Learn Something Today

[Netzach]

extreme Southern Culture.

snow petrels live further south than any other bird, never flying beyond the pack ice of the continent. They have been spotted at the south pole, nest on mountaintops protruding from glaiciers, rest on bare ice, and bathe in snow. If bothered at a nest site, their defense is to projectile-vomit a heavy dose of digestive oil which reeks of their krill and squid diet and is hard to clean off. While this sounds repulsive, they're pretty birds, only the size of small pigeons, and snow white with black eyes and bills.

They feed on krill, squid and periodic carrion. The sea life is exclusively collected through cracks in the ice shelf, rather than over open sea.

 

[Netzach]

It's just satire. Jesus, you euro's take this soccer shit seriously. To me it's more boring than hockey. At least with hockey you have a stick and it breaks out in fights all the time.

That's exactly why hockey is freaking dull as watching paint and watching college hockey isn't.

Fighting is fine, just stick to the freaking point.

I used to love a good fight, loved boxing before it degenerated into completely bogus insanity. WWF has more integrity as a sport.

 

[Homburg]

I'd like to see a hockey goalie pick his ass with those gloves and pants on. Just sayin'. Well, I wouldn't really want to see that, so I shall restrain myself from following any sorts of sports in the future as well.

Goalie pants are really loose, and the thumb edge of a goalie glove is about the right...



--

That's exactly why hockey is freaking dull as watching paint and watching college hockey isn't.

Fighting is fine, just stick to the freaking point.

I used to love a good fight, loved boxing before it degenerated into completely bogus insanity. WWF has more integrity as a sport.

There is a book called "Neutral Corner", a collection of essays on boxing by AJ Liebling. There' written from the turn of the century through to probably the early 60's. Man, the sweet science was really something then. Nowadays, not worth watching.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Over 10,000 turn out to watch the University of Georgia's ladies' gymnastics team every meet. But they are going for their fifth national championship in a row.

You are talking about Georgia, and we all know they're insane about that sort of thing down there.

Not to mention a lot of pervs who just get off on watching those lissome, lithe little bodies twist and turn and bend and <pant, pant> spin and flip and do splits and stuff all over the place.

 

[missy_me]

.....

 

[chauderlos]

Charles Lindbergh achieved great fame for being the first man to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean.
Actually, two men had achieved the same goal eight years earlier. From June 14 to June 15, 1919, for 16 1/2 hours, Capt. John Alcock and Lt Arthur Whitten-Brown had copiloted a Vichers-Vimy twin-engine plane nonstop from Newfoundland across the Atlantic to Ireland.
Lindbergh was just the first person to do it alone.
Source: Fabulous Fallacies by Tad Tuleja (1982, The Stonesong Press)

------------

Off topic, but related to the current conversation about football, soccer, etc... I wonder what the annual turnover of the NFL is? (For information, it's 2.5 billion Euros for the British Premier League, 1.5 for Italy's Seria A, 1.3 for Germany's Bundesliga and Spain's Liga and only .950 for France Ligue 1).

 

[jockdom]

The collective noun for Crows is a murder.

To shoot the crow, in scottish slang, means to go.

To take the Crow Road in Glasgow means to die.( The main crematorium of the city is on that road.)

 

[myinnerslut]

google facts

(from http://www.google.com/press/funfacts.html)

Google Fun Facts
Google sorts billions of bits of information for its users. Here are some little-known bits of information about Google:

Google's name is a play on the word googol, which refers to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner, and was popularized in the book, "Mathematics and the Imagination" by Kasner and James Newman. Google's play on the term reflects the company's mission to organize the immense amount of information available on the web.

Google started as a research project at Stanford University, created by Ph.D. candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were 24 years old and 23 years old respectively (a combined 47 years old).

Google's index of web pages is the largest in the world, comprising of billions of web pages. Google searches this immense collection of web pages often in less than half a second.

Google receives daily search requests from all over the world, including Antarctica.

Users can restrict their searches for content in 35 non-English languages, including Chinese, Greek, Icelandic, Hebrew,
Hungarian and Estonian. To date, no requests have been received from beyond the earth's orbit, but Google has a Klingon interface just in case.

Google has a world-class staff of more than 2,668 employees known as Googlers. The company headquarters is called the Googleplex.

Google translates billions of HTML web pages into a display format for WAP and i-mode phones and wireless handheld devices, and has made it possible to enter a search using only one phone pad keystroke per letter, instead of multiple keystrokes.

Google Groups comprises more than 845 million Usenet messages, which is the world's largest collection of messages or the equivalent of more than a terabyte of human conversation.

The basis of Google's search technology is called PageRank™, and assigns an "importance" value to each page on the web and gives it a rank to determine how useful it is. However, that's not why it's called PageRank. It's actually named after Google co-founder Larry Page.

