The Timber Yard

The History of the Bowler Hat

2012-02-12T13:19:00.001Z

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

2012-02-07T07:10:00.001Z

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

2012-02-01T06:49:00.001Z

"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

2012-01-28T11:56:00.001Z

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

2012-01-26T07:15:00.001Z

“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

2012-01-21T14:39:00.001Z

“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

2012-01-17T20:37:00.001Z

A handwritten document that has been corrected and written neatly.

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

Mind tricks to try and use

2012-01-15T21:47:00.002Z

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

2012-01-13T20:49:00.001Z

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?

2012-01-09T20:15:00.001Z

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

2012-01-04T06:33:00.001Z

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

2012-01-02T19:19:00.001Z

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

What do those crazy letters and numbers on your drumsticks (5A/5B/7A/3S) mean?

2011-12-29T18:46:00.001Z

The stick model (5A/5B/7A/7B/etc.) refers to the length and thickness of the shaft and taper of the stick.

Number
The numerical portion signifies the circumference of the stick. In general, the lower the number the larger circumference, and the greater the number the smaller the circumference. For example, the 7A is smaller in circumference than a 5A which in turn is narrower than the 2B. The exception is the 3S, which is larger in circumference than a 2B despite its number.

Letter:
The letter suffix: "S," "B," and "A" originally indicated the recommended application.

"S" model sticks were designed for Street applications such as drum corps and marching band, and are typically the largest diameter sticks.
"B" model sticks were intended for Band applications such as brass bands and symphonic concert bands. Smaller in circumference than the "S" models, they were easier to control and thus especially popular with beginning drummers. To this day the 2B is recommended by teachers practically everywhere as ideal starter sticks.
"A" stands for Orchestra. "A" model sticks were designed for big band or dance type orchestras. They're smaller in circumference than "B" series sticks and lend themselves well for softer type playing. Nobody really knows why Ludwig chose to use "A" for "orchestra" (I think it was because they didn't like the way the "O" printed on the stick), but they were the first and now everybody uses it.

from http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38884&page=1

Pakistan bans 'obscene' words in cellphone texts

2011-12-24T14:03:00.001Z

Pakistan's telecommunications authority sent a letter ordering cell phone companies to block text messages containing what it perceives to be obscenities, Anjum Nida Rahman, a spokeswoman for Telenor Pakistan, said Friday.

It also sent a list of more than 1,500 English and Urdu words that were to be blocked. The order was part of the regulator's attempt to block spam messages, said Rahman. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority refused to comment on the initiative.

Many of the words to be blocked were sexually explicit terms or swear words, according to a copy of the list obtained by The Associated Press.

It also included relatively mild terms like fart and idiot.

See full story at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/telecom/Pakistan-bans-obscene-words-in-cellphone-texts/articleshow/10791215.cms

Things you can get away with saying only at Christmas

2011-12-19T07:53:00.001Z

1. Tying the legs together keeps the inside moist.

2. Smother the butter all over the breasts!

3. If I don't undo my trousers, I'll burst!

4. It's a little dry, do you still want to eat it?

5. Stuff it up between the legs as far as it will go.

6. Do you think you'll be able to handle all these people at once?

7. I didn't expect everyone to come at the same time!

8. You still have a little bit on your chin.

9. You'll know it's ready when it pops up.

10. I'm so full, I've been gobbling nuts all morning.

from uk.rec.humour

What is the longest movie title in the world?

2011-12-16T10:43:00.001Z

Night of the Day of the Dawn of the Son of the Bride of the Return of the Revenge of the Terror of the Attack of the Evil, Mutant, Alien, Flesh Eating, Hellbound, Zombified Living Dead Part 2: In Shocking 2-D.

See this, and other 'longest' stuff, at http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/

The Red Book

2011-12-14T21:30:00.001Z

The Red Book of Westmarch (sometimes Red Book of the Periannath, and The Downfall of the Lord of the Rings, also known as the Thain's Book after its principal version) is a fictional manuscript written by hobbits, a conceit of author J. R. R. Tolkien to explain the source of his fantasy writings.

It is a collection of writings in which the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were recounted by their characters, and from which Tolkien supposedly derived these and other works.

The name of the book comes from its red leather binding and casing, and also it having been housed in the Westmarch.

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

Relationship Terms

2011-12-13T18:21:00.001Z

The English language has quite an array of relationship or kinship terms, which can baffle even native English speakers. What’s the difference between a second cousin and first cousin once removed, or stepsister and half sister, let alone ortho-cousin and cross-cousin? This page demystifies some common and uncommon terms, with diagrams.

See http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/relation.htm#CousinsRemoved

2D4D, Digit ratio

2011-12-08T07:41:00.001Z

The 2D:4D ratio is calculated by measuring the length of the index finger of the right hand, then that of the ring finger, and dividing the former by the latter. A longer index finger will result in a ratio higher than 1, while a longer ring finger will result in a ratio of less than 1.

The 2D:4D digit ratio is sexually dimorphic: in males, the second digit tends to be shorter than the fourth, and in females the second digit tends to be the same size or slightly longer than the fourth.

A number of studies have shown a correlation between the 2D:4D digit ratio and various physical and behavioural traits.

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

Navy Mugs

2011-12-03T09:52:00.001Z

Q: Why do many navy coffee mugs have no handle?

A: So you can tell if the liquid is too hot to drink. They were used in WWII and were called "watch mugs" and had no handles to keep the watch sailors' hands warm.

From http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_many_navy_coffee_mugs_have_no_handle

Professor Liedenbrock's view on what makes a splendid book

2011-11-30T21:52:00.001Z

"See," he went on, both asking the questions and supplying the answers. "Isn't it a beauty? Yes; splendid! Did you ever see such a binding? Doesn't the book open easily? Yes; it stops open anywhere. But does it shut equally well? Yes; for the binding and the leaves are flush, all in a straight line, and no gaps or openings anywhere. And look at its back, after seven hundred years. Why, Bozerian, Closs, or Purgold might have been proud of such a binding!"

from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne

Pencil museum celebrates 30 years

2011-11-28T07:25:00.001Z

Cumbria is the birthplace of the pencil. Legend says it all began in the early 1500s when a violent storm in Borrowdale led to trees being uprooted.

A strange black material was discovered underneath. The substance was initially thought to be a form of lead. It was actually graphite. And it was soon apparent that this stuff could be used to mark paper. The discovery revolutionised writing and drawing.

Keswick became the pencil capital of the world, leading to the formation of Britain’s first pencil factory in 1832.

The Cumberland Pencil Company was formed in Keswick in 1916 and opened the pencil museum in 1981.

From http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/cumberland-pencil-museum-celebrates-30-years-1.841844?referrerPath=home

World’s Largest Propeller

2011-11-22T23:54:00.001Z

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the manufacturer of the world’s largest propellers, has set a new record in this category.

The newest propeller is 101.5 tons in weight and 9.1 meters in diameter, or as large as a 3-story building. While a standard commercial propeller has between 4 and 5 blades, this propeller has 6. It is intended for the first of four 7,200 TEU containerships, currently under construction for Hapag Lloyd.

