Fun Fact Thread! (previously fun fact for the day, not limited to 1 per day anymore.)

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

3 hours ago, AtomicTech said:

pray to the sweet Lord above that it's fake

Whatever you do, don't Google 'spider eating bird'. 

2 hours ago, steve9728 said:

Watch a video introducing the car culture in Australia. If I had to sum it up in just one word, I think I'd say "wild".

 

I'm sorry, did you say 'car culture in Australia' to an American? 

Um... 

Okay, impress me. Whatcha got? 

Edited October 6, 2023 by JoeSchmuckatelli

[steve9728]

2 hours ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

I'm sorry, did you say 'car culture in Australia' to an American? 

Um... 

Okay, impress me. Whatcha got? 

American one sounds like “reasonable wild”  (usually) to me but Australia one…

Outside of Australia it won't make any sense  instead it's especially important in Australia. For example, an Australian farmer's wife wrote to Ford in 1932, “We need a car that is decent enough to drive us to church in style on Sundays, and practical enough to take our pigs to the market on Mondays.” Then they have UTE.

Not to mention their road train. 

It couldn't be more interesting to see how different manufacturers build different versions of a car to suit local "unique consumer tastes".

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by steve9728

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

Road train is bonkers!

[DDE]

The list of  of alumni of Bauman* Moscow State Technical University reads like a who's who of air, space, nuclear and arms industry - Zhukovskyi, Korolev, Chelomei, Sukhoi, Tupolev, Myascischev, Pilyugin, Lavochkin, Dollezhal, Nepobedimyi... to this day, pretty much only Bauman graduates are considered for the assignment of a Soyuz engineer.

* Nikolay Bauman was a small-time veterinarian and the leader of Moscow's Bolshevik cell who in 1905 got killed during a demonstration nearby; he had absolutely nothing to do with the then Imperial Moscow Technical School.

There is, however, one Baumanka graduate most people really don't like to talk about: Alfred Rosenberg, of Revel (now Tallinn), a literal achitect turned writer, as well the figurative architect of the ideology of the German National-Socialist Workers' Party and the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories.

Spoiler

Evidently, history likes to try to put a spoonful of tar into every barrel of honey.

[Maria Sirona]

Maybe we should get back to less political stuff before the moderators show up? (Not trying to usurp the role of one)

 

I'll start: in finnish, you can convey a meaning by putting any vocal between two h's. 

Hah, heh, hih and hoh are all onomatopoeias for laughter, with hih specifically meaning giggling

Huh is an expression relief 

Hyh is one of disgust

Häh one of confusion

And höh conveys disappointment

[farmerben]

An air compressor with no moving parts (except water)

[darthgently]

This may be old news to some here but it really filled me with joy to see this from an entirely different perspective that I'd never considered.  Perhaps strangely, Einstein's explanation described in this video is now for me the most understandable explanation of this phenomenon.  New respect for Coulomb's law

 

[DDE]

There is a Russian surname Nepeivoda (Don't-drink-water).

Exhibit A: Evgeny Nepeivoda of the national rugby team. The official account thought this particular action to be noteworthy in itself.

Spoiler

 

[kerbiloid]

1 hour ago, DDE said:

Russian surname Nepeivoda

Russian in the most wide linguistic sense of the word, but locally Ukrainian, more precisely - a historically grown nickname, typical for the Zaporozhskaya Sech' (ethnically heterogeneous, semi-rebel semi-criminal (that's why such strange nicks) enclave at the Slavic - Turkic frontier.)

We had a neighbour with this surname. One of my grannies had another similar surname, totally opposing my religious views.

[Codraroll]

Current events are very tragic, but they made me look at the map and realize something interesting.

So, there once was this Jesus fellow, who allegedly was born in the town of Betlehem, did a bunch of stuff, travelled the land for years, before one day, fatefully, he rode into the city of Jerusalem whereupon he was arrested and crucified by the Romans. All famous events chronicled in this big book. With my cursory knowledge of the stories, I had assumed that these places were, well, not a lifetime of travel apart, but certainly in different corners of Judea or Samaria or whatever the land was called as a Roman province back then. A hundred kilometers, at least, like the distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Certainly a few days' travel.

