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Author
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Topic: Useless Fact's
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 05-22-2004 05:36 PM
Rated G ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Useless fact - Why are tennis games scored as 15-30-40 instead of just 1-2-3?
We started with LUKOL "Tennis Directory." After some digging around, we found two possible answers. On the Origins of Scoring page, we learned that the unusual scoring system has medieval and French roots.
The site goes on to state that the system may be based on the presence of a clock face at the end of the tennis court. A quarter move of the appropriate hand was made after each rest, with the score being called as 15, 30, or 45. As the hand was moved to 60, this was the game. This didn't explain a score of 40, however, so we continued on.
Another possible explanation we found is that Tennis scoring has its origin in medieval numerology. The number 60 was considered to be a "good" or "complete" number back then, in about the same way you'd consider 100 to be a nice round figure today. The medieval version of tennis, therefore, was based on 60 - the four points when 15, 30, 45 (which we abbreviate to 40) and 60, or game.
Although neither of these answers is definitive, it was the closest we could come to acing the question. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 06-08-2004 06:47 AM
Rated G
Ueless fact - What happens to the Olympic flame during the "off years"?
They snuff it out. Yes, we know, it sounds like heresy, especially in light of the fact that the flame is treated like royalty during its journey to the games, but it's the plain truth. How did we figure this out? Here's our own little Olympic torch relay:
We went to LUKOL Olympics Category and came across several interesting links. First, we learned that the torch is usually lit from the "direct rays of the sun," rather than some ever- burning lantern on Mt. Olympus.
The lighting of the Olympic Flame is carried out during a solemn ceremony which takes place every two years in the ancient Olympic stadium in Olympia, in the Peloponnese region in Greece.
The link to the official Olympic Charter, provided the details how the closing ceremony must end:
A fanfare then sounds; the Olympic flame is extinguished, and while the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic flag is slowly lowered from the flagpole and, unfurled horizontally, carried out of the arena, followed by the flag bearers. A farewell song resounds.
And so it is until the games begin again...
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 06-09-2004 04:59 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - How do I avoid jet lag?
We traveled over to our LUKOL Travel Tips Category and after a couple of clicks found several concrete tips for the lagged and weary. To sum up:
If you are making a coast-to-coast flight, try adjusting your bedtime beforehand. Three days before your flight, start staggering your bedtime by an hour so you're on schedule when you arrive.
If you're flying internationally, think about your flight schedule beforehand. For instance, try to schedule a night flight when you're arriving in the morning.
Get a good night's sleep before your flight. Most initial jet-lag symptoms are simply the result of flying fatigue.
Drink plenty of water on your flight, and try to avoid alcohol and caffeine. They're both diuretics and can dehydrate you quickly.
Bring whatever you need to help you sleep onboard: eyemasks, neck braces, and slippers. Bring your pajamas. Be completely shameless.
Try to exercise whenever possible; stretching and walking up and down the aisles will help your circulation.
Adjust your clock to your destination's time zone to help you get in the right mindset. Start thinking about your schedule ahead of time to avoid any surprises.
After you've arrived, try to get some sunlight in the mornings to help adjust your body's internal clock. Exercise to stay awake, and try to avoid naps.
Pills of any kind should be treated with caution. They can do more harm than good.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 06-23-2004 11:06 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - Whose face is on the $10,000 bill? I say Woodrow Wilson. Am I right?
You're close, but as they say, "no cigar." It turns out that the unsmiling face on the $10,000 bill (which hasn't been printed since 1946) is none other than Salmon P. Chase. Who, you ask.
From LUKOL Paper Money Directory we learned that Salmon P. Chase is one of only three non-presidents to be commemorated on cash money. The other two are Alexander Hamilton ($10) and Ben Franklin ($100). Your original guess for the $10,000 bill, Woodrow Wilson, actually appeared on the $100,000 bill, which was in production for a scant couple of weeks at the end of 1934.
And, finally, we cut to Chase: A link from the Treasury's currency page told us everything we wanted to know and more about the enigmatic Salmon P. As it turns out, he was the 25th Secretary of the Treasury, serving under Lincoln. The infamous Chase Manhattan Bank is also named after him. Due to a monetary crisis brought on by the Civil War, he reluctantly implemented the first printing of paper money in the United States.
In fact, Chase's portrait appeared on the original $1 bill, thus earning him the nickname "Old Mr. Greenbacks." The name didn't stick, however, due to the fact that after the war, Chase, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, declared paper currency to be unconstitutional.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 06-29-2004 10:56 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - Which has more caffeine: a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, or a glass of Coke?
