The unsub perp

PERP: Perpetrator

UNSUB: Unknowns subject

VIC: Victim

See more Law enforcement jargon at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_jargon

Reticule

In the past, the portion of the scope that makes up the aiming point was sometimes called the reticule or graticule, but these days it's simply known as the reticle - and even though not all reticles are simple crosshairs, "reticle" and "crosshair" are often used interchangeably.

Extracted from http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/ss/scope-crosshairs-reticles-types-range-finding-plex.htm

Scraper Pigs

Pigging in the context of pipelines refers to the practice of using pipeline inspection gauges or 'pigs' to perform various maintenance operations on a pipeline. This is done without stopping the flow of the product in the pipeline.

These operations include but are not limited to cleaning and inspecting of the pipeline. This is accomplished by inserting the pig into a 'pig launcher' (or 'launching station') - a funnel shaped Y section in the pipeline. The launcher / launching station is then closed and the pressure-driven flow of the product in the pipeline is used to push it along down the pipe until it reaches the receiving trap – the 'pig catcher' (or receiving station).

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigging

Church Bulletins

These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

• The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
• The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight:'Searching for Jesus.'
• Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
• Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
• Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
• For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow..
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
• Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
• Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
• Pot-luck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
• The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
• This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
• Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM . Please use the back door.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
• The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

from uk. rec. humour

Bobby pin or hair grip

A bobby pin is a type of hairpin.

In England, it is known as a hair grip, grip or kirby grip. In Swansea known as granny clips.

A bobby pin is a double-pronged hair pin that slides into hair with the prongs open and then the flexible prongs close over the hair to hold it in place.

Bobby pins became popular in the 1920s to hold the new bobbed hairstyles.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_pin

The unofficial code of armrest dibs when flying

Honour the unofficial code of armrest dibs.

Who gets which armrest? It’s always a little awkward, isn’t it? No need to wrangle over them and throw elbows. Here’s a sensible code of conduct: Each person gets at least one armrest. In a three-seat row, the middle person gets the armrest on each side of him, while the person in the aisle seat gets the outside one, and the person in the window seat gets the one next to the window; the thinking here is that the person in the aisle seat can lean into the aisle, the person in the window seat can lean into the window, but the man in the middle is stuck. In a row with five seats, the person in the very middle seat gets the two armrests around him, while the passengers to his left each take their left armrest, and the passengers on the right each claim the one on their right.

See full article, How to Fly Like a Gentleman, at http://artofmanliness.com/2012/11/21/how-to-fly-like-a-gentleman/

Five Ways to Die in Medieval Battle

1. Get hit with something heavy, sharp and/or pointy

2. Infection

3. Death from above

4. Get burned alive

It wasn't just arrows that fell out of the sky, either. There were all manner of catapults, ballistae and trebuchets that were exceptionally capable of flinging all sorts of objects over long distances. What was worse? A heavy object falling from the sky that was also on fire.

5. Starvation

Now, some thought the one sure-fire way to not die in a medieval battle was to stay behind the solid rock walls of your castle. However, a patient army could camp around your castle and wait you out. This took real patience, though, because sometimes castles had stores that would last them a year or more. Impatient besiegers sometimes threw dead bodies and dung over the walls--the medieval plague bomb--hoping the people inside were dumb enough to inspect these unwanted surprises. Of course, nothing was more embarrassing than showing up for a siege and having to abandon it when you ran out of rations.

See full article at http://www.kindlepost.co.uk/2012/05/five-ways-to-die-in-medieval-battle.html

British Imperial Measures

Imperial measures are still being used in Britain, even though there's no empire any more. European legislation is slicing the official use of these awkward measures away bit by bit, but speed and distance are still measured in miles and beer in pints. A road sign saying "Wickhill 1m" doesn't mean that you'll find Wickhill 1 metre ahead of you, but 1 mile. Angry readers have complained to newspapers for years about the ongoing conversion to the more practical metric system. The official use of the Imperial measures may go away, but try changing it in the heads of the British.

Obviously, if Imperial measures were to disappear completely, daily language might suffer a bit. Instead of saying "the cat was inching its way across the lawn", one would have to say "the cat was centimetering its way across the lawn", which sounds a bit awkward. Also, "yardstick" would have to be "metrestick", you'd have to order 568 millilitres of beer instead of a pint at the pub, and airmiles would become air1.6kilometres. Car mileage would become 1.6kilometreage and a milestone a 1.6kilometrestone. The English language might end up taking up as much space as French, so many Britons might wonder if the metrification is just another French plot meant to reduce British competitiveness.

The real problem that the British have with the metric system is that it was invented by the French and so by definition must be suspicious. While trying to figure out where the catch is, the British prefer playing it safe and stick with their Imperial measures that have served the Empire so well for centuries.

See full article at http://skovgaard.org/europe/britain.htm

A stand-up made wise guy

Made guy: an indoctrinated member of the Family. Essentially, you pledge your allegiance to the boss and the family for life. To even qualify, your mother has to be Italian.

Stand-up guy: someone who refuses to rat out the Family no matter what the pressure, offer, or threat.

Wiseguy: a made guy.

See more Mobspeak: The Language of the Mafia at http://pixelmafia.org/speak.html

coup de grâce

Late 17th century, from French coup de grâce (“finishing blow”). Originally referring to a merciful stroke putting a fatally wounded person out of misery or to the shot delivered to the head of a prisoner after facing a firing squad.

From http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coup_de_gr%C3%A2ce

Top Ten Most Dangerous Jobs

#1 - Fishing

#2 - Logging Workers

#3 - Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers

#4 - Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

#5 - Roofers

#6 …

See full list at http://www.duralabel.com/articles/top-10-dangerous-jobs.php

The longest combined vehicle-railroad tunnel in North America

Between the city of Whittier and Alaska's interior looms Maynard Mountain, known for subzero, 150-mph winds, but, thanks to engineers, the port has vital highway access to the other side.

Rather than go over, around, or blast a way through, they modified a railroad tunnel for use by motor vehicles.

At 2.5 mi., the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is North America's longest dual-use tunnel.

Because it's only one-lane wide, computers control the direction of traffic and prevent vehicles from being inside at the same time as a train. Jet engine fans help clean the tunnel's air, and the entryways are specially built to withstand avalanches.

From http://www.engineeringsights.org/SightDetail.asp?Sightid=641&id=&view=k&name=&page=1&image=0

Baconer or Porker?

