CM's completely useless factoid thread.

[jomar]

Frisbee got its name from William Russel Frisbee, who was a pie baker. He used to sell his pies in a thin tin pan, which had Frisbee written on it. When Walter Frederick Morrison thought of the idea of making saucer like disks to play catch, he visited the campus of Yale and noticed people there were using the pie pan to play catch so he therefore renamed his invention to Frisbee.

 

[SeaCat]

Long hair was once thought to be a sign of strength and virility.

Cat

 

[yevkassem72]

The Coptic Christians also have a Pope.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Tuktoyaktuk loosely translates to "Looks like cariboo"

 

[Stella_Omega]

Tuktoyaktuk loosely translates to "Looks like cariboo"

You win the "Useless Factoid Of The Day" award!

 

[oggbashan]

Kangaroo

When asked what that strange animal that hopped on its back legs was called, the Aborigines said "Kangaroo" which means "I haven't any idea what you are saying".

Og

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

The original name for the female protaganist in "Gone With the Wind" was Pansy.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[starrkers]

When asked what that strange animal that hopped on its back legs was called, the Aboringines said "Kangaroo" which means "I haven't any idea what you are saying".

Actually that's a fallacy, Ogg. "gangurru" is the word for kangaroo from one of the north eastern tribes.

 

[oggbashan]

Actually that's a fallacy, Ogg. "gangurru" is the word for kangaroo from one of the north eastern tribes.

You mean that my fact book on Australia is non-factual? I bought it in 1960 in Collins Street, Melbourne as a school text book...

Perhaps it is wrong. It suggests that the miners won the battle of the Eureka Stockade...

Edit: And it suggests that Australian politicians only become politicians to help their fellow man. Who wrote this rubbish?

Og

 

[starrkers]

You mean that my fact book on Australia is non-factual? I bought it in 1960 in Collins Street, Melbourne as a school text book...

Perhaps it is wrong. It suggests that the miners won the battle of the Eureka Stockade...

Og

*snort* There's a good chance it's a tad confused then

 

[jomar]

Maine is the toothpick capital of the world.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

The first paved road in Oregon was in Portland. It went from the riverfront up and around the back side of Markum Hill. What was on the other side of the hill? Nothing.

 

[oggbashan]

Traffic Lights

My town was the first in the county of Kent to install traffic lights.

They were operated by a rota of policemen who stood at the junction all day long switching the lights from red to green.

The traffic didn't justify the provision of the traffic lights. They were installed as a matter of civic pride. The locals used to divert around the traffic lights on the side roads. They still do - 70 odd years later.

Whenever that set of traffic lights are out of action, traffic gets through the junction faster than when the lights are working.

Og

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

My town was the first in the county of Kent to install traffic lights.

They were operated by a rota of policemen who stood at the junction all day long switching the lights from red to green.

The traffic didn't justify the provision of the traffic lights. They were installed as a matter of civic pride. The locals used to divert around the traffic lights on the side roads. They still do - 70 odd years later.

Whenever that set of traffic lights are out of action, traffic gets through the junction faster than when the lights are working.

Og

There's a stupid Administrative Law in Oregon that says a stop sign cannot be installed on a dangerous intersection where one has not been placed before until someone is killed at that intersection. Any volunteers?

 

[oggbashan]

There's a stupid Administrative Law in Oregon that says a stop sign cannot be installed on a dangerous intersection where one has not been placed before until someone is killed at that intersection. Any volunteers?

We can't have a speed limit unless the majority of vehicles are doing less than the proposed limit and there has been a record of deaths and serious injuries on that stretch of road.

Og

 

[hmmnmm]

Where did the Birthday Spanking come from?

 

[oggbashan]

English Council elections

If someone stands for election to a local town or city council and says "I will change the rules on [whatever]" then after the election, if they are successful they CANNOT be involved with decisions on [whatever] because "They have compromised their discretion."

Councillors are supposed to decide matters only on the information and arguments presented at a meeting, not have predetermined views.

If a councillor is on record as saying something for or against a development/planning application, he/she cannot speak to or vote on that application.

Conclusion: Say nothing and keep your options open - until the meeting starts.

Og

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

If someone stands for election to a local town or city council and says "I will change the rules on [whatever]" then after the election, if they are successful they CANNOT be involved with decisions on [whatever] because "They have compromised their discretion."

Councillors are supposed to decide matters only on the information and arguments presented at a meeting, not have predetermined views.

If a councillor is on record as saying something for or against a development/planning application, he/she cannot speak to or vote on that application.

Conclusion: Say nothing and keep your options open - until the meeting starts.

Og

With a law like that, Og, every politician in America would speak out siding with every possible issue so they couldn't be held accountable for their votes at a later date

 

[TxRad]

Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon......

Just to keep the factoids straight.....

 

[Stella_Omega]

When asked what that strange animal that hopped on its back legs was called, the Aborigines said "Kangaroo" which means "I haven't any idea what you are saying".

Og

"Budgerigar" means "tasty little bird"
But don't tell your gramma that!

 

[Alexandra1979]

John Wilkes Booth was once one of the most famous and celebrated actors of his day. Hard to imagine, isn't it?

 

[oggbashan]

John Wilkes Booth was once one of the most famous and celebrated actors of his day. Hard to imagine, isn't it?

Bulwer-Lytton, he of "It was a dark and stormy night" was a best-selling author who rivalled Dickens for sales. Hard to imagine, isn't it?

Og

 

[ChristopherMaxwell]

Sir Winston Churchill's mother, Jenny Jerome, was an American.

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

If you place a cracker on your finger tip outside the window of a moving vehicle, the wind resistance will hold it against your finger tip perpendicular to the road.

The slowest speed that provides adequate wind to keep the cracker in place is 25 mph.

 

[Vermilion]

the phrase 'Non U,' (non upper class) used to denigrate something as being naff, was coined by British Linguist, Alan Ross, in the 1930s. Nancy Mitford referred to it in an essay she wrote and the phrase passed into general lexicon. A common misconception is that Nancy Mitford coined it herself.

Some words considered Non U are-
-Serviette (instead of napkin)
-Toilet (instead of lavatory or loo)
-Mirror (instead of looking glass - though this surprised even Nancy Mitford who said she felt as if she should go back and edit her novels for their next edition)

John Betjeman wrote a poem based on this concept called 'How To Get On In Society'

Phone for the fish-knives, Norman,
As Cook is a little unnerved;
You kiddies have crumpled the serviettes
And I must have things daintily served.

Are the requisites all in the toilet?
The frills round the cutlets can wait
Till the girl has replenished the cruets
And switched on the logs in the grate.

It's ever so close in the lounge, dear,
But the vestibule's comfy for tea,
And Howard is out riding on horseback,
So do come and take some with me.

Now here is a fork for your pastries,
And do use the couch for your feet;
I know what I wanted to ask you --
Is trifle suffient for sweet?

Milk and then just as it comes, dear?
I'm afraid the preserve's full of stones;
Beg pardon I'm soiling the doileys
With afternoon tea-cakes and scones.

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