Until now the largest propeller in the world was 99.9 tons, manufactured for a 5,600 TEU containership built by HHI in March

From http://www.marinetalk.com/articles-marine-companies/art/Worlds-Largest-Propeller--HYU00695841IN.html

How to hold a tea cup

2011-11-19T18:56:00.001Z

In order for one not to spill the hot liquid onto oneself, the proper way to hold the vessel of a cup with no handle is to place one’s thumb at the six o'clock position and one’s index and middle fingers at the twelve o'clock position, while gently raising one’s pinkie up for balance.

See full article at http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HighTeaHistory.htm

Single-sideband

2011-11-15T19:38:00.001Z

Single-sideband modulation (SSB) or Single-sideband suppressed-carrier (SSB-SC) is a refinement of amplitude modulation that more efficiently uses electrical power and bandwidth.

Amplitude modulation produces a modulated output signal that has twice the bandwidth of the original baseband signal. Single-sideband modulation avoids this bandwidth doubling, and the power wasted on a carrier, at the cost of somewhat increased device complexity.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-sideband_modulation

Standing End, Tail, and Bitter End

2011-11-12T18:20:00.001Z

In many boating knots it is convenient to talk about the Standing End - which takes the strain, and the Tail - the loose end in your hand.

On a large ship, each shore line is initially tightened using the winch. The tail is then properly called a Bitter End as it is transferred to the Bitts.

From http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Types of Fences

2011-11-09T19:36:00.001Z

Barbed wire fence
Chain-link fencing, wire fencing made of wires woven together
Concrete fence, easy to install and highly durable
Chicken wire, light wire mesh for keeping predators out and chickens or other small livestock in
Electric fence
Ha-ha (or sunken fence)
High tensile smooth wire
Hurdle fencing, made from moveable sections
Newt fencing, amphibian fencing, drift fencing or turtle fence, a low fence of plastic sheeting or similar materials to restrict movement of amphibians or reptiles.
Palisade
Pest-exclusion fence
Pet fence Underground fence for pet containment
Picket fences, generally a waist-high, painted, partially decorative fence
Pool fence
Post-and-rail fencing
Roundpole fences, similar to post-and-rail fencing but more closely spaced rails, typical of Scandinavia and other areas rich in raw timber.
Slate fencing in Mid-Wales
Slate fence, a type of palisade made of vertical slabs of slate wired together. Commonly used in parts of Wales.
Snow fence
Spear-top fence
Split-rail fences made of timber, often laid in a zig-zag pattern, particularly in newly-settled parts of the United States and Canada
Stockade fence, a variation of the picket fence that is typically 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) high with pickets placed adjacent to one another with no space between. This type of fence is commonly used for privacy.
Vinyl fencing
Wattle fencing, of split branches woven between stakes.
Wood-panel fencing
Woven wire fencing, many designs, from fine Chicken wire to heavy mesh "sheep fence" or "ring fence"
Wrought iron fencing, made from tube steel, also known as ornamental iron.
Hedge
Walls

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

Ponzi scheme

2011-11-05T23:28:00.001Z

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to its investors from their own money or the money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by the individual or organization running the operation.

The Ponzi scheme usually entices new investors by offering higher returns than other investments, in the form of short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistent.

Perpetuation of the high returns requires an ever-increasing flow of money from new investors to keep the scheme going.

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

Kludge

2011-11-02T07:23:00.001Z

A kludge (or kluge) is a workaround, a quick-and-dirty solution, a clumsy or inelegant, yet effective, solution to a problem, typically using parts that are cobbled together.

This term is diversely used in fields such as computer science, aerospace engineering, Internet slang, and evolutionary neuroscience.

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

How to Get the Respect You Deserve at Work

2011-10-30T17:50:00.001Z

Don’t care so much. Seriously..

Never miss a deadline.

Never be late to an appointment.

Don’t waste anyone’s time, but sometimes allow your superiors to waste yours.

Treat those “underneath” you well.

Dress like you’re going to ask for a raise.

See full list and article at http://artofmanliness.com/2011/01/03/how-to-get-the-respect-you-deserve-at-work/

Truthful Numbers

2011-10-25T08:09:00.001+01:00

FOUR contains four letters.

TEN is spelled with ten raised dots in Braille.

TWELVE is worth 12 points in Scrabble.

FIFTEEN is spelled with 15 dots and dashes in International Morse Code.

TWENTY-NINE contains 29 straight lines — if you don’t count the hyphen

from http://www.futilitycloset.com/2009/02/25/truthful-numbers

Joseph C. Gayetty

2011-10-22T12:39:00.001+01:00

Joseph C. Gayetty was an American inventor credited with the invention of commercial toilet paper. Gayetty first marketed toilet paper in 1857 which originally sold for US$0.50 in packs of 500 bearing a watermark of his name.

The original product contained aloe as a lubricant and was marketed as an anti-hemorrhoid medical product.

Gayetty's product was licensed to other manufacturers and sold as late as the 1920s.

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

Shoddy

2011-10-10T08:01:00.001+01:00

Recycled or remanufactured wool which is of inferior quality compared to the original wool.

Historically generated from loosely woven materials.

Benjamin Law invented shoddy and mungo, as such, in 1813. He was the first to organise, on a larger scale, the activity of taking old clothes and grinding them down into a fibrous state that could be re-spun into yarn.

The shoddy industry was centred on the towns of Batley, Morley, Dewsbury and Ossett in West Yorkshire, and concentrated on the recovery of wool from rags.

The importance of the industry can be gauged by the fact that even in 1860 the town of Batley was producing over 7000 tonnes of shoddy.

At the time there were 80 firms employing a total of 550 people sorting the rags. These were then sold to shoddy manufacturers of which there were about 130 in the West Riding

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

How to Identify a werewolf in human form

2011-10-04T08:50:00.001+01:00

Identification of a werewolf in human form is quite difficult, and there is no one way to tell.

European legends reference some physical characteristics including distinctive heavy-set eyebrows, low-set ears, and curved nails.

Many other legends around the world reference different traits including dark thick hair and long middle fingers – or odd characteristics such as hairy palms.

All these identification methods are hit or miss however as not all or necessarily any of these characteristics will apply to all werewolves.

There is however a more agreed upon method to identify a werewolf, which is through the eyes – werewolves in human form are said to have very distinctive eyes that draw you in.

From http://ilovewerewolves.com/identifying-a-werewolf-in-human-form/

Margarine

2011-09-30T06:58:00.001+01:00

Margarine was invented in the 1860s by a French chemist as a cheap replacement for butter. Nowadays, margarine is frequently bought in the belief that it is a healthier option than butter.

All margarine contains as much fat as butter, but some are lower in cholesterol and saturated fats.

