Many European maps during the Middle Ages had the East on top instead of the North, thus “to orient” meant to align the map to the East, the Orient. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Ayapeneco
The Mexican language Ayapeneco (the name Ayapaneco is an imposition by outsiders, those who speak it call their language Nuumte Oote, which means the True Voice) is dying out. It is only spoken fluently by two people, but they refuse to talk to each other. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: .Language at risk of dying out – the last two speakers aren’t talking | Language | The Guardian
WTF Fun Fact – Vortex I Ploy
Oregon had the only state-sponsored rock festival in United States history, Vortex I. It was an elaborate ploy to lure young people away from Portland during a planned visit by President Richard Nixon. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregonexperience/segment/vortex-i/
WTF Fun Fact – Hiram Maxim
Hiram Maxim, the inventor of the automatic machine gun, spent so much time test-firing his guns that he became completely deaf. His son Hiram Percy Maxim eventually invented the silencer, but too late to save his father’s hearing. – WTF Fun Facts
Source:
WTF Fun Fact – AI Spider Animates Cobwebs
For Toy Story 4, instead of creating all of the individual cobwebs by hand in the antiques store, Pixar created AI spiders that were programmed to spin the webs wherever the cobwebs needed to be. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Pixar’s AI Spiders (kottke.org)
WTF Fun Fact – Shortest but Longest Solar Day
The winter solstice has the shortest amount of daylight but the “solar day” itself is actually the longest day of the year at roughly 24 hours and 29 seconds. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: EarthSky | Longest days accompany the December solstice
WTF Fun Fact – Cain’s Jawbone
The 1934 mystery novel Cain’s Jawbone by Edward Powys Mathers is printed with its 100 pages out of order. To solve the mystery, readers must determine the correct page order as well the names of the 6 murderers and 6 victims. The mystery has only ever officially been solved by 3 people. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Cain’s Jawbone – Wikipedia
WTF Fun Fact – Halloween Capital Of The World
Anoka, Minnesota was the first U.S. city to put on a Halloween celebration. Beginning in 1920, they wanted to divert youngsters from Halloween pranks so they held a Halloween celebration. In 1937, Congress proclaimed Anoka as “The Halloween Capital of the World”. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: From Anoka child’s play to Minneapolis zombies: Halloween now generates billions | MinnPost
WTF Fun Fact – Music On Hold Origin
The practice of playing music to callers on hold was created by a factory owner who discovered that a loose wire in his factory’s phone lines made the building a giant receiver. The broadcast from a close radio station was transmitted through the wire and played when calls were put on hold. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Music on hold – Wikipedia