. After her first appearance, co-creator Michael Jacobs rehearsed lines with her and gave her a laundry list of notes.

“My heart stopped beating regularly, and my palms got sweaty: ‘Danielle, yesterday I gave you an enormous amount of notes. I did that because I believed you were capable of handling them,’ he said in front of all the writers and producers and my fellow actors,” Fisher said. “Then he stood up. I panicked. Was he going to fire me, slam his script on the ground, and storm out of there? ‘However, with your performance today, you exceeded my expectations,’ he concluded. He started clapping, and all the writers stood up and clapped next to him. Michael wasn’t going to fire me. He believed in me. He gave me a freaking standing ovation.”

No one else could play Topanga. And you can still see some of the original cast reprise their roles in the Disney Channel spin-off Girl Meets World.

Sabrina The Teenage Witch

Sabrina’s character was based on the Archie Comics comic book. Sabrina first appeared in Archie’s Madhouse #22 in October 1962.

Melissa Joan Hart’s mother, Paula Hart, was the one who first brought the concept to ABC.

“My mom doesn’t get nearly enough credit for her job as the woman spearheading the show. She is the one who was handed the Archie comic book on a playground at my sister’s school in Manhattan and sold it to Viacom as a Showtime movie,” Joan Hart said to Marie Claire. “She always knew it would make an incredible series but no one would listen.”

Sabrina was actually ABC’s highest-rated TGIF show.

Free Spirit 

The first official night of TGIF featured the series premiere of Free Spirit.

The Bewitched-like Free Spirit centered around a mischievous witch named Winnie, who worked as a live-in housekeeper for a divorced father of three.

Playing the 16-year-old-daughter was a young Alyson Hannigan, who also played Willow, a powerful witch and best friend of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

The series eventually moved to Sunday nights and was replaced on TGIF by the short-lived Growing Pains spin-off Just the Ten of Us.

Going Places 

This sitcom centered around four writers working at a hidden camera show, and featured a pre-Melrose Place Heather Locklear.

Though it was canceled after one season, co-creators Robert Gifford and Howard Adler and some cast members Stacey Keanan and Christopher Castile, would all find themselves working on a far more successful TGIF sitcom, Step By Step, the following season.

Camp Wilder 

The series focused on single mother Ricky Wilder who moves into her childhood home after the death of her parents and becomes the guardian of her teenage siblings.

Ricky opens up the house to their friends as both an escape from their overbearing parents and to offer her words of wisdom for their problems.

Though the 19-episode run is largely forgotten, Jerry O’Connell played Ricky’s teenage brother Brody.

And making appearances as some of his friends were future Oscar winners Hillary Swank and Jared Leto.

It also featured a potentially groundbreaking plotline, Ricky’s six-year-old daughter, Sophie exhibits increasingly tomboyish traits. On the Christmas episode, she announced that all “she ever wanted was to be a boy!”

This show is actually a hit in Germany.

You Wish

You Wish was something of a modern twist of I Dream of Genie.  The show centered on the Apple Family, who unwittingly frees a genie when visiting a carpet shop.

You wish ran for only seven episodes.

Teen Angel

Teen Angel focused on Steve Beauchamp who, after dying from eating a hamburger found under a bed (yes, you read that correctly…) returns to Earth to serve as his best friend’s Guardian Angel.

Despite an epic crossover event…

Which saw Sabrina’s Salem the cat appear on Boy Meets World, You Wish, and Teen Angel and send all shows into their own time-traveling vortex…

Both You Wish and Teen Angel were quickly canceled

Teen Angel only after 17 episodes.

But they were not the only ones. By then, ratings for TGIF were already on the decline, and two seasons later, TGIF was re-named ABC Working Comedy.

We still love these shows.

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Facts You Didn’t Know About Movies Based On Video Games

Some of the most iconic action movies have been based on fan-favorite video games.

It makes sense since video game developers spend a lot of time thinking about the story and different plot lines that move the game along.

These movies also serve as an introduction to the gaming world for those who might not know how to click the “X” button and provide more content for fans of the original games.

So, here are some killer facts about movies based on video games that even the most dedicated gamers will find fascinating.

Tomb Raider 

Tomb Raider is one of the biggest gaming franchises of all time. 

The game was created by only six people, who made history since it sold over 58 million copies.

The title character, Lara Croft, was originally named Laura Cruz. 

