BS: Useless Trivia

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Bert
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 03:04 PM

Thanks Michelle,

here's something that I found about the Roman version.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 01:56 PM

On the 'Bounty', Captain Bligh wasn't a Captain, he was only a 1st Lieutenant and he ordered a four hour dancing session every evening to improve the mens fitness and morale.

He sailed from Spithead in the UK, to Cape Horn (South America) where the weather was so bad he turned and went across the Atlantic to the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and on to Adventure Bay, Van Diemens' Land (Tasmania) before he had to issue a single punishment, mroe than 9 months into the trip.

The first death on board was 2 months out of Adventure, and that from an infection picked up there.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 01:47 PM

OK - it was Guillotin, not Guillotine, who invented the guillotine.

Female kangaroos have three vaginas and two uteri.

Japanese doesn't HAVE vowels - they use a syllabary, not an alphabet.

Elephants are also the only non-primate mammals to have breasts (nipples between the FRONT limbs) rather than udders (between the back limbs) or multiple nipples running the length of the body (like cats and dogs and other animals who have litters).

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 01:40 PM

Hiya Bert,

   About the safety pin....here's what I found:

Walter Hunt. Hunt was a mechanic from New York, whose other inventions include a forerunner of the Winchester repeating rifle, a successful flax spinner, knife sharpener, streetcar bell, hard-coal-burning stove, artificial stone, road sweeping machinery, velocipedes, ice ploughs and mail making machinery. In 1834, Walter Hunt built America's first sewing machine, which was also the first eye pointed needle sewing machine. He later lost interest in patenting his sewing machine, because he believed the invention would cause unemployment.

The safety pin was invented while Walter Hunt was twisting a piece of wire, trying to think of something that would help him pay off a fifteen dollar debt. On April 10, 1849, the safety pin was patented. Walter Hunt also thought little of his safety pin as an invention and soon sold the patent for four hundred dollars.

****I have seen other articles that say this date is when he had the idea patented.....I wouldn't be a bit surprised if ancient cultures had safety pins though! They are the most useful little things!

:) Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: ToulouseCruise
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 01:30 PM

I've got new socks on.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Bassic
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:31 PM

If my tongue was an inch longer then I could.;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: mack/misophist
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:28 PM

My high school trig teacher could lick her elbow. Of course, she had an artificial arm.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: susu
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:18 PM

someone reading all these posts will actually try to lick their elbow.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: beadie
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:15 PM

Auggie:

Wisconsin also (in the same statute) specifies in elegant detail how margarine must be packaged when sold at retail. It is also illegal to place margarine on the table at any public eating establishment unless specifically requested by the customer.

These regulations stem from a huge battle in the state's Legislature during the middle sixties (before it was legal to even possess margarine in the state). The "dairy defenders" who violently opposed the attack on the state's primary agricultural industry dreamed up all manner of reasons why the "synthetic" substitute for pure, wholesome butter should not be allowed to invade America's Dairyland. It would cause all manner of ailments, it would dull young children's senses to the point of distraction in school, it would devastate the agricultural economy; . . . take your pick.

As an interesting aside, after this battle was decided (resulting in the passage of the statute you cite to), one of the prime advocates for butter, a Senator from the Southern Wisconsin hill country, began a similarly passionate opposition to the trend toward open display and sale of contraceptives in pharmacies. Heretofore, such items were available only behind the counter. The Senator famously argued (and this is on the state's legislative record) that if these things are made more widely available, the poor people will start to use them and we won't have enough young men to meet the needs of our military draft.   -    Remember, this was during the VietNam War era.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: pdq
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 11:54 AM

The only language in which every word ends in a vowel is...






















Japanese

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: LadyJean
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:54 AM

Lillian Russell was married at the Schenley Hotel. (Now the University of Pittsburgh Student Union.) Elenora Duse died there (and is alleged to haunt the place.)
Andy Warhol was born Andrew Wahola, he lived for a while in Pittsburgh's Hill district, which August Wilson uses for the setting for his plays about African Americans. (Wilson lived in Pittsburgh's Homewood section, as did John Edgar Wideman.)
Mary Cassat, Gertrude Stein and Martha Graham were all born in the city of Allegheny, now Pittsburgh's North Side.
Pittsburgh's oldest industry wasn't steel, it was glass.
George Washington's first military command was at Fort Necessity outside of Pittsburgh. He came back as president, leading troops to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.
My home is in a borough named for Jane Gray Swisshelm, an early suffragist.
Nobody knows where knitting originated, or when.
Single point knitting needles were originally called knitting pins.
The last battle of the English Civil war was fought at St. Marye's Citye Maryland. (Tye roundheads won.)
Kentucky was almost named Transylvania.
Jefferson Davis went to Transylvania College in Lexington Kentucky.
C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Dorothy L. Sayers were good friends.
Hans Christian Anderson was dyslexic. He had a half sister who was a prostitute. He went to Copenhagen at the age of 14 to become a performer, and danced in a ballet. He played a troll.
Holly plants are male and female.
Had enough yet? I've got an eidetic memory. I can go all day.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: JennyO
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:39 AM

