Piggy’s description:
We could share factoids we’ve read, advice from personal experience, observations about the world, what-have-you. Everyone learns something new every day, and I’d like a place to share.
Continued from the original thread.
Patience, Please
This site is under reconstruction and will look strange for a while. We regret the inconvenience.
Today I learned that Druddigon has a depressingly low catch rate.
Techno music is not the best genre to listen to when one has a headache.
Magnets are a great source of endless fun.
Yes, Einstein and I strongly agree with you.
Male monarch butterflies consider very dark stripes very attractive in female monarch butterflies.
4- Thank you for posting that. I had no idea.
Jamie does not wear his beret while sleeping. (My family really likes watching Mythbusters.)
Today I learned that the tailgunner seat on a B-17 isn’t as small as I thought it was. Certainly somewhat cramped, but bearable.
They blew up a trombone on Mythbusters.
But…. but…. that’s instrument abuse!!
I believe I’ve seen the episode, and it was an old broken trombone that would never play again.
To the 1812 Overture, no less.
…these are all squidded…why?…
We are not the only website with a Mr. Joe Smiley. Besides the ones that are MuseBlog-based, I mean.
Nope. One time I looked over Mom’s shoulder, and somebody had used Mr. Joe to express happiness. There was a moment of confusion.
When exactly did Mr. Joe become the avatar of stupidity and evil he is today?
See the most recent Ask The GAPAs thread.
Yay, a new thread!
Yesterday I learned that Boston was named after St. Botolph, that Edvard Grieg was a Norwegian composer, and that Leonard Bernstein was once conductor of the New York Philharmonic.
Today I learned how to spell “Norwegian”.
Acrylic paints are very expensive. (and so are brushes. and so are canvases)
Pink Floyd’s song “In the Flesh” is written in 3/4 time. I did not previously realize this. It’s a song that has untypable lyrics with fascist tones (ending in “if I had my way, I’d have all of you shot”)meant to bring out the stupidity of the beliefs that the ‘main character’ has, and you could waltz to it. Naturally, this sparked an art.
Freddie Mercury was an avid stamp collector. I learned that from a London radio station that my record player in Massachusetts is picking up.
THERE ARE BIODIVERSITY DRADING CARDS. AND YOU CAN PLAY GAMES WITH THEM. THEY’RE FREE. I COULD LEARN A LOT FROM THEM. AND THEY HAVE A HYPSIBIUS DUJARDINI (TARDIGRADE) CARD!!! <3 <3
I literally squeed out loud when I found out. I’m obsessed with biology, so this is like a dream come true.
Really? Cool! Where do you get them?
Google phylo cards.
Pokémon games keep backup save files.
I am good at badminton.
Ish.
SFTDP, but I just learned something else!!!
Reading the Quotations thread while eating cookies with milk can be extremely messy.
I had two hours of sleep last night but haven’t crashed all day. Even an awful math test couldn’t bring me down off my sleep-deprivation high-peractivity.
‘Nother weird musical one: “Tubular Bells” (you might know it from the Exorcist. It is awesome) and “I am the Doctor” (series 5 theme) very nearly almost sync up perfectly. Tubular Bells is, alas, a bit slower, but the rhythm is identical. I’ve had a weird mash-up of the two of them stuck in my head all day.
Yesterday I learned that Six Flags is an adjective.
Today I learned that Li Na is the only Chinese tennis player ever to get into a Grand Slam final. (I hope she wins!)
Man, I hate Six Flags.
Today I learned that Capt. Jack Sparrow is Muslim.
Genuinely practicing Muslim? Or the “converted while drunk” version? Or both?
Considering that pretty much everything Jack Sparrow does is while drunk, I think it’s the latter.
The real-life Jack Sparrow (John Ward, later called Jack Birdy, later called Yusuf Reis) legitimately converted, drinking nothing but water and unfermented nectar, living a life split between penance in Tunisia and saving thousands of Spanish Jews and Muslims from persecution.
There is a trill key on the saxophone that goes from B natural to C.
Band director: Okay, altos have a trill here. You all know the trill key from B to C? Middle side key?
