This thread is for posting a little bit of knowledge just for expanding your mind just a little bit. Enjoy learning.



I'll start this off...

Christening a new ship with wine or holy water has obvious religious overtones, but the practice pre-dates Christianity. A Babylonian narrative from the third millennium BC replaces a bottle of Dom with a couple of heifers:

Openings to the water I stopped;
I searched for cracks and the wanting parts I fixed:
Three sari of bitumen I poured over the outside;
To the gods I caused oxen to be sacrificed

The practice of breaking a bottle of wine over a ship's bow was introduced by the British navy in the late 17th century as a cost saving measure! Previously the ships were baptized with a "standing cup" of precious metal, which was then promptly thrown overboard. The rapid production of ships during the height of the British Empire put an end to that.

Here's a toast to a most interesting thead.....hear hear

Drinking a Toast
In the 17th century, the English used to put a piece of toast in a wine cup to improve the flavor. The glass was then given to a lady.

Independence of Chile

Even though in Chile we celebrate our independence on September 18th, that wasn't the day the Act of Independence was signed.
On September 18th, 1810, was held the first "Senate" session, which was the first step in a series of events (battles and stuff) that would lead to our Independence, which was held on February 12, 1818 (surpringsinly, the same day Santiago- our cappital city and the city where I'm writing this- was founded, though that was in 1541). However, the last battle we had with Spain was in April of 1818, I can't remember the date exactly

febuary is national condom month (gotta love the almanac lol)

a platapus has a venomus spur on its hind foot, the venom is being used in research to develop better pain killers

the McDonaldas arch is more widly recognized around the world then the christian cross

grasshoppers, locusts, crickts and the lik are kosher however any other insect is not

garter snake saliva is mildly venomus causeing slight swelling and itching in some people when they are bitten

it is illeagle to posses any non-venomus reptile/amphibian native to georgia in said state, any vipers or elapids are perfectly fine

Joshua A. Norton

He was the first, and so far only emperor of the United States. A lot of people in the 19th century considered him insane or highly eccentric. He proclaimed himself "Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico" in 1859.

The Declaration of Independence was written on Hemp Paper.

Hemingway killed himself on a log cabin in Ketcham, Idaho on Sunday 2 July 1961. He tripped the trigger of his double barelled shotgun and was instantly killed.

in Montana
• It is a felony for a wife to open her husband's mail.
• It is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone.
• Balls may not be thrown within the city limits.
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After the "1984" album, Van Halen, without Roth lost its uniquness...
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After the "...And Justice For All" album, Metallica began its decent into selling out, and totally sucking...

In the 1800's cats were used to deliver mail. In 1879, in Belgium 37 cats were used to deliver mail to villages, however they found that the cats were not disciplined enough to do this.

I would correct that and say that it was after the Black Album

There are more Jews in New York City and Los Angelos than in all of Isreal.

The government of the Confederate States of America never ratified a bill to rejoin the United States of America.

Georgia was the second largest states of the Confederacy.

It was technically illegal for Abraham Lincoln to use Federal troops to invade the Confederate States. The Union did not accept the legality of succession hence when Union troops marched into a southern state, they were in violation of constitutional law which prohibits the use of federal force by one state against another.

Hitler, he only had one ball,
Goebels, he had no balls at all.
Himmler, had something similer,
But, it was better than no balls at all.
British Pub song from World War Two.

The word "gullible" is not in the dictionary.

Why the English swear with two fingers

At the battle of Agincourt, the English massacred the French army primarily from the use of English long bow men, the French soldiers had crossbows and these were very short range. The English long bow men brought them down at long range, one of the greatest military victories.

When the French, in the future, caught any English long bow men, they would cut off their two bow fingers. That is why the English swear with two fingers, to show the French that we still have our bow fingers.

A catfish is not really a cat...same goes for dogfish

Did you know? Flying is not really "flying" unless gravity permits.
A flying fish, squirrel, spider, doesn't really fly. The webbing between certain squirrels is like a parachute when they jump off a tree limb. A salmon and other fish will jump out of the water.