Then I had a look at the map and realized that Betlehem is more-or-less a suburb of Jerusalem (politics notwithstanding, and there's a lot of politics going on). Along the shortest road and in fair weather, it'd take you less than two hours to walk the nine-or-so kilometers between the places of Jesus' birth and death. If Jesus was of a sporty persuation, he could feasibly have nipped out for a short jogging trip to visit the ol' manger in the hours between The Last Lunch and The Last Supper. Given the significance of the events to the story of the book in which he was the main character, one would think these monumental places would be further apart. It'd be like learning that Hogwarts was located two streets east of Privet Drive.

[darthgently]

3 hours ago, Codraroll said:

Current events are very tragic, but they made me look at the map and realize something interesting.

So, there once was this Jesus fellow, who allegedly was born in the town of Betlehem, did a bunch of stuff, travelled the land for years, before one day, fatefully, he rode into the city of Jerusalem whereupon he was arrested and crucified by the Romans. All famous events chronicled in this big book. With my cursory knowledge of the stories, I had assumed that these places were, well, not a lifetime of travel apart, but certainly in different corners of Judea or Samaria or whatever the land was called as a Roman province back then. A hundred kilometers, at least, like the distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Certainly a few days' travel.

Then I had a look at the map and realized that Betlehem is more-or-less a suburb of Jerusalem (politics notwithstanding, and there's a lot of politics going on). Along the shortest road and in fair weather, it'd take you less than two hours to walk the nine-or-so kilometers between the places of Jesus' birth and death. If Jesus was of a sporty persuation, he could feasibly have nipped out for a short jogging trip to visit the ol' manger in the hours between The Last Lunch and The Last Supper. Given the significance of the events to the story of the book in which he was the main character, one would think these monumental places would be further apart. It'd be like learning that Hogwarts was located two streets east of Privet Drive.

Iirc, Jesus' family was on their way to Jerusalem from Nazareth for the Roman census as required by Roman law.   So if they'd arrived sooner it would have been in Jerusalem itself.  Point being that the proximity of Jerusalem wasn't a coincidence.  But if all the rooms in Bethlehem were full because of the census, imagine the situation in the big city.  There may not have even been a manger available there

Edited October 11, 2023 by darthgently

[SunlitZelkova]

Between political history and religion, the fun fact thread is certainly risqué these days 

2 hours ago, Codraroll said:

Given the significance of the events to the story of the book in which he was the main character, one would think these monumental places would be further apart. It'd be like learning that Hogwarts was located two streets east of Privet Drive.

Regardless of whatever embellishments it may have had in the years between Jesus’ death and the writing of the Gospels, I don’t think there was ever an intention to make his life like a “good yarn”. It was/is a chronicle of events that people believe actually happened, to one degree or another.

In other words, it’s more like a biography of J. Edger Hoover being born and dying in Washington, D.C., rather than the Tale of Harry Potter and his journey across Britain to learn magic.

[kerbiloid]

4 hours ago, SunlitZelkova said:

born and dying in Washington, D.C.

What a horrible fate...

[steve9728]

9 hours ago, Codraroll said:

Current events are very tragic, but they made me look at the map and realize something interesting.

So, there once was this Jesus fellow, who allegedly was born in the town of Betlehem, did a bunch of stuff, travelled the land for years, before one day, fatefully, he rode into the city of Jerusalem whereupon he was arrested and crucified by the Romans. All famous events chronicled in this big book. With my cursory knowledge of the stories, I had assumed that these places were, well, not a lifetime of travel apart, but certainly in different corners of Judea or Samaria or whatever the land was called as a Roman province back then. A hundred kilometers, at least, like the distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Certainly a few days' travel.

