Who Knew? Some Fun Facts
- Thread starter RadishRose
- Start date
Strange Antiquated Bye Laws that have never been repealed and
are still active,
The Millennium Bridge in London, is closed for 3 weeks for repairs,
because there are workers dangling under the bridge, they must
hang a "Bale of Hay", from the bridge to show all river traffic, just
how much headroom is available to travel under the bridge.
Nobody knows how old the law is, but it is still on the list.
Bale of straw is hung from Millennium Bridge as it undergoes repairs
Mike.
It is an ancient by-law with uncertain origins. But that did not stop workmen from
sticking rigidly to it this week, as evidenced by the bale of hay that was pictured
hanging from London's Millennium Bridge
are still active,
The Millennium Bridge in London, is closed for 3 weeks for repairs,
because there are workers dangling under the bridge, they must
hang a "Bale of Hay", from the bridge to show all river traffic, just
how much headroom is available to travel under the bridge.
Nobody knows how old the law is, but it is still on the list.
Bale of straw is hung from Millennium Bridge as it undergoes repairs
Mike.
It is an ancient by-law with uncertain origins. But that did not stop workmen from
sticking rigidly to it this week, as evidenced by the bale of hay that was pictured
hanging from London's Millennium Bridge
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
A neighboring town has made it illegal to use Silly String.
Paco Dennis
SF VIP
- Location
- Mid-Missouri
I have seen this in the preface of a book where the author was inspired by an another using this proverb "drink deep or touch not the Castilian stream". can I know the explanation for this???
Anybody want to take a stab of this phrases' meaning?
@hollydolly "wasn't it the Pierien (sp ) Spring... meaning a little knowledge is a dangerous thing ?"
IDK Holly about that meaning. It might be correct.
Have you heard this one...
"Basically, don't be "lukewarm" or do things halfway. In the metaphor, if you decide to drink of the stream, don't drink just a little; rather, take a deep drink."
I like this meaning and I try to live by it. I was curious about the "Castillian stream". It is everything I wished it would be.
The Castalian stream is an allusion to the stream sacred to the Greek muses.
To be really boring and prosaic, "Drink deep or touch not the Castalian stream," could be re-expressed as:
Read this completely and thoroughly or don't read it at all.
I like that a LOT!
This really made it special :
It was the name of a spring near Delphi, sacred to the Muses; it is also known as the Castalian Spring. It is said to have derived its name from Castalia, a naiad-nymph, daughter of the river-god Achelous, who is said to have flung herself into the spring when pursued by the god Apollo.
Anybody want to take a stab of this phrases' meaning?
@hollydolly "wasn't it the Pierien (sp ) Spring... meaning a little knowledge is a dangerous thing ?"
IDK Holly about that meaning. It might be correct.
Have you heard this one...
"Basically, don't be "lukewarm" or do things halfway. In the metaphor, if you decide to drink of the stream, don't drink just a little; rather, take a deep drink."
I like this meaning and I try to live by it. I was curious about the "Castillian stream". It is everything I wished it would be.
The Castalian stream is an allusion to the stream sacred to the Greek muses.
To be really boring and prosaic, "Drink deep or touch not the Castalian stream," could be re-expressed as:
Read this completely and thoroughly or don't read it at all.
I like that a LOT!
This really made it special :
It was the name of a spring near Delphi, sacred to the Muses; it is also known as the Castalian Spring. It is said to have derived its name from Castalia, a naiad-nymph, daughter of the river-god Achelous, who is said to have flung herself into the spring when pursued by the god Apollo.
NewlySenior
Member
- Location
- Midwest US
That's all? Really? 36,000? In the US maybe but in the world? I would've thought it was a much higher number.
Overall, there are more than 36,000 McDonald’s restaurants spread out across the globe.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Mexico’s presidential palace is 14 times larger than the White House and started allowing visitors for the first time in 2018.
From 1935 to 2018, the Los Pinos presidential palace was the official place of residence for Mexico’s presidents and was closed off to any who weren’t expressly invited.
This changed in 2018 when Andres Manuel López Obrador was elected the Mexican President, winning his campaign on the back of promises to fight corruption.
As a gesture of goodwill, he chose not to move into the palace, instead simply living in a small apartment in Mexico City’s central district.
gruntlabor
Well-known Member
- Location
- Last Frontier, Age 83
Or the unluckiest
gruntlabor
Well-known Member
- Location
- Last Frontier, Age 83
Pappy
Living the Dream
Lewkat
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey, USA
Pappy
Living the Dream
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
My heart goes out to the little guy, such a hard worker and a genius! I hope his special lady arrives soon. He's just amazing!
gruntlabor
Well-known Member
- Location
- Last Frontier, Age 83
That is an accident waiting to happen.