I CAN lick the tip of my own nose. I don't do it too often tho, cos it grosses people out.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:34 AM

I once knew a woman who could lick the tip of her own nose.

My first wife could take the stem from a maraschino cherry, put it in her mouth, and tie it in a knot with her tongue.

She also could hear high-pitched sounds that supposedly only dogs can hear.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: mack/misophist
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 10:40 PM

Vikings didn't get scurvy. Their sauer kraut kept them healthy.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Auggie
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 09:37 PM

Wisconsin's automobile license plates read "America's Dairyland".

That sobriquet is taken very seriously. State statute 97.18(5) prohibits the serving of oleo or margarine to any student, inmate or resident of a State Institution or University as a substitute for table Butter under threat of penalty.
Violaters may be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 nor imprisoned longer than 3 months... or both.

Fines and incarceration times double for those found guilty of subsequent offenses.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: GUEST,Sidewinder
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 08:41 PM

Dick Rowe of Decca Records turned The Beatles down after they did an audition saying "groups with guitars are on their way out".Jim Denny of The Grand Ole Opry told Elvis Presley he should "go back to driving a truck" after his first and only appearance on the show.Bob Dylan played harmonica on a Harry Belafonte album. Pete Townsend played harmonica on Little Millies "My Boy Lollipop".Rod Stewart sang backing vocals on "Hi Ho Silver Lining" by The Jeff Beck Group.Mick Jagger sang backing vocals on "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon.Paul McCartney produced both Those Were The Days by Mary Hopkins and I'm The Urban Spaceman by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. John Lennon produced the album "Pussycats" for Harry Nielsen. Alan Klein managed both The Beatles and The Stones at different times.Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died within a year and all before the age of 30.Leonard Cohen spent the night with Joplin in The Chelsea Hotel where years later Sid Vicious reportedly murdered his girlfriend.Buddy Holly,Richie Valens, J P Richardson, Rick Nelson,John Denver,Aliyah all died in plane crashes.David Bowie called his son Zowie and Marc Bolan called his son Rolan.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Bert
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:52 PM

Interesting LilyFestre, at school (a hundred years ago) our Latin master showed us a picture of a safety pin excavated from Ancient Rome.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Jeep man
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:46 PM

Things are more like they are now than they have ever been before. Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: GUEST,Sidewinder
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:38 PM

The Five Marx Brothers were Groucho,Chico, Harpo, Gummo and Zeppo and contrary to popular belief Harpo was not a mute. Groucho once refused membership of an exclusive club saying "I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have me as a member".

Best Wishes.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: LilyFestre
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:33 PM

The safety pin was invented on April 10, 1849 by Walter Hunt of New York, New York.

:) Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 02:55 PM

A cangaroo's penis is bifurcated (split in two) at the end.
I guess they can two-time at the same time?

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 02:48 PM

>>It's impossible to lick your elbow

And undignified to try....

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: mack/misophist
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 01:26 PM

One of San Francisco's earliest, most beloved oddities was Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico; a man of infinite gravitas and charisma. He not only printed his own currency, people accepted it. You try doing that.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: GUEST,Harmoni
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 01:30 AM

It's impossible to lick your elbow

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: GUEST,Sidewinder
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 08:27 PM

The Irish poet Brendan Behan was visiting Canada in the dim and distant past and was asked to appear on a talk show. He agreed and answered all the questions put to him quite amiably then he was asked "Why had he come to Canada?" to which he replied " I was in a bar in Ireland drinking and when I picked up my glass there was a beer mat under it that said Drink Canada Dry so I thought I'd give it a try".

Best Wishes.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 07:15 PM

Flamenco Ted, this is post 100

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 07:14 PM

"Sttaw, huh? or should I say duh. And red is not blue"

susu, then blue is not red.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 07:08 PM

4+4=20



in a base four numerical system

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: jeffp
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 05:30 PM

Elephants are the only animals with four knees.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 04:13 PM

Or jump

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 04:12 PM

White men can't sing the blues. (Or can they?)