Why call it flying?

A u.f.o. flies, but how did you know it was gravity? If it was anti-gravity in control you wouldn't say it would you?

The Human Route

Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed -- that is human.
When you are born, where do you come from?
When you die, where do you go?
Life is like a floating cloud which appears.
Death is like a floating cloud which disappears.
The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.
Life and death, coming and going, are also like that.
But there is one thing which always remains clear.
It is pure and clear, not depending on life and death.

Then what is the one pure and clear thing?

The route before the human. Remember that before is also a word used to describe what is in front of you as well as behind.

In 1906, the United States military adopted a new, more powerful cartridge which was destined to become one of the most popular and famous cartridges ever developed. The 30-06 has proven itself on battlefields around the world in World War I, World War II, Korea, Viet Nam and untold other hot spots. It has been chambered in bolt action rifles, semi-auto rifles, heavy machine guns and even used from aircraft. Quite a distinguished service record.

Liquid soap is one of the most common slippy substances. With applications in the right spots, it can easily move any heavy fridge.

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs
in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front
leg 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.

North Carolina

In Charlotte, women must have their bodies covered by at least 16 yards of cloth at all times.

In Asheville, it is illegal to sneeze on city streets.

Donkeys
The donkey or ass (Equus asinus) is a domesticated animal of the horse family, Equidae.
More people are killed annually by donkeys than plane crashes.

In the Roman Republic, a slave's testimony was admissible only if it was extracted by torture, on the assumption that slaves could not be trusted to reveal the truth voluntarily.

Speaking of Romans, if one passed gas in public, they could be executed.

A scientific report form the University of California found that the steam rising from a cup of coffee contains the same amounts of antioxidants as three oranges. The antioxidants are heterocyclic compounds which prevents cancer and heart disease. It's good for you!

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of
old when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled
on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them use to burn their houses down - hence the expression "to get fired."

In 1815 French chemist Michael Eugene Chevreul realized the first link between diabetes and sugar metabolism when he discovered that the urine of a diabetic was identical to grape sugar.

Some species of snale and frogs "fly". They glide from tree to tree, frogs using webbing between theri toes and snakes glide by spreading their ribs.

A few of the roads built by the Roman Empire are still in use today.

A dogs tongue cannot "taste". They only sence flavor by smell.

The Wedding Ring dates back to the Acient Egyptians. Wedding Rings are placed on the third finger of the bride because it was thought that this finger carried a vein leading directly to the heart.

Bridal Veil was introduced by Ancient Greeks and Romans to protect the Bride from the evil eye of a jealous rival suitor.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history.

• Spades - King David
• Clubs - Alexander the Great
• Hearts - Charlemagne
• Diamonds - Julius Caesar

Why do geese fly in a V shape???* Something I didn't know*

In Disney's Fantasia, the Sorcerer to whom Mickey played an apprentice was named Yensid, which is Disney spelled backward.

ill tell you what i know , rangers are shyte and celtic are top of the league.


all together "oh the rangers are shyte, oh the rangers are shyte"

Believe it or not (please don't think I'm too stupid), I learned just yesterday what exactly jet lag was....

You learn something everyday.

The term "Nickname" is actually the term "Eke-name" being mispronounced. The word "eke" means: also or extra.

The dot above the letter i is called the tittle. But if you'd like, you can discard this useless piece of information.

According to a global survey in 1997 by Durex Condoms Canadians are the world's fourth worst lovers. The worst three slots belong to South Africa, Russia, and Poland.

you can't make this stuff up folks...

The name Jeep came from the abbreviation used in the army for the "General Purpose" vehicle, G.P.

Does anyone remember Audie Murphy best know for his acting he was a bout 5ft tall and played in many Cowboy movies.. he is the most decorated US combat soldier of World War II.

2d Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, 1 of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from 3 sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.

He received every decoration for valor that his country had to offer plus 5 decorations presented to him by France and Belgium.

