I live in a high humidity area. Doesn't get into the hundreds, but definitely into the 90s, especially this week. If you don't have air conditioning, which I don't, you just sit around and sweat all night...

Lisa

I thought you were close to the Lake Ontario. Wouldn't it help to take a dive every now and then to cool off ?;)

I thought you were close to the Lake Ontario. Wouldn't it help to take a dive every now and then to cool off ?;)

Yikes!! And come out all radioactive? No way, man!! :eek: :eek:

My mom and dad used to have a pool, and then they moved. Back in the days when there was a pool available, it was really great to go take a dip, but then you have to go home. 5 minutes in a non-air-conditioned house, and you may as well not even have gone.....:rolleyes:

Now that we have the baby, we plan to get a kiddie pool (within the next week!!) that all of us can fit in. That should be good enough.

Lisa

I guess that's my useless fact. July and August are the worst months to live in Oklahoma.

Did they fix your town up yet after the storm ?

Speaking of temperatures, New Orleans frequently goes through our 95/95 period. Which we are in right now, since the start of July. We have 95 degrees F, 95% humidity. You could stand outside in a blinkin' hurricane force wind at those conditions (add 95 mph winds, if you like) and STILL get very little effective cooling because of the high humidity.

The only good feature of this temperature range is that since alligators don't perspire, they like to stay in the water when it gets that hot. Makes the streets a little safer. Particularly now post-Katrina when you really DO wonder whether any little gators got lost and are still in some of the affected areas. The heat keeps the gators IN the water and makes the nutria think twice before getting out of the water to avoid the gators. For us, that's a GOOD thing.

But then, I remember being in San Antonio on a business trip one summer, right in front of the Alamo at the time. The DJ on the radio said something that told me a lot about the Texas mentality: "Well, fans, it's 107 here in downtown San Antonio, but not to worry! With the wind chill it is only 102."

Not to brag. Thanks to the "Canadian Air" it is a nice 78 degrees, well it's not going to last we'll be back in the 90's next week :mad:

Thanks Canada keep blowing

Did they fix your town up yet after the storm ?

Mostly. :)

There are still some buildings that are in the process of getting their roofs replaced, people still replacing their fences and other things damaged by fallen trees, etc. We were without power for about a day and a half. Fortunately it wasn't too steamy yet, and we were able to go and spend the night with my m-i-l to avoid the worst of it.

Of course, our amusement park (which isn't very big) had a tree uprooted across the tracks of the wooden roller coaster, and they were closed for 3 weeks during their peak season while they cleaned everything up and had all of the rides inspected. They also lost the Ferris Wheel which was the 26th one ever built back in 1924. It was pretty much folded in half. :(

I'm from Oklahoma originally, and I always tell people we only have 3 seasons here. Summer, winter and August.

Boy, that's the truth. It's been running at about 65% humidity all week too. You feel like you're going to explode in a giant sweat ball the second you step out the door.

The whole wet heat/dry heat thing is a bit debatable for me. Yes, heat is worse when you have humidity mixed in, but as Bodisathva pointed out, hot is hot. :(

Boy, that's the truth. It's been running at about 65% humidity all week too. You feel like you're going to explode in a giant sweat ball the second you step out the door.


65%? Holy crap - that's a blessing! We've been getting up to 70-80% most days. God, it sucks. But this week seems to have broken it - temps in the eighties during the day, and down to the 60s at night.

Lisa

I will never complain about humidity again since visitting Japan. If you think it's humid where you live, you don't know anything!

I will never complain about humidity again since visitting Japan. If you think it's humid where you live, you don't know anything!
Did it have to do with the close conditions and body heat or actual weather?
I mean... you can't compare newlywed humidity with normal humidity, can you?

:)

I will never complain about humidity again since visitting Japan. If you think it's humid where you live, you don't know anything!

Try Houston TX. 100+ temp with 100% humidity.
And thats a nice day.

This thread is fast turning into the 'Four Yorkshiremen' sketch.
Anyone remember it?

"We used to work 10 hours a day"
"That's nothing, we worked 15, if we were lucky"
etc.

Only now it's one-upmanship based on humidity.
Makes a pleasant change from political digressions, as per most other threads.

This thread is fast turning into the 'Four Yorkshiremen' sketch.
Anyone remember it?

A classic from when we could actually write comic sketches.
Led to the birth of The Two Ronnies of course and some would even argue, Monty:)

Try Houston TX. 100+ temp with 100% humidity.
And thats a nice day.
Naw, Houston does get triple digits, but only every now and then and they hardly last more than a day or two usually. Summer is usually 97 F and sunny with a 20% chance of afternoon thunder showers.
How ever that is Jun. through Sep.
Humidity is never 100% (unless it is raining), it is usually only like 96 or 97 percent.

Another U F :

The Rolling Stones did the Netherlands in their bigger bang tour. The hall where they did their gig was not sold out, only some 3600 seats. Tickets were an unbelieveable high € 100,00 , which is 50% too much in relation to the performance they gave. Since Keith fall out of that palmtree, they have never been the same as in the 80's. :o

they have never been the same as in the 80's. :o
Who has ? :confused:

Elephants are the only beast on the planet to have 4 knees. All other 4 legged beasts have knees in the back pair and the leg equivalent of elbows in the front pair (I wouldn't swear to the second statement, but 4 knees and elephants is definite!)