Googlers are multifaceted. One operations manager, who keeps the Google network in good health is a former neurosurgeon. One software engineer is a former rocket scientist. And the company's chef formerly prepared meals for members of The Grateful Dead and funkmeister George Clinton.

 

[JustaNobody]

Googleplex is also a pun, of course. Just as googol is one followed by 100 zeroes, a googolplex is one followed by a googol zeroes.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

We've gone 26 hours without learning anything!

• It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
• One human hair can support 3 kg (6.6 lb).
• The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.
• Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.
• A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.
• There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
• Women blink twice as often as men.
• The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain.
• Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.
• If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.
• Women reading this will be finished now.
• Men are still busy checking their thumbs.

 

[BiaTcHiNFiRe]

We've gone 26 hours without learning anything!

• It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
• One human hair can support 3 kg (6.6 lb).
• The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.
• Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.
• A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.
• There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
• Women blink twice as often as men.
• The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain.
• Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.
• If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.
  [*]Women reading this will be finished now.
  [*]Men are still busy checking their thumbs.

lolol

 

[WriterDom]

As the story goes; there was once a traveler who came with his Spanish fiancée in the 1700s to start a plantation near the city of Charleston SC. She was a beautiful bride-to-be with long flowing raven hair. As the couple was walking over the plantation sight near the forest, and making plans for their future, they were suddenly attacked by a band of Cherokee who were not happy to share the land of their forefathers with strangers. As a final warning to stay away from the Cherokee nation, they cut off the long dark hair of the bride-to-be and threw it up in an old live oak tree. As the people came back day after day and week after week, they began to notice the hair had shriveled and turned grey and had begun spreading from tree to tree. Over the years the moss spread from South Carolina to Georgia and Florida. To this day, if one stands under a live oak tree, one will see the moss jump from tree to tree and defend itself with a large army of beetles.

 

[sinnocence]

In the average lifetime a person will breathe in about 44 pounds of dust.


0.o

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Twenty-two (22) hours without new data...

:: going into trivia/information/knowledge withdrawal ::

 

[Keroin]

Twenty-two (22) hours without new data...

:: going into trivia/information/knowledge withdrawal ::

Here's your fix...

A Blue Whale has a heart the size of a Volkswagen and veins wide enough for a man to swim through.

The largest animal on the planet, this whale feeds, almost exclusively, on the smallest - krill.

There were once over 300,000 Blue Whales. Now there are less than 3000.

 

[gypsy*seer]

Twenty-two (22) hours without new data...

:: going into trivia/information/knowledge withdrawal ::

Here ya' go....

A theremin is an electronic musical instrument invented by Prof. Leon Theremin. The theremin is probably best known for its spooky sounds in many old sci-fi movies, and in the Beach Boys song "Good Vibrations". A musician plays the theremin by waving their hands around two electrodes, controlling the tone and the volume.

 

[WriterDom]

The Exotic Shorthair has a gentle and calm personality reminiscent of the Persian, but it is livelier than his longhaired ancestor. Curious and playful, it is friendly to other cats and dogs. It rarely meows. It doesn’t like being left alone, and needs the presence of its owner (or of voices or smells reminiscent of its master-such as a radio kept on). They tend to show more affection and loyalty than most breeds and make excellent lap cats. Their calm and steady nature makes them ideal apartment cats for city dwellers. Nonetheless, Exotics retain some of the energetic spark of their American Shorthair forbears and they are often capable mouse hunters.

Hmm.. Mine loves to meow and talk more than any cat I've seen. I don't think he has met a dog but loves people. Six strangers could walk in and he would be in the middle of them on his back showing off.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

:: breathing more easily now ::

Thanks, y'all!

 

[MisterSir]

Here's your fix...

A Blue Whale has a heart the size of a Volkswagen and veins wide enough for a man to swim through.

The largest animal on the planet, this whale feeds, almost exclusively, on the smallest - krill.

There were once over 300,000 Blue Whales. Now there are less than 3000.

Incidentally, the whale's throat is approximately the size of a grapefruit in diameter.

 

[DVS]

With spring on the horizon (in my neck of the woods anyway), I think of the flowers and trees budding and filling the air with the nice aromas we connect with a spring day.

My Tulip Magnolia is starting to bloom, but the pretty pink blossoms might turn a sad brown, with the weekend freeze we are expecting. Such is life for a tree that should only be planted in the southern states. But, it survives quite well and has grown to be over 30 feet tall. Some years, the blooms are very large and when they eventually fall to the ground, my front yard is a wash of pretty pink petals.

