I bet you didnt know that

Thargor

RIGOLO wrote: »

and to think it was a MOD that put up that .

So what if he's a mod? Does it make the story any less unbelievable that an American administration is acting in that way? At least his contributions are real and not made up nonsense like yours.

RIGOLO

Thargor wrote: »

RIGOLO wrote: »

and to think it was a MOD that put up that .

So what if he's a mod? Does it make the story any less unbelievable that an American administration is acting in that way? At least his contributions are real and not made up nonsense like yours.

There is a hint in the Forum title.. Social & Fun .
Save the heavy essays with a political bias for .. oh I dont know the POLITICS thread maybe ..

New Home

This thread is also called "I bet you didn't know that", and I put in bold the titles of both the articles and a short summary on one. Nobody forces you to read them.

Besides, 1. AH is filled with threads that aren't strictly "Fun", and 2. My being a mod in certain specific forums has no bearing with what I post elsewhere, where I'm just a poster like everyone else.

The only reason why I copied the full articles is that the NYT gives you only a certain allotment of articles you can read before blocking access to their site. That's why I credited them, too.

Hope that clarifies it.

Baggly

New Home wrote:

The only reason why I copied the full articles is that the NYT gives you only a certain allotment of articles you can read before blocking access to their site. That's why I credited them, too.

I appreciated the original post and didn't know the above either. Twice the learning, half the price.

cdeb

New Home wrote: »

Nobody forces you to read them.

Nope, but the best thread on boards should have standards. And I think a text dump isn't what this thread is about.

Anyways, we derail ourselves. And speaking of derailing ourselves, if you ever get the DART from Bray to Greystones, and if you have quick eyes, you may notice that the wall by the track curves out to sea at one point, and points towards a disused tunnel. The wall is following the path of the old line, which incorporated the disused tunnel and led to a wooden bridge right over the sea. In 1867, the Enniscorthy train fell off the edge of the bridge, killing two and injuring 23 more. The bridge was fixed and remained in use for another 10 years while the current tunnel was dug out.



The Bray-Greystones track is one of the most expensive in the country to maintain, and all because the Earl of Meath refused to allow the train go along the natural path - what's now the N11 through Glen of the Downs - for fear of the noise upsetting his cattle.

New Home

Fair enough.

I had no problem with them at all.

cdeb

New Home wrote: »

Fair enough.

(Very last post on this! I just thought it was bad netiquette, like SHOUTING or similar. Anyone can cut and paste, but I want to feel on this thread like the people who are posting know what they're talking about and more. Which obviously you've done plenty of times earlier in the thread. It's about the only thread on boards where being wrong is good news; it means you learn more. So that's why I felt that a news dump was a breach of what the thread was about. Some agree with me; others don't, which is fine. But that's where I was coming from)

New Home

That makes sense, cdeb, thanks for that.

spacetweek

Wibbs wrote: »

Electric cars are a minuscule sideshow that only the truly gullible or misinformed or daft believe will make a difference. Never mind that that the manufacturers won't give up their 3-4 year new car cycle that the same leccy car buyers will plug into. Their business model depends on it. The manufacture and shipping of a new car is a large part if its environmental impact. If anything, if they become like other electrical goods, that cycle will increase. hell I know of yards in Dublin filled with old cars that number a fair few Nissan Leafs among them.

Your contributions have been stellar so far but you're really reaching here.
Not only is transport (not just cars, it's intended to electrify all transport) 25% of global GG emissions but it's a double whammy as vehicles are most prevalent where people live, i.e. in cities so their emissions are very harmful to humans too.

The level of deep embedding of fossils into cars and transport beggars belief when you consider how inefficient fuel-based transport is and how damaging to the human race and the place we live. It's very difficult to understand the attachment people have to this nonsense.

The part about business cycles is opaque - fuel-based cars cause GGE when manufactured and shipped, too, but for electrics it ends there. Fuel cars continue to pollute their entire lives.

Fourier

The results of the BIG Bell Test were published in Nature recently. Which used over 100,000 users playing an online game to prove experimentally an important theorem of John Bell, known for obvious reasons as Bell's theorem, often considered with Relativity as one of the two most important physical insights of the 20th century. Belfast born Bell would have won the Nobel Prize for it had he lived.