Baconer. A finished pig sold for bacon. Older and larger than a porker.

Porker. A finished pig sold for pork. The youngest grade of adult pigmeat.

From http://www.farm-direct.co.uk/shared/glossary.html

The most terrifying ultimatum a working man can get ...

No, not withdrawal of my conjugal rights.

It was far worse than that, “Breakfast or Beer”; your choice…one or the other!

See full article at http://www.buildingsheriff.com/blog.php/2011/08/the-caff/

City and South London Railway

The City and South London Railway (C&SLR) was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction. The railway was originally intended for cable-hauled trains, but owing to the bankruptcy of the cable contractor during construction, a system of electric traction – an experimental technology at the time – was chosen instead.

Today, its tunnels and stations form the Bank branch and Kennington to Morden section of the London Underground's Northern line.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_and_South_London_Railway

The Bic Biro

Invented by Ladislao Biro

Patented and marketed by Marcel Bich

First produced 1950 and still going strong

The Bic Biro is a ballpoint pen approximately 145mm long and diameter of 9mm.

The transparent barrel is hexagonal.

It is made from polystyrene (transparent barrel), polypropylene (lid), tungsten carbide (ball) and brass/nickel silver (tip).

It comes in a choice of 4 ink colours: blue, black, red and green.

The colour of the lid and the end cap indicate the colour of the ink.

The point size of the Bic Cristal is one millimetre and it will write for a distance of between two to three kilometres.

From http://www.coursestuff.co.uk/ENVT1010/designed-world/bic-ball.html

The wrong kind of leaves?

Railtrack, who are responsible for the tracks, stations and platforms, said leaves have been "bigger and juicier" this autumn, which has led to longer delays to services. The company said the problem had been particularly bad in the Midlands and they issued a joint apology with Central Trains. A Railtrack spokeswoman said, "There were 30% to 40% more leaves on trees this season and they were 20% bigger and juicier, which caused delays on tracks." The company is also trialling a new anti-leaf train and has promised to buy 25 of the vehicles if the tests are successful.

Some of the excuses that have been used include:

• Leaves on the line.
• The wrong type of snow.
• It rained hard for three months.
• A broken down Virgin ahead.
• The sun reflecting off the rails.
• An increase in vandalism.
• An increase in track and station repairs.
• There are too many people on trains.

Rail bosses have come up with a slick solution to their leaves on the line problem, hair gel. A special mix of gel and grit is being sprayed on tracks to keep trains running smoothly. Anglia Railways said after blasting leaves off lines with powerful water jets they were now using the gel coating to give extra traction. The only trouble is that rain washes the gel away. It seems that at every turn British Rail are thwarted by freaks of nature!

Copied from http://www.derbygripe.co.uk/trains.htm

UTC or ZULU time

Zulu Time is the world time. It is also known as UT or UTC (Universal Time (Co-ordinated)). All over the planet it is the same time. There are no timezones for UTC. UTC also has no Daylight Saving Time or Summer Time.

UTC is based on GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Greenwich mean time was based upon the time at the zero degree meridian that crossed through Greenwich, England. GMT was first used by the Royal Navy in the 19th century.

From http://navysite.de/what/zulu.htm

The Anti-Phonetic Alphabet

Long has the phonetic alphabet enjoyed dominance over the ‘can you spell that for me’ market! Well, no more! The following is my suggestion to make telephone operators lives complete hell…! If you’re not paying for the bill and you don’t fancy being nice to the operator on the phone for whatever reason, then consider making the conversation very complicated and interesting with the new Anti-Phonetic alphabet.

• Aubergine
• Bdellium
• Cygnet
• Djinn
• Ewe
• Fort
• Gnome
• Honour
• Igor
• Jalapeno
• Knot

See full list and article at http://amadiere.com/blog/2010/10/non-phonetic-alphabet/

The World’s Most Expensive Camera Lens

A Leica camera from 1923 became the world’s most expensive camera earlier this year when it was auctioned for a staggering $2.79 million.

The world’s most expensive lens has a similar price tag… and is also a Leica.

The Leica APO-Telyt-R 1:5.6/1600mm, is a massive telephoto lens that dwarfs any Leica camera that you attach to it. It’s the company’s longest, largest, and heaviest lens.

It was produced as a custom order by one of the world’s wealthiest photography-enthusiasts, Qatari prince Saud bin Muhammed Al Thani, who paid a whopping $2,064,500 for the hefty piece of glass.

See full article at http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/27/the-worlds-most-expensive-camera-lens/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PetaPixel+%28PetaPixel%29

Two nuns

Two nuns are driving through Transylvania when Count Dracula suddenly jumps on their car.

"Quick, show him your cross!" says one of the nuns.

The other nun shouts "Hey Dracula! F*#k off.

Five Grammatical Errors that Make You Look Dumb

Here are five mistakes to avoid when blogging and writing web copy.

1. Your vs. You’re

2. It’s vs. Its

3. There vs. Their

4. Affect vs. Effect

5. The Dangling Participle

See full article at http://www.copyblogger.com/5-common-mistakes-that-make-you-look-dumb/

Hogg or Hog; Pig or Sheep?

Hog. A sheep up to the age of one year; one yet to be sheared

Hog. Domestic swine

 

Hogg. A sheep up to the age of one year; one yet to be sheared

 

from WordWeb.info

Get on my wick

Meaning - Annoy me; get on my nerves.

Origin - The slang term 'wick' features in several variants of this phrase 'you get on my wick', 'you're getting on my wick', we even find 'he got on her wick', although, as we will see below, the latter isn't strictly anatomically correct. The expression is of UK origin but sounds a little dated now and was much more widely used in the mid 20th century.

'Wick' isn't just slang, it is Cockney Rhyming Slang. For the source we have to visit the South West London district of Hampton Wick. The 'Hampton Wick' rhyme is with 'prick', which was later shortened to just 'hampton' or, less frequently, to 'wick'. As with other words that are now considered acceptable in everyday speech, e.g. 'berk',and 'cobblers', 'you are getting on my wick' is often used without the speaker or hearer considering the genital origin.