Elephants are believed to be able to 'hear' infra sound (very low frequency sound) through their feet which are incredibly sensitive. It is thought that this helps herds keep in touch by hearing the movement of others over great distances through the ground. If anybody is truly interested in this bit of trivia, I can get the reference to a New Scientist article of about 2 years ago.

Truly useless facts, to me at least, as I don't have an elephant or ever expect to own one. :)

Fans collect guitar picks from their favorite rockers or costumes worn by the stars. THis harmless pursuit is a civilized derivative of the ancient custom of consuming the body of the dead warriors or kings to internalize their power and heroism.

I've heard that if you wear glasses that turn your vision upside-down long enough, your brain will correct this and you will be seeing everything normal again. So, if you took off the glasses, you would naturally see everything upside-down.

Don't try that, by the way. Just something I heard some scientist did.

Learned this one from Pop-Up Video:
When Michael Jackson was making the music video for "Beat it", a drop of blood from a stabbing-victim fell onto his shoulder from an emergency staircase above him. He didn't notice until later, apparentyl.
From the same video:
93% of males 'beat it' before the age of 13.

Tasslehof, I've heard that bit about the special inverting glasses. That is exactly why the "standard" definition of dyslexia is crap. If you always grew up seeing things "backwards," nobody will ever know the difference - and neither will you, because your brain will have learned everything it saw with the reversed orientation.

Kids don't read things backwards. They don't see things backwards. It has been shown in a study that the real culprit is HEARING. A computer was used to slow down certain plosives (yes, that is a type of sound occurring in speech - letter P or B, for example) and broaden the pattern. Turns out that because of problems in the brain part that decodes words, kids hear the plosive and the rest of the word almost at the same time. Thus they see the printed word but heard the pronounced letters in the wrong order.

This special computer program might become a recognized form of therapy for dyslexics. I read about it something like two years ago.

Tasslehof, I've heard that bit about the special inverting glasses. That is exactly why the "standard" definition of dyslexia is crap. If you always grew up seeing things "backwards," nobody will ever know the difference - and neither will you, because your brain will have learned everything it saw with the reversed orientation...

Then that's it - Rich has learned everything backward because of all the bad tv shows he's watched - He has a view of Americans that 180 degrees out of wack. We're not all evil, we're all real nice people. :) :) :) Instead of the 'inverted eyeglass syndrome' we can call it RS which would be short for the 'Rich Syndrome'. :D

Then that's it - Rich has learned everything backward because of all the bad tv shows he's watched -
And Americans accuse us of not staying on topic in a thread:rolleyes:

The historic ocean liner, the Queen Mary, was named by a slip of the ego.
The head of the company that owned the new ship intended to name it the Queen Victoria. But he was not specific enough when he told England's king George V that he was going to name it for the 'greatest of all English queens."
Before the businessman could clarify his intentions, the king remarked, "Oh my wife will be pleased." Georges wife? Queen Mary.

Mailing an entire building has been illegal in the USA since 1916 when a man mailed a 40,000 ton brick house across Utah to avoid high freight rates.

Mailing an entire building has been illegal in the USA since 1916 when a man mailed a 40,000 ton brick house across Utah to avoid high freight rates.

"40,000 ton brick house" :confused: :eek:

Could you possibly mean a house made of 40,000 bricks? A 40,000 ton house would be pretty big, even for America. Not may mailboxes could cope with the wear and tear! :)

"40,000 ton brick house" :confused: :eek:

Could you possibly mean a house made of 40,000 bricks? A 40,000 ton house would be pretty big, even for America. Not may mailboxes could cope with the wear and tear! :)

I'm not saying the bricks were 40000 tons but the whole house. I thought the same thing as you, I saw this in a desk calendar, but I looked it up and it's correct.

Pa3329,

I looked it up and it's correct.

Wow. Big house.

Not to doubt you, but I couldn't resist trying a Google search on this. There were a number of hits, all of the "useless Facts" listings such as this thread. The first 6 hits were word perfect to your quote. That really is a useless fact :D

The seventh, copied below sounds somewhat more plausible to me.

http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com/Wierd3.html

Mailing an entire building has been illegal in the U.S. since 1916 when a man mailed a 40,000 pound brick house across Utah to avoid high freight rates.


If I have my US measures right, 1000lb = 1 ton which makes for a 40 ton house. This is somewhere in the region of how heavy I would expect a brick house to be, but as in other areas, I have no relevant experience here. :)

Having said that, I'm guessing the author of the quote above changed the tons to pounds because they felt that the tons were wrong, not because they knew the actual facts of the law in question or the issue that inspired it.

None of the lists gave any provenance to the story or references to further check. Maybe I should get out more! :D

The seventh, copied below sounds somewhat more plausible to me.

http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com/Wierd3.html

Mailing an entire building has been illegal in the U.S. since 1916 when a man mailed a 40,000 pound brick house across Utah to avoid high freight rates.


That does sound much more plausible. I always questioned it but because I found it in so many places (and one printed) I just figured it was a HUGE house.

Good investiagtive work!http://img125.echo.cx/img125/7155/attention9ha.gif

If I have my US measures right, 1000lb = 1 ton which makes for a 40 ton house.