In brief the theorem says that if both of the following are true:

1. Subatomic objects have a limit to how fast they can send information to each other, i.e. the speed of light (Locality)
2. When we measure subatomic objects we are learning about properties they really possessed before you measured them. Like how a car is going 60kph as an objective fact, regardless of if somebody measured it with a speedometer or not. (Property Realism)

Then there is a certain experiment you can do that should always have an average answer of 2. I won't go into the details, it's about measuring how much the objects are spinning in loads of different directions and multiplying and summing the answers.

When the experiment is actually done, the average is 2.8284. Hence one of the options in the list above is false.

Until now the experiments have always had the problem that measuring the spins is done automatically by switches on the devices, but the theorem needs much more freedom in measuring the spins than this, as the devices might be biased. It has been proposed to use the light from distant quasars to choose the spin directions (hard to see them being biased).

However instead, the university of Barcelona got 100,000 people to play an online game to source the randomness needed for the devices. Basically by playing the game you're randomly choosing what direction to measure the spin along for subatomic objects in one of twelve labs across the world from the USA to Australia.

https://museum.thebigbelltest.org/#/home

This is now the strongest test of the theorem, meaning one of the above options is pretty definitely false.

Results published last month in Nature.

RIGOLO

spacetweek wrote: »

Wibbs wrote: »

Electric cars are a minuscule sideshow that only the truly gullible or misinformed or daft believe will make a difference. Never mind that that the manufacturers won't give up their 3-4 year new car cycle that the same leccy car buyers will plug into. Their business model depends on it. The manufacture and shipping of a new car is a large part if its environmental impact. If anything, if they become like other electrical goods, that cycle will increase. hell I know of yards in Dublin filled with old cars that number a fair few Nissan Leafs among them.

Your contributions have been stellar so far but you're really reaching here.
Not only is transport (not just cars, it's intended to electrify all transport) 25% of global GG emissions but it's a double whammy as vehicles are most prevalent where people live, i.e. in cities so their emissions are very harmful to humans too.

The level of deep embedding of fossils into cars and transport beggars belief when you consider how inefficient fuel-based transport is and how damaging to the human race and the place we live. It's very difficult to understand the attachment people have to this nonsense.

The part about business cycles is opaque - fuel-based cars cause GGE when manufactured and shipped, too, but for electrics it ends there. Fuel cars continue to pollute their entire lives.

Just to add to that earlier debate, whilst also fitting into the 'I bet you didnt know that .. ' ,
there is always the TROMPE engine alternative.
A 'lost technology' that provided an uber enviromentally friendly source of energy. There were/are  even cars that run on compressed air. 
Bill Mollisson (what a guy) delivers both a scientific, educational and humourous delivery about this technology. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SScpJMsCm9c

BaZmO*

Ahead of Belgian's game tonight and in light of recent discussions on genocide, one of the worst recorded instances of genocide was perpetrated by the Belgians in the Congo, estimated between 1 to 15 million people died.

Link

Civilian victims of mutilation by Free State authorities
In the period from 1885 to 1908, a number of well-documented atrocities were perpetrated in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) which, at the time, was a colony under the personal rule of King Leopold II of Belgium. These atrocities were sometimes collectively referred to by European contemporaries as the "Congo Horrors", and were particularly associated with the labour policies used to collect natural rubber for export. Together with epidemic disease, famine, and a falling birth rate caused by these disruptions, the atrocities contributed to a sharp decline in the Congolese population. The magnitude of the population fall over the period is disputed, but it is thought to be between one and 15 million people.

partyguinness

BaZmO* wrote: »

Ahead of Belgian's game tonight and in light of recent discussions on genocide, one of the worst recorded instances of genocide was perpetrated by the Belgians in the Congo, estimated between 1 to 15 million people died.

Link

1 to 15 million...


That's a pretty wide margin of error.

BaZmO*

partyguinness wrote: »

1 to 15 million...


That's a pretty wide margin of error.

It sure is

Capt'n Midnight

RIGOLO wrote: »

Just to add to that earlier debate, whilst also fitting into the 'I bet you didnt know that .. ' ,
there is always the TROMPE engine alternative.
A 'lost technology' that provided an uber enviromentally friendly source of energy. There were/are  even cars that run on compressed air. 

Low energy density and low cycle efficiency. You need large air tanks and lots of energy to compress it.

So only suitable for local travel at best. One advantage is regenerative braking. But the heating during compression and cooling during expanision eat into the already low efficiency of using pistons rather than turbines.

