Ernie's Tumbler

Your 'tongue print' is as unique as your fingerprint. Don't worry though, the police won't be inking your tongue and taking your tongue print anytime soon. However, research on the required 3-D imaging technology for tongue prints is already being developed and tested.

A 'claque' (klak) is a group of individuals hired to applaud an act or performer.  Its secondary meaning is - a group of sycophants. 

You have about 9,000 taste buds, each housing about 50 taste cells that detect sweet, salty, bitter, or sour flavors. Taste buds renew themselves every 10 days to 2-weeks.

An American taking a 5-minute shower uses more water than the average person in a developing country slum uses for an entire day.

In China, 85% of people share the same 100 last names. Li, Wang, and Chen are the most common names.

The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was actually written for Thanksgiving.

Abbreviating the word Christmas as Xmas is not disrespectful. According to "Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas," Christmas is a contraction of “Christ’s Mass,” which is derived from the Old English Cristes mæsse (first recorded in 1038). The letter “X” in Greek is the first letter of Christ, and “Xmas” has been used as an abbreviation for Christmas since the mid-1500's.

Buying all of the 12 Days of Christmas gifts this year will cost $34,559 - $196 more than last year.

The average Christmas shopper walks 5-miles around stores and parking lots shopping for gifts.

A 'corpocracy' is a society in which corporations control the government. Does this form of government sound familiar to anyone else?

In Spanish, the word 'esposas' means both 'wives' and 'handcuffs'. To clarify - In Spanish, the word 'esposas' means 'wives', but 'esposas de policia' means 'handcuffs'. Draw your own conclusions.

Facebook data shows that the week before Christmas is the most popular time for couples to break up.

Communist leader Vladimir Lenin spoke English - with a strong Irish accent.

In 1325, 2 cities, Moderna and Bologna, went to war over a stolen bucket. 2,000 people were killed. Moderna still has the bucket to this day.

Bananas are a natural sleep aid. They contain melatonin, which regulates the body's natural rhythms.

According to one study, coffee is most effective if consumed between 9:30 am and 11:30 am.

Blood donors lose about 650 calories for every pint of blood they donate. Each pint donated can help save up to 3 people's lives.