Actually, in US measurements 1 ton = 2000 lbs, so it would make a 20 ton house. ;)

I will never complain about humidity again since visitting Japan. If you think it's humid where you live, you don't know anything!
I spent 24 hours in Japan, in September '94.
I think I spent about a minute of that outside :p
Step out of airport, gasp stagger gasp, get in bus, get out of bus, gasp stagger gasp, go into hotel. Repeat in reverse.
I did step outside the hotel once in between - saw it raining & thought that would cool it down & clear the air... nope... took a step or two then went back inside.

Actually, in US measurements 1 ton = 2000 lbs, so it would make a 20 ton house. ;)


Mrs. Gorilla,

Thank you for setting me straight. I'm glad I put in the caveat or I'd be feeling a fool (again). :)

I will never complain about humidity again since visitting Japan. If you think it's humid where you live, you don't know anything!

Vassago,

I recall reading somewhere that Tokyo had concreted over so much of the area that the reduction in green plants and exposed soil had caused a considerable drying of the local climate. This was to the point where low humidity was a problem.

Obviously your experience contradicts that. Maybe it's a seasonal thing or maybe I'm mis-rmembering the article I read. :confused:

Further research reveals that whatever I read years ago must have been either wrong or about somewhere else:
Tokyo, being in a temperate zone, has a comparatively moderate and comfortable climate throughout the year. In summer it is hot, humid, and is often hit by typhoons, while long dry spells of fine weather continue in winter. The rainy season lasts from late June until mid-July. During the season, it rains almost everyday and the humidity gets very high. When the rainy season is over, the real summer comes. Ogasawara Islands, in particular, being 1000 km away from Tokyo and belonging to a semitropical zone, are an area of the eternal summer throughout the year.

From http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/basic/basic02.html

In 2004, university scientists on the island of Taiwan were trucking a dead sperm whale to the lab to find out why it had washed up on the beach (maybe because it was DEAD!)
As they drove through town, the whale suddenly exploded from the pressure of the stored-up gas. Pedestrians for blocks were showered with flying whale guts.

The fourteenth century in North America: no Europeans spreading disease, death and religion. The living was easy, with plenty of food wandering on the hoof, plenty of open land, few neighbors or enemies crowding about.
On the dark side: The living was so easy it made the people hospitable. So when the first Euroeans showed up wanting to move in, the natives let them.

In the 1800's, Delmonico's the top restaurant in New York City, introduced many popular dishes to the American cuisine. It's most famous new dish was Lobster Newburgm which wasn't called Lobster Newburg at all but Lobster Wenberg.
That's because the recipe was given to Delmonico's in the 1890's by on of it regulars, a customer named Ben Wenberg.
But Wenberg lost his shot at food immortality when he caused a major disturbance in the dining room one night and got 86ed by the management - not only from the restaurant but from the dish itself.

Yak's milk is pink

Engineers and scientists have created the marvels of our age - and the threats too. As writer Stephen Vizinczey pointed out, "The truth is that our race survived ignorance. It is our scientific genius that will do us in."

The annual spring break revels bring Daytona Beach, Florida, a fortune and leave a college-grade mess. In 2004 the city decided to leave a civi-minded message by nailing signs around town telling visitors, "It's all about recpect."
College kids had apparently been getting the wrong message for decades, that it was about chug-a-lugging and passing out on the beach. Three hundred of the signs were stolen the first night.

In 1995 a man took over control of a New Zealand radio station. He claimed to have a bomb, and made the following demand. He wanted the radio station to play his favorite song, "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit the Frog.

A man from the Florida town of Tarpon Springs was arrested for fraud when he rented his home to northerners for the winter.
The con man's first big mistake, he rented the same house, for the same time frame, to nineteen different people. His second mistake: He stayed in the home so the police knew right where to find him when way to many people showed up to move in.

In 1959, after two teenagers were fatally stabbed by another, officials in New York City took immediate action. Radio station WCBS banned Bobby Darin's hit song "Mack the Knife"

Lord Mansfield, a chief justice of England in the 18th century, passed this sentence on a thief: "There is nothing wrong with you that a good hanging won't cure."
Now there is a decent Brit! Sounds like he would fit right in, in Texas!

In the 1960's when Black Muslim Civil Rights advocate Malcom X was assasinated over 100 radio stations in the US informed their listeners that

"malcom the tenth"

was dead.

...now that's funny:D

Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry.

Can I drink the water? in the Molvanian language would be something like :
'Erkjo ne szlepp statsik ne var ne vladrobzko ne ' , which literally means :

Is it not that the water is not not undrinkable?

When comedians Groucho, Harpo and Chico wanted to test a new gag before they put it into one of their filems, they performed it for brother Zeppo, who always played the straight man. If Zeppo liked it, they threw it out.

Zeppo was also an inventor and holds three patents.
"The method and watch mechanism for actuation by cardiac pulse" is one of them.

Less formally in the Molvanian language you could use


‘Virkum stas?’

for


'Can I drink the water? '

Zlkavszka Paul,

Virkum stas :
while clutching your stomach in a gesture of gastric distress :D

Rak - Kyunkasko sbazko byusba?

:confused:

Kweetniet Paul, maar :

Togurfga trakij sdonchskia

Abientot
Krkoystrokoskiaskya
Ron

Wakuz Dro Brugka Spazibo fuma Molvanian.



