Page 78 - Other Facts

The longest sniper shot confirmed was 1.5 miles by British sniper Craig Harrison!

Craig Harrison is a Corporal of Horse in the Blues and Royals RHG/D of the British Army. He holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat at 2,707 yards in 2009. The previous record was 2,657 yards by Rob Furlong in 2002. In November of 2009, Harrison killed two Taliban machine gunners consecutively south of Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

He shot at 2,707 yards, 1.5 miles, with an L115A3 Long Range Rifle. The weather was perfect for a sniper shot, but the low altitude of the valley helped, too. The rifle’s manufacturers said that the rifle is still fairly accurate beyond 1,640 yards, but luck would be needed to make a 2,707 yard shot. 

Harrison did it twice in a row, though. I think he’s just that good. Environmental conditions play a major role in bullet flight. The L115A3 long range rifle should technically only shoot 1,693 yards at the altitude of Musa Qala. 

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The thinnest American states now are FATTER than the fattest American states in 1991!

In 1991, a handful of states in America had less than a 10% obesity rate, a majority of states had a 10%-20% rate, and no state had more than a 20% obesity rate. Now, only about 2 decade later; no state has less than a 10% obesity rate! In fact, a majority of states have a 25%-30% obesity rate! Statistically, Colorado is the thinnest state with a 19.1% obesity rate-which means that it is as fat or and maybe even fatter than the fattest American states in 1991! 

The fattest state is Mississippi with an obesity rate of 33.8%! It’s not only the obesity rate either; the cancer rate and health care costs have also sky-rocketed. And it’s safe to assume that they all have something to do with one another. These once-unimaginable statistics are being blamed on processed foods, cars, and of course, the Internet. 

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The oldest surviving gun was made in 1288!

It is made of pure bronze, and was discovered at a site in modern-day Acheng District Heilongjian, China where many battles were fought at the time. It has a 6.9 inch barrel of a 1 inch diameter, a 2.6 inch chamber for gunpowder and a socket for the firearm’s handle. But it’s by no means the first gun! 

The earliest depiction of a firearm is a sculpture from a cave in Sichuan,-you guessed it-China. The sculpture dates back to the 12th century and has flames and a cannonball coming out of it. Some other fun firearms facts: 

• The name “Ku Klux Klan” was inspired by the sound of a rifle being cocked 
• A bullet fired from a gun parallel to the ground, and an identical bullet dropped from the same height at the same time, will both hit the ground at the same time. 
• High quality paper is referred to as cartridge paper because brass cartridges of gunpowder and a ball were wrapped in paper of high quality paper. 

Check out the source for some more bullets of knowledge. 

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During his execution in 1730, pirate Oliver Levasseur tossed a coded message into the crowd, screaming; "Find my treasure, he who may understand it!" People are still trying.

Oliver Levasseur had a pretty golden pirate career. He attacked enemies without fear, and destroyed them without regret. He successfully looted any sea he could get his ship on. And, he had a scar across one eye- like every good pirate should. His biggest success was overtaking and robbing the Portugese vessel Nossa Senhora do Cabo, which was loaded with gold. 

He was eventually captured on the island of Bourbon and sentenced to death by hanging. According to legend, he stood on the scaffold with a necklace around his neck that contained a cryptogram with 12 lines. Minutes before his death, he threw it into the crowd, challenging them to decipher it and find his treasure. The necklace was eventually lost, but the cryptogram remains to this day. 

Passionate treasure hunters have devoted a large amount of their own wealth to finding his; some have even spent millions of dollars. Each search, however,has ended in disappointment. Whether you think the pirate’s treasure is real or he’s one of the earliest and most successful trolls; discover more information in the source! (see if you can solve the centuries old puzzle) 

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The thieves who stole Mr. Rogers' car returned it after they found out it was his!

Fred Rogers is a legendary figure in American children television. His show "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" was aimed at preschoolers and started airing in 1968. Each episode explored a different theme, like going to school for the first time. Mr. Roger's gentleness and honesty made him a beloved figure, not just with kids, but everyone.

A TV Guide story mentioned how his plain old Impala was stolen one day. The story was picked up by media outlets all around town. The thieves saw the story and felt bad that they stole Mr. Roger's car. They gave it back! They returned the car with the following note: "If we'd known it was yours, we never would have taken it." Being well liked always pays off!

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