One. New Orleans is where opera was first performed in the U.S., back in 1796.

Two. Poker was invented in New Orleans in the 1700s.

Three. Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city with 480 billion pounds of water that sat for nearly a month.

Four. Louisiana is the only state in the union that does not have counties. Its political subdivisions are called parishes.

Five. Gumbo was the name of the Saints' mascot in their first season in the NFL in 1967 and Al Hirt would play his trumpet every time the Saints scored a touchdown. The song he would play is, "When The Saints Go Marching In".

Six. Plastic Beads famous for Mardi Gras only date back to 1970. Of course, the high demand for throws by increasing crowds is the reason for the use of cheaper beads, but still, it was a bit cooler to catch something before 1970, when pairs of beads were made from glass, particularly Czechoslovakian glass. The plastic beads now in use come from Hong Kong.

Art by: J Ness

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