(sorry I am hardly fluent - I have been studying for 7 years - since I went to Lutenblag on a stag do)

Krokystrokiskiaskya pne Gratynilz

Actress Alicia Silverstone had a Holloywood moment when she tried to explain the significance of her movie "Clueless".
"I think that "clueless" was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness."

Alicia Silverstone is a prime example of the Peter Principle. In place of ability insert the word "blonde".

In 1771, the inventor of a steam driven vehicle called Brezin , drove one of his vehicles into a stone wall, making him the first person to get into a motor vehicle accident.

Spiral staircases in medieval castles are running clockwise. This is because all knights used to be right-handed. When the intruding army would climb the stairs they would not be able to use their right hand which was holding the sword because of the difficulties of climbing the stairs. Left-handed knights would have had no troubles, except left-handed people could never become knights because it was assumed that they were descendants of the devil. ;)

On 12/06/2006, the level of Spam was approximate 40% of that of sended e-mails worldwide. According weighted data, most spam is issued from countries like Israel, Poland, Argentina and Cili. South Korea is in 16th place, whereas the Netherlands and the USA are outside the top 20.

Actress Alicia Silverstone had a Holloywood moment when she tried to explain the significance of her movie "Clueless".
"I think that "clueless" was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness."


Clueless is adapted from Jane Austen's novel Emma, first published in 1816.

I haven't read the book or seen the film, but I recall reading something somewhere commenting on Austin's 'lightness of touch' and the well drawn characters. From this point of ignorance (pretty extreme) it may be possible that Miss Silverstone had a fair point, albeit clumsily expressed. She may even have been directly 'updating' quotes from criticisms of Emma.

That isn't to say she doesn't come accros as an airhead when talking like that. :)

Cheers

Denis Thatcher, married to then prime minister Margaret Thatcher was asked by a reported who wears the pants in the family. His reply "I do. I also wash and iron them."

The Algonquin Round Table wit was questioned about the value of getting a dog as a pet for a child. Response was "A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down."

Elected officials brag about their support for education. They're all in favor of it. Yet if so many politicians really supported education, why aren't our teachers paid better and our students better educated?
Politicians know that if more people were educated, they wouldn't keep falling for the same phony promises from the same double-talking politicians.
Practically no one in America is literate in the old English sense. In 18th century England, an illiterate was someone with insufficient knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin.

In 18th century England, an illiterate was someone with insufficient knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin.
Oh well, since I'm illiterate, does that mean I have to stop reading all these websites (and novels and textbooks and...)?

Spiral staircases in medieval castles are running clockwise. This is because all knights used to be right-handed. When the intruding army would climb the stairs they would not be able to use their right hand which was holding the sword because of the difficulties of climbing the stairs. Left-handed knights would have had no troubles, except left-handed people could never become knights because it was assumed that they were descendants of the devil. ;)

These staircases also typically have irregular rise and step distances. Negotiatng the staircase backwards whilst fighting, one finds your next step with your heel (try being on the 'light end' of something heavy that you are moving from the downstairs to the upstairs and you wil see what I mean) and can put your weight on the back foot confifently. The atacker meanwhile is trying to step up the stairs and will have difficulty due to the irregularity.

Yes, Ouma!
We had a Useless facts thread.
Love bringing back threads from the glorious past.
:)

OK, I haven't read right through so I hope I'm not repeating someone:

Most major Christian festivals bear more than a little similarity to pre-existing Pagan ones:

Yule, the winter solstice (which fell on 25th December in the Roman calendar). 25th December was designated by Pope Julius I as the birthday of Christ.

Imbolc (1st February), the start of the spring quarter of the year, associated with the Celtic virgin goddess Brid. Later adopted (on 2nd February) as Candlemas, the feast of the purification of the virgin. Brid was renamed as Saint Bridget, this remained her feast day.

Lupercalia (14th February), a celebration of fertility. Later adopted as the feast day of St Valentine.

Eostre's day (The first full moon after the Spring equinox). The symbols of the fertility goddess Eostre include the egg and the rabbit. Easter is the first sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

Beltane (1st May) The start of the summer quarter, celebrated by lighting fires and by maypole dancing. Roodmas associates this day with the Cross (the Rood), rather than a maypole).

Litha, the summer solstice (approx 21st June)

Lughnassadh (1st August) the "grain festival" at which bread from the first harvested corn was eaten. The Christian Lammas ("loaf-mass" service has a tradition of blessing the first loaf of bread).

Mabon, the Autumn equinox (approx 21st September).

Samhain (1st November), the start of the winter quarter, the Celtic feast of the dead. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (1st and 2nd November) remember the souls of dead saints and non-canonized dead respectively.

Pagan festivals are usually celebrated from dusk 'till dawn, therefore Samhain celebrations begin on the 31st October, the exception being Lutha which is a celebration of the dawn.

Gravity is about 0.5% stronger at the North and South poles than at the equator - so, if you weigh 80kg (about 176 pounds) at the pole, you would lose 0.4kg (about 14 oz) by moving to the equator.

OK, I haven't read right through so I hope I'm not repeating someone:

Most major Christian festivals bear more than a little similarity to pre-existing Pagan ones:

Yule, the winter solstice (which fell on 25th December in the Roman calendar). 25th December was designated by Pope Julius I as the birthday of Christ.

