The vaunted Pony Express mail delivery operated for less than 20 months (April 1860-November 1861).

The term “cracker jack” was originally a slang cyclist term referring to a freewheel with its jacks (pawls) and clicking sound (cracker).

Frank Sinatra collected model trains.

Reindeer are crazy for human urine, and relish that yellow snow (they go for dog urine too, but they’re not as crazy about it). Reindeer trappers and hunters use this fact to their advantage.

According to one trivia buff, the name of the bear hand puppet on The Mickey Mouse Club was Sooty.

This article appears in December 18 • 1998 and December 18 • 1998 (Cover).

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