However the health benefits of many of these types of spreads has been called into question as most of them are made with hydrogenated (chemically hardened) vegetable oils and this process is believed to convert the polyunsaturated fat into trans-fats which have a negative effect on cholesterol and are now thought to be linked with heart disease even more than saturated fat.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/margarine

nolens volens

2011-09-23T18:29:00.001+01:00

From - Latin nolens (“unwilling”) from nōlō (“I am unwilling”) and volens (“willing”) from volō (“I am willing, I will”).

Meaning - Willing or unwilling; willy-nilly.

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

World Records You Can Break

2011-09-18T21:56:00.001+01:00

Here’s a list of several standing Guinness World Records that just about anyone could break if they really wanted to…

The most steps walked down by a dog facing forwards while balancing a 5oz. glass of water - Current record is 10.
Most body piercings in one session - Current record is 3,900 in 7 hours, 46 minutes.
Longest bumper car marathon - Current record 24 hours.
Loudest male burp - Current record 109.9db
Oldest male stripper - Current record 66 years, 233 days

See full article at http://www.offbeatearth.com/world-records-you-can-break-2/

World’s Largest Chocolate Bar

2011-09-15T22:00:00.001+01:00

This six ton, twenty one foot bar of awesome smashes the old record by over 2,000lbs, contains 1,000lbs of almonds and over two tons of sugar.

More, and photo, from http://www.offbeatearth.com/worlds-largest-chocolate-bar-fun-size/

Hydrargyrum

2011-09-10T21:52:00.001+01:00

Hg is the modern chemical symbol for mercury.

It comes from hydrargyrum, a Latinized form of the Greek word `Υδραργυρος (hydrargyros), which is a compound word meaning 'water' and 'silver' — since it is liquid, like water, and yet has a silvery metallic sheen.

The element was named after the Roman god Mercury, known for speed and mobility. It is associated with the planet Mercury. The astrological symbol for the planet is also one of the alchemical symbols for the metal.

Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name became the common name.

From Pocket Wikipedia, http://www.free-soft.ro/pocket-wikipedia/

Types of Totem Poles

2011-09-04T10:27:00.001+01:00

Totem poles can be made to fill a variety of needs, but their primary purpose is to commemorate a person or event. Some of the most common types of totems are entryway totem poles. These are placed at the entryway of a home to serve as a coat of arms of sorts. Entryway totems mainly serve to honor ancestors, make the family or clan's social and economic standing known, broadcast family accomplishments or detail a spiritual event.

On a more literal level, mortuary poles honor the dead by holding deceased ancestors' remains. Mortuary poles are like urns -- they contain a cavity that holds a deceased person's ashes.

Ridicule poles, also called shame poles, are used to elicit public embarrassment, usually for unpaid debts. Shame poles aren't erected very much anymore, mostly because American Indians strive for solidarity, rather than fighting amongst each other.

From http://people.howstuffworks.com/totem-pole3.htm

Lincoln on productivity

2011-09-01T07:29:00.001+01:00

Abe Lincoln's productivity secret was to use sharper tools to get the job done more efficiently.
He said: "If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four hours sharpening the axe."

See full article at http://lifehacker.com/5814019/work-smarter-and-more-easily-by-sharpening-your-axe

Famous Last Words

2011-08-28T16:38:00.001+01:00

Pardon me, sir. I did not do it on purpose.

Said by: Queen Marie Antoinette after she accidentally stepped on the foot of her executioner as she went to the guillotine.

I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.

Said by: Humphrey Bogart

Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French Fries’!

Said by: James French, a convicted murderer, was sentenced to the electric chair. He shouted these words to members of the press who were to witness his execution.

See full list at http://listverse.com/2007/08/22/20-famous-last-words/

Hitchcock on bagpipes

2011-08-24T07:00:00.001+01:00

"I understand that the inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant, asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the man-made sound never equalled the purity of sound achieved by the pig."

from http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/148120

Everything From This to That

2011-08-20T10:28:00.001+01:00

My colleague Vanessa Gordon and others have noted our frequent use of what critics call “false ranges.” These constructions generally are framed with phrases like “everything from … to …” or “ranging from … to …” and include two or more disparate items: “The legislation includes everything from stricter bank regulations to new taxes on overseas corporations.”

Judging from how often this idiom appears in our prose, many of our writers and editors obviously have no qualms about it. Other editors, as Vanessa said, take a hard line against the construction, “believing that if a list doesn’t run from high to low, short to tall, past to present, it should not be called a range.”

See full article at http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/everything-from-this-to-that/

B2HF

2011-08-16T08:07:00.001+01:00

The mechanisms behind the production of the heavier elements (the s- and r-processes) were first pointed out in a long theoretical paper published in 1957: ‘Synthesis of the elements in stars’ (Burbidge et al., 1957).

This revolutionary and still up-to-date paper is signed B2HF – not a strange chemical compound but the initials of the surnames of the scientists who wrote it: Margaret Burbidge, Geoffrey Burbidge, William Fowler and Fred Hoyle.

From http://www.scienceinschool.org/print/257

Keep 'em peeled!

2011-08-13T08:25:00.001+01:00

Shaw Taylor is today best known for presenting Police 5, a long-running 5-minute television programme first broadcast in 1962 that appealed to the public to help solve crimes.

He later presented a spin-off show for younger viewers called Junior Police 5, aka JP5.

His catchphrase was "Keep 'em peeled!" - asking viewers to be vigilant.

This was originally used at the end of every JP5 programme, but according to Shaw Taylor himself, "...at the suggestion of a friend I tried it out on the adult Police 5. I thought it sounded a bit naff at first but then the studio crew seemed to get withdrawal symptoms if I didn't say it at the end of the programme and it became a catchphrase that complete strangers still shout at me in the street".

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

Maths Note

2011-08-11T08:22:00.001+01:00

5^9 + 3^9 + 4^9 + 4^9 + 9^9 + 4^9 + 8^9 + 3^9 + 6^9 = 534494836

from http://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/06/29/math-notes-2

How to kill a werewolf

2011-08-09T23:24:00.001+01:00

There is no safe way to dispose of the werewolf, a resilient and very harmful monster. Unlike vampires, they are not generally thought to be harmed by religious artifacts such as crucifixes and holy water.

In some cases, the werewolf is portrayed as being invincible and nearly indestructible, with decapitation of its head and removal of its heart as the only surefire way to kill one.

In the old Hollywood version of the myth, a werewolf can be killed with a silver bullet, and is allergic to the herb wolf's bane. More modern films have werewolves being killed by various silver objects.

To tell the truth, since there is little opportunity when a werewolf is really vulnerable in its animal form, over the centuries werewolf hunters have learned to wait until the creature has shifted back to its human shape.

From http://werewolves.monstrous.com/how_to_kill_a_werewolf.htm

Einstein's dictum

2011-08-03T07:11:00.001+01:00

“Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler”

From http://carnot.pathology.ubc.ca/AosPage.html

Types of Men's Shoes

2011-08-02T08:00:00.001+01:00

Men's shoes can be categorized by how they are closed:

Oxfords (also referred as "Balmorals"): the vamp has a V-shaped slit to which the laces are attached; also known as "closed lacing". The word "Oxford" is sometimes used by American clothing companies to market shoes that are not Balmorals, such as Blüchers.
Blüchers (American), Derbys (British): the laces are tied to two pieces of leather independently attached to the vamp; also known as "open lacing" and is a step down in dressiness.
Monk-straps: a buckle and strap instead of lacing
Slip-ons: There are no lacings or fastenings. The popular loafers are part of this category, as well as less popular styles, such as elastic-sided shoes.