Me: (in the trombone section) THERE’S A TRILL KEY FROM B TO C!?!?!?!?!?!
Paperclip: (blank expression) What’s a trill key?
Me: *botches explanation*
A trill key is a key that trills!
Horns don’t have trill keys.
We use our lips to trill
Painfully
(Is this a poem?)
Hm, so that’s why the French horn player said he hated trilling.
Look, I learned something today!
For some reason that reminded me of the book Love That Dog (the part about it being a poem)
I learned that John Quincy Adams’s stride was two feet, 6.88 inches.
I learned the best way to put in the metal dividers used in library bookshelves.
I learned that TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Distance In Space.
Time and Relative Dimension In Space, actually.
No, it’s TARDIgrades In SpaceReally? That’s fascinating. I didn’t know dimensions were relative.Who knows? Ask Susan.
TARDIgrades could go into space, I suppose. Although that concept hasn’t been mentioned in Doctor Who.
Yet.
No, they already did. With no protective suits or anything. They survived the airlessness as if they’d never left the lab, and some even survived the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Guess what they called that project!
I am torn between being happy, embarrased, or overjoyed at that statement.
Are we talking about the LIFE experiment?
No, this has already happened. They’ve been to space and back, just not deep space or for so long. Thanks for mentioning it, though; I’d never heard of it. (And if you weren’t so obsessed with space, I’d be mortified that anyone found out something so interesting about tardigrades before I did. As it is, I’m torn between being happy, embarrassed, concerned for their welfare, proud, or ECSTATICALLY OVERJOYED AND THRILLED AND DELIGHTED).
The Planetary Society website, mon ami.
Squee! Conan the Terrifying Berry is going, too!
Conan the Bacterium!
Also called a terrifying berry. I just like the sound of Conan the Terrifying Berry. I suppose it’s not accurate, but really, if he’s a terrifying berry, and his name is Conan…
Conan the Terrifying Berry? What’s that?
Deinococcus radiodurans!
Dimensions plural, if you want to be pedantic.
Not originally. (Also pedantic)
England is on an island. (Yes, sadly I only learned this today. They really don’t teach much geography at my school.)
Well, it IS somewhat un-islandy.
Well, really, England is one island, a few other tiny islands, and about 2/3 of an island.
No, that’s Britain. England itself is just part of the one island.
(Why am I so nitpicky today? Sorry)
If you hadn’t corrected him, I would have. My own son should know better.
Oh right. *facepalm*
*offers self as a sacrifice to father*
In other news I learned that the derivative of k^x = k^x * ln k
*brain is melting*
My son sacrificing himself to me? I feel like a Greek god.
Terry Pratchett lives in England, an island off the coast of France, where he spends his time writing Discworld Novels in accordance with the Very Strong Anthropic Principle, which holds that the entire Purpose of the Universe is to make possible a being that will live in England, an island off the coast of France, and spend his time writing Discworld Novels. Which is exactly what he does. Which proves the whole business true. Any questions?
Technically, though, everything on land on Earth is on some sort of island. The solid and liquid parts of the world seem to be entirely composed of islands, lakes, and lagoons.
*off topic post* (Did your gravatar get new goggles? Or have they always been there?)
I learned that you can harm ecosystems by stepping really hard on wet soil because it squeezes the air out. I learned that Francis Law Olmsted coined the term “landscape architecture” and that he designed the Emerald Necklace, which is the only park system in the United States that you can walk through in a straight line. I learned that garlic mustard is an invasive species that was brought over by Dutch settlers in the 1700s. It was a kitchen herb that got out of control.
And all before 11 AM!
Today I learned that I can taste chocolate in the back of my throat several hours after consuming said chocolate, and it does not taste good.
Yesterday I learned I can’t scream while dropping at…a very fast rate from…very high up because if I do my stomach will most likely float out of my throat and dangle out of my mouth.
Re-learned today: LotR is actually written in the second person.
Also, Singapore is not a good place to go around impersonating Jean-Luc Picard. People just don’t get it.
