Strange But True: Abraham Lincoln's hair

By Lucie Winborne

• A Spanish civil servant went unnoticed for six years after he stopped showing up for work until someone tried to give him an award for his long service.

• The Spangler Candy Company named their famous lollipops "Dum Dums" because it was a word that was easy for any kid to say.

• In the 1960s, the Goodyear tire company tested the bright idea of lighted tires, to be available in a range of colors. They looked pretty cool in the dark, but their unfortunate tendency to melt under heavy braking and poor performance in wet conditions doomed the concept to the dustbin.

• A 2016 study revealed that only 27% of the words spoken in the biggest movies were uttered by women.

• National Donut Day originally started as a way to honor Salvation Army volunteers who served donuts to soldiers in World War I.

• When a man allegedly found a dead mouse in his can of Mountain Dew, Pepsi had an expert claim in an affidavit that the drink was so acidic it would have dissolved the mouse after 30 days.

• The Hubble Space Telescope is so powerful that it can spot the glow of a firefly from some 7,000 miles away.

• Professional wrestler and mixed martial arts champion Ronda Rousey confessed on the "Jim Rome on Showtime" TV show that she tries to have as much sex as possible before a match because it boosts her testosterone levels.

• During his inauguration, Teddy Roosevelt wore a ring that contained a lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair.

• The mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, once hired 420 mimes to make fun of traffic violators, believing his fellow countrymen feared ridicule more than fines.

Thought for the Day: "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me." -- Henry Ford

(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.