The Library of Congress is an essential part of the government of the United States of America, even though back in the early days of the country it was almost an after thought and only came about due to the generosity of many people, including Thomas Jefferson who donated his personal library to the institution. With all of the books, maps, pamphlets, films and more housed in this incredible institution, a great deal is known about it, but here are 7 things you don’t know about the Library of Congress.

1. In the terms of shelf space alone, the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world.

2. The Library of Congress was formed as part of the Act of Congress that moved the nation’s capital from Philadelphia to Washington.

3. The Library of Congress was just a small library with roughly 3,000 books in it when British troops destroyed it by setting fire to the Capitol building as part of the War of 1812.

4. First opening in 1897, the building that was then known as the Library of Congress Building was renamed the Thomas Jefferson Building in 1980.

5. While the Library of Congress is open to the public and anyone who is at least sixteen years of age and in possession of a government issued photo identification card is allowed into the reading room, only members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices and their staff, Library of Congress personnel, and other government officials can actually check out books and remove them from the building.

6. The Library of Congress’ head librarian, a position known as the Librarian of Congress, is appointed by the President of the United States.

7. John J. Beckley was the first Librarian of Congress and served in that role from 1802 to 1807. Interestingly, he is also credited by many as being the first political campaign manager.

The Library of Congress houses some of America’s greatest treasures and is an awesome place to visit and make use of. The institution has grown from a single room library housed in the capital building to a massive facility encompassing numerous buildings of its own. A visit to the Library of Congress is a great thing to do for anyone traveling to Washington D.C.

Animal House is one of the more popular comedy movies of all time and seems to gain a legion of new fans with each generation that heads into the college age bracket. The film launched the careers of several comedic actors, some who would go on to be leading actors and others who would develop into great character actors. Here are 7 things you don’t know about: Animal House.

1. Tim Matheson, who played Otter in National Lampoon’s Animal House, would later go on to own the National Lampoon magazine when he and a business partner purchased it in the late 1980s.

2. Bravo TV puts Animal House first overall on their list of 100 Funniest Movies.

3. During the filming of Animal House, John Belusi would spend Monday through Wednesday working on the filming of the movie and then fly across country to New York City to work on Saturday Night Live from Thursday through Saturday.

4. The character of Otter was originally offered to Chevy Chase who turned it down.

5. The original filming location of Animal House was supposed to be the University of Missouri, but when officials there read the script they backed off and the University of Oregon accepted the offer.

6. Denver, Colorado was home to the first preview screening of Animal House.

7. A script was written for a sequel to Animal House, it wasn’t received well and after John Belushi’s death it was set aside indefinitely.

Animal House is truly one of the funniest movies ever and was revolutionary at the time of its release. Many subsequent films have followed a similar formula trying to capitalize on its popularity, but there is nothing like the original… there is nothing like Animal House.

Michael Jackson has had one of the more fascinating careers of any pop star in history. From the top of the world as the King of Pop to the butt of jokes regarding any number of things about his personal life, “The Gloved One” has kept all eyes on him for decades. Here though are 7 thing you don’t know about Michael Jackson.

1. Michael Jackson’s breakout album, Off The Wall (1979), was produced by Quincy Jones who he met and teamed up with while filming the Wizard of Oz remake ‘The Wiz’ in which Jackson starred as the Scarecrow.

2. Michael Jackson’s Heal the World charitable foundation was founded in 1992, but by 2002 had been dissolved largely because of not filing proper paperwork related to charitable foundations. The organization was revived in 2008.

3. The story, later turning out to be false, that Michael Jackson spent time sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber was originally put out by the singer himself to garner press and cultivate his unusual reputation and identity.

4. Though he is not the originator, Michael Jackson made the famous ‘Moonwalk’ one of the most popular dance steps in history. The original name for the dance move though was the ‘Backslide’.

5. The woman walking down a dark alley in Michael Jackson’s music video for ‘Dirty Diana’ is played by Jackson’s real life sister, LaToya Jackson.

6. Michael Jackson’s famous 2,800 acre Neverland Ranch was purchased by the singer in 1988 for $30 million. The property was purchased by Jackson from a golf course developer.

7. Michael Jackson’s performance during halftime of Super Bowl XXVII is historically significant in the fact that it is the first Super Bowl in history where the television audience increased for the halftime show over the amount that had been watching the game.

Figuring out what will become of Michael Jackson has proven to be one of the toughest things for anyone to do over the last few decades. The only thing that is sure is that he will most likely forever be in the public eye. Michael Jackson’s track record as an entertainer speaks for itself, and his sometimes outlandish behavior is found to be strangely captivating by a number of people that call themselves his fans as well as his detractors.

7 Things You Don’t Know About The Columbia River

The Columbia River is one of the more magnificent rivers in the United States. The river’s headwaters actually begin inside Canada, but the majority of it flows through Washington State and along the Washington-Oregon border before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. A great deal is known about this important natural resource, but here are 7 things you don’t know about the Columbia River.

