Total Trivia

[Gaia_Lorraine]

Mount Fuji in Japan means "mountain mountain" because fuji is the japaneses for mountain.
The same holds true for the Sahara Desert (desert desert).

However we Brits like to go a stage further.. there is a hill in Cumbria called Torpenhow. This name consists of "tor" meaning mountain, "pen" meaning mountain and "how" meaning mountain and the whole word meaning mountain.

In other words "mountain mountain mountain mountain"

 

[fire_breeze]

Mount Fuji in Japan means "mountain mountain" because fuji is the japaneses for mountain.
The same holds true for the Sahara Desert (desert desert).

However we Brits like to go a stage further.. there is a hill in Cumbria called Torpenhow. This name consists of "tor" meaning mountain, "pen" meaning mountain and "how" meaning mountain and the whole word meaning mountain.

In other words "mountain mountain mountain mountain"

Like ATM machines?

 

[fire_breeze]

Groundhog, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication and to St. Swithun's Day in July.


An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry dated February 5, 1841, of Berks County, Pennsylvania, storekeeper James Morris:
Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.

In Scotland the tradition may also derive from an English poem:
As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and rain
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop



In western countries in the Northern Hemisphere the official first day of Spring is almost seven weeks (46–48 days) after Groundhog Day, on March 20 or March 21. About 1,000 years ago, before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar when the date of the equinox drifted in the Julian calendar, the spring equinox fell on March 16 instead. This is exactly six weeks after February 2. The custom could have been a folk embodiment of the confusion created by the collision of two calendrical systems. Some ancient traditions marked the change of season at cross-quarter days such as Imbolc when daylight first makes significant progress against the night. Other traditions held that Spring did not begin until the length of daylight overtook night at the Vernal Equinox. So an arbiter, the groundhog/hedgehog, was incorporated as a yearly custom to settle the two traditions. Sometimes Spring begins at Imbolc, and sometimes Winter lasts 6 more weeks until the equinox


And in North America, 3 out of 4 groundhogs predicted an early spring

I'd suggest that they take a look outside

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. As a genre, it is generally believed to have been invented by the English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. The effect of Gothic fiction feeds on a pleasing sort of terror, an extension of Romantic literary pleasures that were relatively new at the time of Walpole's novel. Melodrama and parody (including self-parody) were other long-standing features of the Gothic initiated by Walpole. Gothic literature is intimately associated with the Gothic Revival architecture of the same era. In a way similar to the gothic revivalists' rejection of the clarity and rationalism of the neoclassical style of the Enlightened Establishment, the literary Gothic embodies an appreciation of the joys of extreme emotion, the thrills of fearfulness and awe inherent in the sublime, and a quest for atmosphere.

 

[fire_breeze]

Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. As a genre, it is generally believed to have been invented by the English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. The effect of Gothic fiction feeds on a pleasing sort of terror, an extension of Romantic literary pleasures that were relatively new at the time of Walpole's novel. Melodrama and parody (including self-parody) were other long-standing features of the Gothic initiated by Walpole. Gothic literature is intimately associated with the Gothic Revival architecture of the same era. In a way similar to the gothic revivalists' rejection of the clarity and rationalism of the neoclassical style of the Enlightened Establishment, the literary Gothic embodies an appreciation of the joys of extreme emotion, the thrills of fearfulness and awe inherent in the sublime, and a quest for atmosphere.

I went through a period in which I only would read Gothic Fiction (particularly Victorian) - and wear jeans and tshirts.

I was the most bizarre 14 year old.

 

[fire_breeze]

In the United Kingdom, nostalgia for the medieval period led people to become fascinated with medieval Gothic ruins in the late 18th century. This fascination often combined with an interest in medieval romances, Roman Catholic religion and the supernatural, which lead to the creation of the Gothic Fiction.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

I went through a period in which I only would read Gothic Fiction (particularly Victorian) - and wear jeans and tshirts.

I was the most bizarre 14 year old.