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

The Best Mechanical Pencil?

2011-07-28T07:30:00.001+01:00

Top 10 Mechanical Pencils for General Writing and Office Use, aka...The Best Mechanical Pencil?

The Top 10 are in alphabetical order, apart for the first two pencils. When compiling the Top 10, the first two mechanical pencils were clearly far ahead of the rest of the pack, they were arguably the best mechanical pencils for general writing and office type work, and deserved to be placed at the head of the list, but after them, the others are all in alphabetical order.

Pentel Sharp P200(P203/5/7/9)
Pentel Sharp Kerry(P1035/7)

Lamy 2000
Parker Jotter
Pentel Graph Gear 1000
Pentel Techniclick
Pilot Shaker H-245
Staedtler Graphite 777
Staedtler 925 25
Uni Kuru Toga

See full article at http://davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com/p/top-10-general-mechanical-pencils.html

Credit card roulette

2011-07-25T22:52:00.001+01:00

Matt recently went to dinner with a bunch of poker friends. They decided to play credit card roulette for the $2,000 dinner tab -- everyone tossed their credit cards into a pile, and the server picked one at random to charge. Matt's card got picked, and the only reaction it elicited from him was an annoyed chuckle. And it wasn't because $2,000 meant nothing to him. It's just what poker does to you. You get desensitized to losing huge gobs of money due to random chance.

From http://www.cracked.com/article_19303_6-reasons-professional-poker-way-harder-than-it-looks_p2.html

Redouble means quadruple, or double?

2011-07-23T22:07:00.001+01:00

"Redouble" means "quadruple" rather than "double with an oomph"?

Does it?

It ought to, but so many people use it to mean double with an oomph that this may be what it does mean. If it does mean quadruple, then you would need to do it one more time (the thing, not the quadrupling), making five, if you wanted to pip the redoublers to the post. "Redouble and then some" is what I'd do.

From http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm?blog_id=4587

Surprising Answers to Professor’s Questions

2011-07-19T07:11:00.001+01:00

Geology Professor: Does anyone know how old the Earth is?

Student at the back: Oh, oh! I do! Four billion and three years!

GP: Hmm, how did you get that number?

SatB: Well, I flunked this class three years ago but I remember you said four billion years then.

Geology Professor: These students today are all alike. They look the same, they dress the same, and they have the same hair. How do tell the difference between the boys and the girls?

Biology Professor: Oh, that's easy. You look into their genes.

The afternoon was hot, and the professor noticed that Billy was drowsy. Resolving to wake him up she asked, "Tommy, if the distance to the sun is 93 million miles and the first president of the United States was George Washington, how old am I?"

"You're forty-eight", answered Tommy promptly.

"My goodness, how did you know", said the surprised professor.

"That's easy", said Tommy. "My brother's twenty-four and he's only half crazy."

From alt.usage.english

20 Things you’d rather not hear about your appearance

2011-07-15T06:48:00.001+01:00

1. You look tired.
2. Can you breathe in that thing?
3. How was the camping trip? (When in fact, you didn’t go camping)
4. Uh oh. Looks like someone has a job interview today.
5. Come here, I need to fix your collar.

See full list at http://dappered.com/2011/06/20-things-youd-rather-not-hear-about-your-appearance/

Don't rely solely on GPS

2011-07-10T22:03:00.001+01:00

Authorities in the western United States have reminded travellers not to rely solely on GPS when navigating in remote areas.

The warning follows the case of Albert and Rita Chretien, a Canadian couple, who went missing during a road trip from their home in British Columbia to Las Vegas.

They had used a handheld GPS to guide them and became stuck in snow on a remote track near the Idaho-Nevada border. Rita Chretien was found by hunters with her vehicle after surviving for 48 days but the search for Albert has now been called off. He had set off to find help after after being stranded three days.

See full story at http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/Travellers-Warned-Over-Reliance-On-GPS-9753.php

Who Pays the Ferryman?

2011-07-05T22:00:00.001+01:00

Who Pays the Ferryman? was a television series produced by the BBC in 1977.

The title of the series refers to the ancient religious belief and mythology of Charon the ferryman to Hades. In ancient times it was the custom to place coins in or on the mouth of the deceased before cremation so that the deceased could pay the ferryman to go to Hades.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Pays_the_Ferryman%3F

Chessboxing

2011-07-02T11:45:00.001+01:00

Chessboxing is a hybrid sport which combines boxing with chess in alternating rounds.

Several chessboxing events have taken place around the world including in Iceland and Siberia although in recent years the UK has emerged as the most important centre for chessboxing.

Competitors may win by a knockout, achieving a checkmate, by the judges' decision, or if their opponent's twelve minutes of chess time is exceeded.If a competitor fails to make a move during the chess round, he is issued a warning and he must move within the next 10 seconds.

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

Types Of Drumsticks

2011-06-27T23:03:00.001+01:00

The Wood

There are 3 main types of wood used to make sticks.

There is Maple, which is a lighter weight wood that has excellent flexibility. Maple is great for energy absorption, meaning you will fell less of the hit in your hands.
There is Hickory, which is the most common wood with decent energy absorption and flex. Hickory is a well rounded wood.
Lastly, there is Oak, which is the densest of wood. Oak sticks will not break as much, but you will feel the vibrations a lot more due to poor energy absorption. If the stick doesn’t state what wood it is, back away. This usually means it is a blended wood and is not made up to standard.

The Tip

There are 2 types of tips to choose from

Most common is the wood tip. This is a solid choice for most applications. The only real downside to wood tips is the fact that they may chip after extensive use. Wood tips can splinter and severely damage your drum pads!
Nylon tips are great for bringing out your cymbals and getting better rebound from your stick. They are great for studio work when you want to really make your cymbals shine. The problem with nylon tips is they sometimes fall off your stick, which can be a real problem in the middle of a show! If you are playing on an electric drum set, you want to use nylon tips.

The Size

There are three main stick categories.

7a. This is a thinner, lighter feeling stick meant for a softer sound on you drums. These work great for jazz drumming, or younger drummers.
5a. This is the most common stick. Medium thickness allows for both loud and softer play. Great for rock drumming!
2b/5b. These are thicker than average. They allow for louder sounding drums, and are ideal for heavy rock.

See the full article at http://www.rockdrummingsystem.com/underground/drum-articles/choosing-the-right-drumsticks.php

Tuborgflasken

2011-06-24T21:47:00.001+01:00

Built in 1888 for a national exhibition (the Nordic Industrial, Agricultural and Art Exhibition), the Tuborgflasken looks, on the outside, like a giant beer bottle standing on the street. But it is actually an observation tower that was once outfitted with an internal elevator, Denmark's first; the elevator has since been replaced by a more maintenance-friendly spiral staircase.

