mental_floss is Looking for 10 Outrageous Facts

CLEVELAND, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the publication of its new book (The Mental Floss History of the United States) on October 5th, mental_floss magazine (www.mentalfloss.com) is asking its fans to send them one little-known fact in American history.  10 lucky winners (one entry per person, please) will receive $100 gift certificates to the mental_floss store.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100929/CL72782 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100929/CL72782 )

Here's some great facts (from our new book) to get you started thinking about your entry:

Andrew Carnegie so loved bagpipe music that once he amassed his fortune, he hired a personal piper, the first such instrumentalist in Pittsburgh.

Hoping to stop the spread of venereal diseases, in 1935 Connecticut became the first U.S. state to require premarital blood tests.

Neil Armstrong's astronaut application arrived almost a week past the June 1, 1962, deadline.  A friend of his who worked at the Manned Spacecraft Center slipped the tardy form into the pile before anyone noticed the postmark.

But we're guessing you've got some even better facts up your sleeve.  Get your winning entry in today.

What do you need to do to enter?

1) Send us a short, fascinating fact. It can be funny, terrifying, heartwarming or strange. Just keep it to under 50 words, and make it interesting!

2) Identify your source. (A magazine's got to keep its facts straight! Our form won't let you submit your fact until you tell us where you found it.)

It's that easy. For your entry form and additional details, go to mentalfloss.com/greatestfacts. Make sure you send us your fact, source and contact info by our deadline of Oct. 15th at 11:59 PM (EST).  

Winners will be alerted by e-mail and announced on the website on Oct. 25th.

One more fact worth knowing:  If you pre-order The Mental Floss History of the United States: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining History of America, before Oct 5th, we'll give you 3 free issues to mental_floss magazine.

You can find details at:  http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/64628

mental_floss (www.mentalfloss.com) is a content-creation company that blurs the lines between education and entertainment.  In addition to mental_floss magazine, its flagship product, the company has a popular website, a series of 11 popular books, games, T-shirts and more.

SOURCE mental_floss