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 03:27 PM

Grasshoppers can't play piano.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 02:57 PM

Greyhounds can't sit.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 02:39 PM

Elephants can't jump.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: susu
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 02:35 PM

Sttaw, huh? or should I say duh. And red is not blue.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 12:54 PM

And the German word, "Kaiser."

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 12:20 PM

Black is not white.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Splott Man
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 11:47 AM

"ACETYLSERYLTYROSYLSERYLISOLEUCYL-
THREONYLSERYLPROLYLSERYLGLUTAMINYL-
PHENYLALANYLVALYLPHENYLALANYLLEUCYL-
SERYLSERYLVALYLTRYPTOPHYLALA..." etc

Sorry to be pedantic Brucie, but to quote one of my bosses (as if one wasn't enough)

"all that is is a list of the building blocks that make up a
protein - they're amino acids. So, I imagine they've taken an important
protein within TMV and then named each amino acid along its length. It's
not proper nomenclature and wouldn't mean anything to us biochemists if (God
forbid) we had to read it in a paper!"

However, I enjoyed it,

Do you know it from memory?

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 11:46 AM

Edward De Vere accidentally farted while bowing to Queen Elizabeth I. He was so embarrassed that he left England for seven years. After his return, the Queen was reported to have reassured De Vere: "My Lord, I had forgot about the fart."

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 11:37 AM

And so is the Russian word czar.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: mack/misophist
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 02:21 AM

As a teenager, Julius Caesar was constantly in trouble for speeding in his chariot.

Like the German word 'kaiser', the Thibetan word for king, 'gesar', is also derived from caesar.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 05 - 07:01 PM

Ray Kroc, onetime owner of McDonald's Hamburger chain and the San Diego Padres hired Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll to play "Sam and Henry" on WGN Chicago radio in 1926. The show was later renamed Amos n Andy.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: mack/misophist
Date: 08 Jan 05 - 09:38 PM

That wasn't interesting. It was beautiful! Thank you.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Peace
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 07:12 PM

That is really interesting. I will pass that on to the Social Studies teacher in our school. Thank you.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Auggie
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 07:02 PM

One of my many useless trivia stories

It's 1877, in Germany.
Otto von Bismark is a conservative statesman and politician, known for (among other things) his observation to the effect that "it is better that men do not know how their laws or sausages are made".

Rudolph Virchow is a famous physician and also a very liberal social reform politician who served in the opposite party to Bismark in the Reichstag (German Parliment).
Virchow wanted a law passed requiring the examination of slaughtered hogs for trichinosis parasites. Bismark opposed and, eventually becoming enraged at Virchow's legislative tactics, challenged him to a duel.

As custom dictated, Virchow had his choice of weapons. He knew Bismark to be big, strong, an accomplished swordsman and a deadly shot. But, being a sly,clever and crafty science nerd he choose to duel by eating sausages, one of which would be identified as being loaded with deadly trichinosis germs. Since Bismark would get to choose first, and given his public scorn of trichinosis, he would be forced to eat the infected one-or be ridiculed.

Bismark wisely withdrew his challenge and in 1878 a bill requiring meat inspection passed.

Now, aren't you glad I didn't get on this thread earlier?

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Micca
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 01:35 PM

Right the answers,
non chemists would say " youn-yon-ised
Chemists say Un-eye-on-ised
Non chemists would say " peer-e-odd-ic acid"
Chemists would say " per-eye-o-dic acid

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: susu
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:48 PM

Georgiansilver, I said 'average' body, not irregular. I would horrify med students if I left my body to science, and as far as any other organization, I do not want to end up some sick picture on the internet.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:39 PM

So are you leaving your body to science when you die or perhaps one of the multiple stores.......
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: susu
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:33 PM

The average human body contains enough: iron to make a three inch nail, sulfur to kill all fleas on an average dog, carbon to make 900 pencils, potassium to fire a toy cannon, fat to make 7 bars of soap, phosphorous to make 8 match heads, and water to fill a ten gallon tank.

Subject: RE: BS: Useless Trivia
From: Peace
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 09:30 PM

In the movie, "WC Fields and Me", he was deducting money from his income tax (payable) by claiming two cases of gin each month. When questioned about that by the Feds, he replied, "I'm a comedian, and when I'm not drunk I'm not funny!"



toe-back-oh moe-zai-ick vie-russ.