Paco Dennis
SF VIP
- Location
- Mid-Missouri
In 2014 and 2019, photos of a "frozen" Niagara Falls went viral – but the falls didn't fully freeze. To see that, you have to look back at least as far as Feb. 6, 1936. A photograph bearing that date from the Buffalo News archives appears to show the American Falls frozen over completely.
Pappy
Living the Dream
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Pappy
Living the Dream
Much of the cast and crew of The African Queen got sick except Humphrey Bogart and John Huston, who said they avoided illness by living on imported Scotch whisky. "All I ate was baked beans, canned asparagus, and Scotch whisky. Whenever a fly bit Huston or me, it dropped dead," said Bogart.
NewlySenior
Member
- Location
- Midwest US
Mclean Stevenson, best known for playing Lt Col. Henry Blake on the TV show M*A*S*H*, died from a massive heart attack after bladder cancer surgery on Feb 15, 1996.
Roger Bowen, who played Lt Col. Henry Blake in the film version of M*A*S*H*, died the next day, Feb 16, 1996, also from a massive heart attack.
Roger Bowen, who played Lt Col. Henry Blake in the film version of M*A*S*H*, died the next day, Feb 16, 1996, also from a massive heart attack.
Last edited:
Pappy
Living the Dream
The iconic vessel the African Queen is located in Key Largo Florida. Made famous in the 1951 movie of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn she still remains a timeless classic. This famous steamboat is available for daily canal cruises in the Port Largo Canal area and also for private events.
Great movie.
Pappy
Living the Dream
Murrmurr
SF VIP
- Location
- Sacramento, California
On the 18th of January 2019, an underground gasoline pipeline exploded in the little town of Tlahuelilpan, in the state of Hidalgo in Mexico.
The gasline was popular with thieves who, for years, had been drilling holes into it to collect gasoline for sale on the black-market. Mexico's new president cracked down on this illegal practice by placing soldiers and police here and there along the pipeline. This caused an increase in the price of gasoline.
So, when the pipeline sprung a leak on Jan 18th, 2019, presumably at a weak spot caused by an old drilling by gas-thieves, hundreds of people rushed to the scene with jugs, buckets, and containers of all sorts to collect fuel from the resulting geyser of gas. Soldiers and police were ineffective at holding back the crowd and were warned not to shoot anyone for fear of igniting the gas, so they simply pulled back and watched.
And they pulled back further when they noticed that dozens of people holding out their containers with one hand, held a burning cigarette in the other, or, in some cases, held one between their lips, actively smoking. As well, many of the hundreds getting free gas, and the clothes they wore, were getting soaked under the fountain of fuel.
Needless to say, a tremendous explosion occurred, followed by a tremendous fire that consumed all who stood within the immediate vicinity and severely burned people as far away as a few hundred yards.
PeMex, the Mexican state-owned petroleum company responsible for the pipeline, did not immediately shut the line off. Once the line was shut down, it took firefighters another 4 hours to safely extinguish the fire.
When hospitals in Hidalgo filled up, many burn victims were transported by medical helicopters to Texas.
This isn't a fun fact, certainly, but an interesting (if not harrowing) example of people's desperation, stupidity, and greed for free stuff at any cost.
The gasline was popular with thieves who, for years, had been drilling holes into it to collect gasoline for sale on the black-market. Mexico's new president cracked down on this illegal practice by placing soldiers and police here and there along the pipeline. This caused an increase in the price of gasoline.
So, when the pipeline sprung a leak on Jan 18th, 2019, presumably at a weak spot caused by an old drilling by gas-thieves, hundreds of people rushed to the scene with jugs, buckets, and containers of all sorts to collect fuel from the resulting geyser of gas. Soldiers and police were ineffective at holding back the crowd and were warned not to shoot anyone for fear of igniting the gas, so they simply pulled back and watched.
And they pulled back further when they noticed that dozens of people holding out their containers with one hand, held a burning cigarette in the other, or, in some cases, held one between their lips, actively smoking. As well, many of the hundreds getting free gas, and the clothes they wore, were getting soaked under the fountain of fuel.
Needless to say, a tremendous explosion occurred, followed by a tremendous fire that consumed all who stood within the immediate vicinity and severely burned people as far away as a few hundred yards.
PeMex, the Mexican state-owned petroleum company responsible for the pipeline, did not immediately shut the line off. Once the line was shut down, it took firefighters another 4 hours to safely extinguish the fire.
When hospitals in Hidalgo filled up, many burn victims were transported by medical helicopters to Texas.
This isn't a fun fact, certainly, but an interesting (if not harrowing) example of people's desperation, stupidity, and greed for free stuff at any cost.