Things You Need to Know

Every year I make a point of collecting useless, but really interesting facts, for my annual ‘Things You Need to Know’ edition. This year proves to have another great selection of trivia, which will make you the star at all your Christmas parties.

• Did you know men can read smaller print than women can, but women can hear better? Nothing surprising there.

• Africa is the land of Tarzan, but did you know only 28% of the continent is wilderness, whereas that percentage in North America is 38%.

• The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven is $21,400?

• If you fly a great deal, you are not alone. During any given hour, the average number of people airborne over the U.S. is 61,000. In Canada, that number is 6,000.

• Like to read books? The first novel ever written on a typewriter was Tom Sawyer.

• Are you aware the kings in a deck of playing cards represent real people? Spades: King David, Hearts: Charlemagne, Clubs: Alexander the Great and Diamonds: Julius Caesar.

• If a statue in the park of a person on a hor