The real masters behind "Friday" the single are the ARK Music Factory, a company owned by Jey and Wilson. Their business centers on the recruitment/discovery of new young singers whom they then writes music with (or for) these singers and records them, often producing music videos of these songs.

Captain Matthew Webb of England was the first to swim the English Channel using the breaststroke, which was used earlier by Benjamin Franklin.

In the blockbuster hit, E.T., the Extra Terrestrial (1982), Harrison Ford was cast as the school principal, but his only scene was cut. Director Steven Spielberg decided his presence in the film would be too distracting. Ford's wife Melissa Mathison wrote E.T.'s screenplay.

Not the entire family -- Led by producer Wes Farrell, a group of hired studio musicians actually created the Partridge Family sound. Interestingly, lthough David Cassidy was originally cast with the intent to lip sync with the rest of the cast, he convinced Farrell just weeks into production that he could sing well and was allowed to join the ...Read more

Four riders have won the Tour de France five times: Jacques Anquetil (France) in 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964; Eddy Merckx (Belgium) in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1974; Bernard Hinault (France) in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985; and Miguel Indurain (Spain) in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 (the first to do so in five consecutive years). ...Read more

Zebras, like other equids, have three gaits: the walk, the trot, and the gallop.

When traveling in Jordan, it is important for foreigners to know for that the host may ask a visitor to stay for dinner. It is customary to refuse twice before accepting. Refuse seconds of any dish offered unless the host insists a couple of times, and even then accept only with a slight air of

The rich flavor of dark turkey meat is especially valued in soup and stew recipes. Dark meat holds up better than white meat in rich marinades.

When it comes to what really matters to travelers, the United States has the rest of the world beat when it comes to its toilets. Per a survey of 100 international travel writers, the United States has, by far, the best in the world. Western Europe may have the best castles and museums, but johns finished a distant second. Scandinavia, rated ...Read more

The average life span of London residents in the middle of the 19th century was 27 years. For members of the working class, that number dropped to 22 years.

Portuguese wine bottled in 1811 is called "comet wine." Its excellent quality is believed to be due to the Great Comet of that year. The term "comet wine" is often used for any wine made in the year of an important comet.

The incident and the aftermath were heavily covered by the news media. While the rescue efforts were both successful and commendable, the cause of the collision and the capsizing and sinking of the Andrea Doria afterward generated much interest in the media, and many lawsuits. The Andrea Doria was the last major transatlantic passenger vessel to...Read more

Lanolin, an essential ingredient of many expensive cosmetics, is, in its native form, a foul-smelling, waxy, tarlike substance extracted from the fleece of sheep.

A "clue" originally meant a ball of thread. This is why one is said to "unravel" the clues of a mystery.

It was in Indianapolis that Ruth Hoskins learned Lizzie Magie's "Landlord's Game." Taking it back to Atlantic City she made a new board with Atlantic City street names and renamed the game Monopoly. The Atlantic City board made its way to Philadelphia, where it was eventually taught to Charles Darrow, who then began to distribute his hand-made ...Read more

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is the name given to emancipation day by African Americans in Texas. On that day in 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger read General Order #3 to the people of Galveston, which began as follows: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States...Read more

Orca whales are voluntary breathers. For this reason, they sleep with only half of their brain at one time. The other half remains alert to regulate breathing. Resident whales typically remain near the surface, breathing and swimming in a pattern. When traveling together, resident pods have been observed to breathe in unison. Although it is not ...Read more

The nephila spider of India spins its webs with strands that are more than 20 feet long.

The Broadway musical A Chorus Line, written by James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante, Marvin Hamlisch, and Edward Kleban, employed 510 different members during its record 15-year run at the Shubert Theatre.

The average minimal speed of birds in order to remain aloft in flight is reported to be about 16½ feet per second, or about 11 miles per hour.