1. 498 miles of the Columbia River’s total length of 1,243 miles is found in Canada.

2. Cape Disappointment marks the northern edge of the mouth of the Columbia River. It received its name from British Captain John Meares who had searched for the river, couldn’t find it, and determined that it didn’t exist.

3. More than 40 percent of all wheat that is exported from the entire United States is at one time or another barged down the Columbia River.

4. There are 14 hydroelectric dams that produce power on the Columbia River, three of them lie within the borders of Canada’s British Columbia.

5. Despite the fact that the Columbia River starts in Canada and flows south into Washington State, the first 200 miles of the river actually flows northwest from its source.

6. The largest dam on the Columbia River is the Grand Coulee Dam. The original planned height of the dam was to be between 200 and 300 feet, during construction the planned height of the dam was changed to 500 feet high.

7. The three Columbia River dams that are found inside Canada, Mica Dam, Duncan Dam and Hugh Keenleyside Dam, were all built in the late 1960s and early 1970s and were required as part of the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada. They are all mainly used for water storage, although power production was enabled at two of the dams years after they were completed.

The Columbia River is a great source of hydroelectric power and recreational opportunities. It has developed into one of the more important resources that the Pacific Northwest has and is used to the benefit of the entire nation. There are a number of worthwhile attractions and locations to visit up and down the entire length of the Columbia River.

The city of Victoria, British Columbia takes advantage of its geographic location and its historical architecture and now supplies a great deal of tourists each year with a wonderful stay in what can be described as a beautifully quaint community. The placement within view of so many gorgeous mountains and right on the water is enough to satisfy the most discriminating visitor. Here though are seven things you don’t know about the city of Victoria, British Columbia.

1. Victoria was the capitol of the old Vancouver Island Colony which wasn’t included politically with the mainland until they were joined in 1866, the city remained the capital of the new united colony at that point.

2. The Victoria Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association won hockey’s Stanley Cup in 1925.

3. The Jordan River Diversion Dam, built in 1911, is Victoria’s main source of hydroelectric power.

4. Victoria sits on the western end of Canada’s Trans-Canada Highway which is the longest national highway any where in the world.

5. Nearby Sydney, BC is home to the only Canadian port of call for the Washington State Ferry system. Thousands of tourists every year use this connection as a way to visit beautiful Victoria, British Columbia.

6. Before becoming a city, the area that would become Victoria was long known as Fort Victoria. It had first been established and known for a short time as Fort Albert.

7. The oldest synagogue in continuous use in Canada is Temple Emanuel which was built in Victoria in 1863.

A visit to the city of Victoria, British Columbia is a great way to spend a vacation. From the natural beauty of the surrounding waters and mountains to the historical beauty of the city itself, the city of Victoria is a must stop for anyone traveling through the Pacific Northwest area.

When many people picture Washington State they envision the skyline of Seattle with Mount Rainier behind it. Mount Rainier is one of the most famous natural feature of Washington State. The mountain is popular with climbers who go to the top, hikers who circumnavigate it, and campers who spend days in its shadow. This most famous of all of the Cascade Mountains is one of the most visited places in the state, but here are seven things you don’t know about Mount Rainier.

1. Mount Rainier is actually topped by two separate volcanic craters.

2. Six rivers flow from the glacial snow of Mount Rainier, they are the Puyallup, Carbon, Mowich, Nisqually, Cowlitz and White rivers.

3. The first European to view Mount Rainier was the British explorer Captain George Vancouver. He named the mountain after his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.

4. Mount Rainier National Park was created by President William McKinley and was the fifth national park in the United States.

5. As recent as 1924, the United States Congress considered a resolution to change the name of Mount Rainier to Mount Tacoma.

6. In 1946, 32 people died when the plane they were in crashed into the side of Mount Rainier, the crash site was located on the South Tahoma Glacier.

7. The Wonderland Trail is a 93 mile long hiking trail that circumnavigates the entire mountain.

The pure beauty of Mount Rainier is one of the reasons that anyone visiting the state of Washington needs to make sure that they include it on their list of places to see. Mount Rainier rarely disappoints its visitors and usually rates very high with travelers from out of state. There is so much to do in and around the mountain that anyone with any outdoor recreation interests will find more than enough to occupy themselves with.

Historically speaking, the state of Connecticut has played a large role in the history of the United States of America. Like every state in the union, there is a great deal known about Connecticut. Here though are seven things you don’t know about the state of Connecticut.

1. The highest point in the state of Connecticut is on the southern slope of Mount Frissell, the peak of the mountain sits in nearby Massachusetts.

