Really TRUE odd factoids

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Didn't Rabbit become Orange?

 

[ClichéGuevara]

There's a bigger pay gap based on height, with short people being generally lower paid, than there is based on gender or colour.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The Italian Don Camillo stories about the comic battles between a local communist and the parish priest, which also became a series of films, were the product of MI6/the British secret services.

Well, every day's a school day! I'd never heard that before.

 

[Eziemnaik]

Might not mean much to most folks, but I seem to recall that there's a fan of the stories on here - @glasgowcyclist ?

The Italian Don Camillo stories about the comic battles between a local communist and the parish priest, which also became a series of films, were the product of MI6/the British secret services.

Versions of the tale vary slightly between them initiating the series to facilitating them.

The writer definitely had a background that would have made him amenable to co-operating.

Italy in the 50s was particularly murky as western intelligence agencies worked to keep the Communist Party out of power in the new world order post WW2.

True, as beautifully written about by Norman Lewis in The Honoured Society. Lucky Luciano allegedly negotiated with local mob on behalf of US Army and Yanks got much easier campaign in Sicily than British as a result. The Mafia in return, nearly obliterated by Mussolini, became the rulling force in Sicily, tacitly supported by the Allied powers (to detriment of poor peasants)

 

[Blue Hills]

True, as beautifully written about by Norman Lewis in The Honoured Society. Lucky Luciano allegedly negotiated with local mob on behalf of US Army and Yanks got much easier campaign in Sicily than British as a result. The Mafia in return, nearly obliterated by Mussolini, became the rulling force in Sicily, tacitly supported by the Allied powers (to detriment of poor peasants)

I think the Mafia/invading yanks thing might be a tad more shaded. It's my understanding that the Sicilian mafia weren't as defeated as Mussolini's publicity machine and Cesare Mori would have folks believe.

But Italy sure is full of conspiracies and hidden history.

A fair few of the most outlandish, and dark, conspiracy theories are actually true.

 

[Blue Hills]

Well, every day's a school day! I'd never heard that before.

ah so it was you Glasgow?
I have never actually read any or seen any of the films, though I know they still show on Italian TV and the stories are well regarded/thought funny.

The source for my factoid is this book:
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/disrupt-and-deny-9780198784593?cc=gb&lang=en&

which quotes another source.

 

[Blue Hills]

Didn't Rabbit become Orange?

Can't remember but it was different tech.
Not full cellular.
There were four players in that odd market which lasted hardly any time - basically because it was so limited.
Generally you could only make calls, not receive them.
You got yourself to within near range of a base station, typically a newsagents or whatever, and then called. Standing still.
You still see the old signs sometimes.

 

[Electric_Andy]

You can make spirits from virtually anything. There is even (or was according to the article) a farmer in Dorest who produced vodka distilled from milk. It might be common klnowledge to some but I had no idea, I thought vodka was from grains or potatoes

 

[Blue Hills]

You can make spirits from virtually anything. There is even (or was according to the article) a farmer in Dorest who produced vodka distilled from milk. It might be common klnowledge to some but I had no idea, I thought vodka was from grains or potatoes

recipe please.
Am convinced you've tried it/are sampling your product from your spelling,

 

[classic33]

On this day in 1922, the Dáil votes to accept the Anglo-Irish Treaty, creating the Irish Free State and sparking Civil War

On the 7 January 1922, Dáil Éireann voted by 64 votes to 57 to accept the Anglo-Irish Treaty which would confirm Ireland as a Free State but would leave behind six counties in the north: Fermanagh, Armagh, Derry, Tyrone, Antrim and Down.

The Treaty also did not go as far as declaring Ireland a Republic, which was what most fought for during the War of Independence, and would still require Irish citizen to recognise the British King as their head of State.

 

[Blue Hills]

War by christmas card.

Some cold war eastern block intelligence bods were in the habit of sending Christmas cards to senior western diplomatic staff. When the return cards came they could use the signatures in forgeries, incriminating "documents" etc.

 

[Electric_Andy]

recipe please.
Am convinced you've tried it/are sampling your product from your spelling,

haha, my spelling is fine but my typing is not! Here's the website

 

[Chris S]

Elvis Presley and David Bowie were both born on January 8th.

 

[classic33]

David Bowie was signed by Elvis’ record label RCA, and his three album deal was worth $37,500.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

The word "gorilla" comes from the Greek word meaning, "savage hairy women."