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Interesting Facts - Fun Facts

Can You REALLY Hear The SEA In A SEASHELL???

February 19th 2010 22:00
listening to a seashell
We've all done it at one point of another, held a seashell to our ear to see if, as the old wives tale goes, we really can hear the ocean.

But what is it we are really hearing?

The answer - the sound of our own blood flowing through our head!

The design and shape of a seashell provides an excellent echo chamber to hear what is really going on inside our heads, but because of the myth and our expectations of hearing the ocean, that's what we fall into the trap of thinking that we're hearing really - we're really just listening to a psychological, preconceived notion, particularly because seashells come from the sea!
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Posted By: MelissaA - Category: Interesting Facts, Loose Ends, Science
   


The ARGUMENT That Lead To One Of The WORLD'S MOST POPULAR BOOKS!!!

February 17th 2010 22:00
Did you know that the Guinness Book of Records was invented to settle an argument!

In May 1951, then managing director of the Guinness Breweries, Irishman Sir Hugh Beaver, went out bird shooting party in County Wexford, Ireland and ended up in an argument about which was the fastest game bird in Europe.
[ Click here to read more ]
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The Truth, the HOLE Truth, and Nothing But The Truth!!!

February 15th 2010 22:00
ring doughnut free image
Although doughnuts were reportedly introduced to Americans by the Dutch, they were not the first people to come up with the idea of a hole in the middle.

So is there actually a reason for having the hole in the middle? The answer is yes.
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What's That I Smell???

February 8th 2010 22:00
flaming fart
In 1993, a Sydney nutritionist and his partner conducted a survey to find out who farts the most - Australian men or Australian women.

The results were overwhelming, in more than one way I'd imagine, as it was proven that not only did the men have more Thunder Downunder, but theirs also smelt the worst!
[ Click here to read more ]
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POMS, POMS, POMS!!!!

February 7th 2010 22:47
Having lived in Pom-land after 2.5 years, and now
london double decker bus
're-transported', I thought I might start off with the whole origin of the word Pom or Pommy as Australian slang for a Brit.

Everyone has their own version of where they think the term came from, the better known usually being one of theses three:
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The 2009 REAL COST OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

December 11th 2009 09:11
Partridge in a pear tree
Well it's that time of the year again and as per their usual standard, PNC have compiled their Real Cost Of The 12 Days Of Christmas for 2009, complete with video, with the following results:

* One Partridge in a Pear Tree: $159 – down 27%
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Posted By: MelissaA - Category: Interesting Facts, Loose Ends
   


The Turbulent HISTORY Of The LITTLE MERMAID SCULPTURE.

August 5th 2009 12:06
Little Mermaid
One of Denmark's most famous attractions is the statue of The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen who was based on the story by Danish Storyteller Hans Christian Anderson. Usually tourists are surprised at first, on witnessing her small size as she is only 1.25 metres high and weighs around 175 kg. She was sculpted by Edvard Eriksen and revealed to the public in August 1913.

Her history since has been a very turbulent one, even having her cut cut off more than once. There is actually a very faint line that can still be seen on her neck from having her head replaced. Having just come back from seeing her myself, I can attest to that, but I had no idea until this that she had been vandalised so often until I was introduced to her 'vandalism timeline'.
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2009 ODDEST BOOK TITLE AWARD!

July 2nd 2009 12:30
book stack
As discussed in a previous post many eons ago (which I now can't locate thanks to Firefox!!!) the competition for the weirdest book titles, as run by he Bookseller Magazine, has been hard at work as ever to appoint their 2009 winner.

Having brought books to the public eye such as 'How to Avoid Huge Ships', 'Bombproof Your Horse' and ''If You Want Closure In Your Relationship, Start With Your Legs', the shortlist for this year's Oddest Book Title of the Year included:
[ Click here to read more ]
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WHY Are SHIPS Christened With A Bottle Of CHAMPAGNE???

June 30th 2009 16:10
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.

Namcy Reagan ship christening
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.
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QUICK TO SWOOP

June 26th 2009 11:19
Michael Jackson
With the announcement of Michael Jackson's death, I thought everyone was quick with the new jokes, (in fact some sites have gone down with the amount of traffic online today) but not as quick it turns out, as people are to begin selling off their Michael Jackson memorabilia on Ebay.

In fact I counted up to 15 pages newly listed from today before I stopped - the list is seemingly endless. (What colour will his ghost be by the way???)
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CRAZY About CARROTS And Their NON-ORANGE COLOUR!!!

June 17th 2009 08:13
coloured carrots
According to the World Carrot Museum, (yes, it really does exist!), carrots are the second-most popular vegetable after potato, and the most popular in the UK.

Originally carrots were found in a variety of colours including purple, white, black, yellow and red. Orange carrots did not appear until later on in the 1500's when the Dutch Royal House of Orange was in power and the Dutch decided therefore to breed an orange carrot by using a mutant yellow carrot seed from North Africa. Beta carotene, found in orange carrots is converted in the human body to vitamin A.
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The REAL Story Behind The Location of HOLLYWOOD!!!

May 30th 2009 07:58
Hollywood sign
Many people think that Hollywood is situated in California because of all of the glorious sunshine associated with the area, but the real reason behind the placement of Hollywood is a little more sly than most would think.

While it is true that it takes a lot of light to produce good films, especially in the early days of the industry, it actually had much more to do with patent infringement.
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HARI KARI? HARI KUYO!

May 21st 2009 10:49
sewing needle threaded
In Japan, every village has a shrine dedicated to broken sewing needles. Yes, that's right, broken sewing needles! The name for this shrine is Hari Kuyo.

This is done in the belief that a sewing needle which has performed its task well over its entire life and in the service of others, has 'died' whilst in active service. Broken needles are therefore laid to rest on a soft bed of tofu.
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A LESSON IN LAMINGTONS!!!

May 11th 2009 09:19
The chocolate Lamington is as Australian as meat pies, kangaroos and Holdens. (Who else remembers that song/chant from way back when - "Football, meat-pies, kangaroos and Holden cars...?")

For years lamingtons have been a way of putting stale or over-cooked sponge cake to good use, but where did it actually start?
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