You can call it 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6,-dione OR 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, but what we are really talking about is CAFFEINE. Caffeine may be the most popular drug in the world. We consume caffeine in coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, some soft drinks, and some drugs. The actual source of caffeine is the coffee bean, tea leaf, kola nut and cacao pod. Pure caffeine is odorless and has a bitter taste.
We had to browse three different LUKOL categories to answer the question on "caffeine winner", while drinking a nice cup of tea. Our first stop was LUKOL Tea Category then we ventured into Coffee Category and our final stop was Coca-Cola Category.
We learned that coffee has the most caffeine with 47-164 milligrams per 5 ounce serving. The caffeine content depends on how the coffee is brewed -- fresh drip has the highest level, instant has the lowest. Second place is a little more difficult to determine. A single serving of black tea (5 oz.) can have anywhere from 25 to 110 milligrams of caffeine, while a single serving of Coca-Cola (12 oz.) measures in with 46 milligrams. However, when you break it down to caffeine per ounce, tea handily beats Coke.
Caffeine is a strong central nervous system stimulant. In moderate doses, caffeine can: increase alertness, reduce fine motor coordination, cause insomnia, cause headaches nervousness and dizziness. In massive doses, caffeine is lethal. A fatal dose of caffeine has been calculated to be more than 10 grams (about 170 mg/kg body weight) - this is the same as drinking 80 to 100 cups of coffee in rapid succession - not an easy thing to do.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 06-29-2004 11:02 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What is it within the body that causes seasickness? What can a person do to prevent it?
As we learned from several sites listed in LUKOL Motion Sickness Directory, seasickness is a form of motion sickness - the movement of a boat on a fluid sea disturbs the organs of balance located in the inner ear. Symptoms are nausea and vomiting, dizziness, headache, pallor and cold perspiration. Seasickness may be prevented by eating lightly, avoiding fatty and spicy foods, or by staying in fresh air instead of in a stuffy cabin. There we also learned about herbal remedies recommended for treating seasickness, including cayenne pepper, ground pumpkin seed, and ginger to combat nausea.
You can prevent or alleviate seasickness on a large ship by facing forward or seeking areas with minimal motion. Take medication at least one hour before embarking; over the counter medications like Dramamine or Bonine can be effective for short trips. A prescription medication called Transderm-Scop is available as a patch worn behind the ear for up to three days. It's recommended for longer voyages, and is popular with sport and commercial fishermen.
Try not to let anything you've read on this site prevent you from taking your well earned break and from enjoying what may be a thoroughly rewarding journey via sea. Rather, use it to your advantage and in all probability, for those of us it affects, seasickness will be a short term discomfort.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-18-2004 10:31 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What are seashells made of?
Seashells are, quite simply, the exoskeletons of mollusks. At the LUKOL Seashell Category we learned a good deal about the composition of seashells, including the three distinct substances involved: an outer layer of the horny substance "conchiolin", an intermediate layer of "calcite", and a smooth inner layer composed mainly of "calcium carbonate". But how does a mollusk actually create a shell? An article from one of the sites listed in the Directory explains:
The blood of a mollusk is rich in a liquid form of calcium. A soft, outer organ called the mantle concentrates the calcium in areas where it can separate out from the blood, forming calcium carbonate crystals. The mantle deposits sheets of the crystal in varying thicknesses. The individual crystals in each layer vary in shape and orientation.
A fasinating new field called biomimicry, which attempts to replicate Nature's materials, has recently generated detailed studies of abalone and conch shells in an attempt to understand the source of their amazing toughness and strength. This knowledge could be used to create unbreakable windshields and other scientific marvels.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-20-2004 10:34 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - Why is Elvis' mansion called Graceland?
Our Elvis Category has several great sites devoted to the Graceland ("house on the hill"), including some virtual tours.
In answer to your question, the Graceland estate was named after Grace Toof, a wealthy lady whose family owned the property for almost one hundred years. Grace's niece, Ruth, inherited the land in 1940 and promptly built herself a grand colonial mansion, replete with Greek columns and antique heirlooms. "Gone with the Wind" had come out the year before.
In 1957, Elvis was in Hollywood shooting a movie while his parents, Vernon and Gladys, and his uncle Vester were scouting out potential properties for the star. They called him immediately after viewing Graceland. On the 17th of March, Elvis bought the place for one hundred thousand dollars. He was twenty-two years old.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-20-2004 10:57 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What's the deal with the Dark Ages?