See full article at http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/get-on-my-wick.html

Types of shirts

• Camp shirt — a loose, straight-cut, short sleeved shirt or blouse with a simple placket front-opening and a "camp collar."
• Dress shirt - shirt with a formal (somewhat stiff) collar, a full-length opening at the front from the collar to the hem (usually buttoned), and sleeves with cuffs
  • Dinner shirt - a shirt specifically made to be worn with male evening wear, e.g. a black tie or white tie.
  • Winchester Shirt - a coloured or striped dress shirt nevertheless with white collar and cuffs.
  • guayabera — an embroidered dress shirt with four pockets.
• Poet shirt — a loose-fitting shirt or blouse with full bishop sleeves, usually with large frills on the front and on the cuffs.
• T-shirt — also "tee shirt", a casual shirt without a collar or buttons, made of a stretchy, finely knit fabric, usually cotton, and usually short-sleeved. Originally worn under other shirts, it is now a common shirt for everyday wear in some countries.
  • Long-sleeved T-shirt - a t-shirt with long sleeves that extend to cover the arms.
  • Ringer T-shirt — tee with a separate piece of fabric sewn on as the collar and sleeve hems
  • Halfshirt — a high-hemmed t-shirt
    • A-shirt or construction shirt or singlet (in British English) — essentially a sleeveless t-shirt with large armholes and a large neck hole, often worn by labourers or athletes for increased movability. Sometimes called a "wife beater" when worn without a covering layer.
    • camisole — woman's undershirt with narrow straps, or a similar garment worn alone (often with bra). Also referred to as a cami,shelf top, spaghetti straps or strappy top
• tennis shirt, golf shirt, or polo shirt — a pullover soft collar short-sleeved shirt with an abbreviated button placket at the neck and a longer back than front (the "tennis tail").
  • rugby shirt — a long-sleeved polo shirt, traditionally of rugged construction in thick cotton or wool, but often softer today
  • henley shirt — a collarless polo shirt
• baseball shirt (jersey) — usually distinguished by a three quarters sleeve, team insignia, and flat waistseam
• sweatshirt — long-sleeved athletic shirt of heavier material, with or without hood
• tunic — primitive shirt, distinguished by two-piece construction. Initially a men's garment, is normally seen in modern times being worn by women
• shirtwaist — historically (circa. 1890-1920) a woman's tailored shirt (also called a "tailored waist") cut like a man's dress shirt;[13] in contemporary usage, a woman's dress cut like a men's dress shirt to the waist, then extended into dress length at the bottom
• nightshirt — often oversized, ruined or inexpensive light cloth undergarment shirt for sleeping.
• sleeveless shirt — A shirt with no sleeves. Contains only neck, bottom hem, body, and sometimes shoulders depending on type. Also referred to as a tank top.
• halter top — a shoulderless, sleeveless garment for women. It is mechanically analogous to an apron with a string around the back of the neck and across the lower back holding it in place.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirt#Types_of_shirt

Phrases which contain 'dog'

• A dog’s life
• As sick as a dog
• Doesn't have a dog's chance
• Dog day afternoon
• Raining cats & dogs
• She's a dog!!
• The top dog
• Three Dog Night
• You can't teach an old dog new tricks

from http://www.puppygal.com/dogphrases.html

• Dog’s dinner
• In the dog house

From http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/d/dogphrasesandtheirorigins/default.aspx

• The dog's b****cks
• As happy as a dog with two d**ks
• Dog tired

Types of Bookbinding

There are many different methods of assembling a book, though most are variations of attaching the text-block to a cover. From the hardcover books on your bookshelf to the magazines you find at the doctor's office, each comes from a different path of creation. Bookbinding helps to give the books a longer lifespan and serves a variety of purposes to facilitate reading and organizing the material.

• Hardcover Binding
• Tape Binding
• Perfect Binding
• Sewn Binding
• Wire Stitching
• Plastic Comb Binding
  

See full article at http://www.ehow.com/list_7473952_types-bookbinding.html

Chewing gum

Chewing gum is a type of gum traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber known as polyisobutylene. For economical and quality reasons, many modern chewing gums use rubber instead of chicle. Chicle is nonetheless still the base of choice for some regional markets, such as Japan.

Modern chewing gum was first developed in the 1860s when chicle was exported from Mexico for use as a rubber substitute. Chicle did not succeed as a replacement for rubber, but as a gum it was soon adopted and due to newly established companies such as Adams New York Chewing Gum (1871), Black Jack (1884) and “Chiclets” (1899), it soon dominated the market.[5 Chicle gum, and gum made from similar latexes, had a smoother and softer texture and held flavor better. Most chewing gum companies have since switched to synthetic gum bases because of their low price and availability.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum

Schrödinger's cat

Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment, usually described as a paradox, devised by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. It illustrates what he saw as the problem of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics applied to everyday objects. The thought experiment presents a cat that might be alive or dead, depending on an earlier random event. In the course of developing this experiment, he coined the term Verschränkung (entanglement)

See full article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger%27s_cat

Scoville scale & organoleptic test

The Scoville scale is a measurement of the spicy heat (or piquance) of a chili pepper. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. His method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test.

The Scoville organoleptic test. In Scoville's method, an alcohol extract of the capsaicin oil from a measured amount of dried pepper is added incrementally to a solution of sugar in water until the "heat" is just detectable by a panel of (usually five) tasters; the degree of dilution gives its measure on the Scoville scale. Thus a sweet pepper or a bell pepper, containing no capsaicin at all, has a Scoville rating of zero, meaning no heat detectable. The hottest chilis, such as habaneros and nagas, have a rating of 200,000 or more, indicating that their extract must be diluted over 200,000 times before the capsaicin presence is undetectable.

See full article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

Wingtip, semi-, quarter and longwing

The Brogue is a style of low-heeled shoe or boot traditionally characterized by multiple-piece, sturdy leather uppers with decorative perforations (or "broguing") and serration along the pieces' visible edges.

Brogues are most commonly found in one of four toe cap styles (full or "wingtip", semi-, quarter and longwing) and four closure styles (oxford, derby, ghillie, and monk).

Full brogues (also known as wingtips) are characterized by a pointed toe cap with extensions (wings) that run along both sides of the toe, terminating near the ball of the foot. Viewed from the top, this toe cap style is "W" shaped and looks similar to a bird with extended wings, explaining the style name "wingtips" that is commonly used in the US.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brogue_shoe

Lost Woman Looks for Herself

A foreign tourist was reported missing in the volcanic canyon Eldgjá in the southern highlands on Saturday afternoon after she failed to return to her tour bus.

Search and rescue were sent to the area shortly afterwards.

However, the search was called off at 3 am when it turned out that the missing woman had been on the bus all along and even participated in the search for herself.