I hate the abbreviation LotR. For some reason, it just doesn’t seem Lord-of-the-Rings-ish to me.
I prefer LoR.
That sounds like a Hulk interpretation of the book.
LORD OF RING
Frodo: FRODO HOBBIT, FRODO GET RING FROM UNCLE
Gandalf: YOU PUT RING IN FIRE
Elrond: ELROND CALL MEETING FOR TALK ABOUT RING
Boromir: BOROMIR WANT RING. NO, BOROMIR SAD
Sam: SAM NO LIKE GOLLUM
Frodo: FRODO PUT RING IN FIRE MOUNTAIN, FRODO GO ON BOAT NOW
THERE IS ONE LORD OF RING, HE NO SHARE POWER!!!
THREE RINGS FOR ELFS UNDER SKY
SEVEN FOR DWARFS IN STONE
NINE FOR MEN THAT GOING TO DIE
ONE FOR LORD IN DARK THRONE
IN LAND OF MORDOR WHERE SHADOW LIE
ONE RING FOR RULE ALL
ONE RING FOR FIND
ONE RING FOR BRING THEM
AND IN DARK BIND
IN LAND OF MORDOR WHERE SHADOW LIE
I have an idea for both the best and worst crossover fanfic ever.
omg piggy me love you. me cry now, tear of laughter
*dead*
Okay.
What I learned Today: President JFK doodled on some of the papers in the Oval office, and you can find these doodles at the JFK library.
SFTDP
Today I learned that it costs $2.99 to rent the “Friday” video on Youtube for 72 hours.
How…?
How do you even rent an ONLINE VIDEO?!
It’s pretty common…? Anyway, they seem to have tentatively removed the price on that video now, but it’s not exactly clear.
But how is that possible? It’s online!
You pay the three bucks, it allows your account to view the full video for 72 hours, then at the end of the rental period you can no longer watch it. iTunes has had movie rentals for quite a while now.
You said Youtube.
I was giving an example of a site that’s been soon it for some time now.
I imagine it’s like ordering an e-book and then immediately reading it on the same computer: You just have to ask to be billed before it’s possible to click the video, and then they send you a bill.
The question is, why would anyone want to? The only reason I can think of is Sue Sylvester-like sadism.
Being Imperiused by the Dark Lord? That’s the only way I would do anything of the sort.
Today I learned that the DS has a different startup noise for your birthday.
How considerate! Do you prefr it to the normal one?
Today I learned that Bluetooth was named after the 10th century Danish king Harald I, Harald BlÃ¥tand Gormsson. BlÃ¥tand, which translates to “blue-tooth”, was an epithet given to him because he loved blueberries so much his teeth were often stained blue. He united Denmark in the same way that the programmers of Bluetooth were trying to make one wireless standard from a whole host of competing protocols.
…Really? Are you sure? It sounds a bit… mythical…
I’ve read it numerous places, so I think it’s true. Even the Bluetooth logo is based on the name–it’s a combination of the runes Hagall (áš¼) and Bjarkan (á›’), which are Harald’s initials.
Really? That’s very fascinating, then.
I learned that playing badminton near the house will result in
a) getting all of the birdies on the roof
b) standing on top of the car
c) your sister calling you the name of your orthodontist.
I learned that, at least according to About.com, “fear of space” is an actual condition, called “astrophobia”. I don’t know whether to be more worried that somebody actually has the time to write up a web page on a phobia as obscure as that or that someone may actually suffer from that phobia.
I’m sure you’d have astrophobia if you were sent up without a spacesuit. Even with one, I can understand being afraid of getting motion sick if you’re especially prone to it, or even if you’re not. Also, there’s this irrational fear of potential, potentially evil aliens people have; it’s quite common. So yes, I’m sure astrophobes exist. Sorry.
Cat’s-eye is a plant.
Today I learned that I finally overtook Rebecca in number of comments, earning me a spot in the Big Four. Soon I will surpass TMFA. From there I will rise no further, because daaang Robert and Alice have posted a lot.
this means you’ll have to keep posting on MB until you’re 100Keep going, Piggy!