The Dark Ages refer to the early medieval period of European history that began with the fall of the Roman Empire. As one of the links in the LUKOL Middle Ages Category sums up:
Specifically, the term refers to the time (476-800) when there was no Roman (or Holy Roman) emperor in the West; or, more generally, to the period between about 500 and 1000, which was marked by frequent warfare and a virtual disappearance of urban life. Not much is known about this time period, other than the "frequent warfare" bit. Indeed, there was fighting and plundering galore during the Dark Ages, as dozens of roaming barbarian hordes (Goths, Huns, Vandals, Franks, etc.) competed for land and riches. This was a "period of defeat, migration and conquest known as the Volkerwanderung - the 'Wandering of the Peoples'."
A note of caution - much like "The Third World," many people view the phrase "Dark Ages" as pejorative. Others object, insisting that the phrase simply refers to the lack of historical knowledge about the period. Nonetheless, the phrase has fallen out of favor. Alternative names for this period include "Early Medieval" and "Late Antiquity."
So don't say we didn't give you fair warning.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-21-2004 10:47 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What are the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac?
Heres what we learned after checking several links in the Chinese Astrology Category: In the United States, the years are dated from the birth of Jesus Christ, for example, 1977 means 1,977 years after the birth of Christ. This represents a linear perception of time, with time proceeding in a straight line from the past to the present and the future. In traditional China, dating methods were cyclical, cyclical meaning something that is repeated time after time according to a pattern. A popular folk method which reflected this cyclical method of recording years are the Twelve Animal Signs. Every year is assigned an animal name or "sign" according to a repeating cycle:
1. the Rat
2. the Ox
3. the Tiger
4. the Rabbit
5. the Dragon
6. the Snake
7. the Horse
8. the Sheep
9. the Monkey
10. the Rooster
11. the Dog
12. the Boar (also known as the Pig)
Therefore, every twelve years the same animal name or "sign" would reappear.
A cultural sidelight of the animal signs in Chinese folklore is that horoscopes have developed around the animal signs, much like monthly horoscopes in the West have been developed for the different moon signs, Pisces, Aries, etc. For example, a Chinese horoscope may predict that a person born in the Year of the Horse would be, "cheerful, popular, and loves to compliment others".
The animal signs also serve a useful social function for finding out people’s ages. Instead of asking directly how old a person is, people often ask what is his or her animal sign. This would place that person’s age within a cycle of 12 years, and with a bit of common sense, we can deduce the exact age. More often, though, people ask for animal signs not to compute a person’s exact numerical age, but to simply know who is older among friends and acquaintances.
According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish. All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-23-2004 08:20 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What are the pressure points to relieve a migraine?
One of the links from the LUKOL Headache Category advises the following: "Place your thumbs underneath the base of the skull on either side of the spinal column. Tilt your head back slightly and press upward for 2 minutes while breathing deeply."
We spent a bit of time weeding through the other links in the directory and found, among other things, a newsgroup discussion on the subject of headache relief. The first email message, written by a migraine sufferer, includes a note about prevention:
When I'm in prodrome (the pre-headache stage of migraine, where parts of my field of vision start to disappear, and I become hypersensitive to noise), I have sometimes--not always--had luck interrupting the migraine with slow friction at the occiput (the point where the skull attaches to the spinal cord). By massaging there slowly, starting at the center and working out towards both ear simultaneously, I've occasionally been able to nip one in the bud.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-23-2004 08:25 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What is the difference between lager, bitter, ale, and stout? ![[beer]](graemlins/beer.gif)
The LUKOL Drinks Category directory contains a number of links pertaining to the malted, hopped, and somewhat bitter alcoholic beverage known as beer. One of the links offered succinct definitions of types of beer:
ALE - made with a top fermenting yeast, ales are described as "hearty, robust, and fruity."
BITTER - a mainstay in English pubs, this golden-brown draft ale is top-fermented, hoppy, dry, and lightly carbonated.
LAGER - made with a bottom fermenting yeast, lagers are characteristically "smooth, elegant, crisp, and clean." Comparable to pilsener.
STOUT - typically dark, heavy, and richly flavored, stout is "top- fermented beer made from pale malt, roasted unmalted barley, and often caramel malt."
People in all corners of the globe have been brewing for thousands of years, and the proof is in the awesome abundance of styles. So bend your elbow, drop your mouse, and don't forget to taste responsibly.
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