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The Questions…

1. Olympian Michael Phelps is oddly built, but in ways that are ideal for swimming. How so?

2. The Dutch East India Company, established in Amsterdam in 1602 to engage in trade with Asia, was a major world power for 200 years. How was the company initially funded?

3. What does the “Q” stand for in “Q-tips”?

4. When was the last time the national debt of the United States was paid in full?

5. In the Old Testament, God passed down 10 commandments to Moses as rules for Christians to live by (thou shalt not kill, steal, etc.). The Jewish religion, however, lists a whole lot more commandments. How many are set forth in the Torah?

The Answers…

1. Phelps is 6′ 4″ tall, and his arm span is 6′ 7″. Proportionally, he has the upper body of someone 6′ 8″ tall (more power) and the lower body of someone 5′ 10″ tall (less drag). He also has double-jointed ankles for better propulsion.

2. It was the first public company to sell stock. The company had the power to make treaties, wage war, coin money, establish colonies, make arrests, and execute prisoners.

3. Quality. Q-tips were invented in 1923 by Leo Gerstenzang, who got the idea when his wife used a cotton ball on the end of a toothpick to bathe one of the baby Gerstenzangs. When first marketed, Q-tips were called Baby Gays.

4. 1835, under President Andrew Jackson.

5. A total of 613 commandments — 248 things you should do, 365 that you shouldn’t.