I never can seem to get a spot in the top 100, partially because I have 500-something posts under koko’s apprentice before I capitalized it, so now I have to work my way back up.
I suppose I could stop posting…
No. No, I really couldn’t. But I could add points to my name or something, if that would help.
You still have more than twice as many comments as I.
One more and you’ll break 12,000!
Maybe you could call yourself “THE Robert Coontz (Administrator)”.
That was a series of disconnected but related thoughts.
I learned that I’m number 19 on the “who’s posted how much” list.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT I’M ALL INFLUENTIAL AND STUFF?!?!
(Also, that’s just under this name, not counting the couple hundred posts I made under other versions of my name. I used to have a thing with points. It was very silly.)
I used to add a bunch of stuff to my name as well, various decorations and epithets.
I just saw this – I remember the points fad! That was silly. I’m #11 in post count, even after being dormant for months at a time.
Today I learned I’m number 8.
In the top 10 (top 8, really)
Right behind Luna….
i learned how to make gifs in cs5 yesterday! now i will never do anything else
On July 16 (my birthday), 1439, kissing was banned in England.
Because of the plague?
I’ve no idea why. Maybe.
Cool, our birthdays are 3 days apart! (and possibly an unknown number of years)
Made brownie fudge cake today! And very garlicy bruschetta. OMNOM.
Crap somehow I must have hit “back” before I posted, this was supposed to go on the random thread x_x
Just put “Today I learned I love” in front and you’ll be fine.
One in a thousand adults has a cockroach in their ear.
SFTDP, but does that mean that when I’m an adult, there will be a .1% chance that I’ll have a cockroach in my ear at any given moment? The average lifespan for women in the US is 76, right? I’m not very healthy, though, so I’m not sure I’ll live that long, if I get to be an adult at all. Did that survey specify whether they counted people as adults at 18, 10, or 21? I want to calculate the odds of a cockroach getting into my ear when I’m an adult. I hope that, if it happens, the cockroach will be clean. Maybe I’ll find out about average cockroach cleanliness and also find the odds of a CLEAN cockroach getting in… I wonder how well cockroaches represent insects as a whole here in terms of what percentage of THEM get into our ears…
Never mind–cockroaches don’t carry any human diseases, so I won’t mind in the slightest if one enters my ear. In fact, I’d be delighted, albeit perplexed. I’m worried, though, because the inside of a human’s ear doesn’t seem like a very safe place for them… I do hope Piggy’s right.
I find that dubious.
Me, too, actually. Where did you hear it from, Mika? I’ve never actually seen anyone with a cockroach in their ear, after all, although one once got onto my head, and someone else I know claimed likewise.
Yes, actually, I do too. I heard it from a girl at my school, who is usually a very knowledgeable and accurate person, so I do trust her normally to give her correct information, but I don’t actually have a source, so I can’t check it for reliability–you may want to refrain from buying cockroach repellent. Which, actually, raises an interesting question. Could we create a cockroach repellent? This would help if a place had cockroaches, say a hotel, and wanted to not have them, etc. For that matter, it would be helpful to people with cockroach problems everywhere to have a cockroach repellent, one strong enough to drive them away, while not, perhaps, being overly toxic. Although perhaps that’s not possible–aren’t cockroaches supposed to survive nuclear wars?
Well, a repellent wouldn’t need to kill them; then it would be a poison, not a repellent. If there’s anything cockroaches particularly hate that humans don’t, it could certainly be created. I don’t know what cockroaches avoid, though. Then again, if they survive so much, maybe they don’t have the instinct to stay away from so many things, so it may not be possible. Hm. I hope it is; I would be overjoyed if the conflict between humans and cockroaches could become more severe.
True; however, I was referring to things such as mosquito repellent, which has toxic stuff like DEET in it 9/10 of the time; that is, an organic cockroach repellent? *hustles off to do research about cockroaches*
…It does? I’m now even more grateful that mosquitos just don’t really seem to need extra motivation to stay away from me, for the most part; I don’t like being bitten, but I don’t want them to die, either. I thought it was the smell they didn’t like… but since so many people use it, why don’t I ever see anyone with dead mosquitos on them? You’d think it would be common.