Before reentering the bus after the stop at Eldgjá, the woman had changed her clothes and freshened up, resulting in the other passengers not recognizing her.

She didn’t recognize the description of herself and “had no idea that she was missing.”

A similar incident occurred in 1954 when ….

See full story at http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Lost_Woman_Looks_for_Herself_in_Iceland%E2%80%99s_Highlands_0_393014.news.aspx

Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate

This is the inscription on an IBM punched card. Frequently, office workers organize papers and forms by stapling or folding them together, or by impaling them on a spindle. Because Hollerith (punched) card readers scan uniform rectangular holes in a precise arrangement, any damage to the physical card makes it unusable. In the 1950s and 1960s, when punched cards became widespread, manufacturers printed a warning on each card; IBM's "Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate" was the best known.

From http://www.answers.com/topic/what-is-the-origin-of-the-expression-do-not-fold-spindle-or-mutilate

Manhattanhenge

Twice per year something really cool happens: the stars, or rather one particular star, aligns with the grid of streets running through Manhattan island, offering photographers and astrologists alike an opportunity to go out and snap a few very unique and very cool photos.

On May 29th and July 12th of this year (it varies a bit each year) the sun sets in perfect alignment with the Manhattan grid. It’s known as “Manhattanhenge“. On those specific days, when the sun sets, you will see half of the glowing orb above and half below the horizon.

See full article and photos at http://www.petapixel.com/2012/05/29/manhattanhenge-a-unique-bi-annual-photo-op-for-new-yorkers/

Tam o' Shanter

The Tam o’ Shanter is a Scottish bonnet worn by men.

The hat is usually made of wool and has a toorie (pom-pom) in the centre.

It is a floppy type of hat with the crown sometimes twice the diameter of the head.

Named after Tam o' Shanter, a character in the poem of that name by Robert Burns.

Originally, the hat was made only in blue due to the lack of chemical dyes ("blue bonnets").

The hats are now available in tartan and a wide variety of colors.

Tam o' Shanters are a casual alternative to the Balmoral and the Glengarry in Highland dress, and are part of the uniforms of a number of military units.

Copied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tam_o'_Shanter_(cap)

The World’s Leading Manufacturer Of Ejection Seats

The World’s Leading Manufacturer Of Ejection Seats And Crashworthy Seating Systems

For over 60 years, Martin-Baker has been the world leader in the design and manufacture of ejection seats. Our latest designs offer unprecedented life-saving capabilities while providing systems and interfaces to fully integrate the pilot with cockpit and aircraft systems.

Over 70,000 ejection seats have been delivered to 93 Air Forces around the world and have saved over 7,000 aircrew lives.

From http://www.martin-baker.com/

10 Weird Ice Cream Flavors From Around The World

1.  Horse Meat

2.  Hot Ice Cream … is claimed to be a concoction of some of the hottest peppers known to man.

3.  Condom

4.  Squid Ink

5.  Foie Gras

6.  The Sex Pistol … London based “Icecreamists” have claimed to perfect the art of the Viagra ice cream.

7. …

 

See full list at http://www.elistmania.com/juice/10_weird_ice_cream_flavors_from_around_the_world/

Types of book conditions

Book condition classifications

• Fine — if a 20th century book, the condition should be almost "like new" …
• Very Good — a 20th century book should show only minor rubbing at book extremities …
• Good — either a 20th century or an earlier book showing average use and wear …
• Fair — a book with much use and wear and multiple problems …
• Binding copy — a copy in need of a replacement backstrip or spine …
• Reading copy — a copy in poor condition, practically synonymous with binding copy …

See the full article at http://www.trussel.com/books/lucas04.htm

Philistine

Labelling someone a Philistine is not especially derogatory today, but brands them as uneducated or unsophisticated.

The term ultimately derives, of course, from the Biblical people – the enemies of Israel – who feature in the well known stories of Samson and Delilah, and David and Goliath.

This word is another which derived from university slang; in this case it was German students who first applied the insulting term Philister to their non-academic neighbours.

From http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A54477912

Army Star Ranks, e.g. 5 star General

• 5 star General. General of the Army. He'd be in his 60's. The US military does not use 5 star rank during peace time.
• 4 star- General. High political position or division commander, commander of entire armies.
• 3 star- Lieutenant General. Political position or command of divisions.
• 2 star - Brigadier General. Commander of "Commands", like all the troops in one certain country, like Germany or South America.
• 1 star General would hold low level political position or some kind of token command, not actually being in charge of anything. Could be in charge of a specific branch, like Cavalry or Infantry units. At least fifty years old, age goes up to 60's, from here on up, the age can pretty much be the same.

See full article at http://www.mitchpileggi.net/Deep_Background/resources/military/milrank.htm

Sweep-Oar Rowing , Pulling & Sculling

Sweep or sweep-oar rowing is a type of rowing when a rower has one oar, usually held with both hands. As each rower has only one oar, the rowers have to be paired so that there is an oar on each side of the boat.

This is in contrast to sculling when a rower has two oars, one in each hand.

In the UK the term is less used as the term rowing generally refers to sweep oar. The term pulling was also used historically

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweep_%28rowing%29

I'm reading a book about anti-gravity ...

I can't put it down. ;-))

from 'just me' in Amazon Kindle forum

Interrobang

Interrobang), ‽ (often represented by ?! or !?), is a nonstandard punctuation mark used in various written languages and intended to combine the functions of the question mark (also called the “interrogative point”) and the exclamation mark or exclamation point (known in printers’ jargon as the “bang”).

The glyph is a superimposition of these two marks.

The interrobang, also known as the interabang.

A sentence ending with an interrobang asks a question in an excited manner, expresses excitement or disbelief in the form of a question, or asks a rhetorical question.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrobang

WXPFL Rules

EXTREME PENCIL FIGHTING RULES

Two challengers face off, each armed with a regulation wooden pencil taken from a factory-sealed pack.

The only recognized regulation competition pencil is the Dixon/Ticonderoga #2 yellow – graphite core, cedar shaft, latex eraser with aluminum stay.

The pencil may not be sharpened or altered in any way prior to initial combat.

A Pink Pearl Eraser flip determines which fighter strikes first.

The loser of the eraser flip becomes the “Defender” and holds his or her pencil between both hands in a horizontal position.

The winner of the eraser flip becomes the “Striker”, holding their pencil vertically and bringing the pencil down in a strike across the opponent’s pencil with full force, attempting to break it in two.
If the Defender’s pencil does not break from the Striker’s attempt, then it becomes the Defender’s turn to strike.

