?There is a legend among the gypsies of Eastern Europe that Roman soldiers were sent out to find a blacksmith to forge four nails to crucify Jesus.

?Thomas Edison thought the phonograph he invented had little commercial value.

?The marvelous book Marley and Me has been a publishing phenomenon. It was recently released as a major motion picture. John Grogan told the true story of how his family came to love a very complicated dog that misbehaved often but was filled with happiness and love.

There once was a poor, rural family who were greatly concerned because their little boy had not started talking. The family didn't have many resources to call upon, so the problem went on for a long time.

Just about a year before he succumbed to cancer, Tony Snow, former political pundit, speech writer and White House press secretary, said the following to the 2007 graduating class at the Catholic University of America:

Have you read the story about the teacher who asked her pupils what they thought the Seven Wonders of the World were for today?

Do you ever wonder what you are worth? Recently we read about John Odom, a baseball player for the independent Calgary Vipers, who was traded to the Laredo Broncos for 10 maple baseball bats.

If you have ever read the "Dennis the Menace" comic strip, you know that Dennis often comes up with some interesting prayers.

The Queen of England has two birthdays. Her actual birthday is April 21, but the decision makers wanted to celebrate it when the weather is more pleasant, so her official birthday is the second Saturday in June.

Under the Julian calendar, Christmas fell on Jan. 6. When the new Gregorian calendar came into use, Christmas was moved to Dec. 25; but some in Britain kept celebrating it on Jan. 6.