Imbolc (1st February), the start of the spring quarter of the year, associated with the Celtic virgin goddess Brid. Later adopted (on 2nd February) as Candlemas, the feast of the purification of the virgin. Brid was renamed as Saint Bridget, this remained her feast day.

Lupercalia (14th February), a celebration of fertility. Later adopted as the feast day of St Valentine.

Eostre's day (The first full moon after the Spring equinox). The symbols of the fertility goddess Eostre include the egg and the rabbit. Easter is the first sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

Beltane (1st May) The start of the summer quarter, celebrated by lighting fires and by maypole dancing. Roodmas associates this day with the Cross (the Rood), rather than a maypole).

Litha, the summer solstice (approx 21st June)

Lughnassadh (1st August) the "grain festival" at which bread from the first harvested corn was eaten. The Christian Lammas ("loaf-mass" service has a tradition of blessing the first loaf of bread).

Mabon, the Autumn equinox (approx 21st September).

Samhain (1st November), the start of the winter quarter, the Celtic feast of the dead. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (1st and 2nd November) remember the souls of dead saints and non-canonized dead respectively.

Pagan festivals are usually celebrated from dusk 'till dawn, therefore Samhain celebrations begin on the 31st October, the exception being Lutha which is a celebration of the dawn.

I always thought these facts were quite interesting and not useless at all. ;)

I always thought these facts were quite interesting and not useless at all. ;)

Same here. I want to update my calendar now.
:)

Oh, so perhaps I won't bore you if I offer this one?

The word Grammar is derived from Gramacia. In ancient Hebrew scripts (the Torah, and the Kaballah) letters of the alphabet were believed to correspond with numbers. In order to have a prayer (or spell) work properly it was necessary to ensure the number of your sentence corresponded with the outcome of your request (grammatically correct). For this reason the “spelling” was crucial. So the witches “spell” was born.

And another

The word Occult originally meant "hidden".

Oh, so perhaps I won't bore you if I offer this one?

The word Grammar is derived from Gramacia. In ancient Hebrew scripts (the Torah, and the Kaballah) letters of the alphabet were believed to correspond with numbers. In order to have a prayer (or spell) work properly it was necessary to ensure the number of your sentence corresponded with the outcome of your request (grammatically correct). For this reason the “spelling” was crucial. So the witches “spell” was born.

And another

The word Occult originally meant "hidden".

Okay, that's much more useless. Thanks for your contribution. ;)

Glad to be of service. This is kind of like Steve Wright's Factoids. (more useless information) :D

For those of you who are guitar players, did you know that you can get a false harmonic on the 9th fret?

For those of you who are guitar players, did you know that you can get a false harmonic on the 9th fret?

Do you know why they call it a fret board?

Do you know why they call it a fret board?

No.... Do you?

Because beginners worry about getting their fingering right. ;)

Brian

did you know that a pound of feathers weights more than a pound of gold.





why................

a pound of feather is 16 oz where as a pound of gold is only 12oz

what gives ?

Because beginners worry about getting their fingering right. ;)

Brian


sounds about right ...bloody F

did you know that a pound of feathers weights more than a pound of gold.





why................

a pound of feather is 16 oz where as a pound of gold is only 12oz

what gives ?

Not a true lb then?

Not a true lb then?

yes its a true pound


ask for a pound of gold and it will be 12oz's and about half a years salary
ask for a pound of feather and its a pillow and weights 16 oz's

both are true pounds

yes its a true pound


ask for a pound of gold and it will be 12oz's and about half a years salary
ask for a pound of feather and its a pillow and weights 16 oz's

both are true pounds

Technically speaking I suppose, for industry purposes maybe, but a pound by definition is 16 oz. At least that's what I was always taught. :) Similar to a dozen or a baker's dozen I expect.

Technically speaking I suppose, for industry purposes maybe, but a pound by definition is 16 oz. At least that's what I was always taught. :) Similar to a dozen or a baker's dozen I expect.

yeap

bakers dozen - history the weights and measures department could fine you quite heavely in the olden days and bread rolls are pretty hard to weight - so the baker woudl add another roll to 12 to ensure that they did not fall foul of the weights and measures --
it was even worse with a beer - too big a head on the beer and there would be riots ..

yeap

bakers dozen - history the weights and measures department could fine you quite heavely in the olden days and bread rolls are pretty hard to weight - so the baker woudl add another roll to 12 to ensure that they did not fall foul of the weights and measures --
it was even worse with a beer - too big a head on the beer and there would be riots ..

I never knew that about the baker's dozen, or the beer, or the gold for that matter.... I'll have to remember this 12 oz. thing when someone on tv is trying to sell me a "lb" of gold.....

Gold is typically weighed in Troy lbs, rather than the traditional lb. A Troy lb is less than a traditional lb. It really depends on who is weighing it, what unit of measurement they use though.

Gold is typically weighed in Troy lbs, rather than the traditional lb. A Troy lb is less than a traditional lb. It really depends on who is weighing it, what unit of measurement they use though.

I will add that to my questioning of the gold seller on TV. I am a sucker for those tv adds (hmmm, huh, cough, cough, not really:p) Wasn't Troy the group that created the Trojan Horse? I wonder if that little Greek episode has anything to do with a Troy lb being less than the traditional, or if it is only a matter of regions.

you are missing the important one -- too big a head on the beer - bloody riots in the UK for this

you are missing the important one -- too big a head on the beer - bloody riots in the UK for this

I hate beer! I prefer White Russians, or anything with vodka....