I just noticed the most ridiculous typo ever. I MEANT LESS SEVERE NOT MORE
Today I learned that using “expletive deleted” to avoid using profanity is a term popularized in the 1970’s, after it was used in the transcripts of the tapes of President Nixon that emerged during/after the Watergate scandal.
That’s right; I remember it well. The transcripts were released when I was in high school. We had great fun using them as Mad-Libs.
Do you have any of those in your time capsule you could show us?
I’m afraid not, but you could replicate the experiment.
Today I learned that, in 2010, the military’s budget for air conditioners in tents in Afghanistan was more than the entire NASA budget.
Now I’m sad.
Me, too.
Me, three.
Me four.
Me five.
This is bordering on a PoPo. *Pays fine*
Tragic.
Well, there went my faith in humanity.
I’m not saying I condone the presence of troops in Afghanistan in the first place, but air conditioners there are somewhat necessary for comfortable survival.
But for the budget of the world’s foremost space exploration organization, which remains the only group to have put humans on extraterrestrial land, to have a smaller budget than a fraction of a fraction of what the military spends money on each year?
;(
*shakes head hopelessly*
Small children lose 20% of their adorableness for each hour you are seated with them on a plane. The little girl who was next to me on both flights ended up around -200% cute. This is because she expressed her frustration that the ride was not over by grabbing my ponytail and attempting to use it to climb onto my head.
What did her parents do?
Also, how does it feel to be out of Singapore?
Well, I woke up the woman sitting on the other side of the girl, who turned out to be a monk (he was covered in one of those airplane blankets, so I couldn’t really tell). Her mother turned out to have switched places with the monk on account of airsickness. I have to say, I think it’s pretty low to leave your four-year-old daughter with a vomiting monk.
It feels brilliant. More than brilliant. I feel actually alive for once. I think the humidity and the noise and the crowdedness and the heat were sort of compressing me.
*She, not he. I think. It’s kind of hard to tell with monks.
Your life seems to intersect with that of monks a lot.
I was thinking the same thing.
I wonder if that will change now that she’s no longer in Singapore.
Maybe, or maybe CO is a natural monk magnet.
I’m picturing a bar magnet with monks sticking to it.
“Natural Monk Target” is a t-shirt I need.
Well, it’s southeast Asia. There are a lot of monks.
A female monk?
Wouldn’t that be a nun?
We’re not talking about Christianity.
There are Buddhist nuns, though.
This isn’t exactly something I learned, but:
Today I met an INTP that believes in astrology and gets very upset if anyone questions it. I have never rubbed my temples in impatience so much.
All types of astrology? I’ve never known Chinese to work at all, but strangely enough, everyone whose zodiac sign I know off the top of my head seems to fit it well. It isn’t just the placebo effect, either, because I acted Cancer-like long before I knew what its traits were.
Its traits are written so that anyone can read them and say, “Oh woah that sounds like me!” If you had read, say, Virgo’s traits that had been labeled as Cancer, you would’ve responded the same way. It’s all confirmation bias–the things that do match up accurately you notice, while the things which don’t match up you forget about.
Then why am I aware that the Tiger does not fit me? It’s not as if it’s the exact opposite of me, either; it just isn’t what I’m like. I’m not saying the zodiac is infallable or even that the corelation is more than mild; this is just what I’ve observed. The Chinese signs do not seem to fit the people I know very well, but the kind whose name I don’t really remember does. I do try hard to be impartial while reading these things. I know myself really well. I don’t agree with everything people say about me. I don’t agree with everythingonline personaity tests by expert psychologists tell me, probably because I just don’t tend to fit the common patterns enough to get into the categories that do fit me the most–so I think I’m capable of figuring out whether a description that I normally would assume to be random (because I know there’s no logic, in addition to having seen the Chinese horoscope and its inaccuracy before I saw the other one). I’m not saying that I fit everything to do with Cancer, of course, but I definitely think that it fits me more than the others. There might well be a bit of confirmation bias, but I really don’t think it’s ALL confirmation bias.
