wtf fact

WTF Fun Fact 13274 – The Ubiquitous AOL CDs

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From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, America Online (AOL) CDs were a ubiquitous object in households across the country. These CDs were inescapable, as they seemed to arrive in the mail on a regular basis, and were even stocked in stores. At one point in the 1990s, around half of all CDs produced in the world were AOL CDs. For those too young to remember, this was many people’s only way to access the internet.

The history of AOL CDs

AOL, or America Online, was a pioneer of the internet in its early days. As one of the first internet service providers, it offered dial-up access to the World Wide Web through its proprietary software, which was distributed on CDs. Lots and lots of them.

AOL packaged the CDs in bright, attention-grabbing sleeves. They often came with enticing offers for free internet trials, exclusive content, and more.

The impact of AOL CDs on marketing and internet access was far-reaching. By the late 1990s, AOL began producing more than one million CDs per day, a testament to their effectiveness as a sales and marketing tool.

According to The Atlantic (cited below), AOL’s former chief marketing officer Jan Brandt told TechCrunch that the company spent over $300 million luring in customers with CD. “At one point, 50% of the CD’s produced worldwide had an AOL logo on it. We were logging in new subscribers at the rate of one every six seconds,” he said.

Copycats and landfills

These discs provide millions of Americans with access to the internet, but they were also a crucial instrument in the early days of online marketing. Companies could bundle their software, promotions, and products with the discs, providing them with unprecedented exposure to a growing audience.

Many companies followed suit, with other internet service providers conducting similar campaigns. Despite their success, AOL CDs eventually fell out of favor as the internet landscape evolved.

As broadband access became more widespread, the need for the inexpensive access provided by AOL diminished.

These compact discs were undeniably effective. But they were also an environmental nightmare since people discarded these CDs in landfills once they became obsolete.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “How Much Did All of Those AOL CDs Cost?” — The Atlantic

WTF Fun Fact 13273 – Men’s Nipples Lactate

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It’s extremely rare unless something is wrong with the body, but technically, men’s nipples lactate. That is, they are capable of producing milk, which is the function of a nipple.

All fetuses develop nipples. Male, female, and intersex fetuses develop nipples during the early stages of fetal development, typically around 6 to 7 weeks gestation. This is because nipples are a fundamental part of the human anatomy. It is only later in fetal development that sex-specific features begin to emerge, such as the development of genitalia.

How, when, and why do men’s nipples lactate?

While lactation in men is a rare occurrence, it is not something that should be dismissed as a mere anomaly. Despite being uncommon, men can and do produce breast milk in certain circumstances. For example, it may happen during hormonal imbalances or after frequent stimulation of the nipples. This phenomenon has been documented in a variety of mammalian species, including humans. Yet much remains to be understood about the underlying biology and mechanisms driving male lactation.

Male lactation is also known to occur in response to the hormonal changes brought about by certain medical conditions. For example, in some cases, male lactation is triggered when a man experiences a rise in the hormone prolactin.

The role of prolactin

The hormone responsible for milk production in females plays a similar role in males. Prolactin stimulates milk production in the mammary glands, and in males, it is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

However, the prolactin levels in males are much lower than in females. This is why milk production in males is rare, and the amount produced is usually not enough to sustain an infant. The biology involved in male lactation involves the mammary glands, which are present in both men and women.

While these glands are not fully developed in men, they still have the potential to produce milk. The process of male lactation can also be triggered by stress, certain medications, or a tumor in the pituitary gland.

Stimulating lactation in men

Another cause of male lactation is the use of medications that can mimic the hormonal effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding. For example, medications containing estrogen can cause an increase in prolactin production, leading to milk production in men’s mammary glands.

Despite the rarity of male lactation, some men have been able to nurse their infants successfully. One example is a man named Jack Newman. After adopting a child, Newman was able to induce lactation through a combination of hormone treatments and frequent nursing sessions.

Male lactation may seem like a strange and abnormal occurrence. But the rare phenomenon of male lactation is a fascinating subject. And it has captured the interest of scientists and laypeople alike. While much remains to be discovered, continued research into male lactation could have significant implications for our understanding of infant nutrition and lactation science as a whole. The underlying mechanisms that allow men to produce milk could help to improve our understanding of the biology of lactation in general. This could lead to breakthroughs in lactation-related issues such as mastitis and low milk supply.

Despite these potential benefits, male lactation remains a largely unexplored field of study.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Strange but True: Males Can Lactate” — Scientific American

WTF Fun Fact 13272 – The Highest-Grossing Movie of All Time

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If you adjust for inflation, “Gone With the Wind” is the highest-grossing movie of all time, earning approximately $1.8 billion. The movie was released in 1939 and earned $390 million worldwide in its initial release. It was an unprecedented success at the time.