See photo at http://atlasobscura.com/place/tuborgflasken

Map of the World's Countries Rearranged by Population

2011-06-17T07:08:00.001+01:00

What if the world were rearranged so that the inhabitants of the country with the largest population would move to the country with the largest area?

And the second-largest population would migrate to the second-largest country, and so on?

See full article and map at http://bigthink.com/ideas/25109?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bigthink%2Fblogs%2Fstrange-maps+%28Strange+Maps%29

Types of Sea Shanty

2011-06-14T22:43:00.001+01:00

Long-haul (also called "halyard" or "long-drag") shanties:
Short-drag (also called "short-haul", or "sheet") shanties:
Capstan Shanties:
Stamp-'n'-Go Shanties: were used only on ships with large crews. Many hands would take hold of a line with their backs to the fall (where the line reaches the deck from aloft) and march away along the deck singing and stamping out the rhythm. Alternatively, with a larger number of men, they would create a loop—marching along with the line, letting go at the 'end' of the loop and marching back to the 'top' of the loop to take hold again for another trip. These songs tend to have longer choruses similar to capstan shanties. Examples: "Drunken Sailor", "Roll the Old Chariot". Stan Hugill, in his Shanties from the Seven Seas writes: "(Drunken Sailor) is a typical example of the stamp-'n'-go song or walkaway or runaway shanty, and was the only type of work-song allowed in the King's Navee (sic). It was popular in ships with big crews when at halyards; the crowd would seize the fall and stamp the sail up. Sometimes when hauling a heavy boat up the falls would be 'married' and both hauled on at the same time as the hands stamped away singing this rousing tune."
Pumping Shanties:
Fo'c's'le (Forecastle) Songs, Fo'castle Shanty (Chantey) or Forebitters:
Menhaden Shanties:

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

Casino Dice

2011-06-11T10:59:00.001+01:00

Casinos don't take any chances when it comes to profit so they don't use just any dice when thousands of dollars are riding on a roll.

Casino dice are called perfect or precision dice because of the way they are made.

They are as close to being perfect true cubes as possible, measured to within a fraction of a millimetre, manufactured so each die has an absolutely equal chance of landing on any one of its six faces.

Casino dice are specially hand made to within a tolerance of 0.0005 of an inch.

The spots are drilled and filled with material that is equal in weight to the material removed. Usually sides are flush and edges sharp.

They are predominantly transparent red but can come in other colours like green, purple or blue.

See full article at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dice-play/DiceCasino.htm

The Seven Curses of London

2011-06-06T07:09:00.001+01:00

James Greenwood is considered one of the first "investigative journalists" of Victorian London's seedy underbelly.

In his book (of the same name) he examines the seven "curses" of London

beggars, drunks, thieves, neglected children, prostitutes, gamblers and "wasters of charity."

An insightful view of the dirtier side of London life.

From http://www.casebook.org/ripper_media/book_reviews/victorian_london/book_detail.html?id=22ba500ac194e92bb6717ac9fbbab4e1

Twain, on the right word

2011-06-02T22:02:00.001+01:00

The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

From http://www.twainquotes.com/Word.html

... never trust a fart

2011-05-30T16:24:00.001+01:00

" ... never pass up a bathroom, never waste a hard-on, and never trust a fart."

Jack Nicholson in The Bucket List

from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/quotes

Boxcars, Midnight & a Freight Train

2011-05-26T18:49:00.001+01:00

Boxcars (also: "Midnight") is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game of craps and getting a 6 on both dice. The pair of 6 pips resembles a pair of boxcars on a freight train.

In some role-playing games, especially ones where a roll of 3 six-sided dice is a standard action-resolution mechanism, a roll of three 6s is often referred to as a freight train

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxcars_(slang)

Charon’s obolus

2011-05-24T19:13:00.001+01:00

Charon, in Greek mythology, is the ferryman of the dead. The souls of the deceased are brought to him by Hermes, and Charon ferries them across the river Acheron. He only accepts the dead which are buried or burned with the proper rites, and if they pay him an obolus (coin) for their passage. For that reason a corpse had always an obolus 1 placed under the tongue.

Those who cannot afford the passage, or are not admitted by Charon, are doomed to wander on the banks of the Styx for a hundred years.

Living persons who wish to go to the underworld need a golden bough obtained from the Cumaean Sibyl.

Charon is the son of Erebus and Nyx. He is depicted as an sulky old man, or as a winged demon carrying a double hammer.

From http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/charon.html

Strange habit

2011-05-20T06:30:00.001+01:00

When people mention about a bad thing, and you don’t want this thing to happen to you; you hold one of your ears with your hand ,and hit wood (for example - a wooden chair,table..) with the same hand.

From http://help.berberber.com/forum27/92354-strange-habits-your-country.html

Zen Priorities

2011-05-15T15:46:00.001+01:00

Adding a priority when I add a new task always seems so arbitrary. All tasks are P1 at some point, right?

After a period of constantly changing priorities on tasks as they came due, I finally just set all tasks to "No Priority" and then each morning, or the night before, when I review my tasks for the day, I pick only 3 absolutely must-do tasks for Priority 1, the 3 second most important for Priority 2 and so on.

This gives me a clear picture of what must be done first and to completion each day.

From http://www.rememberthemilk.com/forums/tips/9995/

Secret chamber in National Library

2011-05-10T23:01:00.001+01:00

The Indian National Library in Alipore has always been reputed to haunted. Now, here is a really eerie secret. A mysterious room has been discovered in the 250-year-old building a room that no one knew about and no one can enter because it seems to have no opening of kind, not even trapdoors.

The chamber has lain untouched for over two centuries. Wonder what secrets it holds. The archaeologists who discovered it have no clue either, their theories range from a torture chamber, or a sealed tomb for an unfortunate soul or the most favoured of all a treasure room. Some say they wouldn't be surprised if both skeletons and jewels tumble out of the secret room.

From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Secret-chamber-in-National-Library/articleshow/6957358.cms

Pirate Stuff

2011-04-30T08:23:00.001+01:00

A Pirate Primer

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/03/21/man-knowledge-a-pirate-primer/

5 Pirates Every Man Should Know

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/04/29/man-knowledge-5-pirates-every-man-should-know

Including -

William Kidd
Years active: 1696-1701
Location: Indian Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and off the east coast of North America.
Fate: Hung and gibbeted over the River Thames in London, where his body remained for over twenty years as a warning to those considering piracy as a profession.
Claim to fame: Originator of the idea of “buried treasure.”

