Did you know that less than 1% percent of American citizens own more than 90% of America's wealth? I guess that's what happens when we cast more votes for American Idles, slacker housemates and venal castaways than for political candidates. Goes a long way towards explaining two terms for Bush the Younger and his Merry Men. We were just too busy to ask what these jokers had in mind or what qualifications they brought to the highest offices in the most powerful nation on earth. So instead we’re stuck with the worst dog and pony reality show ever.

Speaking of which, did you know that 95% of Congressman get re-elected every two years? Are 95% percent of these men and women doing such an outstanding job that they are rewarded with jobs for life? Looks that way on the face of it. So why should they pay attention to what you, their employers, expect of them?

Did you know that the largest measure we have for water is a gallon? Seems pretty insufficient when you consider that water covers 2/3 of the planet and there’s more of it than any other stuff around here. Scientists, get busy here.

Did you know that on September 11, 2001,our president’s father, Bush the Elder, was in New York City? What was he doing here? Entertaining Osama Bin Laden’s brother at one of our finest hotels. It seems the Bush and Bin Laden families have a long history of doing business together, all good buds and big oil money. Isn’t that sort of like FDR’s pop hanging around Pearl City in Hawaii with Emperor Hirohito’s brother Fredo Hirohito on December 7, 1941? Odd, no? And so far unmentioned and unexplained by the United States government. You see, in the weeks following 9/11 when you and I weren’t even allowed to fly a kite many members of the Bin Laden family were secretly flown out of the United States, with a military jet escort, no less. How’d you like to be a N.Y.C. Police Detective or an F.B.I. Agent assigned to investigating the attacks and watching your best material witnesses flown out of reach of your questioning by your own government? Would you have mixed feelings and maybe wonder who was on whose side and who didn’t want certain questions asked? These brilliant and dedicated investigative professionals are, after all, only human and must wonder about such things, and naturally have a whole other set of questions pop into their heads.

Did you know that my son’s friend Mike Kaplan has rebuilt more private property in New Orleans that the Federal Government, home by home? He’s been living there for about seven years and is a writer and an activist. He did however, train as an electrician under his father back home in Brooklyn and is now a builder by necessity, keeping pretty busy indeed. Doesn’t petition the government for contracts, just works for people who need a reliable contractor and apparently there’s lots of them, people also not holding their breath for Uncle Sam to walk in and save the day. So Mike’s an odd duck, an activist actually taking action. Most “activists” only talk and talk, the action part of their activism being what they expect others to do.

Did know that more than half the people in this nation can trace an ancestor to Brooklyn? Makes sense to me. Did you also know that Brooklyn is the geographic center of the universe? Now you do.

Did you know that roses are red and violets are blue? Some things you just can’t point out enough.

Did you know that Led Zeppelin almost hired as its singer Paul Rogers of the group Free and later on the leader of Bad Company? Wonder what that band would have sounded like? What would Robert Plant have done with his life? Maybe opened up a bakery with Pete Best.

Did you know Philips head screws are infinitely better than slot head screws? Makes me wonder why slot heads were ever used on anything once Philips heads were invented. And kudos to Mr. Philips, whoever he was. Probably a guy tired of skinned knuckles whenever the screwdriver slipped off the slot.

Did you know that nobody owns the internet? How did the 1% of us that owns practically everything let this bad boy slip through their sticky fingers? Why isn’t it called the Exxon-Mobile internet of the Rupert Murdoch web? Fat white guys in corner offices the land over must be kicking themselves over that lapse in acquisition, firing underlings left and right and switching law firms, having “their people” look into a hostile takeover and the like. But alas, it’s too late. It’s a freebie for everyone and they’ll just have to stew in it. Did you know that life holds many disappointments?

Readers: Got any oddball facts floating around in your grey cells? I’ll be doing this “Did You Know” blog from time to time and I’d like to share your arcane knowledge. I’ll attribute the facts to the sender and print what you know for everybody’s edification. Simply e-mail me in the form provided on the web site. It doesn’t matter what kind of information you’d like to share, so long as it’s true. I love useless but interesting knowledge. Let’s have some fun and learn stuff in the process