The highest-grossing movie of all time

In 2009, Avatar became the highest-grossing film in history in nominal terms. But even today, when adjusting for inflation, “Gone With the Wind” still wins.

The film, directed by Victor Fleming and starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, tells the story of a young woman named Scarlett O’Hara, who lives on a plantation in Georgia during the American Civil War and Reconstruction Era.

When the film was released, it received critical acclaim. It won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress. The movie is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Margaret Mitchell, which was published in 1936.

Despite its enduring popularity, the film has also been criticized for its depiction of slavery and its portrayal of African Americans. In recent years, there have been discussions about removing the film from circulation or adding disclaimers about its controversial themes.

In any case, the adjusted gross earnings of “Gone With the Wind” demonstrate its enduring popularity and cultural significance. Even after 80 years, the film remains a classic example of Hollywood’s Golden Age and continues to captivate audiences with its sweeping story and memorable characters.

Other high-grossing movies

In terms of box office revenue and NOT adjusted for inflation, the highest-grossing movies of all time are:

  1. Avatar (2009) – $2.8 billion
  2. Avengers: Endgame (2019) – $2.79 billion
  3. Titanic (1997) – $2.19 billion
  4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) – $2.07 billion
  5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – $2.04 billion

These figures only take into account box office revenue and do not factor in inflation or other revenue streams such as home video sales or merchandise.

Other movies that have high box office grosses when adjusted for inflation include:

  • “Star Wars” (1977) – $1.6 billion
  • “The Sound of Music” (1965) – $1.3 billion
  • “The Ten Commandments” (1956)
  • “Doctor Zhivago” (1965)
  • “Jaws” (1975)
  • “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)
  • “Titanic” (1997)
  • “Avatar” (2009)

—WTF fun facts

Source: “What is the highest-grossing movie of all time? And other box-office record breakers” — USA Today

WTF Fun Fact 13271 – A Day with No News

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On Good Friday in 1930, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) made an unusual announcement during their regular news broadcast. After the news anchor said, “Good evening, listeners. Today is Good Friday. There is no news,” the program went silent for several seconds before a pianist named Victor Hely-Hutchinson began playing light classical music.

On Good Friday in 1930, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) made an unusual announcement during their regular news broadcast. The anchor said, “Good evening, listeners. Today is Good Friday. There is no news.” Then, the program went silent for several seconds before playing 15 minutes of classical piano music.

A Good Friday with no news

This peculiar event, which has since become known as the “BBC piano interlude,” was a reflection of the slow news day that Good Friday typically is. In the UK, Good Friday is a public holiday, and many people take the day off work. As a result, there is often little happening in the news. In the absence of any news to report, the BBC turned to music to fill the airwaves.

For three hours, the soothing sounds of classical piano music filled homes and radios across the country. Despite the initial confusion and disappointment from some listeners, the BBC piano interlude became a beloved tradition in the UK.

In fact, it became so popular that it continued every year until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, which brought a halt to the broadcasts. Today, the BBC piano interlude is remembered as a charming and quirky moment in broadcasting history. It is a testament to the ingenuity and adaptability of early radio broadcasters, who were able to turn a potentially boring day into something memorable and enjoyable for their listeners.

A waste of time?

The stunt was not well-received by some listeners, who criticized the BBC for wasting airtime and failing to take their obligation to inform the public seriously. In a time before television and the internet, radio was a major source of information and entertainment. Listeners may have been expecting to hear the latest news and updates on Good Friday, only to be surprised by the lack of news and the soothing piano music instead.

However, many appreciated the gesture and praised the BBC for its sense of humor.

Despite the mixed reactions, the BBC continued to play music on public holidays. They even began broadcasting an entire program of light classical music on Sundays. This became known as their “Sunday Concerts.” This tradition lasted for several decades.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “‘There is no news’: What a change from 1930 to today” — BBC

WTF Fun Fact 12973 – Tokitae the Orca May Finally Be Set Free

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While many of us have fond childhood memories of seeing whales or dolphins perform at theme parks, adulthood brings the knowledge of what really happens behind the scenes. That’s why so many people celebrated in 2022 when it was announced that Tokitae the Orca may finally be set free after a half-century of performing at a marine park. Her mother is still alive, but Tokitae’s return is still in jeopardy.

Tokitae’s story

The orca was captured while swimming with a group of 80 others in a cove on Whidbey Island off Washington state decades ago. According to The Guardian (cited below): “Using boats, explosives, nets, and sticks, they separated young orca calves from their mothers. Locals were haunted by the whales’ human-like cries, according to anaccount of the day.”