I hate beer! I prefer White Russians, or anything with vodka....

Aah the falling over juice

VAT - vodka and tonic

Stones and lemonade - a easy drink

then there sounthern comfort -and coke (need the coke otherwise its too sweet for me)
JD is real fall over juice

and for a real mind bender (haven't done this for well at least 25 years ) pernod or ouzo (typo) you lose whole days drink this stuff ...

did we see an answer on the pomegranates at the top of the thread

religious relevance and all that

probably to do with the large number of seeds in a pomegranate

Aah the falling over juice

VAT - vodka and tonic

Stones and lemonade - a easy drink

then there sounthern comfort -and coke (need the coke otherwise its too sweet for me)
JD is real fall over juice

and for a real mind bender (haven't done this for well at least 25 years ) pernod or ouzo (typo) you lose whole days drink this stuff ...

I'm a fan of SoCo, that's for sure. It is very sweet straight though, so a mixer is a must. Ouzo... ouch... might as well go straight for Absinthe instead, wish it was legal in the US. We get Absinth or Absinte, a cheap knockoff without the thujone. :D

I will add that to my questioning of the gold seller on TV. I am a sucker for those tv adds (hmmm, huh, cough, cough, not really:p) Wasn't Troy the group that created the Trojan Horse? I wonder if that little Greek episode has anything to do with a Troy lb being less than the traditional, or if it is only a matter of regions.

The Troy ounce use for measuring the weight of gold or silver was invented in the town of Troy France.
I have no idea why it's more or less than the Imperial ounce.

Wasn't Troy the group that created the Trojan Horse?

Actually the Greeks built the horse while attacking Troy (in Turkey) to rescue Helen who had been kidnapped by Paris (a Turkish Shepherd/Prince) who had been promised her by Aphrodite after choosing her as the most beautiful of the three Goddesses (the other two being Athena and Hera).

Now, that has to qualify as useless information ;)

I hate beer! I prefer White Russians, or anything with vodka....

What? White........ what????? White Russians?
Did somebody say White Russians?

In these parts my name is inextricably linked to those two words!
I swear..... if you were playing Password and someone said "Tess" an intelligent partner would answer "White Russian!"

What? White........ what????? White Russians?
Did somebody say White Russians?

In these parts my name is inextricably linked to those two words!
I swear..... if you were playing Password and someone said "Tess" an intelligent partner would answer "White Russian!"

We must be what Anne in "Anne of Green Gables" would call kindred spirits.

We must be what Anne in "Anne of Green Gables" would call kindred spirits.

You certainly appear to share a lot in common, even literature :eek:

I've never tried a White Russian, Black Russian yes...

Actually the Greeks built the horse while attacking Troy (in Turkey) to rescue Helen who had been kidnapped by Paris (a Turkish Shepherd/Prince) who had been promised her by Aphrodite after choosing her as the most beautiful of the three Goddesses (the other two being Athena and Hera).

Hey, I saw that movie, too! It had Brad Pitt in it.

Or maybe it was the book "The Odyssey". I can never keep those 2 straight.

Actually the Greeks built the horse while attacking Troy (in Turkey) to rescue Helen who had been kidnapped by Paris (a Turkish Shepherd/Prince) who had been promised her by Aphrodite after choosing her as the most beautiful of the three Goddesses (the other two being Athena and Hera).

Now, that has to qualify as useless information ;)

I love Greek/Roman mythology. I can't keep it all straight though, I took a class on it in college.

Actually the Greeks built the horse while attacking Troy (in Turkey) to rescue Helen who had been kidnapped by Paris (a Turkish Shepherd/Prince) who had been promised her by Aphrodite after choosing her as the most beautiful of the three Goddesses (the other two being Athena and Hera).

Now, that has to qualify as useless information ;)

Not at all, I find information on historical pagan cultures fascinating. :)

Not at all, I find information on historical pagan cultures fascinating. :)

Did you know that the Pagan God of Fertility (known as Baal in the old testament and Torah) was always depicted with horns, the horns were a symbol of fertility and this is why the devil is know shown as having horns.

Did you know that the Pagan God of Fertility (known as Baal in the old testament and Torah) was always depicted with horns, the horns were a symbol of fertility and this is why the devil is know shown as having horns.

Is that where we get the word horny from then?

Is that where we get the word horny from then?

:eek:

Tess! Do we tolerate that language at AWF? :p

A couple of odd-ball factoids here, or maybe not.

Regarding the number of seeds in a pomegranate: Nature is the cause. The Fibonacci series of numbers is observed in nature in plant leaf patterns, stalk patterns, and... seed patterns. Pomegranate seeds follow Fibonacci numbers. Hence, the number of seeds noted. Try searching for "Fibonacci numbers and nature." You'll be awed at the number of hits.

If you are in Japan and hear someone say "kochu" - do not respond with "bless you." They might be asking for black pepper, which is "kochu" in Japanese.

If you look at the ancient Chinese ideogram for "trouble" you can decipher it by looking at its components. It is "two women under one roof."

