This is False Facts about 2001: A Space Odyssey month.
1. Hippies loved the original title: 2001: A Space Trip. The studio immediately vetoed it.
2. The hot tub scene in the Dawn of Man sequence was cut for time.
3. Robert DeNiro was considered to play an ape; producers worried he would have his brain implanted into one for research.
4. The ape who banged the skulls with bones was the world's first jazz drummer.
5. Had he been able to keep a beat, he would have been the world's first rock drummer.
6. All of the apes had their own trailers. They were cleaner than the ones used by the human actors in the sequence.
7. Moonwatcher wasn't trying to be part of a famous jump cut: he was swatting a mosquito and the bone flew out of his hand.
8. The docking sequence was meant to play to The Troggs "Wild Thing," but classical music was cheaper.
9. Dr. Heywood Floyd was originally referred to as "Pinky" until a certain psychedelic rock band broke big.
10. The moon set was constructed in William Shatner's basement.
11. The toilet instructions were originally shot for the film Lolita, but never used.
12. When he cast Kier Dullea, Stanley Kubrick actually thought he was getting Udo Kier.
13. Douglas Trumbull had been a cabbie, hairdresser and professional nanny before being chosen to do the special effects.
14. Kubrick invested in all of the companies represented in the film. That's why he eventually had to direct Jaws VI: The Jawsening.
15. The floating pen was actually a NASA prototype, but all the models they built floated away into space.
16. NASA was never that big on string.
17. Arthur C. Clark wanted the monolith to be in Tau Ceti, but even Kubrick didn't want a movie that lasted several years.
18. Douglas Rain, the voice of HAL 9000, thought he was reading dialogue for a feature length Donald Duck cartoon.
19. The Ferris wheel used for the interior of the spaceship eventually became London's Eye.
20. The monoliths would be the inspiration for the cover design of Spinal Tap's Black album.
21. Carl Sagan suggested that the aliens look like asparagus tips with wings made of cough drops. Kubrick ignored his advice.
22. The tunnel of coloured light was the trip Sullivan would have taken in Sullivan's Travels if Preston Sturges had been a methhead.
23. For Kubrick, the white room symbolized post-war industrial society and the Froot Loopsization of culture.
24. Kubrick wanted HAL to sing "Wild Thing" as its personality disintegrated, but he couldn't even afford THAT use of the song.
25. The first thing Clark envisioned the Star Child doing after it was born was visiting DisneyWorld.
26. The film was $4.5 million over budget and 16 months behind schedule; Kubrick wanted it to feel like a real NASA mission.
27. The release of the film started a craze of traveling to Jupiter.
28. During the shooting, Kubrick moved permanently to England to get away from his root beer addiction.
29. Critics were divided on the film. Some hated it. Others merely despised it.
30. More people read the Mad Magazine parody than ever saw the film.
31. 2001 is fourth in the American Film Institute's list of all time best Swimsuit Competition winners.
To celebrate our national anniversary, July is Lies My Government Told Me Month.
1. This is a democracy where all people are created equal and treated in exactly the same way.
2. Changes in regulation will in no way affect the safety of the food supply/drug supply/drinking water.
3. The allegations of illegal behaviour are fabrications of our opponents and a bloodthirsty press.
4. This bi-national agreement will strengthen our border security without undermining our sovereignty.
5. Oversight of our digital information gathering efforts insures that we collect only what we absolutely need.
6. The tar sands can be exploited without seriously damaging the environment.
7. The tax cuts will pay for themselves.
8. Our weapons are so precise, civilian casualties have been all but eliminated.
9. Harsher prison sentences for a greater number of infractions leads to a decrease in crime.
10. Cuts to public broadcasting are not intended to stifle an independent voice, nor will they.
11. We need to wage this war to protect your freedoms.
12. We can cut the deficit without raising taxes or cutting social programmes.
13. The nuclear reactor construction will be done on time and on budget and the result will always be safe.
14. If you're innocent, you have nothing to fear.
15. An internal investigation of the allegations of illegal behaviour will show that we did nothing wrong.
16. Enhanced interrogation of "terrorists" has made our country safer.
17. What we're doing is just a continuation of what the previous administration was doing.
18. The watered down version of the legislation is exactly what we intended to do in the first place.
19. This international trade agreement will strengthen our economy without undermining our sovereignty.
20. Our campaign ads were based entirely on fact and were in no way misleading.
21. "Terrorists" are too dangerous to be tried in regular courts.
22. An independent inquiry into the allegations of illegal behaviour will show that we did nothing wrong.
23. I did not inhale, and, in any case, I am not an addict.
24. Privatizing that service will result in the public receiving twice as much for half the cost.
25. Resignations from the leader's office are in no way an indication of turmoil in his administration.
26. People on Welfare are living like kings, so we can cut their benefits with no harm done to them.
27. This is the most open and transparent government in the country's history.
28. As soon as the crisis is over, your liberties will be fully restored.
29. Campaign contributions never have an effect on this government's policy.
30. Any members of our government engaged in illegal behaviour have been punished, so we can move forward with a clear conscience.
31. We always act in the best interests of the consumers of our great, great country.