Believe it or not, I’ve noticed similar things as Bibliophile. I think the concept of horoscopes is a bit ridiculous, and the Zodiac saying that all people born in the same year have certain similar qualities is a bit of a stretch, but I sometimes I notice people born in the summer do behave differently than people born in the winter. This isn’t to say that they are incredibly similar, nor that there aren’t huge exceptions, but I might say that it’s not out of the realm of possibility that there are some mild correlations.
Mild correlation, possibly, but the causality is all wrong.
I always wondered about the horoscopes in the Boston Globe. Do they actually have someone who thinks they’re an astrology expert to write them, or does an intern or something write them, or are they the same as the ones in the New York Times?
Apparently the climate of the first few months of your life can determine how many sweat glands you have. According to my mother, that is. So maybe your personality is affected too? Or maybe there’s a direct link- in Singapore my mom and I get extremely crabby because it’s so hot and we were raised in colder climates, but my dad grew up in India and he loves it.
While we’re on the topic, did anyone hear about the recent sign change for a certain horoscope?
There is an article here: http:// newsfeed. time. com/2 011/01/13 /horosco pe-hang-up -earth- rotation- changes -zo diac-sig ns/
I always thought Cancer only mildly described me, and thought the whole thing was totally false, especially becuase the few times I did read mine and other horoscopes I could relate all of them to my life just as easily.
The sign change changed me into a Gemini. Since I am a twin, I was suprised and laughing as well.
Oh… Well, I certainly don’t have anything in common with Gemini. That’s so unike me it’s ridiculous.
My brother, who actually pays attention to these things, says that it only applies to people born before some specific year. He can’t remember what it is, but he says it’s after he and I were born, and I’m younger than you.
In Time there was an article that said that nobody’s sign actually changed after all a while ago…
I think it is because it depends on which horoscope you put stock in, and the one North Americans usually use did not change, while the more Asian one was the one that the signs did change because of. I could be wrong, though.
To continue this topic, I found out ( by reading the byline – clever, right? ) that someone called Eugenia Last writes the horoscopes in the Boston Globe.
And she has a website. According to an ad at the bottom of the screen, she’s a “world-renowned astrologer.” Hmm, and there appears to be an advice column. “Please enter your birth data below – including the day, the month, the year and the time
Answers to your questions will be posted on ‘Readers Letters’ page.
You may leave a pseudonym to keep your `letter’ confidential. I want to stress how important it is to submit complete and accurate birthdata – the time and place of birth.
This includes any other persons birth data you submit involved with your concerns or questions.
This data will substantially affect the calculations in casting your Astrological Chart.”
Should I send in one of my problems and see what she has to say about it?
Sure! It can’t hurt; the worst that can happen is that the advice is unhelpful and not amusing.
I learned that toasted pumpernickel with butter is an extremely addicting substance.
Drizzled with rosemary olive oil is pretty addictive, too, in my experience.
I learned that Kathryn Sullivan is awesome.
I learned that in Spain, subways are cleaner, less confusing, and much more energetic than in NYC. And there’s only one train that stops in front of you: the one you want.
I learned that listening to too much Lavendar Town music on Youtube can give people headaches. So now I’m listening to other Pokemon music.
I read that as Lavender Brown and went, “She has music?! That sounds headache-inducing. Where can I find it?”
Today I learned that I’m right-brained.
How can you tell?
I’ve been reading various papers on brain lateralization and the functions of the two hemispheres, and I seem to match up. I’ve taken various tests as well that back up my conclusion.
“If the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, then only left-handed people are in their right minds!”
I learned that Disney Channel-esque TV shows geared toward eleven-year-olds are much more enjoyable when they’re British. The fact that the main character was the age of the target audience was also refreshing. *coughcoughdisneychannelcoughcough*
Today I learned that the Corn Palace exists entirely for its own sake.
Is it made with real corn?
It’s decorated with real corn.
It is not advisable to watch The Empty Child directly before bed.
