Oopsies and other strange, interesting, and useless information....
I find this stuff all over, and since I'm bored, I thought I'd share it. You can never know too much interesting, yet utterly useless, stuff...
I like looking up word origins, and here's where a few interesting phrases come from: Someone who faces the glare of publicity may be said to be in the limelight. American chemist Robert Hare discovered that a blowpipe flame acting upon a block of calcium oxide, which is lime – produces a brilliant white light that could be used to illuminate theater stages. Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them used to burn their houses down- hence the expression "to get fired." In 1945 a computer at Harvard malfunctioned and Grace Hopper, who was working on the computer, investigated, found a moth in one of the circuits and removed it. Ever since, when something goes wrong with a computer, it is said to have a bug in it. "Second string," meaning "replacement or backup," comes from the middle ages. An archer always carried a second string in case the one on his bow broke. "Long in the tooth," meaning "old," was originally used to describe horses. As horses age, their gums recede, giving the impression that their teeth are growing. The longer the teeth look, the older the horse And an interesting headline I found: CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - Picnickers were horrified when a man's hand was ripped off at the wrist during a game of tug-of-war. Stanley Harris, 21, had wrapped the rope around his wrist for a better grip during the tug-of-war between teams of 25 adults each. One hard tug backed by the strength of 50 people, including Harris himself, was sufficient to completely sever his hand. He was rushed to Erlanger Medical Center, where doctors were attempting to reattach the hand. A hospital spokeswoman said Harris was in fair condition. |
Holy mackeral about the dude and his hand!!!:eek:
The other info was neat...thanks for sharing. ;) |
Weird stuff. While we're on the topic of strange origins, I found this gem on the origin of "the finger": http://www.rotten.com/library/langua...finger/origin/
|
Quote:
|
Some more phrase origins:
"Big cheese" and "big wheel" are Medieval terms of envious respect for those who could afford to buy whole wheels of cheese at a time, an expense few could enjoy. Both these terms are often used sarcastically today. The word "toast," meaning a proposal of health, originated in Rome, where an actual bit of spiced, burned bread was dropped into wine to improve the drink's flavor, absorb its sediment, and thus make it more healthful. The nickname "Tinsel Town" was coined by Oscar Levant, the pianist, composer who observed: "Strip the phoney tinsel off Hollywood, and you'll find the real tinsel underneath." The term "the whole 9 yards" came from WWII fighter pilots in the South Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the .50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a target, it got "the whole 9 yards." You learn something new every day: If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. Some interesting math I found: 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 Um, ew, and creepy, respectively.... During pregnancy, the uterus expands to 500 times its normal size. The human brain continues sending out electrical wave signals for up to 37 hours following death. |
Quote:
The human brain continues sending out electrical wave signals for up to 37 hours following death. [/quote] eww. so is it true that people who use to be decapitated we're conscious for a few more seconds? |
Actually, I think so.
|
wait. let me test it for myself. yup. it works. (sorry, cheesy "Mars Attacks" movie joke here!):D
(still, ewww!!) |
I've heard a few different stories about the whole 9 yards thing.
I'd be cool and provide a <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22whole+nine+yards%22+etymology&btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky">good</a> link explaining the confusion about it, but I'm pretty lazy. |
hey y'all! I read it on the internet so it must be true!
|
The human brain continues sending out electrical wave
signals for up to 37 hours following death. FREAKS me out...what the hell is it thinking???????? do religious people have any thoughts on this? what about scientists? what do they think is happening?? |
Quote:
Two legs in the air - died in battle. One leg in the air - died later from wounds received on the battlefield. All four legs on the ground - died of natural causes. |
Hm....I'll look it up. I got this info from TriviaToday, so I'm presuming it's accurate, but you never know....
Here's a good one someone sent me. Maybe not all this stuff is that useless after all.... If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like: When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. When it's in your best interest, practice obedience Let others know when they've invaded your territory. Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and Pout...run right back and make friends. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough. Be Loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. |
All good, but you forgot:
"If you can reach them, lick your balls." |
Quote:
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:09 AM. |
Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.