In the mid 1950s, Rosa Parks became famous for standing up for her rights by not giving up her seat to a white man, on a bus ride home from work. Ms. Parks actually repeated an action that had happened several weeks before by another young black woman, Septima Clark. The NAACP didn't want Septima Clarks' bold statement to be known because she had a child out of wedlock and they feared it would bring bad publicity to the Africa Americans. Therefore, Rosa Parks was chosen, and the refuse-to-give-up-her-seat-on-the-bus incident was restaged so that she could be arrested, and the black bus boycott instituted as a "spontaneous" response of outrage.

In an interview with Ms. Parks, she had this to say:

"I had the chance to work with Septima," at Highlander, Ms. Parks told me. "She was such a calm and dedicated person in the midst of all that danger. I thought, 'If I could only catch some of her spirit.' I wanted to have the courage to accomplish the kinds of things that she had been doing for years."

R.I.P.:

Septima Clark
Rosa Parks

Why do people hang mistletoe in doorways?
The ancient druids believed mistletoe had magic powers as well as medicinal properties. Later, the custom developed in England (and, still later, in the United States) of kissing under the mistletoe, an action once believed to lead inevitably to marriage.

The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune.

Geese fly in a chevron shape because it is more arodynamic. This allows them to fly longer distances. The lead bird is not lways the lead bird. They will rotate out of the lead and to the back where the flying is easier. Over time, the bird will slowly move back to the front of the chevron again.

Airplanes do not fly by pushing air down under thier wings. Lift is generated by causing a pocket of low pressure on the top of the wing. The airplane is actually "sucked" up in the air. The top of the wing is cambered to make the wind that crosses it go farther. Since it is going a longer disatnce to get to the back of the wing, it must travel faster. Faster moving air has a lower pressure than the slower moving aircrossing under the wing, hence the lift. The same thing can be demonstrated by blowing across a drinking straw that is in a glass of liquid. If done properly, the liquid will rise to the top and fly out of the straw. This know as the Vernelli principle.

Domestic cats have four rows of whiskers.

The only bones in a shark are its jaws and teeth. The rest of the body frame is made of cartlidge.

A cats urine will glow under a black light.

The Everglades in south Florida, United States, is in fact a wide slow moving river.

Japanese Rice Paper is not really made of rice. They use rice to make Sake. Thank you, Japan!

An apple, onion, and potato all have the same taste. The differences in flavor are caused by their smell. To prove this you can pinch your nose and take a bite from each. They will all taste sweet.

The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute fo
bloodplasma.

No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven (7) times.

Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty (50) years of age or older.

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.

The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.

American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by
eliminating one (1) olive from each salad served in first-class.

Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking
you up in the morning.

Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.

Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

Pearls melt in vinegar.

The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

It is possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six (6) feet
away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush. (I keep my toothbrush in the living room now!)

Richard Millhouse Nixon was the first U.S. president whose name contains all the letters from the word "criminal." The second? William Jefferson Clinton.

(Please don't tell me you're SURPRISED!?!!)

And the best for last....

Turtles can breathe through their butts.

Carlos Norman Hathcock II (May 20, 1942 - February 23, 1999)

Widely recognized as the Marines' most proficient sniper, Hathcock had killed a confirmed 93 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong personnel. His actual total is believed to be well over 100, which the official count does not reflect. North Vietnam even put a bounty of $30,000 on his life, which was far more than other bounties put on U.S. snipers —typically only $50-$100 USD. The Viet Cong called him Long Trang, "the white feather," because he often wore one in his bush hat.

(The book 'Marine Sniper' about him is well worth your time to read, as it give details of him in the field and his life)

Born in the hills of Tennessee in the 1940s, Mountain Dew was originally invented by two brothers, Barney and Ally Hartman, for use as a mixer with whiskey. Mountain Dew is actually slang for "moonshine," and some of the early bottles were even adorned with sketches of a character called Willy the Hillbilly!