This repeats until one player’s pencil breaks in two and cannot continue.

If a pencil is cracked, but not fully broken in two, referee determines whether said pencil can continue.

If both pencils break during a strike, victory goes to the striker.

See full set of rules at http://pencilfightingwriting.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/extreme-pencil-fighting-rules/

Also see ABOUT WXPFL: THE WORLD EXTREME PENCIL FIGHTING LEAGUE at  http://pencilfightingwriting.wordpress.com/about/

A Higgs boson goes into a church …

A Higgs boson goes into a church.

The priest says "We can't have elementary particles in here, I'm just about to say mass!"

"Without me there is no mass" says the particle.

From Sue at uk.rec.humour

The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences® (OEIS®)

The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences® (OEIS®) is the on-line version of a database of sequences of numbers which will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

A conventional dictionary is a collection of words, together with explanations of their meanings, hints for their pronunciation, pictures illustrating particular words, examples showing how the words have been used in books and newspapers, and so on.

The OEIS is a collection of sequences of numbers (such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, ...) together with, for each sequence, a list of items such as:

• The first 10, or 10,000, or sometimes 500,000 terms of the sequence
• A definition or description of the sequence
• Comments explaining further properties of the sequence
• Formulas for generating the sequence
• Computer programs for generating the sequence
• References to books and articles where the sequence has appeared
• Links to web pages on the Internet where the sequence has appeared
• Cross-references to related entries in the OEIS
• The name of the person who submitted the sequence to the OEIS
• Further names of people who have added additional information about the sequence
• Examples illustrating some of the terms of the sequence (for example, sequence A124. which gives the maximal number of pieces that can be obtained when cutting a circular pancake with n cuts, is illustrated with pictures showing the pieces obtained with n = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 cuts)
• The history of each sequence in the OEIS as it has evolved over time
• Users of the OEIS may also view graphs or plots of each sequence, or to listen to the sequence when it is converted to music
  

From http://oeisf.org/

All the lights are almost off

' ... it doesn't matter. All the lights are almost off.'

'What are you talking about?' Mars seemed to grow as he got closer, filling the room. Jennifer backed away.

'Good boys turn off the lights so that no one can see them doing bad things in the dark. My mother told me that.'

"Mars" Krupcheck in Hostage by Robert Crais

For Sale: Volcano House

The creation of architect Harold J. Bissner Jr., the dome house has been sitting atop a 150-foot conical hill of volcanic fragments since 1968 and is now for sale, at $750,000. The 1,800-square-foot home—guarded by two caretakers whose faces have been sculpted by desertic whim—and its adjoining 60 acres belong to Huell Howser, the host of California’s Gold, the travel show for PBS affiliate KCET that highlights places of interest in California, often along remote paths.

See full article at http://vegasseven.com/style/2010/april/22/sale-volcano-house

Vampires and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Old folklore from Eastern Europe suggests that many vampires suffered from a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder , being fascinated with counting. Millet or poppy seeds were placed on the ground at the grave site of a presumed vampire, in order to keep the vampire occupied all night counting. Chinese myths about vampires also state that if a vampire comes across a sack of rice, s/he will have to count all of the grains. Aside from the Muppet character of Count von Count on television's Sesame Street and a fifth season episode of the X-Files titled Bad Blood , this characteristic seems to have largely disappeared from popular culture.

From http://www.draculas.info/vampires_traits/

The Rules of Office Kitchen

If you've ever worked in an office, you've probably seen quite a lack of office kitchen etiquette. You know what I mean: Dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs or other leftover food particles all over the kitchen counter or the table, about two spoonfuls of coffee left in the coffee pot, filling the office kitchen with the heavenly scent of rapidly burning coffee.

Following is a list of rules pertaining to office kitchen etiquette that should cover most office kitchens quite nicely.

1. Probably the most widely abused and ignored rule of office kitchen etiquette is to make a new pot of coffee if you are emptying or near to emptying the pot.

2. Clean up after yourself, another rule of office kitchen etiquette that seems to be a foreign concept to many. Just because the company has a cleaning person does not mean you have your own personal maid or janitor.

3. As an addendum to the trash rule, be sure to throw out any of your old leftovers that have been residing in the fridge for some time, lest everyone soon be greeted with an unpleasant odor every time they go to retrieve their own lunch and snacks.

See full article at http://voices.yahoo.com/the-rules-office-kitchen-etiquette-450786.html

Fluorescence & Phosphorescence

Fluorescence and phosphorescence are both examples of photoluminescence. In both cases, light is absorbed and then re-emitted at a less-energetic wavelength.

Fluorescent and phosphorescent objects usually glow under exposure to ultraviolet light (though this is not a requirement).

Fluorescence involves absorbing and releasing lower energy light almost immediately, while the light release of phosphorescence is delayed, so these materials appear to glow in the dark.

From http://chemistry.about.com/od/imagesclipartstructures/ig/Fluorescence---Phosphorescence/

Above the fold

"Above the fold" is a graphic design concept that refers to the location of an important news story or a visually appealing photograph on the upper half of the front page of a newspaper …

Most papers are delivered and displayed to customers folded up, meaning that only the top half of the front page is visible.

The term can be used more generally to refer to anything that is prominently displayed or of highest priority.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_the_fold

The world's fastest wallpaperers

They smashed the record for the fastest team of two to hang three strips of wallpaper.

See full article in Lancashire Telegraph at http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/rossendale/9639506.Accrington_college_decorators_are_world_s_fastest_wallpaperers/

Three up, two down

Sergeant First Class

Considered high ranking in enlisted ranks, given very much responsibility, taking charge over many soldiers of all ranks below him/her. Usually in charge of a platoon/section.

Insignia is three up, two down - <<<))

See full article at http://www.mitchpileggi.net/Deep_Background/resources/military/milrank.htm

A Ship's Chadburn

An engine order telegraph or E.O.T., often also chadburn, is a communications device used on a ship (or submarine) for the pilot on the bridge to order engineers in the engine room to power the vessel at a certain desired speed. In early vessels, from the 19th century until about 1950, the device usually consisted of a round dial about nine inches (~20 centimetres) in diameter with a knob at the center attached to one or more handles, and an indicator pointer on the face of the dial. Modern E.O.T.s on vessels which still use them use electronic light and sound signals.

