Odd factoids

[Profpointy]

One of my teachers was in the Navy during WWII. His train was delayed and HMS Hood departed without him. If it had been on time we wouldn't have had to suffer him 40 years later.

I read that Jon Pertwee was similarly lucky as he'd been sent ashore on some errand just before the Hood was sent out

 

[Profpointy]

In fairness, I’m yet to hear any analogy for astronomical distances that is more informative than simply saying “these things are farking unbelievably far away from each other”

At the risk of being serious, Prof Malcolm Longair in his (brilliant) book "Our evolving universe" uses managable steps such as a kilometer being 10 minutes walk, a million kilometers being the distance one might drive in a lifetime and so on with similar multipliers going out to the edge of the universe and down to the Plank scale, which each step being a fathomable difference. Great book all round

 

[winjim]

The M60 is the UK's only zen motorway, a continuous piece of tarmac around which it is possible to drive for eternity and still be on the same road. The M25 doesn't count as the Dartford crossing is actually the A282.

 

[NorthernDave]

The Christmas Tree was invented by (and named after) Mr Arthur H Christmas in November, 1879, as a novelty. He never anticipated that it would be adopted as a seasonal symbolic decoration.

The shape of the Christmas Tree was inspired by the Magic Tree Air Freshener, as was the smell - originally Christmas Trees smelled of Vanillaroma. The 'pine fresh' smell was introduced by SC Johnson in 1952 and proved so popular that it's been the only scent used since.

One of my teachers was in the Navy during WWII. His train was delayed and HMS Hood departed without him. If it had been on time we wouldn't have had to suffer him 40 years later.

My uncle was in the Navy and was due to transfer onto HMS Invincible at the time the Falklands War started. The transfer was cancelled as the Captain didn't want the hassle of training someone new to peel spuds (or something), so while the ship sailed to the South Atlantic he stayed ashore. As the Invincible returned undamaged and victorious this series of events made no difference whatsoever.

 

[Drago]

Volvo gave the producers of the original series, The Saint, a white Volvo P1800 for Roger Moore's character to drive. However, while the publicity paid off handsomely for Volvo, no more cars were forthcoming. Therefore, in later episodes instead of buying the latest model of P1800 to keep Simon Templar uo to date, the producers saved a wedge by uodating the existing car with the restyled bumpers from the new model.

 

[Profpointy]

Wheelie bins were invented by Sir Bamford Wheelie in 1940, as a convenient means for Tommies to carry valuables looted from dead Jerries.

Joking aside, a bin is a "poubelle" in France, genuinely named after a Monsieur Poubelle who made dustbins compulsory in a clean-up of Paris.

 

[classic33]

My uncle was in the Navy and was due to transfer onto HMS Invincible at the time the Falklands War started. The transfer was cancelled as the Captain didn't want the hassle of training someone new to peel spuds (or something), so while the ship sailed to the South Atlantic he stayed ashore. As the Invincible returned undamaged and victorious this series of events made no difference whatsoever.

Probably using the same train as what's in use now.

 

[NorthernDave]

If two galaxies collide the chances of any suns, or planets, actually hitting each other is infinitesimally small.
Space is mostly empty.

If two Galaxies collide, there will be chocolate everywhere.

 

[raleighnut]

Wheelie bins were invented by Sir Bamford Wheelie in 1940, as a convenient means for Tommies to carry valuables looted from dead Jerries.

They were later modified into crude guitar effects.


View: https://youtu.be/cihz-Ftq6wU

 

[Dirk]

The Elephant's closest living relative is the Land Hyrax.
Can you guess what it looks like?

Spoiler: Land Hyrax

 

[Fonze]

Hartley Hare was actually born a rabbit !

 

[TVC]

Hartley Hare was actually born a rabbit !

I met him, he's a very good actor, his normal voice is a clipped home counties machine gun delivery, the Birmingham affectation was one of his acting triumphs. Although he didn't get many acting roles after Pipkins because he became typecast, he was voice coach on Watership Down.

 

[Dirk]

Slow Worms are neither slow nor worms.
They are actually quite fast and are a distant, hairless relative of the Cheetah.

 

[jefmcg]

The Elephant's closest living relative is the Land Hyrax.
Can you guess what it looks like?

Spoiler: Land Hyrax

View attachment 386118

Your facts are out of date

 

[ClichéGuevara]

The need to always be right and correct others in public is classed as a mental illness

I get nearly everything wrong. I must be a genius.