Speaking of Japan and one of their many exports: In some countries, notably the USA, you will see stories of that fire-breathing, radioactive dinosaur called Godzilla. However, this name turns out to be due to arrogance and stupidity by an executive at American International Studios who originally imported that Godzilla movie. In Japanese, the monster's name is Gojira (which oddly enough means "monster" if I remember correctly), but this arrogant twit decided that the Japanese people were mispronouncing the name of their own creation and were REALLY trying to say Godzilla. So in the USA, you see that ever-loving proponent of Tokyo urban renewal under a name that really isn't his.

In New Orleans some time in the 1930's (not sure more precisely than this), a man came on a train platform five minutes earlier than the scheduled departure on his ticket, only to see the train already leaving the station. He sued for a business loss. This was in the days when common carriers didn't have the limited liability disclaimers, so he might have made some money. However, the Southern Railway beat the suit by proving that the train this gentleman had seen was actually one leaving 23 hours and 55 minutes LATE.

In 1916, after Cumberland University (of Cumberland, Kentucky, USA) had de-emphasized their athletic program due to heavy budget cuts, they still had a few games to play in fulfillment of some previous contracts. In the USA-style football game between Cumberland U. and Georgia Tech, the final score was 220 to 0.

The reason Georgia Tech refused to let them out of the contract was that during that spring, the Cumberland U. baseball team had beaten Ga. Tech by 22 to 0. So to fulfill the contract and avoid paying a non-performance penalty, the Cumberland coach got a bunch of Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers to "suit up."

As an act of mercy when the halftime score reached 126-0, the officials agreed to shorten the 3rd and 4th quarters from 15 minutes to 12 minutes. Didn't help that much.

Oh, by the way, the Georgia Tech coach that year was named ... Heisman. USA Football afficianados will know the name though our cousins from across the pond might not. Yes, the same coach after whom the Heisman trophy is named. I kid you not: http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/100606aab.html

One anecdote, possibly apocryphal, relates to a Cumberland player who got up after a particularly hard tackle and staggered over to the sidelines, where he sat down on the bench. The Georgia Tech bench. Coach Heisman tried to gently explain to the young man that he was on the wrong bench. The young man replied, "No I'm not. If I go back over there, they'll put me back in the game."

:eek:

Tess! Do we tolerate that language at AWF? :p

LOL. An innocent question.
It just seemed to make sense!

LOL. An innocent question.
It just seemed to make sense!

But funny you should say that, it is actually a contraction of the phrase "horny devil" :D :D

But funny you should say that, it is actually a contraction of the phrase "horny devil" :D :D

Well I was coming from the aspect of the horns being a sign of fertility.... and well..... we all know what it takes to be fertilized.... so I just made THAT leap in my mind.

LOL. An innocent question.
It just seemed to make sense!

Didn't sound so innocent to me... :p

Didn't sound so innocent to me... :p

Yeah, I know.
Most of my friends and coworkers don't buy the "innocent" plea from me either. :P

The cashew is part of a fruit that grows in tropical regions called 'a cashew apple'. After harvesting, the cashew apple keeps for only 24 hours before the soft fruit deteriorates. The cashew apple is not commercially important since it spoils quickly, but local people love the fruit. To harvest the nut, the ripe apple is allowed to fall to the ground where natives easily gather it. The apple and nut are separated.

Purchased in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, then Governor General of Canada, the Stanley Cup is emblematic of ice hockey supremacy. The Stanley Cup is the oldest annually competed for sports trophy in North America. The Cup has had a colourful career. Here are some of the highlights/lowlights.

After a night of celebrating their Stanley Cup victory in 1905, members of the Ottawa Silver Seven drop kicked it into the Rideau Canal. The Cup stayed in the Canal until the next day when sober heads prevailed and the Cup was fished out.

In 1907, the Montreal Wanderers left the Cup at the home of the photographer who took the team picture. The photographer's mother (not a hockey fan) decided it would make a wonderful flower pot, and it served that purpose for a few months until the Wanderers brass remembered and rescued it.

In 1924, Montreal Canadiens players on their way to the victory party stored the trophy in the trunk of their car. On their way to the festivities, the vehicle had a flat. The players removed the Cup to get at the spare, changed the tire and drove off leaving the Stanley Cup sitting on a snow bank. When it came time to drink champagne from the Cup they realized they didn't have it with them. The Cup was right where they had left it.

During the 1962 playoffs, the Cup sat on display in a huge glass case in the Chicago Stadium lobby. A Montreal fan was upset with the Stanley Cup being in Chicago. He opened the glass case and when no alarms went off, reached in and grabbed the Cup. He was just a few yards from the exit when a police officer spotted him. He later told the judge "I wanted to take it back where it belongs…to Montreal."
.
After the 1962 season, the Cup had to be re-designed as there was no longer enough room to engrave the winners. The original collars were retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame, where they were placed on display. In January 1970 the collars were stolen from the Hall and remained missing for seven years, before an anonymous phone call told police to check the back room of a Toronto cleaning store for a very important piece of history. The police weren't sure what they would find, but there, wrapped like a Christmas present, were the original collars of the Stanley Cup.

