The 'I didnt know that' Thread

[Lizard]

I don't know of furlongs unless you're talking about something like NAMCO's "Final Furlong" series. I may not even use furlongs unless there is something common I usually would want to translate to furlongs.

It's a unit of distance most commonly used in horse racing.

 

[TexRex]

It's a unit of distance most commonly used in horse racing.

It's also a John Connor.

 

[kikie]

Chevrolet is a French/Swiss name. I didn't know that.

 

[TexRex]

Chevrolet is a French/Swiss name. I didn't know that.

Indeed Louis and his brothers came to the United States from Switzerland, and now we have people fighting over the merits (or lack thereof, as the case may be) of the new Corvette.

 

[W3H5]

Chevrolet is a French/Swiss name. I didn't know that.

Didn't the -et affixed to the end make that somewhat obvious?

I didn't know it factually myself but I couldn't imagine it originating from any other language.

 

[kikie]

Didn't the -et affixed to the end make that somewhat obvious?

I didn't know it factually myself but I couldn't imagine it originating from any other language.

Nope because I never gave it any thought.

 

[TexRex]

"Pram" is short for "perambulator".

Makes sense when you think about it. I didn't.

 

[W3H5]

"Pram" is short for "perambulator".

Makes sense when you think about it. I didn't.

I did. A long time ago. Never bothered to check if I was right until finding out just now with your post.

 

[kikie]

Buddymoon is a real thing?

I didn't know that.

 

[Moglet]

There is a pub in the UK (in Dudley) called "The Crooked House" where it's possible to roll an item across a table and make it appear as though it is rolling uphill:

 

[W3H5]

There is a pub in the UK (in Dudley) called "The Crooked House" where it's possible to roll an item across a table and make it appear as though it is rolling uphill:

There’s a similar phenomenon in Essex (I think) called Hangman’s Hill. If you park on what appears to be a negative incline and release the hand brake the car seems to roll uphill.

 

[daan]

And we have The Electric Brae.

 

[Moglet]

There’s a similar phenomenon in Essex (I think) called Hangman’s Hill. If you park on what appears to be a negative incline and release the hand brake the car seems to roll uphill.

There is, and there's another one in Scotland



EDIT: Tree'd

 

[daan]

My previous (previous previous) car on the Electric Brae.



Handbrake on, obviously, or else it would be away.

It's actually a really dangerous bit of road as you come round a bend on a 60mph road, and find cars rolling towards you!

 

[Rallywagon]

There is a pub in the UK (in Dudley) called "The Crooked House" where it's possible to roll an item across a table and make it appear as though it is rolling uphill:

We have those dotted around the US too, called the Mystery spot. There are a couple here in Michigan, I believe a couple in Cali. I think Colorado has one. Pretty much anywhere that is 'outdoors" touristy and is also on a big hill.

 

[W3H5]

George Harrison was fed up of Paul and John shooting down his ideas when they got studio time, so to add some value to While My Guitar Gently Weeps he asked his good friend Eric Clapton to play the guitar solo which instantly had John and Paul ready to record.

I only found this out a few days ago.

 

[TexRex]

George Harrison was fed up of Paul and John shooting down his ideas when they got studio time, so to add some value to While My Guitar Gently Weeps he asked his good friend Eric Clapton to play the guitar solo which instantly had John and Paul ready to record.

I only found this out a few days ago.

Eric wasn't officially credited for his part on the original release either. I'm given to understand he didn't actually make it into liner notes until the 30th anniversary of the white album.

 

[JohnBM01]

After looking at a website earlier today, I learned that you can view COLLADA *.dae files in a text editor. Surely enough, I made some test models using Wings3D and then exporting them to DAE. I then tried to import that DAE data into Notepad++. Turns out you actually can view DAE files in a text editor. It's a whole lot of work, though, trying to read through and sift through everything! I have somewhat learned how to make 3D meshes using XML, but I'd hate to try to make an entire complex model using COLLADA in a text editor. Thank goodness for proper 3D modeling software like Wings3D and Blender!


[OMISSION] I forgot to mention that the COLLADA *.dae format can be read in a text editor because COLLADA is based on XML.

 

[TexRex]

Weird. That looks exactly like English but it most definitely is not.

 

[W3H5]

Weird. That looks exactly like English but it most definitely is not.

I found that to be a noggin’ scratcher, too.

 

[Rallywagon]

If you guys think that's bad, you should see what JohnBM01 is talking about...

 

[TexRex]

Not as big a bump as I was expecting to make; scrolled right past on my first attempt but I started over once I realized I went too far.

Angostura bitters, so named for House of Angostura in Trinidad where the tonic is produced, doesn't actually contain bark from the medicinal plant Angostura trifoliata.

The bitter flavor compound present in the bark is used in other bitters formulas, however, such as those in the product range over at Fee Brothers.

 

[TheCracker]

Not as big a bump as I was expecting to make; scrolled right past on my first attempt but I started over once I realized I went too far.



Angostura bitters, so named for House of Angostura in Trinidad where the tonic is produced, doesn't actually contain bark from the medicinal plant Angostura trifoliata.

The bitter flavor compound present in the bark is used in other bitters formulas, however, such as those in the product range over at Fee Brothers.

👍 As an addition to vodka it makes it worth drinking too. As in as a pleasure, not just a way of getting pissed/merry.

 

[TexRex]

👍 As an addition to vodka it makes it worth drinking too. As in as a pleasure, not just a way of getting pissed/merry.

Interesting. I've never been a fan of vodka, even having sampled some stuff that has been recognized for its quality.

 

[polysmut]

Angostura bitters works in a bloody mary too.

 

[Danoff]

While we're on the subject of booze, not everyone knows (yet) that box wine has some good offerings these days. If your wine budget is modest, box wine has your best buys in terms of taste for the price.

 

[MaxAttack]

While we're on the subject of booze, not everyone knows (yet) that box wine has some good offerings these days. If your wine budget is modest, box wine has your best buys in terms of taste for the price.

As a member of high society, I concur. Box wine offers infinite value compared to the bottle.

The bag can easily be removed from the box and one can tap one's claret in precise torrents directly into the mouth. The bag is compact and completely unsmashable, and also contains a generously large volume of the good stuff.

Box wine: Stagger down your local High Street with a smile on your face.

 

[Danoff]

As a member of high society, I concur. Box wine offers infinite value compared to the bottle.

The bag can easily be removed from the box and one can tap one's claret in precise torrents directly into the mouth. The bag is compact and completely unsmashable, and also contains a generously large volume of the good stuff.

Box wine: Stagger down your local High Street with a smile on your face.

Seriously, high end box wine is better tasting and cheaper than the lower end of the bottled stuff. My wine budget sits at around $10/bottle, with "good" ones at $15 and "cheap" ones at less than $8. I can't find anything less than about $9 that is worth drinking. At $9 it's mostly crap with the occasional good offering. At $12 or more it starts to get decent for everything. Good box wine comes in at a lower price and I'd slot it right at about a $13 bottle in terms of taste.

Upside of the boxed stuff is that it lasts much longer without going bad, so if you drink less (like I do), it's less painful to open something up.

 

[Chrunch Houston]

Bota Box ftw. $15 - $20 for 3 litre

 

[W3H5]

Angostura bitters, so named for House of Angostura in Trinidad where the tonic is produced, doesn't actually contain bark from the medicinal plant Angostura trifoliata.

The bitter flavor compound present in the bark is used in other bitters formulas, however, such as those in the product range over at Fee Brothers.

I just read that the Singapore Sling is built on Angostura bitter, among other things. I didn’t know that 30 minutes ago.