planning children's parties on a budget

No other word in the English language makes young kids giggle and sends shivers down the spines of any adult who has dined at a questionable Mexican restaurant like poop. Everyone poops and whether yours are brown, runny, green or the consistency of wet sand, feces is the ultimate universal experience and last-ditch subject of conversation at parties. Although chances are they won't ask, and will probably beg you to change the subject, here are a few interesting and pointless facts about poop:

Poop is Highly Flammable

Nothing says "Halloween" like an angry, older neighbor shaking his fist while stomping out a flaming bag of dog excrement. However, while this isn't always a safe prank and should be avoided, there is one type of excrement that is potentially dangerous and highly explosive: pig poop.

Many industrial hog farmers across the United States are dealing with a bizarre, gray sludge that continues to mysteriously run out of the pigs' waste pits. This foamy material contains large quantities of methane, and for some inexplicable reason, the poop dynamite will spontaneously ignite, causing the unfortunate death of several hogs.

According to the Mother Nature Network, the cause of these exploding pig poop foam is still unknown, although scientists suspect the culprit is corn mush. 

The Hidden Dangers of Constipation

The cause of many sleepless, uncomfortable gassy nights, constipation is diarrhea's stubborn cousin and although for most simply a nuisance, it can actually be quite dangerous if left untreated.

According to the Mayo Clinic, constipation can lead to several unappealing conditions, including hemorrhoids, an anal fissure or anal prolapse.

However, there is one supposed tall tale about the connection between gum chewing and constipation that might actually be true. According to WebMD, if you chew and swallow several pieces of gum, this unfortunate choice can lead to an intestinal blockage. Luckily, only swallowing a single piece won't cause you any harm, contrary to what your mother might have told you.

Next time you're headed to what's sure to be a boring party, keep a couple constipation jokes in your back pocket to liven things up!

Stuff You Never Cared to Know About Toilets

Imagine where your life would be without a fully-functional toilet at your disposal. Believe it or not, according to the World Health Organization, at least 1 billion people around the world still drop their pants and do their business outdoors. Remember this next time you're complaining about diarrhea after overindulging at Thanksgiving.

Just for fun, here are a few more awesome facts about toilets:

• Those crazy, polytheistic Romans actually worshiped the Toilet God, Sewer Goddess and God of Excrement. Remember this next time you drank a little too much and are praying the Porcelain God, yourself!

• It would make sense that toilets are covered in all types of bacteria, but did you know that there is actually more bacteria on the average computer keyboard, cellphone and purse strap?

• The next time your pseudo-intellectual brother-in-law or friend starts sharing their impressive knowledge of pop culture, step in with this interesting fact: According to WyoTech, Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" featured cinema's first flushing toilet!

• Mark your calendars because November 19 is "World Toilet Day." The World Toilet Organization, which really exists, proclaimed World Toilet Day as a way to celebrate the fact that toilets simply exist and are always there after you drink too many pots of coffee!

No conversation about excrement can end without mentioning what is arguably the most embarrassing aspect of pooping: flatulence. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, the average person, that is both men and women, passes gas at least 10 to 18 times each day. The next time anyone calls you an underachiever, mention this fact, and that when it comes to flatulence, you excel!