All 14 year olds are bizarre, I know, I grew up with them

 

[fire_breeze]

All 14 year olds are bizarre, I know, I grew up with them

It's in their genetical makeup

 

[fire_breeze]

The Super Bowl was created as part of the merger agreement between the National Football League (NFL) and its competitive rival, the American Football League (AFL). After its inception in 1920, the NFL fended off several rival leagues before the AFL began play in 1960. The intense competitive war for players and fans led to serious merger talks between the two leagues in 1966. According to NFL Films President Steve Sabol, then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted to call the game "The Big One". The common story behind the name of the Super Bowl tells that one of the AFL's founders and Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, during the discussion to iron out the details, had jokingly referred to the proposed inter league championship as the "Super Bowl." Lamar Hunt, who died in December 2006, states he coined the term in the late 1960s after watching his kids play with a Super Ball, the creation of toy manufacturer Wham-O. The small, round ball is currently on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. However, more recent scholarship suggests that the name was already extant in sports journalism before the Hunt story took place, and that Hunt only applied official cachet to an unofficial nickname.

The name was consistent with post-season college football games, which had long been known as "bowl games". Hunt states he only meant the name to be a stopgap until a better one could be found. "Superbowl" even sounded rather silly at the time. Nevertheless, the name "Super Bowl" became permanent. Tickets for the games played in 1967, 1968, and 1969 were printed with the title "World Championship Game".

I still don't care.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

Some Harry Potter film locations...

Our Harry Potter tour starts at the Dursley's house, Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey which is in fact an ordinary house in Martins Heron near Bracknell, Berkshire.

Several locations in London were used for the filming. The scene early in the film when the Dursleys go to the zoo and Harry talks to the snake, was filmed at London Zoo. Set on the edge of Regent’s Park, historic London Zoo is home to more than 600 species of rare and beautiful animals. It is in the reptile house here where Harry first learns of his ability to talk to snakes.

The scene where Harry catches the steam train Hogwarts Express was also filmed in London, at Platform 4 at Kings Cross Station. This central London station was built as the Great Northern Railway’s London terminus in 1851- 2. In the film, the steam train leaves from Platform 9¾ and takes the students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry .

The train arrives at Hogsmeade Station where Harry and the other students disembark for Hogwarts School. It is the station for the village of Goathland in the Yorkshire Moors, already well known as the fictional village of Aidensfield from the British TV series, Heartbeat. The village station itself has barely changed since it opened on July 1, 1865.

The interior and exterior shots of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are taken from a number of locations around England.

Magnificent Gloucester Cathedral has been a place of worship for more than 1,300 years and is renowned for its stunning Gothic architecture. The cloisters are regarded as one of the most beautiful architectural features in Britain and the cathedral provides the setting for several scenes in the film. Perhaps the best shot of the cloisters is from the Girls Lavatory door in the Troll scene in the film. Pupils from King’s School, which adjoins the cathedral, were used as extras.

The lovely medieval village of Lacock, now in the charge of the National Trust, is the location of picturesque 13th-century Lacock Abbey. A historic manor house, Lacock Abbey retains its medieval cloisters as well as later Tudor features. It was the home of William Fox-Talbot, one of the inventors of photography. The Abbey was the setting for various interior scenes at Hogwarts School.

The historic Bodleian Library is the main research library of Oxford University. Both Duke Humfrey’s Library and the Divinity School were used as some of the interiors at Hogwarts. The Divinity School's vaulted ceiling is regarded as a masterpiece of English Gothic architecture....

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l323/GaiaLorraine/bodleian.jpg

Also in Oxford, Christ Church and it’s Great Hall is used as a double for Hogwarts School. Oxford’s largest college, re-founded by Henry VIII in 1546, is the only college in the world with a cathedral within its walls. Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) also used Christ Church as inspiration for his story ‘Alices adventures in Wonderland’.

Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor Castle, and has been home of the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. It has featured in many film and television productions over the years, and was seen recently in 'Elizabeth', 'Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves' and 'Robin of Sherwood'. The castle grounds are used as the location for some of Hogwarts' exteriors, for example the scene where Harry and his classmates have their first flying lesson with broomsticks...