Another plant that comes to life in the spring is Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy is a woody vine or sub-shrub that has a very wide distribution. It may be found coast to coast from southern Canada to Mexico. It is also known from the West Indies and China.

It is a member of the Anacardiaceae, or Cashew, family. Most members of this plant family have a tropical or sub-tropical distribution. In North America, it is represented by the Sumacs (Rhus sp.), Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac and the Florida Poison Tree (Metopium toxiferum). What was God thinking of, when he created these?

Poison Ivy is a nasty nuisance because it contains a chemical that can cause the skin of persons sensitive to it to develop a red, itchy rash and even erupt in blisters. Urushiol is the active ingredient in Poison Ivy that causes the rash and irritation. It is present in all parts of the plant, but particularly in the sap. People vary in their sensitivity to urushiol.

Some people have no problem with it and others experience severe allergic reactions. This can also vary over the life of a person. You might be unaffected as a child and become sensitized with repeated exposures. So even if you are not allergic now, it is a good idea to learn how to recognize Poison Ivy in case your body changes as you age.

The clinical name for the skin irritation caused by Poison Ivy is Rhus Dermatitis. It usually starts as itching and small blisters within a few hours after exposure. Depending on how strong the exposure was and/or how sensitive the person is, that may be all there is to it. However, it may develop into an inflamed, swollen rash with open, weeping sores that persists for up to two weeks. Severe cases may require a visit to the doctor. Urushiol is absorbed into the skin within three minutes of exposure.

If it is washed off quickly with dishwashing soap and water, the consequences will be less. You are seldom close enough to wash it off, when you get exposed, unless like me, it grows in your back yard.

People say you have up to five minutes, depending on how sensitive you are to it. Still, if you know you touched it, it's worth the time to try washing it off. You can diminish it's intensity. Sometimes you're lucky and can wash a lot of it off. But, be as thorough as possible. There will usually be an area that you missed, no matter how well you wash.

I've noticed it won't affect me as much on the outer areas of my skin, where hair grows. But, in the more vulnerable parts of your skin, like the inner part of your arms or legs, and between fingers, face and eyes...places you sweat on a hot summer day. It loves to attack you there. If it gets into your eyes, see a doctor as soon as possible. You'll need a shot of hydroquartizone to counter the stuff.

An important fact to remember is that the urushiol can travel on your clothes or the fur of your pets, so remember to wash them too if you suspect they were in contact with Poison Ivy. It can hang around on surfaces for days, waiting to infect you, so wash those things as soon as possible. Also, if you burn the plant, Urushiol travels in the smoke, so don't even think about doing that, unless you are far down wind.

Learning to recognize and avoid it is the best strategy. In the spring and summer months, it is a pretty green color, sometimes with a red stem. The leaves often look like irregular shaped oak leaves. Many times, within the groups of three or five leaves, each will be slightly different in shape, unlike most plant leaves, which seem to be almost perfectly the same.

In the fall, the leaves often turn a very pretty red or orange color, similar to a Maple tree. That's when the sap is its nastiest, so don't mess with it then. It might be pretty to look at, but DON'T TOUCH!

Some say Poison Oak has five leaves and Poison Ivy has three. Both have the same chemical in the sap, so what difference does the number of leaves mean, if you happen to find yourself ankle deep in either one. For all practical purposes, three leaves or five, they are identical and BOTH should avoided.

Poison Ivy grows in a number of different ways:
As a ground cover - It can creep across the ground surface and make a knee-high thicket of foliage.

As a skinny free-standing "shrub" - It can grow in the open with one stem and only a few side branches. It may be up to ten feet tall in this form, and this is the form that people call Poison Oak. (According to the experts, Poison Oak is a distinct species that doesn't occur on the prairie, but it is common in these parts.

As a vine - Using thin, brown, aerial roots, it can attach itself to the side of a tree or other object and reach high into the sky. This is the form where it reaches it greatest size. It is not uncommon to find vines as thick as your arm growing up the side of large trees. You should see the crop across the street from my back yard. It's on city property, no less. There are Poison Ivy TREES back there!

If you are familiar with strawberries, that's how the roots of Poison Ivy travel, too. One root can shoot out from a plant underground and sprout another plant several feet away. If you are brave enough to pull one up (be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves!), you'll see how it survives so well and populates an area so fast.

After writing this, I now have a strange and overpowering urge to wash my hands.

 

[Homburg]

My Tulip Magnolia is starting to bloom, but the pretty pink blossoms might turn a sad brown, with the weekend freeze we are expecting. Such is life for a tree that should only be planted in the southern states.

Speaking of trees that should not be planted where they are, I once handled a claim where an old guy in a 75 Nova has a seizure, ran off the road, took out a tree, and rammed into the side of the tree-owner's house. Nightmare, right? Well, it turned out that the tree was a Japanese Red Maple, and it was probably 20-25' tall. Completely wiped out the tree.