But, Angelina Jolie was not always set to play the iconic character

Jennifer Love-Hewitt really wanted to play the role of Lara Croft in the film, but the director Simon West could only picture Angelina Jolie.

And, Daisy Ridley, Emilia Clarke, Saoirse Ronan, and Kristen Stewart were close to playing the part in the 2018 reboot before Alicia Vikander landed the iconic role.

However, Angelina couldn’t see herself in the iconic Lara Croft shorts. It took her a moment to get used to them.

And it was the scenery that sold the idea to her

Angelina agreed to do the film because of all the locations she would visit while filming.

“But they said you can travel the world and train with the British Military and so I had three months of seeing what I could do. And I would encourage anybody to do that,” Jolie said.

She performed a lot of her own stunts

The A-List star mastered the 2001 film’s bungee-ballet without a stunt double. And actually injured her ankle in the process. It had to be reshot when she recovered.

The scenes where Angelina is driving a jeep also had to be reshot because snakes and other critters kept dropping into the car. 

They obviously incorporated a lot of aspects from the original game

Near the end of the film when Lara finds a wolf pack, she says “a-ha”. This is a nod to the original games where Lara used the phrase whenever she picked up an item.

We love props

The picture inside of Lara’s father’s pocket watch is actually Lynda Carter.

After filming, Angelina kept Lara’s holsters as a keepsake. Lara Croft Way in Derby, England was named to honor where the designers created the iconic character.

Mortal Kombat

It only took 10 months and 4 people to create the original Mortal Kombat game. 

The 1995 Mortal Kombat film is the fourth highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time, after Tomb Raider, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, and Pokemon: The First Movie. 

Fun fact for movie buffs

The film was heavily influenced by the 1973 film Enter the Dragon.

Who is who?

Jean-Claude Van Damme actually turned down the role of Johnny Cage to do Street Fighter. Which is funny because the character in the games was allegedly originally based on him.

Chris Casamassa was initially only hired to work as a stunt ninja. The producers were so thrilled with his audition that he was cast in the role of Scorpion.

Meanwhile, Sean Connery was the first choice to play Rayden. He turned down the role because it was too physical and he wanted to play golf.

Cameron Diaz was seriously considered for the role of Sonya Blade, but she broke her wrist before filming.

And, Ed Boon was not only the voice of Scorpion in the original video game but also a co-creator and a creative consultant for the movie.

And she wasn’t the only one who got hurt

However, onset injuries were actually quite minimal. There were only a few bruises and broken ribs. 

Other stars wanted to crash

The medic on set also worked as the security guard and turned away a curious Tom Cruise.

Mortal Kombat super fan Steven Spielberg was meant to make a cameo in the film, but scheduling conflicts forced him to back out of the project.

No one expected it to be so successful

Director Paul W.S. Anderson was incredibly nervous about how the film would be received. He hunkered down in Hawaii during the premiere only to regret his choice.

The movie grossed $23.3 million opening weekend. That was 8 times more than the next highest release, The Baby-Sitters Club.

Resident Evil

Just like Tomb Raider, the Resident Evil game was conceived in 1993 and released in 1996.

Zombies weren’t big at the time

While zombie movies and shows are everywhere today, the studio was worried audiences wouldn’t want to watch the living dead at the time. 

It had been almost 15 years since a zombie movie had hit big.

Clearly, they were wrong

The Resident Evil franchise has grossed over $1 billion. 

They took some creative freedoms

Milla Jovovich agreed to do the movie because her brother was a huge fan of the video games.

But her character, Alice, never appears in the video games. Alice’s name is never spoken in the film either. It’s only revealed in the credits.

The movie was originally meant to be titled Resident Evil: Ground Zero. They dropped “Ground Zero” after September 11th, 2001. 

Are they zombies though?

The word zombie is also never actually used in the film.

The makeup team had an incredibly difficult time with the zombie dogs because they kept licking the fake blood and meat off themselves. 

More stunts

Jovovich did all of her own stunts in the film except for the pipe jump in the sewer scene.

And, the movie inspired the game as well

The iconic laser grid from the first film made its way into the Resident Evil 4 game.

There’s a hidden easter egg in the passcode for the door in dining hall B. The code 04031965 is actually the writer and director Paul W.S Anderson’s birthday.

These iconic video games have changed movie history. And, hopefully, the two mediums will continue to inspire each other.

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I’ll Be There For These ‘Friends’ Facts

No one told you life was gonna be this way *clap, clap, clap.*

But now we can tell you all the things you didn’t know about one of the biggest sitcoms of all time.