Wost case if they used a carbo fibre tank and it caught fire you could get a blowtorch :eek:


They've tried a bus two huge nitrogen tanks under it and a turbine to get some regenerative braking before.

twinytwo

Two of the most bad ass dudes i have ever read about...

Adrian Carton de Wiart was a british army officer of Irish parents. He served in the Boer War, First World War, and Second World War. He was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear; survived two plane crashes; tunnelled out of a prisoner-of-war camp; and tore off his own fingers when a doctor refused to amputate them. Was awarded the Victoria cross.

Roy Benavidez US special forces during vietnam. Awarded the Medal of honour for his actions in 1968

12-man Special Forces patrol, which included nine Montagnard tribesmen, was surrounded by an NVA infantry battalion of about 1,000 men. Benavidez heard the radio appeal for help and boarded a helicopter to respond. Armed only with a knife, he jumped from the helicopter carrying his medical bag and ran to help the trapped patrol. Benavidez "distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions... and because of his gallant choice to join voluntarily his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men." At one point in the battle an NVA soldier accosted him and stabbed him with a bayonet. Benavidez pulled it out, yanked out his own knife, killed the NVA soldier and kept going, leaving his knife in the dead soldier's body. After the battle, he was evacuated to the base camp, examined, and thought to be dead. As he was placed in a body bag among the other dead in body bags, he was suddenly recognized by a friend who called for help. A doctor came and examined him but believed Benavidez was dead. The doctor was about to zip up the body bag when Benavidez spat in his face, alerting the doctor that he was alive.

The six-hour battle left Benavidez with seven major gunshot wounds, twenty-eight shrapnel holes, and both his arms were slashed by a bayonet. He had shrapnel in his head, scalp, shoulder, buttocks, feet, and legs, his right lung was destroyed, and he had injuries to his mouth and back of his head from being clubbed with a rifle butt. A bullet shot from an AK-47 entered his back and exited just beneath his heart.

They don't make men like they used too.

twinytwo

twinytwo wrote: »

Two of the most bad ass dudes i have ever read about...

Adrian Carton de Wiart was a british army officer of Irish parents. He served in the Boer War, First World War, and Second World War. He was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear; survived two plane crashes; tunnelled out of a prisoner-of-war camp; and tore off his own fingers when a doctor refused to amputate them. Was awarded the Victoria cross.

Roy Benavidez US special forces during vietnam. Awarded the Medal of honour for his actions in 1968

They don't make men like they used too.

Those two are the definition of bravery. I was going to say the definition of fearlessness, but the chances are that they were terrified but carried on anyway, which is far more impressive.

cdeb

Ah, Adrian Carton de Wiart.

Summed up the First World War in his memoirs in one line - "Frankly, I had enjoyed the war". His memoirs make no reference to his wife and daughter. The preface is written by Winston Churchill.

Spent the interwar period on a private estate in Poland, where he went duck hunting every day. For 20 years.

After retiring, he moved to Cork and, by now a widower, married a woman 20+ years younger. She died ten years ago; both are buried in Cork.

An utter loon; definitely the type we won't see again.

cdeb

cdeb wrote: »

Ah, Adrian Carton de Wiart.

Summed up the First World War in his memoirs in one line - "Frankly, I had enjoyed the war". His memoirs make no reference to his wife and daughter. The preface is written by Winston Churchill.

Spent the interwar period on a private estate in Poland, where he went duck hunting every day. For 20 years.

After retiring, he moved to Cork and, by now a widower, married a woman 20+ years younger. She died ten years ago; both are buried in Cork.

An utter loon; definitely the type we won't see again.

Maybe he wasn't so much brave as maybe one of those people who needs adventure and adrenaline to feel alive. Enjoying a war sounds like an odd statement but maybe it's more common than you'd think.

New Home

More than "brave", I'd have thought "foolhardy" would fit the bill.

Water John

There is a small minority that don't have a fear gene. They don't respond like the rest of us, to danger. That might explain it. That or bat***t crazy.

joeguevara

BaZmO* wrote: »

Ahead of Belgian's game tonight and in light of recent discussions on genocide, one of the worst recorded instances of genocide was perpetrated by the Belgians in the Congo, estimated between 1 to 15 million people died.

Link

Not trying to split hairs but (and I maybe wrong) this wasn’t a Belgian colony and was a principality of Leopold II himself. Although he was Belgian, the colony/principality wasn’t one of Belgium nor did Belgium direct it. Belgian politicians also turned their back on Leopold and though colonization wasn’t worth the risk.