Password Audit

2011-04-27T06:47:00.001+01:00

During a recent Password Audit at the Bank it was found that Timmy was using the following password:

MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofyDublin

When Timmy was asked why he had such a long password he replied, "I was told my password had to be at least 8 characters long
and include one capital."

from uk.rec.humour

Naming of a Member

2011-04-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

Is the term used to describe the disciplining of an MP for breaking the rules of the House of Commons. The term comes from the fact that during a debate in the House of Commons, MPs refer to each other only by the name of their constituencies or by their official position, not their actual names. The only time names are used are when the Speaker calls MPs to speak or disciplines them. If an MP disregards the authority of the Chair or persistently obstructs the House in its duties then he or she can be 'named'. The Speaker says "I name the Honourable Member for ..... Mr/s…….., for disregarding the authority of the Chair." A first offence brings suspension for five days. The second offence in the same parliamentary sitting carries twenty days suspension - a third offence a period the House itself decides. Should an MP refuse to withdraw and resist removal, then suspension for the rest of the session is the punishment.
from http://www.theyworkforyou.com/glossary/?gl=33

WSOP bracelet

2011-04-18T07:40:00.001+01:00

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet is considered the most coveted non-monetary prize a poker player can win. Since 1976, a bracelet has been awarded to the winner of every event at the annual WSOP. Even if the victory occurred before 1976, WSOP championships are now counted as "bracelets". During the first years of the WSOP only a handful of bracelets were awarded each year. In 1990, there were only 14 bracelet events. By 2000, that number increased to 24. As the popularity of poker has increased during the 2000s, the number of events has likewise increased. In 2009, there were 57 bracelets awarded in Las Vegas and 4 at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE).

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

Types of Hinges

2011-04-14T06:59:00.001+01:00

Butt Hinge: Comes in a range of sizes from 13mm to 150mm and is normally used for cabinet doors. They are very strong but cannot be adjusted once they are fitted.

Butterfly Hinge: This is often used on light-weight doors and different shapes and patterns are available. They are generally easy to fit.

Flush Hinge: This type of hinge does not require a recess to be cut. They are not as strong as butt hinges but can be used for light-weight doors and small box construction.

Barrel Hinge: This comes in two parts. The threaded part of the hinge is screwed into a pre-drilled hole. They are easy to fit and the hinge can be dismantled.

Concealed Hinge: These normally come in two sizes (25mm and 36mm. The hinge is adjustable once fitted and is designed with chipboard and MDF in mind.

Continuous or Piano Hinge: This is a hinge that comes in different lengths and can be bought in brass or steel. It is ideal where a long hinge is required such as a desk top or a cupboard door. Small countersink screws are normally used to fix it in position.

from http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/typesofhinge.htm

Broscience

2011-04-10T08:54:00.001+01:00

Broscience is a derogatory term for misconceptions and ideas of questionable scientific credibility, passed around among laymen by word-of-mouth as if factually true.

Most examples of broscience pertain to biology, fitness and sports, and it most often circulates in fitness, athletic and bodybuilding circles, where many people want to know how to most effectively work out but are either ignorant of or do not fully understand the actual science. In general, such beliefs rely on anecdotal evidence and gain their popularity more from how ripped the speaker happens to be than from proof or references.
from http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Broscience

State of Jefferson

2011-04-05T07:20:00.001+01:00

The State of Jefferson is a proposed U.S. state that would span the contiguous and mostly rural area of Southern Oregon and Northern California, where several attempts to secede from Oregon and California, respectively, have taken place in order to gain own statehood.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Jefferson

10 Big Myths about copyright explained

2011-03-28T23:22:00.001+01:00

See http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

Kinds of people

2011-03-25T07:28:00.001Z

There are three kinds of people in the world; those who can count and those who can't.

There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary math, and those who don't.

There are two groups of people in the world; those who believe that the world can be divided into two groups of people, and those who don't.

from http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/math-quotations.html

How to tell you're buying an authentic Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

2011-03-20T11:11:00.001Z

The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie is a distinct product that is recognisably different from other pork pies, both in physical characteristics and in reputation. It is rich in history and is recognised by consumers as a traditional, regional food product.

The sides of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie are bow-shaped as they are baked free standing, whereas most other pork pies are straight-sided being baked in hoops. The meat used is fresh pork which is naturally grey when cooked (like roast pork), not pink like most other pork pies, which use cured pork. The meat must be particulate, as we used chopped pork, not smooth on the palate as most other pork pies are because they used minced meat. The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie is also well jellied and the meat seasoned with salt and pepper.

The recipe for the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie is not complex. Indeed, its simplicity underlines its very authenticity and reminds us that the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie has remained true to its roots and is still baked without a hoop as it was the end of the 18th Century.

Other kinds of pork pies share some of the physical characteristics of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie (just as many blue cheeses share certain characteristics with Blue Stilton), but the combination of all these physical characteristics coupled with the product's reputation, is unique.

From http://www.mmppa.co.uk/howtotell.html

Spiralen

2011-03-16T10:41:00.001Z

Is a mountain tunnel in Bragernesåsen, opened in 1961 when Drammen celebrated its 150th anniversary.

With six spirals, the tunnel goes through a massive of eruptive rock (granite porphyry below, basalt above), ending at Nedre Skanse, formerly called Breidablikk.

The tunnel is 1650 metres long, 9 metres wide and originally had a height of 3.1 metres but it was extended later and today also large, modern touring coaches can pass.

The rise is from 20 to 213 metres above sea level with a gradient of one in ten, and each spiral has a 70 metre diameter.

Shortly after the turn of the century, the Spiralen started as an open quarry to provide road construction with materials. It was the city engineer Eivind Olsen's idea that the quarry could be developed into a spiral tunnel up through Bragernesåsenand this work commenced in 1953 after 70,000 cubic metres of rock had been blasted off. The road has been tolled from the beginning except for the period of 1987-1994.

From http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=36548

You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with

2011-03-12T16:13:00.001Z

Does who you are and who you will become depend heavily on the company you keep?

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn suggests it does.

From http://lifehacker.com/5666322/youre-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-spend-the-most-time-with.htm

Ship Naming in the Royal (British) Navy

2011-03-09T07:58:00.001Z

Royal Navy ships were named according to one of several standard systems; class names varied according to the system:

Capital ships such as battleships, battle cruisers and aircraft carriers always bore traditional and for the most part, inspirational names. Here's a sampling

e.g. HMS Dreadnaught, HMS Agincourt, HMS Iron Duke, And so on and so on...

Classes were named after a "name ship" of the class. The British usually tried to give ships of a class similar names; for instance "Lion" and "Tiger" usually went together, as did "Couraegous", "Glorious" and "Furious" and the distinctly British combination of "Invincible", "Inflexible", "Indomitable", and "Indefatigable"

"Letter Classes" are usually used for Destroyers and Submarines (The class name is a letter of the alphabet; all ships in the class have names starting with this letter.

Examples:

"B"-class destroyers -- HMS Basilisk, Beagle, Blanche, Boadicea, Brazen, Bulldog.
"D"-class cruisers -- HMS Danae, Dauntless, Dragon, Durban, Diomede.
"U"-class submarines -- HMS Upholder, Undine, Unity, Ursula, Unbeaten, Undaunted, Upright.