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l323/GaiaLorraine/alnwickcastle.jpg

 

[fire_breeze]

Some Harry Potter film locations...

<snip>

Thank yo for the virtual tour

 

[NorthernPA4U]

Almost everyone I know of in the U.S. has heard of the Pony Express, but in actuality it was only operational for 18 months during 1860 and 1861.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

Almost everyone I know of in the U.S. has heard of the Pony Express, but in actuality it was only operational for 18 months during 1860 and 1861.

As young kids my cousins and I used to play pony express on our bikes, cycling round the block as fast we could to hand over the 'bag of mail' to the next cyclist. And that was in the UK

 

[RUlookingup]

Vincent "Vinnie" Johnson (born September 1, 1956 in Brooklyn, New York) was a key player as sixth man for the Detroit Pistons during the team's NBA championships of 1989 and 1990.
Johnson earned the nickname "the Microwave" from Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge for his ability to score many points in a short period of time
On June 19, 1990, Vinnie made a 14-foot shot with just seven-tenths of a second (00.7) left on the clock, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 92-90 in Game 5 of the finals, and giving Detroit the championship. The basket earned Johnson a new nickname: 007.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

Like ATM machines?

How did I miss this post? Sorry fire_breeze
Yes! exactly like ATM machines, we once had "Trustees Saving Bank" in the UK that became abbreviated to the TSB Bank?

 

[fire_breeze]

April 1st is often called April Fool's Day and is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness. The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392). In C the "Nun's Priest's Tale" is set Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two. Modern scholars believe that there is a copying error in the extant manuscripts and that Chaucer actually wrote, Syn March was gon. Thus the passage originally meant 32 days after March, i.e. May 2, the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, which took place in 1381. However, readers apparently misunderstood this line to mean "32nd of March," i.e. 1st April. In Chaucer's tale, the vain cock Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox.

In the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was celebrated on the 25th of March in most European towns. In some areas of France, New Year's was a week-long holiday ending on the 1st of April. So it is possible that April Fools originated because those who celebrated on the 1st of January made fun of those who celebrated on other dates. The use of the 1st of January as New Year's Day was common in France by the mid-sixteenth century, and this date was adopted officially in 1564 by the Edict of Roussillon.

 

[fire_breeze]

Some well known April Fool's Pranks.

Decimal time: Repeated several times in various countries, this hoax involves claiming that the time system will be changed to one in which units of time are based on powers of 10.

Taco Liberty Bell: In 1996, Taco Bell took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times announcing that they had purchased the Liberty Bell to "reduce the country's debt" and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell". When asked about the sale, White House press secretary Mike McCurry replied tongue-in-cheek that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold and would henceforth be known as the Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

Left-handed Whoppers: In 1998, Burger King ran an ad in USA Today, saying that people could get a Whopper for left-handed people whose condiments were designed to drip out of the right side. Not only did customers order the new burgers, but some specifically requested the "old", right-handed burger.

Three-dollar coin: In 2008, the CBC Radio program As It Happens interviewed a Royal Canadian Mint spokesman who broke "news" of plans to replace the Canadian five-dollar bill with a three-dollar coin. The coin was dubbed a "threenie", in line with the nicknames of the country's one-dollar coin (commonly called a "loonie" due to its depiction of a common loon on the reverse) and two-dollar coin ("toonie").

Cellphone ban: In New Zealand, the radio station The Edge's Morning Madhouse enlisted the help of the Prime Minister on April 1st to inform the entire country that cellphones are to be banned in New Zealand. Hundreds of callers rang in disgruntled at the new law.

Spaghetti trees: The BBC television programme Panorama ran a famous hoax in 1957, showing Swiss harvesting spaghetti from trees. They had claimed that the despised pest, the spaghetti weevil, had been eradicated. A large number of people contacted the BBC wanting to know how to cultivate their own spaghetti trees. It was, in fact, filmed in St Albans.

Smell-o-vision: In 1965, the BBC purported to conduct a trial of a new technology allowing the transmission of odor over the airwaves to all viewers. Many viewers reportedly contacted the BBC to report the trial's success. In 2007, the BBC website repeated an online version of the hoax.