Traditional E.O.T.s required a pilot wanting to change speed to "ring" the telegraph on the bridge, moving the handle to a different position on the dial. This would ring a bell in the engine room and move their pointer to the position on the dial selected by the bridge. The engineers hear the bell and move their handle to the same position to signal their acknowledgment of the order, and adjust the engine speed accordingly. Such an order is called a "bell," for example the order for a ship's maximum speed, flank speed, is called a "flank bell."

For urgent orders requiring rapid acceleration, the handle is moved three times so that the engine room bell is rung three times. This is called a "cavitate bell" because the rapid acceleration of the ship's propeller will cause the water around it to cavitate, causing a lot of noise and wear on the propellers. Such noise is undesirable during conflicts because it can give away a vessel's position.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_order_telegraph

What is Ground Hog day?

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in United States and Canada on February 2.
In weather lore, if a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, marmot, or ground squirrel, emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end.
If on the other hand, it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for 6 more weeks.

from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_Ground_Hog_day_and_how_did_it_get_started

Odd flag

Nepal is the only country in the world that doesn't have a rectangular flag.

The Nepalese flag is shaped like two overlapping triangles

See more about strange flags at http://www.oddee.com/item_96845.aspx

The 50-year rule

A few years ago, I created a rule for myself that I try to follow when I’m faced with a tough decision:

All else being equal, choose the thing you’ll still remember in 50 years.

 

See full article at http://advancedriskology.com/50-year-rule/

If you wouldn't wake up early to do it, you probably shouldn't stay up late to do it

Don't stay up past your normal bedtime to do something that you wouldn't be willing to wake up earlier than your normal wake time.

It's easy to stay up an hour to late playing on the computer or watching a movie, but it would be very difficult to convince yourself to set your alarm for an hour earlier to do that same activity. Either way, you're losing an hour of sleep.

See full article at http://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/uaf36/lpt_if_you_wouldnt_wake_up_early_to_do_it_you/

Types of Pliers

Pliers are two-handled, two-jawed hand tools used mainly for gripping, twisting, and turning. Because the jaws meet at the tip, they can grip with some precision. Some types are made for cutting as well. Here are some of the main types of pliers.

• Adjustable Pliers or Slip-joint Pliers
• Long-nose Pliers or Needle-nose Pliers
• Diagonal-cutting Pliers
• Channel-type Pliers or Groove-joint Pliers or Tongue and Groove Pliers
• Lineman’s Pliers
• Locking Pliers or Vice Grips
• Round-nose Pliers
• Chain-nose Pliers
• Flat-nose Pliers

See full article at http://www.homeinstitute.com/types-of-pliers.htm

Scunner

North Yorkshire term for an urban youth and usually associated with trouble or petty crime.

Notes - Older scunners, i.e. young adults, would be recognisable as chavs.

Synonyms – scally

See full article at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scunner

A Ship's Quarterdeck

QUARTERDECK – the after weather deck. Literally a deck which ran 1/4th of the ships’ length from the stern. Traditionally, the position of command where the vessels’ master/captain would control the ship. He could best judge the wind and sea direction from there, adjusting his sails and course accordingly.

Respect is always payed (salute or come briefly to attention/doff cap) to the quarterdeck when boarding or leaving a ship as an acknowledgment of the Captain’s authority (the Crown), however it has a more ancient history.
Sailors are a superstitious lot, and the ocean is a dangerous place, so they would erect a shrine to whichever god they hoped would protect them.

Of course, the most comfortable place on a sailing ship is at the stern, so that’s where they placed the shrine and would pay homage to it whenever they entered or left the ship. Interestingly, the vessel’s Master would also act as their god’s priest (mess with the Captain and you mess with god!) and this tradition has carried on to today. In particular, the performance of marriage or burial at sea.

From http://www.oocities.org/victuallers/parts_of_ship.htm

The largest door ever in the world

NASA Vehicle Assembly Building.

When it comes to the world's largest door, there's not just one, in fact there are four and they all belong to NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center.The Vehicle Assembly Building was originally built to assembly of Apollo and Saturn vehicles and and is now used to support Space Shuttle operations.

Each of the four doors are 139 meters or 456 feet high, comparatively, the Statue of Liberty is only 93 meters or 305 feet high.

From http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/largest140.html

Why is Chain Mail so named?

Mail or chain mail is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.

The word chainmail is of relatively recent coinage, having been in use only since the 18th century; prior to this it was referred to simply as mail.
The word itself refers to the armour material, not the garment made from it.

Mail was a highly successful type of armor and was used by nearly every metalworking culture in North Africa, Europe, and Asia. Its use spans from around 300 BC to the dawn of the 20th century and beyond, a period of over 2500 years.

Today it remains in limited use in stab vests and a number of other applications. It is also used in reenactments, decorative uses and jewelry.

Etymology

In the Dark Ages coin mail was often referred to as "ring maille" to distinguish it from other types of mail, such as lamellar and splinted mail. In the Middle Ages scale mail died out, but chain mail remained, and people called it "maille" or "mayle", which is derived from Latin macula, or "mesh in a net". As with heraldry, the language of armour is French, and chain mail is no exception. The word maille comes from the French, meaning mesh or net. In the Victorian period people were beginning to become interested with the Middle Ages, and the Gothic revival started. Because people thought that "maille" was made from chains it took on the name of chain mail.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_(armour)

Missed Spellings

Mr. Smith returns to his office to find a message asking him to call Mr. Wryquick. He doesn’t know a Wryquick, so he does nothing.

The next day his attorney, Dawcy, Esq., arrives in a snit and asks why Smith didn’t return the call. What’s going on?

In leaving the message, Dawcy had spelled his name “D as in double-u, A as in are, W as in why, C as in cue, Y as in you, E as in eye, S as in sea, Q as in quay.”

See more at from http://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/11/19/missed-spellings/

Alcohol & calculus don't mix

Never drink & derive

from uk.rec.humour

The best library ...

The best library contains both books you have read, and books you have not. The latter should grow in proportion as the library expands. A working library is as much a place for the possible as it is a record of the past.

From http://aworkinglibrary.com/library/archives/ways_of_reading/

Cocked Hat

'Knocked into a cocked hat' only makes any sense if you know what cocked hats are. These were hats, popular at the end of the 18th century, that had turned up (i.e. cocked) brims. They were usually tricorn (i.e. three-cornered) hats and were often worn as part of some form of official regalia.

The 'Toby jugs' that are still commonplace household ornaments in the UK were usually modelled wearing cocked hats.