"Generic Classes" were usually used for Cruisers and some Destroyers. The class has some generic name and each ship in the class is named after a specific example of the class name. Examples:

Weapon-class destroyers -- HMS Battleaxe, Broadsword, Carronade, Culverin, Crossbow, Halberd, Musket, Tomahawk.
Tribal-class destroyers -- HMS Ashanti, Gurkha, Huron, Iroquois, Maori, Mohawk, Sikh, Zulu.
Town-class destroyers -- HMS Leeds, Campbeltown, Lancaster, Lincoln, Bath, Brighton, Newport.
Hunt-class escort destroyers -- HMS Berkeley, Exmoor, Southdown, Tynedale.
Cathedral-class cruisers -- HMS Exeter and York.
County-class cruisers -- HMS Cornwall, Cumberland, Kent, Dorsetshire, Shropshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex.
Flower-class sloops -- HMS Foxglove, Lupin, Rosemary.

Once a ship had been named, the name was almost never changed. Remainder of a belief that the ship's name was its "soul", changing the name was thought to bring bad luck to the ship. The major exceptions were of captured (or otherwise acquired foreign-built) ships, which were re-named if their name duplicated that of an existing British ship or sounded very "un-British".

from http://everything2.com/title/ship+naming+conventions

Among the items you are prohibited from mailing to Australia …

2011-03-03T06:52:00.001Z

-- Fruit cartons (used or new).
-- Goods bearing the name "Anzac."
-- Goods produced wholly or partly in prisons or by convict labor.
-- Registered philatelic articles with fictitious addresses.
-- Seditious literature.
-- Used bedding.

from http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ab_012.htm

listed in alt.usage.english

Repdigit

2011-02-28T07:25:00.001Z

In recreational mathematics , a repdigit is a natural number composed of repeated instances of the same digit, most often in the decimal numeral system .
Examples are 11 , 222 , 4444, 77777, and 999999.
All repdigits are palindromic numbers and are multiples of repunits .
One of the most famous repdigits is 666 , the number of the beast .
The word repdigit is a portmanteau word, formed from repeated digit .
From http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Repdigit

The world's' largest tyre and nail

2011-02-25T00:33:00.001Z

Allen Park is home to the Uniroyal Tire, the world's largest tire. The tire, moved from the 1964 New York World's Fair to Allen Park in 1966, is 80 feet (24 m) tall and weighs 12 tons. The tire is located off Interstate 94. This 12-ton, 80-foot (24 m)-tall behemoth was built to withstand hurricane-force winds, and served as a ferris wheel (and a huge advertisement for Uniroyal) at the 1964–65 New York World's Fair. Twenty-four gondolas circled the tire where the treads are today, carrying nearly two million people.

In 1998, Uniroyal stabbed the tire with the world's largest nail. The nail was 11 feet (3.4 m) long and 250 pounds. This was done to promote their puncture-resistant Tiger Paw Nailgard tire. The big tire withstood the assault and the nail was eventually removed and given to Allen Park, which then put it up for sale on eBay in 2003 to raise money for a local historical society. The city hoped that someone would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the nail, the final price paid by local businessman Ralph Roberts was $3,000 (Roberts lends out the nail for local events).

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Park,_Michigan

The Roller Coaster DataBase

2011-02-21T00:16:00.001Z

The rcdb is a comprehensive, searchable database with information and statistics on over 2000 roller coasters throughout the world.

See http://www.rcdb.com/

The longest running western TV series ever

2011-02-18T22:52:00.001Z

Bonanza - which ran from 1959 - 1973 and lasted 18 seasons it is the second longest running western TV series ever

First place is held by Gunsmoke which ran for 20 seasons

In the UK Bonanza is the better known of the two.

from http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/2010/08/bonanza-complete-collection-part-work.html

Hard Hat History

2011-02-13T19:01:00.001Z

Hard hats can be found as helmets throughout history.
Soldiers have adapted helmets for head protection from the beginning of military record keeping.
The helmets developed in WWI were made out of metal and widely used by all soldiers.
After the war, these helmets were adapted for worker safety on construction sties and in manufacturing settings.
The industrial hard hats were initially made from metal, then they evolved to fiberglass.
Hardened reinforced plastic hard hats are the most common types of hard hats used today.

From http://www.ehow.com/about_5062944_hard-hat-requirements.html

The 100 Greatest Mathematicians of All Time

2011-02-10T07:09:00.001Z

The 100 greatest mathematicians of all time, born before 1930, and ranked in approximate order of "greatness."

To qualify, the mathematician's work must have breadth , depth , and historical importance .
     1. Isaac Newton
     2. Carl F. Gauss
     3. Archimedes
     4. Leonhard Euler
     5. Euclid
     6. Bernhard Riemann
     7. Henri Poincaré
     8. David Hilbert
     9. Joseph-Louis Lagrange
     10. Gottfried W. Leibniz

See full list at http://fabpedigree.com/james/mathmen.htm

Antecedent and Anaphor

2011-01-30T00:34:00.001Z

An antecedent is a linguistic expression which provides the interpretation for a second expression (anaphor) which has little meaning of its own.

An antecedent is usually a noun phrase.
An antecedent usually comes before its anaphor.

If you see Ram, give him your shirt. (Antecedent – Ram; anaphor – him)
He went to his shop. (Antecedent – he; anaphor – his)
Ravi injured himself playing Volleyball. (Antecedent – Ravi; anaphor – himself)

An antecedent occasionally follows its anaphor.
An anaphor that precedes its antecedent is sometimes called a cataphor.

If you see him, give Ram your shirt.

Antecedent and its anaphor can be in different sentences.

Palaniappan is my brother. He is a merchant. (Antecedent – Palaniappan; anaphor – he)

An antecedent can be a verb phrase, an adjective phrase or a prepositional phrase.

My father asked me to open the door and I did it. (The antecedent ‘open the door’ is the verb phrase)
John thought Devi was in hospital, but he didn’t find her there. (The antecedent ‘in hospital’ is the prepositional phrase)

Antecedent can be a complete sentence.

Sita: Arun is teaching English.
Ragu: Who told you that?