Things you have to know about your favorite Friends.

What’s in a name?

Before settling on Friends as the title of the show, Insomnia Cafe, Six of One, and Friends Like Us were also considered.

The iconic fountain

Sitcom super fans who try to visit the show’s locations will be disappointed to discover that the iconic Friends opening credits were actually filmed on a Warner Brothers Studio soundstage in California.

No such fountain exists in New York City.

Speaking of the fountain

Jennifer Aniston thought it and the whole opening were weird.

The cast didn’t like the theme song either, but “I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts went on to become a Top 20 hit in 1995.

Then, there were six

Friends turned the six stars into household names.

So it’s crazy to consider that originally there were only supposed to be four main cast members!

At first, Chandler and Phoebe were going to be supporting characters.

And who would Monica have married if not Chandler?

Co-creator Marta Kauffman revealed Monica was meant to pair with Joey!

They had a lot of plans for Joey

The cast was very upset when Joey and Rachel became a couple.

Matt LeBlanc described the cast as “super defensive” since they all felt she belonged with Ross.

What could have been

Simpsons veteran Hank Azaria auditioned twice for the role of Joey.

Actresses Jane Lynch and Kathy Griffin were both considered for the role of Phoebe.

And actor and director Jon Favreau auditioned to play Chandler.

Meanwhile, David Schwimmer didn’t audition for Ross. He auditioned for a different show a year prior but the showrunners liked him so much, they skipped formalities and offered him the role outright.

Whoops!

Did you notice this minor set change?

Monica’s apartment number was 5 and changed to 20 in the middle of season one.

Chandler and Joey’s apartment also changed from number 4 to 19.

The writers didn’t realize how New York City apartments are numbered and that apartments 4 and 5 would most likely be on the first or second floor.

The end is tough

Wrapping up Friends really affected the cast members.

LeBlanc was so stressed that after 4 nicotine free years he started smoking cigarettes again.

The finale

For the season finale Central Perk was torn down and the set was built back as the airport that Rachel almost took off from.

Friends IRL

16 years after the show’s 2004 finale, the cast still keeps in touch

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow even maintain a group chat together!

Social media icons

In 2019, Aniston joined Instagram, posting a selfie with the whole cast. The popularity of the post temporarily crashed Aniston’s profile on the photo-sharing site.

The post has earned 16.6 million likes.

The one with the reunion

Earlier this year we learned several lesser-known facts from the HBO Max FRIENDS reunion.

Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer crushed on each other on and off-screen. That explains their character’s chemistry.

But, David Schwimmer did have some issues with one of his costars, the adorable monkey known as Marcel.

In “The One Where No One is Ready” Joey and Chandler are fought over a chair. In one scene Matt LeBlanc was supposed to jump on the chair while Matthew Perry was out of the room. On the last take, LeBlanc tripped and dislocated his shoulder. That is why Joey had an arm sling for a few episodes.

Chandler and Monica were not supposed to be endgame, but the audience loved the pair so much, writers reconsidered the storyline.

The one we would pay to see

While creators and cast members have denied a Friends reboot, Aniston did suggest to InStyle that she, Cox, and Kudrow reprise their roles for a Golden Girls-like spin-off.

Who wouldn’t want to see that!

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Out Of This World Facts About The International Space Station

Space, the final frontier, which few have been lucky enough to experience first hand and even fewer have called home.

The International Space Station (ISS) is home to astronauts from all over the world, demonstrating that the global community can come together for science and progress.

Here are some out-of-this-world facts about the ISS that everyone should know.


Let’s talk basics

The International Space Station (ISS) has been orbiting the planet for more than 20 years, since November 2000.

It is the single most expensive object ever built. The cost has been estimated at over $120 billion!

An international crew of between three to six people live and work aboard the ISS while traveling at a speed of five miles per second, orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes.

In 24 hours, the space station makes 16 full orbits of Earth, traversing through 16 sunrises and sunsets.

It’s a small world after all

240 individuals from 19 countries have visited the ISS so far.

But one has been there the longest

Peggy Whitson holds the record for spending the most time living and working in space. She was there for 665 days.

For anyone with 20/20 vision

Thanks to the acre of solar panels that power the ISS, it can actually be observed with the naked eye from Earth as it flies overhead.

Which is pretty amazing because it flies at an average altitude of 248 miles above Earth.

No place like home

Speaking of home-y, the ISS really is.

