Did You Know?

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 11 Jul 2006, 20:07

Did You know Fort William has over three times the annual rainfall (1932mm) of Edinburgh (626mm)?

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 11 Jul 2006, 20:11

No I didn't know that Gilo, they may be wet but they have nice accents

Well I never, who knew this :-

Curse of Scotland

The nine of diamonds playing card is often referred to as the "Curse of Scotland" There are a number of reasons given for this connection:

1. It was the playing card used by Sir John Dalrymple, the Earl of Stair, to cryptically authorise the Glencoe Massacre. Certainly there is a resemblance between the nine of diamonds and his coat of arms.

2. The Duke of Cumberland is supposed to have scribbled the order for "no quarter" to be given after the Battle of Culloden on a nine of diamonds playing card..

3. It has also been suggested that it is a misreading of the "Corse of Scotland" ie the "Cross of Scotland" or St Andrew's Saltire. There is a resemblance between the pattern of the nine of diamonds and the Saltire.

4. Nine diamonds were at one time stolen from the crown of Scotland and a tax was levied on the Scottish people to pay for them - the tax got the nickname "The Curse of Scotland".

The first two explanations are the ones most commonly given.

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 11 Jul 2006, 20:20

I didn't know that Foxy. I found out something interesting today at work, somone there is going on holiday to Austria at the weekend. I asked her which countries bordered Austria. We couldn't work it out so we went to look on the computer. Do you know how many there are? Eight - that's loads for such a small country.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 11 Jul 2006, 20:22

Gilo wrote:I didn't know that Foxy. I found out something interesting today at work, somone there is going on holiday to Austria at the weekend. I asked her which countries bordered Austria. We couldn't work it out so we went to look on the computer. Do you know how many there are? Eight - that's loads for such a small country.

That is loads for such a small country...makes you wonder just how big the smallest border actually is. I've been to Austria a couple of times and I didn't know that

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 11 Jul 2006, 20:31

foxy wrote:makes you wonder just how big the smallest border actually is.

Pretty small I'd have thought.

Post by **wangi** » 11 Jul 2006, 21:05

Gilo wrote:
foxy wrote:makes you wonder just how big the smallest border actually is.
Pretty small I'd have thought.

Wonder no more... from the CIA World Factbook:

Land boundaries:
total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362km, Germany 784km, Hungary 366km, Italy 430km, Liechtenstein 35km, Slovakia 91km, Slovenia 330km, Switzerland 164km

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 11 Jul 2006, 21:32

Wangi that's Factastic. I had a little look on the website, the intro on Iraq is interesting, but I got nervous and left. The house will probably get bugged now and they'll implant a tracking device in my ear or something.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 11 Jul 2006, 22:29

Ah, maybe they can tell you the borders of exotic countries; but can they give the *definitive* border marking between Portobello and Joppa?..

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 11 Jul 2006, 22:31

rapunzell wrote:Ah, maybe they can tell you the borders of exotic countries; but can they give the *definitive* border marking between Portobello and Joppa?..

Rap, don't you dare start that *discussion* again!! Bad bad girl!!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 11 Jul 2006, 22:42

It could all be sorted out so quickly if residents were allowed to duel it out on the beach

I won't mention it again..

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 12 Jul 2006, 19:26

Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 12 Jul 2006, 19:41

A dead one???

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 12 Jul 2006, 20:37

Shergar?

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 12 Jul 2006, 23:13

Gilo wrote:Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?

No, but elephants can't climb hills.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 12 Jul 2006, 23:19

Epykat wrote:
Gilo wrote:Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?
No, but elephants can't climb hills.

Can an elephant jump higher than a lamp-post? Yes. A lamp-post can't jump

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 12 Jul 2006, 23:22

foxy wrote:
Epykat wrote:
Gilo wrote:Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?
No, but elephants can't climb hills.
Can an elephant jump higher than a lamp-post? Yes. A lamp-post can't jump

At least mine was an intelligent fact.......

Post by **wangi** » 12 Jul 2006, 23:51

I remember hearing that an elephant can't jump... But that sounds daft.

Recon a snake would have trouble jumping...

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 00:04

wangi wrote:I remember hearing that an elephant can't jump... But that sounds daft.
Recon a snake would have trouble jumping...

Not daft it's true.
I remember seeing a snake take off in some nature programme.

ali · Post by **ali** » 13 Jul 2006, 08:01

Epykat wrote:
Gilo wrote:Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?
No, but elephants can't climb hills.

Eh? What about that old guy who took his war elephants over the Alps?

Alexander or Ulysses or Attilla the Hun or something?? I never paid much attention in history.

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 13 Jul 2006, 08:30

ali wrote:
Epykat wrote:
Gilo wrote:Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?
No, but elephants can't climb hills.
Eh? What about that old guy who took his war elephants over the Alps?

Alexander or Ulysses or Attilla the Hun or something?? I never paid much attention in history.

*sighs in disbelief* Hannibal. Hannibal Barca ... during the Punic Wars. There was a terrible docudrama on TV a couple of months ago about it with Alexander Siddig (Dr Bashir from Star Trek: DS9) as Hannibal. History is a fascinating subject.

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 08:59

So what's Oliver Reed got to do with it then?

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 09:07

Did you know that Edinburgh has the same annual rainfall as New York and Rome?

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 09:09

Did you know that I'm on my holidays and don't go back to work until 2nd August?

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 13 Jul 2006, 09:45

Did you know that people on holidays generally stay away from computers and fill their time with other things??

Or is that a concept too far??

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Jul 2006, 09:59

Cleopas wrote:Did you know that people on holidays generally stay away from computers and fill their time with other things??

Or is that a concept too far??

It depends on the person, the holiday, and - most importantly - the right of the individual to do what they choose with their precious and hard-earned free time.

Computers are unique in that they can not only be a device for work but also for leisure - and as a platform they are mobile and not restricted to offices. I've often seen people with laptops in places like cafes and trains - some of them may even have been on holiday (as in not at work) or on holiday (visiting somewhere new).

In these instances, the computer is a very useful tool for relaxation (gaming) and for keeping in touch with loved ones.

If I ever told someone else how to spend their time in such a manner, I would regard myself as short-sighted and arrogant.

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 12:16

Cleopas wrote:Did you know that people on holidays generally stay away from computers and fill their time with other things??

Or is that a concept too far??

Cleopas please leave it out. Put downs aren't nice.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:00

ali wrote:
Epykat wrote:
Gilo wrote:Do you know what the only animal that can't jump is?
No, but elephants can't climb hills.
Eh? What about that old guy who took his war elephants over the Alps?

Alexander or Ulysses or Attilla the Hun or something?? I never paid much attention in history.

Well, he must have had some sort of pulley system going on........or helicopters to air lift them over......or something

. Stop being so nitpicky

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:01

Gilo wrote:Did you know that I'm on my holidays and don't go back to work until 2nd August?

Stick a one in front of that and then add two and Marya and I can beat you

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:12

Gilo wrote:
Cleopas wrote:Did you know that people on holidays generally stay away from computers and fill their time with other things??

Or is that a concept too far??
Cleopas please leave it out. Put downs aren't nice.

What I wrote was meant to be humorous. I certainly didn't mean it how it was obviously taken, so ... my apologies Gilo!

(Helluva way to spend MY holidays, taking my foot outta my mouth all the time, innit??? You got NO idea how often I've done that this week. D'oh!!!)

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:34

di niente

gilo · Post by **gilo** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:39

Epykat wrote:
Gilo wrote:Did you know that I'm on my holidays and don't go back to work until 2nd August?
Stick a one in front of that and then add two and Marya and I can beat you

mava? maledizione!