Category: Lessons

Apparantly we learn something new every day. To see if this is true my new years resolution is to record what I learn each day. Note it is not to learn something new every day so it must be something I learn as I go about my normal life.

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Lessons

The Last May Lessons…

Monday

I learnt today that I know a descendant of Victor Hugo.

Tuesday

Courgettes have male and female flowers.

Wednesday

The little african grebe is now extinct. It used to live in Madagascar but was killed off by fish and fishing nets.
Although there is a plan to change the law, at the moment there is a law in Germany that prevents intercity buses apart from a few routes.

Thursday

Lucozade now comes in cherry flavour. A useless fact for me as I am not a great cherry fan.

Friday

Pacman was 30 years old this year, but I missed his birthday which is apparantly May 22nd. Also in 1999 someone completed all 256 levels eating every pellet, ghost and fruit, a perfect game (madness in my opinion).

Saturday

Today I learnt what Kopi Luwak tastes like.

Sunday

Chongqing has a population similar to Canada and Poland (and rising). I also only today found out that there is a Thai yellow curry (I knew about the green and the red versions. It turns out you can have the whole set of traffic lights all made with Thai curries).

Monday

If it wasnt for The Beatles, Ken Dodd’s “Tears” would be the top selling song of the 60s. (Only beaten by “She Loves You”, and “I Want to hold your Hand”).

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Lessons

First May Lessons…(1st and 2nd of May)

Saturday

Kopi Luwak is the name of the “cat poo” coffee that is made from beans that have been through the asian palm civet (which is not a cat). I also deduced correctly that the power of hindsight is subtely different and more powerful than foresight although together I bet they would make a powerful world beating combo.

Sunday

Used ground coffee can be used as a fertiliser

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Lessons

Last April Lessons

Monday

Singapore in the 90s had the highest per capita death penalty rate and is likely to still hold this record (Saudi Arabia 2nd)

Tuesday

William Marwood (who came up with the table of drops and hence the long drop method of execution) was a cobbler who just had an interest in capital punishment and asked if he could have a go. As his first hanging on April 1st 1872 (William Horry) was so good they gave him the job. Actually I knew most of this from the last geek fest i went to but didn’t know the cobbler bit. Hoping to learn something not about capital punishment tomorrow!

Wednesday

There are beauty contests for cows in which judges are impressed with the state of their udders

Thursday

I now know the meaning of comparative degree. “Less famous” or “Smaller” would be the comparative degree of famous or smaller.

Friday

Bromide has been used to lower sex drive. Just in case it works I am going to cut down on my bromine consumption.

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Lessons

February, New Month, New Week more things to learn

Monday – I actually found out what macrame is. heard the name, knew it was some sort of craft thing that I would never do but wasn’t sure if it was done with card, tissue paper or paint. Turns out you need cord but I am probably the only one who didn’t know this. (I don’t know if it is possible to make macrame clothes actually…)

Tuesday – The fastest hatrick in the FA Cup was 3 minutes in 1968 by Billy Best of Southend. Also the 22nd and 24th President of the USA was the same man.

Wednesday – It is possible to make macrame clothing – and some people do not know that pigs have male and female

Thursday – If I got two promotions I would not have to make my own tea

Friday – Sainsbury’s in Taunton has a resident robin

Saturday – Holding a pencil between your teeth can make you happy

Sunday – there are 28 varieties of rabbitfish, and they are probably all uglier than rabbits

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Lessons

This weeks lessons (week beginning 18th January)

So I don’t hassle everyone with a thing I learn everyday I have decided to do a week at a time…

Monday : Learnt how to use the Fake Call feature on my phone

Tuesday : learnt that Sgorio on S4C on 14th December officially had 0 viewers, and the Swiss shot down 11 German planes in WW2

Wednesday : Found out that SOLA stands for Specific Off-Label Approval, but havent the foggiest quite what that might mean. Also found out there is a sheep “smiley” on MSN messenger

Thursday : Alliumphobia is the fear of garlic but can be extended to include onions (I also rediscovered the recipe for a good french onion soup to keep people with this disorder away). Not convinced about Anatidaephobia but I really hope there is a fear of a duck watching you – although must be a nightmare…

Friday : Didn’t want to learn similar things on consecutive days but apparantly some cruel b*st*rd came up with aibohphobia as the fear of palindromes, making sufferers fearful of admitting to what they are fearful of, and leading them to a desperate cycle of despair and doom. Incidently Aracnophobia I think is a justified fear. Aracnophilia is surely something that is more in need of treatment.

Saturday : Found out that I need to add an extra rule to my NYR which forbids me from cheating and looking at the learn something new everyday website, that I didnt know existed until today. Also learnt the longest recorded fart was 2 minutes and 45 seconds

Sunday : Learnt how to make an origami swan

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Lessons

Strongbow

According to the Chief Medical Killjoy for the UK I should not consume more than 1.739 (440ml) cans of strongbow per day. If cans were 765 ml it would be one of those, or 2 at 382ml.

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Lessons

Pizzas

Using a cunning scientific method I have discovered the ideal thickness for pizza bases… also learnt that it has been 9 years since sunderland scored at stamford bridge, so they can at least take some satisfaction from their 7-2 loss

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Lessons

New Year Resolution still intact…

Even tho I didnt get to put down yesterdays thing I learnt, I did actually learn that Barnaby the Bear that I saw in the 70s is actually called Colargol. It is something that I think I should have known really, and is a slightly nicer name than Barnaby.

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Lessons

Nokia Alerts

I only today realised the old nokia ring alert was morse code for SMS. I also learnt a bit about how trampolining competitions work, and that you can have 2 minutes bouncing around before you do your routine. Along with the existence of akinator.com* it has been a successful day…

* so far it has identified, benitez, Paddington bear, Vlad the impaler, Iggle Piggle, Fireman Sam, Percy the green Engine, Sam Fox and Peter O’Toole

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Lessons

facebook maths

It is possible to put mathematical symbols in facebook and it has taken until today for me to find out how… but I have and so I am able to ∫ both my geek sides