DAY ONE
Things I learned on vacation: Part 1
1. Just 32 years after the Wright Flyer, we had commercial airlines.
2. Amelia Earhart didn't disappear alone. Her navigator Fred Noonan also vanished, but no one remembers him. I want to create a "Remember Fred Noonan" Foundation or something. Poor dude.
3. Alan Shepard was the American in space, but we remember John Glenn because he was the first American to orbit the Earth.
4. Because early airline passengers frequently caught colds and fell ill, all stewardesses had to be registered nurses.
5. The only display plane the Smithsonian has dropped is the 17,000 pound Douglas DC-3 airliner, which is the heaviest suspended plane. It's fine.
6. A "sol" is a Martian day. It is 24 hours and 37 minutes long.
DAY TWO
Things I learned on vacation: Part 2
1. The Star Spangled Banner, the most patriotic song in America, is written to the tune of an 18th century British drinking song. For real.
2. The infamous Pony Express was in operation for less than two years.
3. FDR has the most stylish presidential china. Very tasteful.
4. There is a basketball court literally above the Supreme Court, making it the "highest court" (haha).
5. The American History Museum needs a makeover. The home of cool things such as Dorothy's ruby slippers and a vial from the first batch of the polio vaccine should not look like a children's museum. Just sayin'.
6. Newspapers names (The Post, The Courier, etc.) were originally titled according to their means of delivery.
Things I learned on vacation: Part 3
1. There is a room called the crypt in the Capitol meant to house Washington's corpse. However, because his will stated he wanted to be buried at Mount Vernon, the crypt remains empty.
2. Lobsters greet other lobsters by urinating on them. Be glad you're not a lobster.
3. The 1st printed book on astronomy was published in 1482.
4. Female pandas are only able to conceive 2 days out of the year.
5. The complete Gutenburg Bible is 3 volumes.
6. When the A/C is broken on a packed train in 91 degree 60% humidity weather, murdering someone for touching you doesn't really feel like it should be a crime.
Things I Learned on Vacation: Part 4
1. Captive-bred birds must be taught to migrate before being reintroduced into the wild. They follow a small aircraft piloted by a disguised human.
2. The Concord, breaking the speed of sound traveling at Mach 2, can outfly the rotational speed of the Earth.
3. Space junk is dangerous. Debris from a previous shuttle pierced through 6 of the 7 layers of a shuttle window. The piece of debris? A PAINT CHIP!!
4. A fighter pilot is called an "ace" once he has 5 kills or more.
5. Crystals formed in space have more uniform structual and electrical properties than those formed on Earth.
Things I Learned on Vacation: Part 5
1. Very soon, you can 3D print your own life-size T Rex. For real. The Smithsonian is digitally scanning its T Rex skeleton so they can 3D print it to study it in more depth. They will make the scans available, so anyone can create a 3D model. (It doesn't have to be giant.)
2. My left shoelace is plotting my murder. Multiple times, it has untied itself steps before I get on an escaltor, then wanders dangerously close to getting caught and trapping me. There has been no sign of mutiny from my right shoelace, but I remain vigilant.
3. The model mothership used in 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' had many hidden objects, such as a VW bus, R2D2, and a small cemetery.
4. Jefferson's writing desk was tiny--about the size of a shoebox.
5. The Smithsonian asks each first lady to donate an item to represent herself. Traditionally, she donates her inaugural ball gown though it's not required.
6. When viewing only the skeletons of manta rays, skates, and sting rays, they look disturbingly like the facesuckers from Alien. It is quite unnerving.
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