Again…
August 16, 2011 |
19 comments
…it’s not much of a blog, but it counts. Sorry the blog is rubbish at the moment. It’s Edinburgh. Keep those facts coming (see yesterday). We’ll catch up soon. Thanks.
Posted by Sarah on August 18, 2011
Humans share 50% of DNA with a bannana
Posted by Katie on August 17, 2011
A park ranger in Virginia, USA, named Roy Sullivan once held the Guinness World Record for surviving the most lightning strikes – 7 – over 35 years. He gained the nickname “The Human Lightning Rod”. He died aged 71 of a self-inflicted gunshot.
Jack Daniel (creator of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey) died of septicemia, which he contracted when he kicked a safe that was unable to get open. His last words were “one last drink, please”.
The first home video games console was the Magnavox Odyssey, which was released in the United States in 1972. It was the first games system to store its games on cartridges, and was the first console that was available with peripherals, namely the famous and much-copied light gun. The system sold for $99 when it was first available on the NA market, and shifted around 80,000 in its year of release.
Oh dear God, I know too much about video games.
Posted by arwen on August 17, 2011
A bit of trivia which is also a bit of a joke…
The Glasgow coat of arms is
a tree that never grew,
a bird that never flew,
a fish that never swam and
a bell that never rang.
You can find the coat of arms all over the city if you are looking for it. Although most people have no idea what its about. My take on it is nothing ever goes quite to plan in Glasgow, but I love it all the same
Here is some versions of the stories if you are interested however – http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow_flourish.htm
Posted by Nuala on August 17, 2011
A hangman’s noose was known as a Bridport dagger, as the ropes were made in Bridport.
(I only found this out today, but thought it was a great fact!)
Posted by Corey on August 17, 2011
If a pig gets killed when its scared the meat will be tougher when eaten. So a pig needs to be kept as happy as can be during the slaughter process to keep the meat in top condition.
Posted by Lydia on August 17, 2011
The typical capacity of a person’s short term memory is 7 things.
(I think. AS psychology was a while ago now).
Posted by Rachael on August 17, 2011
Apparently, Cocaine can attach itself to a drugusers sperm.
A flood of beer killed 9 people in 1814.
Posted by Heather Jones on August 17, 2011
2nd attempt – just lost my draft comment half way through.
A couple of facts gleaned during my recent holiday in Dorset.
One of the types of Purbeck-Portland stone is called Spangle. (this meaning of Spangle isn’t listed on the Spangle Wikipedia page) Spangle is Limestone of Jurassic age – a coarse grained greyish stone with numerous shell fragments.
The Town Hall in Swanage, erected in 1882, features the whole of the facade of the 1670 Mercers Hall, designed by Christopher Wren, and originally to be found in Cheapside, London. A chap called George Burt bought it – when it was being demolished- and transferred it down to Swanage stone by stone. It’s very ornate!
Posted by Jen on August 17, 2011
Thankyou… I love your football alerts…..Fingers crossed Suzanne!!Jx
- just waiting to see Mrs W-H’s Baby Diary at min!
Posted by MusicalLottie on August 17, 2011
Erm … sheep don’t shrink in the rain because lanolin protects their wool – the same stuff that makes human hair go greasy.
A neutered horse is called a gelding.
Pineapples contain an enzyme, bromelain, that breaks down protein. This means that fresh pineapple juice could potentially remove one’s fingerprints (although bromelain is destroyed in the canning process, so canned pineapple juice won’t do it) and interferes with making jelly.
Pineapples are actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries in two interlocking helices; eight in one direction and thirteen in the other (yay, Fibonacci!). [I'm not actually a huge pineapple fan; I had two slices and they made my mouth sore - it was the second slice that did it.]
Erm. The closest stars to our solar system visible with the naked eye are alpha-Centauri A and alpha-Centauri B, which form a binary star system. With the naked eye they look like a single object, however with binoculars they can be seen as separate objects for most of their orbit.
The closest star to our solar system is Proxima Centauri, which is not visible with the naked eye. [alpha-Centauri AB are the second closest stars to our solar system.]
The Alpha Centauri system (comprised of the aforementioned stars) is only visible from the southern hemisphere.
The brightest star in the night sky, Sirius A, is visible to all observers on Earth except those north of 73 degrees*. It is part of another binary star system, Sirius, and is actually the seventh closest star to our solar system (but the closest observable for those in the northern hemisphere, south of 73 degrees).
*including settlements in Nanuvut, Canada; Greenland, Denmark; Franz Josef Land, Russia; Svalbard, Norway.
Ahem. *steps off her solar soapbox*
Posted by Suzanne aka Senior Watsonian on August 17, 2011
*** FOOTIE FINGER CROSSING ALERT!!! ***
Wednesday 17 August 2011
Leicester City v Bristol City
KO ~ 7.45 pm BST
Once again we all have responsibility to finger cross thus ensuring a positive result and Mark’s happiness!
Hope you remember to cross as per instruction, Jen!!!
Posted by Sarah on August 17, 2011
From Robin Ince – You get technically a new nose every 7 years. By that I mean the cells that make up your nose are replaced continuously. After 7 years all of the cells have been replaced. Your nose won’t just fall off one day.
Posted by Daniel on August 17, 2011
The operation to evacuate children to the countryside during World War 2 was called Operation Pied Piper.
Posted by Weaselspoon on August 17, 2011
You know lighting desks, like that one at the back of the venue? with all the faders on it? The first lighting desks were built out of cinema organs and the operator would literally play the lights. If I recall correctly the first was built in 1935 by Frederick Bentham.
Posted by Misha on August 17, 2011
wine is nice #fact
Posted by Steph on August 17, 2011
*cookies, not cooking. My bad.
Posted by Steph on August 17, 2011
Cookie Monster on Sesame Street once said that before he started eating cooking his name was Sid.
And Elvis Presley was apparently a big Monty Python fan.
Have fun in Edinburgh, anyone who’s there. I wish I could be!
- Jealous and American
Posted by Jen on August 17, 2011
I’ve had such a fun day in Edinburgh today (despite the weather!!!-got abit spoilt by the my first two days here being sunny!!) – saw both of David O Doherty’s shows…v funny!…I’ve left facts on last two blogs but I’ll try one or two more….ermmmmm…
Banana’s contain natural ripening chemicals that means they should never be put in a fruit bowl (unless the rest of your fruit isn’t ripe)
Daffodils kill other flowers if in a vase with them (again a chemical thing)
…I think you can see I’m fading on the fact front now but please check my previous blog comments for my other efforts!Jx
Posted by Britt on August 17, 2011
I think you can be forgiven for a couple of rubbish blogs during festival time, although I do look forward to the next time you’re able to post a proper entry.