From http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/knocked-into-a-cocked-hat.html

To be knocked into a cocked hat

This means to be routed completely in a physical or verbal contest.

The expression comes from the practice of military officers to carry their soft hats under the arm, thus flattening it out. The hats became triangular shaped when flattened. So, when someone was crushed in a contest, they were flattened as completely as an officer's cocked hat.

From http://obsoleteword.blogspot.co.uk/2006/05/to-be-knocked-into-cocked-hat.html

Twenty Rules for Summer Hats

1. Half the battle is being confident that you look great in a hat.

2. If you’re not, you won’t.

3. For every year above the age of 35, you’ll look exponentially better in hats.

4. For every hat size above 7 1/2, you’ll look exponentially worse in hats.

5. If your head is big, those dual size L/XL hats won’t fit

6. The easiest hat to wear is still the ballcap.  Ultra casual only.  Consider the Cooperstown collection “Franchise”.

7. If you have no sports affiliation, logos can sometimes work.  Just keep it subtle.

 

See full list and article at http://dappered.com/2011/04/twenty-rules-for-summer-hats

Ship Naming in the United States Navy

On 3 March 1819 an act of Congress formally placed the responsibility for assigning names to the Navy's ships in the hands of the Secretary of the Navy, a prerogative which he still exercises. This act stated that "all of the ships, of the Navy of the United States, now building, or hereafter to be built, shall be named by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President of the United States, according to the following rule, to wit:

    * those of the first class shall be called after the States of this Union;
    * those of the second class after the rivers;
    * and those of the third class after the principal cities and towns;
    * taking care that no two vessels of the navy shall bear the same name.

See full article at http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navy/l/blshipname.htm

Foul papers

Foul papers is a term that refers to an author's working drafts, most often applied in the study of the plays of Shakespeare and other dramatists of English Renaissance drama. Once the composition of a play was finished, a transcript or "fair copy" of the foul papers was prepared, by the author or by a scribe.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foul_papers

The 10 rules of detective fiction …

In 1928, theologian and mystery writer Ronald Knox codified 10 rules of detective fiction:

1. The criminal must be mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the reader has been allowed to know.
2. All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.
3. Not more than one secret room or passage is allowable.
4. No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.
5. No Chinaman must figure in the story.
6. …

See full list at http://www.futilitycloset.com/2012/03/29/ten-commandments/

The police rang me today ...

The police rang me today to say they've recovered my stolen sofa.

Which I thought was nice of them.

It was starting to look a bit scruffy.

from uk.rec.humour

New York City's largest candy store

M&M's World in Times Square is New York City's largest candy store, and offers merchandise such as themed clothing, dishware, watches, and piggy banks.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%26M%27s_World

Narrow Words

What’s the longest “narrow” word — the longest word whose handwritten letters keep tidily to the middle of the line?

Dmitri Borgmann considered this question in 1965 and came up with overnervousnesses and ....

See full list at http://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/12/13/attenuated-language/

Jack Crawford on Gratitude

"Here's some free advice. Use Senator Martin. Let her tell you how grateful she is, let her hand you the markers. Do it soon. Gratitude has a short half-life. You'll need her one of these days, the way you act."

From Silence of the Lambs, by Thomas Harris

Dots in the Margin

When I come across something I really like in a book, I put a little dot in the margin. Not a check, not a double line—these would be pedantic—but a single, nearly invisible tap or nudge of the pen-tip that could almost be a dark flick in the paper.

I also write the numbers of the marked pages in the back. Then—and this is the most important part—at some later date, sometimes years later, I refer to the page numbers, locate the dots, and copy in a spiral-bound notebook the passages that have awaited my return.

From http://marksinthemargin.blogspot.com/2011/03/dots-in-margin.html

Island Fever

A psychological illness that usually affects poor people found in Hawaii and other islands.

Island Fever is the realization that you are stuck on which ever island you are living and not going anywhere.

From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=island%20fever

Zamboni

A Zamboni is a truck-like vehicle or smaller device used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink.

The first ice resurfacer was developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California.

Zamboni (pronounced /zæmˈboʊni/) is an internationally registered trademark, though the term is often used as a generic colloquialism for ice resurfacing vehicles.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_resurfacer

Funny?

My neighbour knocked on my door at 2:30am this morning, can you believe that....2:30am?!
Luckily for him I was still up playing my Bagpipes.

The Grim Reaper came for me last night, and I beat him off with a vacuum cleaner.
Talk about Dyson with death.

I saw a poor old lady fall over today on the ice!!
At least I presume she was poor - she only had £1.20 in her purse.

A mate of mine recently admitted to being addicted to brake fluid.
When I quizzed him on it he reckoned he could stop any time....

My daughter asked me for a pet spider for her birthday, so I went to our local pet shop and they were £70!!!
Blow this, I thought, I can get one cheaper off the web.

I was at a cash point yesterday when a little old lady asked if I could check her balance, so I pushed her over.

I was driving this morning when I saw an RAC van parked.
The driver was sobbing uncontrollably and looked very miserable.
I thought to myself 'that guy's heading for a breakdown’

How to Tie a Scarf

General Rules

1. Keep it simple – only tie knots you are comfortable wearing–confidence is everything.
2. Scarf length & thickness can limit knot style options.
3. A scarf isn’t a necktie–keep it loose.
4. Function first–fashion second.  Unless you’re a rock star or The Style Blogger.  Dan knows how to rock a scarf!

Ways to Tie a Scarf

1. The Drape, or The Simplest Way To Wear A Scarf
2. Overhand Knot (or Ascot)
3. The Fake Knot
4. The Once Round
5. The Twice Round
6. The “Parisian” or French or European Knot

See full article at http://artofmanliness.com/2012/02/23/mans-guide-scarf/

Only in Britain... Extracts from letters written to local councils

1. It is the dogs mess that I find hard to swallow.

2. I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off.

3. I wish to complain that my father twisted his ankle very badly when he put his foot in the hole in his back passage.

4. Their 18 year old son is continually banging his balls against my fence.

5. I wish to report that tiles are missing from the outside toilet roof. I think it was bad wind the other day that blew them off.

6. My lavatory seat is cracked, where do I stand?

7. I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is coming away from the wall.

8. Will you please send someone to mend the garden path. My wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant.

9. I request permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen.

10. 50% of the walls are damp, 50% have crumbling plaster, and 50% are just plain filthy.