The captors took 6 baby orcas from their mothers that day and sold them to marine parks. Nearly all died quickly, and only 1 is still alive today – Tokitae (whose stage name is Lolita).

The female orca has spent her whole life performing for audiences at the Miami Seaquarium “the smallest orca enclosurein North America.” In 2017, it was revealed that her tank didn’t even meet federal minimum guidelines for orca captivity. In 2022, she was allowed to “retire.”

Trying to return Tokitae to the wild

The Guardian notes that “there’s a chance she could finally go home. Activists are fighting to return the whale…to the Pacific north-west to live out her final days and possibly reconnect with her family. Her mother,believed to be in her 90s, still swims the waters of the Salish Sea, leading a pod of southern resident killer whales to find salmon.”

While activists, animal lovers, and philanthropists around the world have rallied behind her cause recent health assessments from the group Friends of Lolita, found that she has a chronic infection that requires antibiotics.

Their last update on the whale was on August 31, 2022:

UPDATE on the health of Tokitae, Miami Seaquarium’s sole Southern Resident orca, captive since 1970. Antibiotic therapy continues for treatment of a persistent infection, but, on a good note, she is active and continues to be engaged with staff. These are promising signs, despite her chronic health concerns.

Many who know Tokitae and have visited her at the “Whale Bowl” always remark on her astounding ability to persevere after everything she’s been through. She has a strong will to survive that is not easy to miss. She’s an inspiring, impressive orca.

Find more information at: https://www.friendsoflolita.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/OrcaRescuesFoundation/

Some have argued that Tokitae is too old to be released back into the wild, so only time will tell what her fate will be. —WTF fun facts

Source: “After half a century in captivity, Tokitae the performing orca could finally go home” — The Guardian

WTF Fun Fact 12899 – China Bans Reincarnation

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According to the Chinese government, any Tibetan monk needs government permission to reincarnate. The goal of this law, according to foreign policy and religious experts alike is to ensure that the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, reincarnates inside of China’s borders so they can control his actions.

How did China ban reincarnation?

The current Dalai Lama is considered a threat to the Chinese government and its claim to Tibet. Despite the fact that the Chinese government is atheist by nature and its officials are not allowed to practice religion, they still want to regulate what they consider to be Tibetan “separatists” in the form of Buddhist monks. So they rubber-stamped legislation that tries to interfere with the spiritual leadership of the region.

In 2007, the legislation insisted that monks must have “recognition from the religious world and the temple” to reincarnate. “The selection of reincarnates must preserve national unity and solidarity of all ethnic groups, and the selection process cannot be influenced by any group or individual from outside the country,” it says.

That might sound non-controversial at first glance, but the Chinese government has published an official registry of “licensed Buddhas” (monks who have achieved the highest place in the Buddhist religion) along with their recognized temple and an ID card number. The goal is to use the database to recognize only certain monks who tow the party line. The Chinese government says that “fake living Buddhas” are the reason behind the action.

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, and other Tibetan Buddhist monks pose a threat to the government with their desire for an autonomous Tibet, so they are not on the list.

In other words, if the Dalai Lama wants to reincarnate, he’ll have to do it within Chinese borders and be on the list in order to be recognized as the new, reigning Dalai Lama. Of course, the current Dalai Lama has refused to be reincarnated within Chinese borders, so we’ll likely see two Dalai Lamas when Tenzin Gyatso passes away – one recognized by China and one recognized by most of the rest of the world.

The reaction to the reincarnation law

In 2011, the Dalai Lama called the country’s reincarnation laws “outrageous” and “disgraceful,” saying “The enforcement of various inappropriate methods for recognizing reincarnations to eradicate our unique Tibetan cultural traditions is doing damage that will be difficult to repair.”

The Dalai Lama currently can’t return to Tibet or China and monks have protested this for decades. According to the LA Times (cited below): “More than 140 people in Tibet and neighboring provinces have burned themselves to death since 2009 as a grim protest against Chinese rule; many have called for the Dalai Lama’s return as they went up in flames.”

The newspaper also noted that, in 2016, “Baima Chilin, deputy Communist Party chief of the region, said that the Dalai Lama was ‘no longer a religious leader’ after he left Tibet in 1959. ‘If the Dalai Lama wants to return to China, he must give up ‘Tibet independence,’ and must publicly acknowledge Tibet and Taiwan are inseparable parts of China and that the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government.'”

There’s no chance of that happening. — WTF fun facts

Source: “In China, the state decides who can come back from the dead” — LA Times