I don't handle trees, so I call my father-in-law as he used to run a landscaping business. He says that tree couldn't have been that tall. I told him it could've because it was. He said they don't grow down here. Well, it did, and now I have to replace it.

He hunts around for a bit and puts me in touch with a tree grower. I call the orchard, and he says, "Yeah, we have a Japanese Red Maple. and it's BIG" (that's how the guy said it). "How big?" asks I. "Oh, 15' or so," says he. "Um, I need a 20' tree." "Not gonna happen around here, man." Greeeat. So I ask how much for the 15" tree. $15000 with installation. Fifteen freakin grand for a 15' tall tree. Do what?!? "They're hard to grow around here, man. And we won't give a warranty on this tree at all."

The arborist swings by this guy's house and find out that the power lines are too low, so the city has to be involved. This will add about $8-10k to the bill. So the tree that will probably won't grow anyway is now gonna cost $23-25k to put in. The driver's policy had a $25k max limit on liability. Then he says "Hey, I got a 12' Norwegian that we can install for $5k and it won't require the city." *sigh* 12' tree where a 20-25' tree once stood.

So the tree was going to eat up alll the money, probably die, and still not be big enough. SO I talked to the owner. He hemmed and hawed about he and his brother planted those trees. I told him 1) No one, and I mean NO ONE has a tree that tall in this region. And 2) It will take ALL of the money available to get a tree 3/4ths of the size of your tree put in. And then you won't have any left to fix your house. Guy still hemmed and hawed. I wound up saying "Look, how about I get a 12' Norwegian redmaple in here, get your house fixed, and cut you a check for $10k to cover the emotional loss of your.. tree?"

So the lessons in this event? Planting Japanese red maples can lead to a Ten thousand dollar check in your pocket.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Speaking of trees that should not be planted where they are, I once handled a claim where an old guy in a 75 Nova has a seizure, ran off the road, took out a tree, and rammed into the side of the tree-owner's house. Nightmare, right? Well, it turned out that the tree was a Japanese Red Maple, and it was probably 20-25' tall. Completely wiped out the tree.

I don't handle trees, so I call my father-in-law as he used to run a landscaping business. He says that tree couldn't have been that tall. I told him it could've because it was. He said they don't grow down here. Well, it did, and now I have to replace it.

He hunts around for a bit and puts me in touch with a tree grower. I call the orchard, and he says, "Yeah, we have a Japanese Red Maple. and it's BIG" (that's how the guy said it). "How big?" asks I. "Oh, 15' or so," says he. "Um, I need a 20' tree." "Not gonna happen around here, man." Greeeat. So I ask how much for the 15" tree. $15000 with installation. Fifteen freakin grand for a 15' tall tree. Do what?!? "They're hard to grow around here, man. And we won't give a warranty on this tree at all."

The arborist swings by this guy's house and find out that the power lines are too low, so the city has to be involved. This will add about $8-10k to the bill. So the tree that will probably won't grow anyway is now gonna cost $23-25k to put in. The driver's policy had a $25k max limit on liability. Then he says "Hey, I got a 12' Norwegian that we can install for $5k and it won't require the city." *sigh* 12' tree where a 20-25' tree once stood.

So the tree was going to eat up alll the money, probably die, and still not be big enough. SO I talked to the owner. He hemmed and hawed about he and his brother planted those trees. I told him 1) No one, and I mean NO ONE has a tree that tall in this region. And 2) It will take ALL of the money available to get a tree 3/4ths of the size of your tree put in. And then you won't have any left to fix your house. Guy still hemmed and hawed. I wound up saying "Look, how about I get a 12' Norwegian redmaple in here, get your house fixed, and cut you a check for $10k to cover the emotional loss of your.. tree?"

So the lessons in this event? Planting Japanese red maples can lead to a Ten thousand dollar check in your pocket.

:: starts googling Japanese red maple trees, East Tennessee, tree nurseries; makes room in wallet for $10K check ::

 

[HoHoBomb]

This season when I call you cause there something stirring it won't be to tell you that I am staying.

Not after last night- 1500 strikes in under 1 hour
Dresden

a little over a month away.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

This season when I call you cause there something stirring it won't be to tell you that I am staying.

Not after last night- 1500 strikes in under 1 hour
Dresden

a little over a month away.

Lightning? If so, you don't want to move to the Central/West Central part of Florida. That's the lightning capital of the U.S.

 

[HoHoBomb]

Lightning? If so, you don't want to move to the Central/West Central part of Florida. That's the lightning capital of the U.S.

Plus heavy rains ( 3 inches per hour)
tornados

Not to Florida, I'm headed West.