11. I am still having problems with smoke in my new drawers.

12. The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared.

13. Will you please send a man to look at my water, it is a funny colour and not fit to drink.

14. Our lavatory seat is broken in half and now is in three pieces.

15. I want to complain about the farmer across the road. Every morning at 6am his cock wakes me up and it's now getting too much for me.

16. The man next door has a large erection in the back garden, which is unsightly and dangerous.

17. Our kitchen floor is damp. We have two children and would like a third, so please send someone round to do something about it.

18. I am a single woman living in a downstairs flat and would you please do something about the noise made by the man on top of me every night.

19. Please send a man with the right tool to finish the job and satisfy my wife.

20. I have had the clerk of works down on the floor six times but I still have no satisfaction.

21. This is to let you know that our lavatory seat is broke and we can't get BBC2.

22. My bush is really overgrown round the front and my back passage has fungus growing in it.

23. He's got this huge tool that vibrates the whole house and I just can't take it any more.

from uk.rec.humour

Pareidolia

Pareidolia a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant. Common examples include seeing images of animals or faces in clouds, the man in the moon or the Moon rabbit, and hearing hidden messages on records played in reverse.

The word comes from the Greek para- – "beside", "with", or "alongside"—meaning, in this context, something faulty or wrong (as in paraphasia, disordered speech) and eidōlon – "image"; the diminutive of eidos – "image", "form", "shape".

Pareidolia is a type of apophenia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia

Fedora

A fedora is made of soft felt and is most recognizable by its pinched front and the crease that travels lengthwise on the crown. The brim extends out and is sometimes bent down over the eyes. Most fedora hats feature a hat band.

Fedoras first appeared in the late 1800s, however this style of hat didn’t become popular until the 1930s. Still popular today, fedoras are often associated in modern times with wealth and class. Men ranging from Humphrey Bogart to the fictional Indiana Jones are known for their fedora hats.

from http://accessories.about.com/od/hatglossary/g/fedora.htm

The History of the Bowler Hat

The bowler hat first made its appearance as the hard hat designed by James Lock and Co. of 6 St James’s Street, London, in 1850 for Sir William Coke, to give his game wardens to wear when patrolling their employer’s estate on horseback.

The Locks’ design was made up by hatters Bowler Brothers, whose family name was adopted for the new style.

The story goes that when Coke was first presented with the hat at the Locks’ premises, he threw it to the floor and stamped on it to test its hardiness, before ramming it down on his head and leaving the shop, evidently satisfied. It had cost him 12 shillings.

From http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/bowler-hat/biography/bowler-hat-finished

Mirrors & Lightning

Mirrors have long been a popular object of old wives tales. One of the more popular old wives tales concerning mirrors is that they should always be covered during a rain or lightning storm. The old wives tale says that if a mirror is not covered during a lightning storm it will attract the lightning and the house will be struck and burned down.

See full article at http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/tales62.htm

Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral

"Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)" is a classic Irish song originally written in 1914 by composer James Royce Shannon (1881–1946) and popularised by Bing Crosby in 1944's Going My Way.

• Thin Lizzy's song "Vagabond of the Western World" from the album Vagabonds of the Western World features this line repeatedly: Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral.
• The Dexys Midnight Runners song "Come On Eileen" features in its chorus a nonsense lyric that strongly resembles that of this song.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Ra_Loo_Ra_Loo_Ral

Word Count

LUCK requires 7 pen strokes

HOURS IN A DAY requires 24 pen strokes

See full list at http://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/06/25/word-count

Worzel Gummidge

“A cup o’ tea an’ a slice o’ cake”

Worzel Gummidge was definitely a relation of Catweazle – another bizarre kids programme that I loved but sadly can remember little about. I just remember the beard and the name. Worzel however is still fresh in my mind. Jon Pertwee brought the scarecrow with many heads to life with great gusto. Children John and Sue Peters befriend Worzel when they move to the countryside and the series is about their adventures along with wooden Aunt Sally who is the love of Worsel’s life. Aunt Sally however is most certainly not impressed as she is far to upper class to got out with the likes of him! I can still hear Una Stubbs who played Aunt Sally in my head when I think about the show. My favourite memories however are Worzel changing heads to suit the occassion and the robin he kept in a nest in his chest.

From http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/discussion/top-ten-childrens-programmes/330811/

Henrik Vanger on Enemies

“I’ve had many enemies over the years. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s never engage in a fight you’re sure to lose. On the other hand, never let anyone who has insulted you get away with it. Bide your time and strike back when you’re in a position of strength—even if you no longer need to strike back.”

"The enemies of my friends, are my enemies."

From The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson

Fair Copy

A handwritten document that has been corrected and written neatly.

From http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fair_copy

Mind tricks to try and use

On Reddit, a wonderful thread where redditors detail their favorite "mind tricks."

Here's a smattering:

When I walk through large crowds of people, to avoid walking into anyone, I simply stare at my destination. I look no one in the eyes. People actually will watch your eyes and they avoid the direction you are going. If I look into people's eyes as we are walking into each other, we are sure to collide. You have to let people know where you intend to go with your eyes. It always works for me, try it! (Poo_Smudge)

See full list at http://boingboing.net/2011/12/04/mind-tricks-to-try-and-use.html

Duct, duck & gaffer tape

Duct tape, or duck tape, is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure sensitive tape often sealed with polyethylene. Duct tape is commonly used in situations that require a strong, flexible, very sticky tape.

It is very similar to gaffer tape but differs in that gaffer tape was designed to be cleanly removed, while duct tape was not. It comes in matte black, and is more easily torn into thin strips for precise application.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape

What is a Dress Shirt?

A proper dress shirt is a button-up shirt with a collar, long sleeves, and wrist cuffs.

It is usually made from a cotton fabric woven and dyed into various, non-obtrusive patterns and colours.

By altering these characteristics, a dress shirt can either send the message its wearer is ready for sport or ready to meet the president.

From http://artofmanliness.com/2009/04/12/understanding-the-dress-shirt-custom-shirt-giveaway/

Tall Words

In 1973 Darryl Francis sought “tall” words made up entirely of letters that ascend above the mean line or descend below it.

He discovered if, hip, glib, lipid, ...

See full list at http://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/12/13/attenuated-language/

The Doctor Who Timeline

Showing all the Dr Whos and his companions

See http://walyou.com/dr-who-infographic/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheWalyouBlog+%28The+Walyou+Blog%29