What I am trying to say is the genocide cannot be attributed to Belgium like the Native American genocide or the hollocaust can be directly attributed to America or Germany. I could be completely wrong as this is from a hazy recollection of secondary school history.

mzungu

In the Arthur Conan Doyle books, Sherlock Holmes never says, “Elementary, my dear Watson.” It was, however, said in the movies.

The origin of the line comes from the work of the writer P.G. Wodehouse who referenced Sherlock Holmes in his 1909 serial (later to become a novel in 1915) Psmith, Journalist. The line is quoted below:

“I fancy,” said Psmith, “that this is one of those moments when it is necessary for me to unlimber my Sherlock Holmes system. As thus. If the rent collector had been there, it is certain, I think, that Comrade Spaghetti, or whatever you said his name was, wouldn’t have been. That is to say, if the rent collector had called and found no money waiting for him, surely Comrade Spaghetti would have been out in the cold night instead of under his own roof-tree. Do you follow me, Comrade Maloney?”

“That’s right,” said Billy Windsor. “Of course.”

“Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary,” murmured Psmith.

Hence, Sherlock Holmes' famous phrase was actually written in homage to the character in a serial / novel that was completely unrelated to the series.

Ten of Swords

In 1898 Morgan Robertson wrote a book called Futility. The plot concerned Titan - the largest passenger ship ever built that sank in the North Atlantic, in April, after striking an Iceberg on the Starboard side, 400 nautical miles off the coast Newfoundland, resulting in massive loss of life due to the ship not having enough lifeboats.

RIGOLO

cdeb wrote: »

Ah, Adrian Carton de Wiart.

Summed up the First World War in his memoirs in one line - "Frankly, I had enjoyed the war". His memoirs make no reference to his wife and daughter. The preface is written by Winston Churchill.

Spent the interwar period on a private estate in Poland, where he went duck hunting every day. For 20 years.

After retiring, he moved to Cork and, by now a widower, married a woman 20+ years younger. She died ten years ago; both are buried in Cork.

An utter loon; definitely the type we won't see again.

This is turning into a homage to loons, but two of my favourites are 
Adrian Warburton , awarded 6 medals by age 26 DSO & Bar, DFC & 2 Bars, and DFC (USA), at one stage he was called the most important pilot in the RAF... and his weapon was 'Photography', with the information he gained being of utmost importance to winning the war. 
He was reknowned also for being a terrible pilot, unable to take off or land , but once in the air he was fearless. 
He once flew so close to an Italian frigate to get photographs that upon returning his mechanics found the aerial from the ship entagled in his undercarriage. 
Another time to determine if an airfield was heavily guarded, he flew in and made to land on the runway, the enemy were so surprised to see him drop his wheels and flaps to land they neglected to fire, and having taken the photos he simply kept flying and never landed. 

My second WWII loon is Patrick Leigh Fermor - In December 1933 aged 18 Fermor left London and walked to Constantinople. In later life going on become one of the greatest travel writers of the last century. 
But I bet you didnt know that the highest ranking German officer kidnapped by the allies was General Kreipe, the German commander in Crete. Fermor and his team dressed as German soldiers stopped and took control of Kreipes car, drove thru 22 German checkpoints (with Kriepe held at gunpoint in the backseat) and then spent 7 weeks hiding from German search parties in the mountains before eventually transporting their captive to Egypt 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB6ydNxG2hc

cdeb

Good call on Patrick Leigh Fermor.

His travelogues - particularly the three of his walk from London to Istanbul - are an absolute joy of carefree travel in a bygone age. From being passed around Central European counts to nights in a cave with whirling dervishes to Bulgarian uprisings to the reaction to Hitler's election to casual sex with local peasants (not intended as a derogatory term; just a fact of life at the time), it really is a description of a far more diverse and interesting Europe. Fascinating stuff, brilliantly written.

wally79

The current discussion reminds me of what I consider the both best autobiography I have ever read and the best biography

Autobiography
Eastern Approaches by Fitzroy Maclean

Biography
A Rage To Live : A Biography of Richard and Isabel Burton by Mary S Lovell

mzungu

The M&M in M&M’s stands for “Mars & Murrie’s” after Forrest E. Mars Sr. and William F. R. Murrie, the candy’s founders.

Capt'n Midnight

3M is the company that brought you Scotch Tape and floppy disk.

the M's stand for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company,