The living and working space in the station is larger than a six-bedroom house. It has six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym, and a 360-degree bay window.

Space takes a toll on your body

Astronauts must exercise for two hours a day to combat the loss of muscle and bone mass that occurs while in space.

It took a lot of work

The largest modules and station pieces were delivered on 42 separate assembly flights.

Since it is huge

The ISS is 357-feet end-to-end, only one yard shy of an American football field including the end zones.

There’s nearly 8 miles of wires making up the electrical system.

That’s longer than the perimeter of Central Park!

So, it takes a lot to power it

More than 50 computers control all the systems on the space station.

And the ISS computers aren’t immune to viruses, in fact they’ve been infected 52 times and counting.

Sniff, sniff

The ISS is likely one of the only places you can actually smell space.

Astronauts have described it as a “metallic-ionization-type smell.”

And, soon we can all smell it

And, for most of us, the ISS has seemed way too far out of reach. Especially if you never got to go to Space Camp. But NASA has announced plans to change all that, and allow regular tourists to actually visit!

The first visits won’t come cheap, likely costing more than a million dollars for the first trip.

But you can’t beat that view!

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Facts About James Bond That Are Shaken, Not Stirred

When thinking of a classic action movie filled with gadgets, flawless suits and incredible cars, it’s hard not to think about the iconic 007 James Bond.

But, there is more than martinis and Tom Ford behind the most famous spy.

And, yes I would like to point out the irony of a “famous spy.”

The creator is a real-life 007.

More than a spy, James Bond is perhaps the most iconic action hero ever. So, it makes sense that he was created by a real-life action hero.

Ian Fleming, the author of the original James Bond novels, was a Commander in the British Naval Intelligence who created “Operation Ruthless” and “Operation Goldeneye” during WW2.

After the war, Fleming told friends he planned to write “the spy novel to end all spy novels.”

But Bond was an ornithologist?

Fleming wrote Casino Royale, the first Bond novel, at his GoldenEye Estate in Jamaica, but the history of Bond’s name belies that reputation of violence and adventure.

Fleming borrowed Bond’s name from an ornithologist who wrote a book about birds he liked.

However, 007 comes from someone else

Fleming loosely based his protagonist on John Dee, who in the 16th century would sign letters to Queen Elizabeth I with a “007.”

Fleming has been an inspiration for many

While Fleming wrote 13 novels and one collection of short stories, there have been 26 movies about James Bond.

The first movie not based on a Bond story was GoldenEye.

Let’s make a pit stop

While Bond has driven several notable cars, like the BMW Z3, his most iconic car is the Aston Martin DB5 which appeared in six of the movies.

Meanwhile, over 15 BMW 750s were destroyed during the filming of Tomorrow Never Dies.

But, who is the best Bond?

On film, Bond has been played by nine different actors.

The first on-screen appearance of James Bond is in the 1950s TV show Climax, where he was portrayed as an American named “Card Sense Jimmy Bond” by Barry Nelson.

The first actor to play Bond on the big screen, Sean Connery, rocketed to stardom with the role.

The way he delivered his introduction, “Bond… James Bond” is a red-letter date in the history of cool.

However, Connery worried about being typecast as a spy.

“I’ve always hated that damned James Bond. I’d like to kill him,” Sean Connery said.

In 1967, comedy actor David Niven played a parody of Bond in Casino Royale.

George Lazenby portrayed Bond in On His Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969.

Though many fans consider it a high point of the franchise, he was never asked back.

When Pierce Brosnan took over the role with 1995’s GoldenEye, the character was reimagined as less sexist, and slightly more sober.

Sober but deadly

But Brosnan’s Bond was the deadliest Bond, taking out 47 foes.

Meanwhile, Roger Moore only took out one person in The Man with the Golden Gun.

It’s all about the iconic look

Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond in 2006’s Casino Royale, was controversial due to his blonde hair.

For the opening scene of Skyfall, 85 identical versions of Bond’s Tom Ford suit were made.

It’s all in the title.

“Spectre” is an anagram for ‘Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.’

The newest Bond movie, No Time to Die, is named after a 1958 British war movie.

There has only been one James Bond remake:

Never Say Never Again is based on the same story as Thunderball.

The remake starred Sean Connery, 12 years after he said he would “never” play Bond again.

Bond has nothing but time.

James Bond is the second longest-running film franchise after Godzilla (1954).

And the franchise is showing no signs of slowing.