[BHowett]

Did you know?

I thought this could be a fun, and simple game. All you have to do is post things you want people to know; it can be random facts, folklore, gossip, or whatever. As always keep it fun, and family friendly.

I will start it off…

Did you know…

Upon the launching of a newly completed ship, a bottle of champagne is usually smashed over the bow to christen it. The origins of this are a little unclear and can vary slightly from culture to culture, but for the most part it is believed that blood or wine, depending on the particular culture, was originally used as a sacrifice to the gods of the sea to allow for a smooth passage.

Over time this became wine by those who originally used blood, and the wine was poured first into a silver chalice, from which a sip was taken before spilling the wine over the ship and casting the chalice into the sea.

After 1689, William the III of Britain, in an effort to cut costs, ordered the Royal Navy to break a bottle of liquor against the ship's side instead.

During the early 1800's, the Prince Regent set in place the custom of choosing a woman to perform the ceremony. The bottle was then to be held by the neck and thrown against the ship; however the rules had to change again after one particular bottle missed the ship and hit a spectator.

As for how the wine turned into champagne, champagne has always been associated with birth and celebration, while also having no religious association.



have fun

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Did you know...

that ('one' of the gods we believe in) created the world, but the Dutch built Holland. That's totally true. Engineers have in the last +/-50 years (and even before that) reclaimed SO much land from the seas in and around the Netherlands, that you can call this VERY IMPRESSIVE. I'm very proud of being Dutch, for a small country (the size of Connecticut and Massachusetts), we've made our mark on world history. Better than many! HUP HOLLAND HUP!

Edited by crooz, 22 August 2009 - 01:58 PM.

[crooz]

Did you know...

that ('one' of the gods we believe in) created the world, but the Dutch built Holland. That's totally true. Engineers have in the last +/-50 years (and even before that) reclaimed SO much land from the seas in and around the Netherlands, that you can call this VERY IMPRESSIVE. I'm very proud of being Dutch, for a small country (the size of Connecticut and Massachusetts), we've made our mark on world history. Better than many! HUP HOLLAND HUP!

Edited by crooz, 22 August 2009 - 01:58 PM.

[BHowett]

Contrary to popular urban legend, it is quite possible to lick your own elbow. Guinness World Records receives about five claims a day for this and stresses the following point: Being able to lick your own elbow is not, in any sense, a world record.

How to Lick Your Elbow:

• Lie down on your stomach, with your arms in front of your face.
• Bend your right or left arm so that your forearm is pressed firmly on top of your biceps.
• Pull your arm closer to your face, resting your chin on your forearm.
• Stick your tongue out and down, aiming towards the right or left arm, whichever one you decided to use. Try to wiggle around if it helps.

Alternate method

• Hold your right arm out straight (with clenched fist) in front of you while standing or sitting.
• Pull back that shoulder as far as you can so your shoulder blade stick out.
• rotate your fist as far as you can counter-clockwise, and bring your fist across your body as far as it can (or until your elbow is a few cm from your face).
• Use your left hand to guide back the right arm so the shoulder is still pushed as far back as possible.
• simply crane your neck forward, stick out your tongue, and stretch it as far as you can forwards and down.
• Be gentle and warm up with some stretches first.

Disclaimer - Do not forcibly pull your elbow closer; if you feel any pain, you should probably stop. You might dislocate your arm. Your tongue is bound to feel overstretched after this exercise, this is normal, it will stop shortly after you do. Attempting to lick you elbow is done at your own risk.

[BHowett]

The Boston University Bridge (on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts) is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train thats driving under a car, thats driving under an airplane.

[crooz]

Wait a minute! Let's get back to that licking your elbow thing. Those instructions are complicated - just to learn how you can lick your elbow? And what for? Is that like trying to impress women at a bar by licking your eyebrows? Just a thought.

[crooz]

Oh boy! They're gonna ban me from this site...
...oh ya, that's another forum.

[BHowett]

licking the elbow is not about impressing anyone...Most people think it can't be done, because they can't do it. Its only a rare few that can.

[Perplexus]

The human brains consists of more than 100 billion neurons (nerve cells) through which the brain's commands are sent in the form of electric pulses. These pulses travel at more than 400 km/h (250 mph), creating enough electricity to power a lightbulb. The brain consumes more energy than any other organ, burning up a whopping one-fifth of the food we take in.

It is estimated that the mental capacity of a 100-year old human with perfect memory could be represented by computer with 10 to the power of 15 bits (one petabit). At the current rate of computer chip development, that figure can be reached in about 35 years. However, that represents just memory capacity, not the extremely complex processes of thought creation and emotions.

But consider this: for all the complexity of the brain, you still have only one thought at a time. Make it a positive thought.

[Chopin]

you still have only one thought at a time.

Really? I thought I could only TYPE one thought at a time

I bet you didn't know that some people are incredibly stupid!

(I walk up to an older man playing with an iPhone in our electronics store.)

Me: “Hello sir, do you need any help?”

Customer: “Naw, but I was wondering…why does this darn thing work with my finger, but not my fingernails?”

Me: “Well, your body has electricity running through it, but your fingernails don’t conduct–”

Customer: “Electricity in my body? My body?”

Me: “Yes, sir. We all have electricity running through our bodies.”

Customer: “This is outrageous! [censored] technology! We didn’t have that [censored] prancin’ around our bodies in back in my day!”

Me: “Sir, we’ve always–”

Customer: “Forget it! What’s the [censored] world coming to?” *walks away mumbling*

[dsenette]

did you know that the extra skin on your elbow is often called the "weenis"?

[BHowett]

[Perplexus]

Did you know that milk chocolate was invented by Daniel Peter, who sold the concept to his neighbour Henri Nestlé.

[Chopin]

dsenette, please define often. I'm sure I've never heard that before

[snowchick7669]

Havent you?

Where were you in highschool? It was like the best thing since the invention of the way to silently eat crisps in the classroom

[Chopin]

I'm in high school right now and I've never heard that before. Then again, the people I talk to are likely to make math puns involving approaching limits the right way (if you get that, congratulations!), or jokes like that one I posted in the Joke of the Day thread yesterday.

Edited by Chopin, 11 September 2009 - 12:46 PM.