The anaphor ‘that’ refers to the complete sentence ‘Arun is teaching English’.

from http://learnspeakingenglish.blogspot.com/2010/11/antecedent-and-anaphor.html

Prefixes in ship names

2011-01-25T22:01:00.001Z

Ships often have a prefix attached to their names to indicate which type of vessel they are, or their national affiliation. This isn't enforced by any law or governing body - it's tradition, as are so many other maritime customs. Thus, there aren't any strict guidelines that define what class a vessel falls into (with some obvious exceptions, "USS" being a prime example.) Here are the most commonly-seen acronyms, some of which are no longer in broad use:

DS        Diesel Ship
Fishing Vessel     HMAS
FV     Fishing Vessel
HMAS     Her Majesty's Australian Ship (used exclusively by the Australian Navy)
HMCS     Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (used exclusively by the Canadian Navy)
HMS     Her Majesty's Ship (used exclusively by British Navy vessels)
MS     Motor Ship
MTS     Motor Turbine Ship
MV     Motor Vessel (this is commonly used in the US for ferries, cargo vessels, and cruise ships)
NS     Nuclear Ship
RMS     Royal Mail Ship
RV     Research Vessel (typically oceanographic science ships)
SS     Steam Ship
SSC     Semi-Submersible Craft
STR     Steamer
STV     Sail Training Vessel
TS     Training Ship
TSS     Turbine Steam Ship
USCGC     U.S. Coast Guard Cutter
USNS     United States Naval Ship (used for vessels in US Navy service but manned by civilian crew)
USS     United States Ship (used exclusively for commissioned US Navy vessels)

from http://everything2.com/title/Prefixes+in+ship+names

The Dewey Decimal System

2011-01-22T22:44:00.001Z

The Dewey Decimal System organizes information into 10 broad areas, which are broken into smaller and smaller topics. Different topics are assigned numbers, known as "call numbers." For example, "Animals" are given the number 599. To see what books the library currently has in on animals, go to the nonfiction shelves and find the books that have a 599 as part of their call number. A list of some of the information you can find in the different Dewey Decimal areas, appears below.
You can learn more about the Dewey Decimal System and how it works in the book The Dewey Decimal System by Allan Fowler. The call number for this book is: J 025.431 Fo.

Dewey Decimal System

000 General Knowledge
Almanacs, Encyclopedias, Libraries, Museums, Newspapers ...
100 Psychology and Philosophy
Death & Dying, Ethics, Feelings, Logic, Making Friends, Optical Illusions, Superstitions ...
200 Religions and Mythology
Amish, Bible Stories, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Quakers, and other world religions; Greek, Roman and other myths...
300 Social Sciences and Folklore
Careers, Customs, Environment, Families, Folktales, Government, Manners, Money, Recycling ...
400 Languages and Grammar
Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Sign Language, Spanish. Includes dictionaries.i...
500 Math and Science
Animals, Biology, Chemistry, Dinosaurs, Fish, Geology, Insects, Physics, Planets, Plants ...
600 Medicine and Technology
Computers, Cookbooks, Engineering, Farming, Health, Human Body, Inventions, Manufacturing, Nutrition ...
700 Arts & Recreation
Architecture, Crafts, Drawing, Games, Jokes, Music, Puppets, Songbooks, Sports ...
800 Literature
Children's Literature, Plays, Poetry, Shakespeare, Writing ...
900 Geography and History
Biographies, Countries, Native Americans, States, Travel, Wars ...

from http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/ddchow.html#dewey

Gordian Knot

2011-01-20T23:50:00.001Z

In Greek and Roman mythology, the Gordian knot was an extremely complicated knot tied by Gordius, the king of Phrygia in Asia Minor*. Located in the city of Gordium, the knot came to symbolize a difficult problem that was almost impossible to solve.

According to legend, Gordius was a peasant who married the fertility goddess Cybele. When Gordius became king of Phrygia, he dedicated his chariot to Zeus* and fastened it to a pole with the Gordian knot. Although the knot was supposedly impossible to unravel, an oracle predicted that it would be untied by the future king of Asia.

Many individuals came to Gordium to try to undo the knot, but they all failed. Then, according to tradition, the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great visited the city in 333 B . C . After searching unsuccessfully for the hidden ends of the Gordian knot, Alexander became impatient. In an unexpected move, he took out his sword and cut through the knot. Alexander then went on to conquer Asia, thus fulfilling the oracle's prophecy.

Alexander's solution to the problem led to the saying, "cutting the Gordian knot," which means solving a complicated problem through bold action.

From http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Fi-Go/Gordian-Knot.html

Turducken, Gooducken

2011-01-17T06:46:00.001Z

A turducken is a dish consisting of a de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed into a de-boned turkey. The word turducken is a portmanteau of turkey, duck, and chicken or hen.

Gooducken is a goose stuffed with a duck, which is in turn stuffed with a chicken.

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

The Deepest Swimming Pool In The World

2011-01-12T06:51:00.001Z

Nemo33 , Brussels

The pool itself consists of a submerged structure with flat platforms at various depth levels. The pool has two large flat-bottomed areas at depth levels of 5 m and 10 m , and a large circular pit descending to a depth of 33 m . It is filled with 2,500,000 litres of non-chlorinated, highly filtered spring water maintained at 30 °C and contains several simulated underwater caves at the 10 m depth level. There are numerous underwater windows that allow outside visitors to look into the pools at various depths. The complex was designed by Belgian diving expert John Beernaerts as a multi-purpose diving instruction, recreational, and film production facility, and opened in 2004.

Photos and full article at http://www.evilreligion.com/deepest-swimming-pool-world-nemo33-brussels/

The Fat Owl of the Remove

2011-01-07T06:52:00.001Z

Billy Bunter, of Greyfriars School, was one of the first successes from the fledgling BBC Children's Department at the tiny Lime Grove studios, this comedy series was based on the stories of Frank Richards (real name Charles Hamilton).

Richards' tales of Greyfriars public school had appeared in the first issue of comic paper The Magnet in 1908, continuing until it folded in 1940. Billy Bunter stories continued in novel form thereafter, with this TV series arriving in 1952.

The rotund Bunter was one of several boys in the class known as 'The Remove' year and his round face and horn-rimmed glasses earned him the nickname 'The Fat Owl of the Remove'

From http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1096461/

Bank vault quality control

2011-01-05T22:41:00.001Z

Bank vault quality control for much of the world's vault industry is overseen by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL), in Northbrook, Illinois. Until 1991, the United States government also regulated the vault industry. The government set minimum standards for the thickness of vault walls, but advances in concrete technology made thickness an arbitrary measure of strength. Thin panels of new materials were far stronger than the thicker, poured concrete walls. Now the effectiveness of the vault is measured by how well it performs against a mock break-in. Manufacturers strive to make products that repel attacks for a certain number of minutes.

A UL Class 1 vault is guaranteed to withstand a break-in attempt for 30 minutes, a Class 2 for 60 minutes, and a Class 3 for 120 minutes.

UL's workers attack sample vault walls and doors with equipment that is likely a burglar could carry into a bank and use. This usually includes torches and demolition hammers. If the UL worker can make a hole of at least 6 × 16 in (15.24 × 40.64 cm) in less than the set time, that particular part has failed the test. Manufacturers also do their own testing designing a new product to make sure it is likely to succeed in UL trials.

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

How to Determine Your Hat Size

2010-12-30T13:23:00.001Z

Before you purchase the perfect hat to complete your wardrobe, take careful measurement of your head to ensure that the fit is just right.

Place a flexible tape measure around the circumference of your head, 1 inch above your eyebrows and around the widest part of your head.
Measure the circumference at least twice to be sure that you are getting an accurate measurement.
Record the measurement in inches and/or centimeters.
Use a hat-sizing conversion chart to determine your exact size. These are available at hat stores, or at www.qualityhats.com/stetson1.htm

from http://www.ehow.com/how_12527_determine-hat-size.html