In 1980, the BBC reported a proposed change to the famous clock tower known as Big Ben. The reporters stated that the clock would go digital.

In 2008, the BBC reported on a newly discovered colony of flying penguins. An elaborate video segment was even produced, featuring Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) walking with the penguins in Antarctica, and following their flight to the Amazon rainforest.

In 1962, the Swedish national television did a 5-minute special on how one could get color TV by placing a nylon stocking in front of the TV. A rather in-depth description on the physics behind the phenomenon was included.

 

[teknight]

Some well known April Fool's Pranks.

Decimal time: Repeated several times in various countries, this hoax involves claiming that the time system will be changed to one in which units of time are based on powers of 10.

Taco Liberty Bell: In 1996, Taco Bell took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times announcing that they had purchased the Liberty Bell to "reduce the country's debt" and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell". When asked about the sale, White House press secretary Mike McCurry replied tongue-in-cheek that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold and would henceforth be known as the Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

Left-handed Whoppers: In 1998, Burger King ran an ad in USA Today, saying that people could get a Whopper for left-handed people whose condiments were designed to drip out of the right side. Not only did customers order the new burgers, but some specifically requested the "old", right-handed burger.

Three-dollar coin: In 2008, the CBC Radio program As It Happens interviewed a Royal Canadian Mint spokesman who broke "news" of plans to replace the Canadian five-dollar bill with a three-dollar coin. The coin was dubbed a "threenie", in line with the nicknames of the country's one-dollar coin (commonly called a "loonie" due to its depiction of a common loon on the reverse) and two-dollar coin ("toonie").

Cellphone ban: In New Zealand, the radio station The Edge's Morning Madhouse enlisted the help of the Prime Minister on April 1st to inform the entire country that cellphones are to be banned in New Zealand. Hundreds of callers rang in disgruntled at the new law.

Spaghetti trees: The BBC television programme Panorama ran a famous hoax in 1957, showing Swiss harvesting spaghetti from trees. They had claimed that the despised pest, the spaghetti weevil, had been eradicated. A large number of people contacted the BBC wanting to know how to cultivate their own spaghetti trees. It was, in fact, filmed in St Albans.

Smell-o-vision: In 1965, the BBC purported to conduct a trial of a new technology allowing the transmission of odor over the airwaves to all viewers. Many viewers reportedly contacted the BBC to report the trial's success. In 2007, the BBC website repeated an online version of the hoax.

In 1980, the BBC reported a proposed change to the famous clock tower known as Big Ben. The reporters stated that the clock would go digital.

In 2008, the BBC reported on a newly discovered colony of flying penguins. An elaborate video segment was even produced, featuring Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) walking with the penguins in Antarctica, and following their flight to the Amazon rainforest.

In 1962, the Swedish national television did a 5-minute special on how one could get color TV by placing a nylon stocking in front of the TV. A rather in-depth description on the physics behind the phenomenon was included.

And...we're supposed to believe you?!
It is April first, after all.

 

[fire_breeze]

And...we're supposed to believe you?!
It is April first, after all.

And it's after 12 noon.

 

[teknight]

And it's after 12 noon.

Again, I'm reading this on april 1st.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

The massive earthquake that struck northeast Japan Friday (March 11) has shortened the length Earth's day by a fraction and shifted how the planet's mass is distributed.

 

[fire_breeze]

Again, I'm reading this on april 1st.

I thought that April Fool's lasted until noon?

 

[fire_breeze]

The massive earthquake that struck northeast Japan Friday (March 11) has shortened the length Earth's day by a fraction and shifted how the planet's mass is distributed.

There are around 500,000 earthquakes each year. About 100,000 of these can actually be felt.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

There are around 500,000 earthquakes each year. About 100,000 of these can actually be felt.

(((fire_breeze)))) I've missed you

Trivial to all but me

 

[fire_breeze]

(((fire_breeze)))) I've missed you

Trivial to all but me

I've missed you too {{}} Doing well, I hope?