Then I had a look at the map and realized that Betlehem is more-or-less a suburb of Jerusalem (politics notwithstanding, and there's a lot of politics going on). Along the shortest road and in fair weather, it'd take you less than two hours to walk the nine-or-so kilometers between the places of Jesus' birth and death. If Jesus was of a sporty persuation, he could feasibly have nipped out for a short jogging trip to visit the ol' manger in the hours between The Last Lunch and The Last Supper. Given the significance of the events to the story of the book in which he was the main character, one would think these monumental places would be further apart. It'd be like learning that Hogwarts was located two streets east of Privet Drive.

8 hours ago, darthgently said:

There may not have even been a manger available there

With all due respect, I think anyone in this forum could be put in a time machine and go back there and write a (or even some) more interesting story than this.

[darthgently]

3 hours ago, steve9728 said:

With all due respect, I think anyone in this forum could be put in a time machine and go back there and write a (or even some) more interesting story than this.

Many historical accounts lack a movie script flare.  Go figure

[steve9728]

3 minutes ago, darthgently said:

Many historical accounts lack a movie script flare.  Go figure

There’re so that much that make me think it’s uncountable nouns

[darthgently]

1 minute ago, steve9728 said:

There’re so that much that make me think it’s uncountable nouns

???.  I think I might know what you mean. Not sure

[steve9728]

In the late Qing Dynasty, there was a ruling regime called the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Their leaders claimed to be the second son of God and the brother of Jesus. And "thanks" to China's 19th-century history of been invaded, their leader, Hong Xiuquan's dragon robe is now in the British Museum.

So, once I went to the British Museum with two other non-Chinese classmates of mine. And then saw this robe.

Spoiler

-Hey Steve, what's that? The cloth of the Qing Emperor?

-Ah nope, Jesus's brother's

-Are you ** serious?

*Innocent stares*

Edited October 11, 2023 by steve9728

[darthgently]

How does this happen?  Explain below

 

[StrandedonEarth]

I’m thinking the pike choked and died, floated to the surface, and froze

[magnemoe]

2 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

I’m thinking the pike choked and died, floated to the surface, and froze

Probably the most likely explanation. More likely if the pike could bit over something so large it could not dislodge it, this restricted water flow over the gills so it choked.
My initial thought was that the bass  tried to escape up an hole in the ice. trapping both then they froze. 
Still very weird, an bass  revenge, some make some music to honor it with an focus on bass 

[Superfluous J]

We'll have to wait for the autopsy to be sure.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

On 10/10/2023 at 6:20 PM, Codraroll said:

had a look at the map

 

On 10/10/2023 at 6:54 PM, darthgently said:

proximity

The interesting coincidence for me is that I've been teaching Assyrian and Persian history and am at the intersection of the Long Walk to Babylon with my students.  We've literally been pounding out the map reading part of the class for a couple of weeks - and then my Freshmen walk in and tell me they know where the Current Events are happening. 

Biggest comment? 

"They've been fighting over that land for 4,000 years." 

 

Edit: yes, I did just inform the Forum that American High School students can find a place on a map. 

11 hours ago, steve9728 said:

Innocent stares

There is a serious lack of Chinese history taught in Western schools.  

I myself only stumbled on that tale some years ago when I was tracing the aftermath of the Mongols in China - along with some of the heroic tales of several travelers. 

It wasn't what I was looking for - but it was an interesting side trip!

[Vanamonde]

Please avoid the subject of religion on this forum. It just never ends well. 

[steve9728]

8 hours ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

There is a serious lack of Chinese history taught in Western schools.  

I myself only stumbled on that tale some years ago when I was tracing the aftermath of the Mongols in China - along with some of the heroic tales of several travelers. 

It wasn't what I was looking for - but it was an interesting side trip!

Have to say there's also a serious lack of computer games about ancient/modern China and Chinese people. You know, letting those teens sit down and read a book and understand them in depth is really unimaginable these days.

I myself have never been to LA and Chicago, but thanks to the GTA and Watch Dogs...

Edited October 12, 2023 by steve9728