2. In the late 1600s, the colony of Connecticut was at war over land with the colony of Pennsylvania.

3. A resident of Connecticut is officially a “Connecticuter”.

4. Before 1875, the communities of New Haven and Hartford spent time alternating as capitals.

5. The Boston Celtics played a number of games in Hartford, Connecticut during the timespan of 1975 to 1995.

6. President George W. Bush was born in the state of Connecticut.

7. The Connecticut River was originally named the Versche River by early Dutch explorers.

Connecticut is one of the smaller states in the United States, but it doesn’t lack for anything when it comes to its history and how it is able to treat the tourists that visit there. The state of Connecticut is truly a gem when it comes to places that someone can visit and it rarely disappoints either travelers or locals alike.

The Stanley Cup is one of the most famous trophies in sport. The winners of the Stanley Cup go down in history because they and everyone involved with management of the organization get their name engraved on the trophy. There is a great deal of information out there about the Stanley Cup, but here are seven things you don’t know about the Stanley Cup.

1. The first American team to play for the Stanley Cup was the Portland Rosebuds of the PCHA, the first American team to win the Stanley Cup was the PCHA’s Seattle Metropolitans.

2. The Stanley Cup was originally known as he Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup.

3. Lord Stanley not only never presented the Cup to a championship hockey team, but because of having to unexpectedly return to England earlier than planned he never had a chance to see a Stanley Cup championship game.

4. The Kenora Thistles won the Stanley Cup in 1907, with a population of roughly 4,000 at the time, this is the smallest community to ever win he Cup.

5. Due to labor issues, no Stanley Cup was played for or awarded in 2005. This was the first year with no Stanley Cub champion since the great flu pandemic of 1919.

6. Jean Beliveau’s name appears on the Stanley Cup more times than anyone else. He won the Stanley Cup as a player on ten different occasions, he then was part of seven Stanley Cup championships as a member of management.

7. The first woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup was Marguerite Norris who was President of the Detroit Red Wings when they won the Cup in 1954 and 1955.

The Stanley Cup is one of the most sought after and famous awards in sports. The unique start that the Cup had as a challenge trophy that was not confined to only being won by National Hockey League teams is unlike the championship trophy awarded in any other major sport. The Stanley Cup is one of the few trophies that fans of the sport have that much knowledge and respect for, and there is obviously a reason for that.

Bamboo is most often associated with Asian countries and furniture, but bamboo is much more than that. There are many uses for this misunderstood tree, and it those that only expect to find it in use in one part of the world are surprised every day when they find that it is being used every where. Here are seven things you don’t know about bamboo.

1. There are roughly 1,000 different species of bamboo.

2. Bamboo has been observed to grow as fast as 45 inches in one 24-hour time period, though most often it grows at a rate of 2-8 inches a day.

3. Though many cultures use young bamboo shoots in cooking, shoots of the giant bamboo contain measurable cyanide.

4. In many areas of East Asia and Indonesia, bamboo sap from young stalks is often fermented into a local treat of sweet wine.

5. In some areas of the world, the natural strength of bamboo is being used in scaffolding for both construction and maintenance purposes.

6. The main source of food for the enormous giant Panda is bamboo. They are known to eat the stems, leaves and shoots.

7. Carbonized bamboo was used as a filament material in one of Thomas Edison’s earliest incandescent lamps.

In many parts of the world, whole communities rely on bamboo for everything from a food source to a building material, and more. Bamboo is widely cultivated for its versatility, few other plants can be used in the wide amount of ways that bamboo can. Bamboo has earned its place as one of the most well used plants in the world as many people around the world have discovered the benefits that it has to offer.

President Herbert Hoover is probably one of the most controversial presidents in the history of the United States. As the last Republican President before the four continuous administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hoover was blamed greatly for ineffective leadership at the beginning of the great depression. Here are seven things though that you don’t know about President Herbert Hoover.

1. Herbert Hoover was the first head of any host nation to not attend the Olympics being hosted in their home country. Hoover was President of the United States from 1929-1933 and didn’t attend the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles in 1932.

2. Herbert Hoover was the first United States President born west of the Mississippi River.

3. Hoover was orphaned after his mother died when he was five and his father died when he was nine.

4. Herbert Hoover attended Stanford University (then known as Leland Stanford Junior University) in the first year of the school’s existence.

5. Less than a decade before being elected President of the United States as a Republican in 1928, Hoover was pursued by Democratic leaders to be their nominee.

6. When former President Hoover toured what would become West Germany following World War II to ascertain what the country’s food needs were, his mode of transportation was rail and his personal car was the former personal car of German Field Marshal Herman Goring.

7. More than twenty years after losing his bid for reelection to Franklin Roosevelt, President Hoover was offered the opportunity to become a Senator from New York to fill an unexpired term, but he turned the opportunity down.

No former President lived longer after leaving office than President Hoover. Through those many years a great deal was done to rehabilitate his image and in later life he was perceived much better than he was when the country was in the thick of the Great Depression. President Hoover led the country through one of its most difficult times, and paid the political price for it too.