After the traditional Stanley Cup parade honouring the 1979 Montreal Canadiens, star forward Guy Lafleur impulsively grabbed the Stanley Cup and placed it in the trunk of his car. He then drove to his parents' house in Thurso, Quebec, where he displayed the Cup on the front lawn and allowed friends and family to photograph and enjoy the trophy. While Thurso residents enjoyed the prank, the men responsible for the Cup were searching frantically for the missing prize. Lafleur returned the Cup later that night, but was told never to repeat his stunt.

The Stanley Cup is the only League Championship trophy that each member of the winning team is given one day during the off season to have in their possession. There are only two conditions. The Cup may not be exposed to the possibility of damage and it may not be used for any commercial purposes. Generally, the players use it for photo ops with family and friends. However, in 1996 Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre christened his child in the bowl of the Cup.

Expertly copied and pasted, if I may say so.

Col

Expertly copied and pasted, if I may say so.

Col

You may not.
It is an edited version of an article I wrote some years ago.

It is an edited version of an article I wrote some years ago.

I wouldn't mind reading the unedited version of the article.
My husband is a huge Wings fan (don't hate) and I sent him your post for his entertainment. I found it quite interesting. If there was more, I'd love to hear it.

I wouldn't mind reading the unedited version of the article.
My husband is a huge Wings fan (don't hate) and I sent him your post for his entertainment. I found it quite interesting. If there was more, I'd love to hear it.

http://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/html/silver_splashstanleycup.htm

Useless fact:-

In the film "A Hard Day's Night" featuring The Beatles. The fab four arrive at the London station on the train. They have to get to the Austin Princess car avoiding the screaming girls. They run through a line of taxi's and then get to the car. The lads are all wearing suits and ties at this point.

The next shot is in the car with the four Beatles in the back of the car, John Lennon is now wearing a roll-neck sweater under his jacket and not a collar and tie.

Fascinating or what?

Col

My husband is a huge Wings fan

I liked Wings. Macca did a good job pulling himself away from The Beatles image at that time.

Col

Useless fact:-

In the film "A Hard Day's Night" featuring The Beatles. The fab four arrive at the London station on the train. They have to get to the Austin Princess car avoiding the screaming girls. They run through a line of taxi's and then get to the car. The lads are all wearing suits and ties at this point.

The next shot is in the car with the four Beatles in the back of the car, John Lennon is now wearing a roll-neck sweater under his jacket and not a collar and tie.

Fascinating or what?

Col

There are several websites which are dedicated to spotting these inconsistancies in movies. There are certainly a large number of them in films.

Currently in Canada we have a TV commercial for a yogurt. It features a girl back packing through the woods, telling us how healthy this yogurt is for you. There are about 12 different shots that make up the commercial. In half of them she's wearing long trousers and in the other half she's wearing shorts.

In baseball, the two major leagues in the USA are the American League and the National Leagues.
The American League uses a Rawlings brand ball and the National Leauge uses a Spalding.
Both balls are manufactured in the same factory by the same people. Half get the Rawlings stamp, half get the Spalding.

PLEEEEESE...No comments on the World's Series.

This is more requiring an answer, then it will become a useless fact.

Centuries ago, people used to have their surname matching their job (Cooper, Baker, Tiler, Butcher etc etc)

What did they have as surnames before they adopted the 'work' surname?

Col

This is more requiring an answer, then it will become a useless fact.

Centuries ago, people used to have their surname matching their job (Cooper, Baker, Tiler, Butcher etc etc)

What did they have as surnames before they adopted the 'work' surname?

Col

Probably Robertson, Peterson etc.
O'Reilly, O'Toole etc.
Macpherson, Macdonald etc.
Wolski, Partski etc.
depending on your ethnic group.

I have no idea if the "son" suffix came before or after the Cooper Baker custom. I'm just guessing.
I know in Iceland the custom still remains that your surname is your father's first name.
Example: an Icelander named Olaf has a son and a daughter.
The son's surname is Olafsson, the daughter's is Olafdottir.

Probably Robertson, Peterson etc.
O'Reilly, O'Toole etc.
Macpherson, Macdonald etc.
Wolski, Partski etc.
depending on your ethnic group.

I have no idea if the "son" suffix came before or after the Cooper Baker custom. I'm just guessing.
I know in Iceland the custom still remains that your surname is your father's first name.
Example: an Icelander named Olaf has a son and a daughter.
The son's surname is Olafsson, the daughter's is Olafdottir.

The cutest one I have seen was in South Africa, van nie kerk (from no church).

This is the big secret about women's age:
They are Older than they were and younger than they will be

(not my copywrite unfortunatly)

Lithuania was the last pagan country in Europe, until it accepted Christianity from Poland in 1385

Lithuania was the last pagan country in Europe, until it accepted Christianity from Poland in 1385

They all converted at once?
:eek:

Conversly, in the UK, people are leaving christianity in droves and more are taking up paganism.

Col

Conversly, in the UK, people are leaving christianity in droves and more are taking up paganism.

Col

Sounds like they've seen the light and decided to switch it off. :D

They all converted at once?
:eek:

Absolutely. I believe it was part of a mass exorcise regime ;)

Conversly, in the UK, people are leaving christianity in droves and more are taking up paganism.

Col
And I thought they worshipped celebs and money:rolleyes:

Conversly, in the UK, people are leaving christianity in droves and more are taking up paganism.

Col

I think it more likely they have taken up lethargy.

Brian

The left breast is usually bigger than the right.

The left testicle is usually bigger than the right.