Today I learned that every episode of Futurama is on Netflix Instant.
As well as half the other TV shows in existence.
Today I learned that my friends will not go out of their way to see Harry Potter with me ten minutes later than they had planned.
Until today, I didn’t realize how mainstream indie bands could be.
Like what? The only one that comes to mind for me is Death Cab For Cutie, but I don’t know if they’re really indie. Is Florence and the Machine still considered indie?
I was thinking more Bon Iver, which I’ve heard people describe as indie.
The following are types of South American potatoes: ashes of the soul, guinea pig fetus, strong morning frost, sacred mountain, whip made of dried animal skin, fig, feet of the lequecho bird, makes the daughter and law cry, puma’s paw, pork dish, high mountain village, and woven vest.
Can you imagine the conversations?
Foreigner visiting relatives (parents-in-law, maybe): “What are you 2 eating?”
“Guinea pig’s fetus and ashes of the soul.”
“Makes the daughter-in-law cry.”
FVR: WHAT?
They don’t look like potatoes, either, so I’m sure the question has come up at least once in the history of potatoes.
W…..wow. That’s slightly disturbing….
Where did you learn this?
National Geographic. There was a danger of our subscription not being renewed even though I’d planned to start reading them sometime, so of course I had to start reading them so that we’d keep subscribing, and I’m very glad I did, because it was fascinating.
That is most definitely fascinating.
NG is a great investment.
Today (well, okay, yesterday) I learned that the Pokemon Center nurses in Pokemon Black and White wish you a happy birthday on your birthday.
Although I have never owned any Pokemon games to start with, I am astonished by how the games have developed.
I learned what the “H.P.” stands for in H.P. Lovecraft (and no, it is not Harry Potter)…Not exactly a suitable name for a horror writer. If I were him, I would go with the H.P. too. I really should have known this by now though, considering how much of a rabid fan I am (sorry, “cultist”. One is not a fan of Lovecraft, they are a cultist of Lovecraft)
While consuming enormous amounts of Lovecraft, I also learned that I will go to school next year several blocks away from where he once lived. OMGOO!!!! (Oh My Great Old Ones!)
So what does it stand for, then?
Howard Phillips. Which is a perfectly respectable horror-writer name (or at least no less respectable than Edgar Allan).
Howard? No. Edgar is reasonably creepy, but Howard is right out, especially with a name like Lovecraft.
Today I learned why the punchline behind the “Why did the chicken cross the road?” joke is supposed to be funny. It’s a double meaning: to get to the other side of the street, or to get to the “Other Side” (i.e., chicken heaven after getting run over).
*revelation*
May I ask how you would have happened to learn this?
I read it somewhere. Can’t recall where.
Revelation to me too! Though I’m finding it less funny now that I know that. I like my humor absurd.
Things tend to get overanalyzed nowadays, it seems…
Overanalyzed? On MuseBlog? Perish the thought.
I was referring to life in general, because I tend to over-analyze things that shouldn’t be over-analyzed
and neglect to do so on certain other things like English essaysAs you mentioned earlier, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives being called into question.
In certain cases such as this chicken scenario, people appear to do overanalyzing. Seems like they don’t have ability to leave the joke as is, with the “non-joke joke” muselover mentioned.
This seems like a really scattered comment for me to make, so sorry. I can’t seem to organize my thoughts as well today.
Well, the other interpretation is that you expect a punchline that actually makes it a joke, but you get just a simple explanation as to why the chicken crossed the road. That way, the joke is that it isn’t a joke. I think that these two interpretations are just about equally likely.
I suspect that the “non-joke joke” interpretation was the original one and that the “afterlife” interpretation came along later.
That reminds me of how I reacted the first time I heard someone ask, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” The question made no sense to me. Everybody knew that fish were laying eggs hundreds of millions of years before land animals evolved.
That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day, including “Not my daughter, you [!]”
Chicken/road variations are a common genre of humor on the Internet (though I think they were funnier when there were fewer of them). Here are some of my favorites:
WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER: To get to the other side.
PLATO: For the greater good.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross roads.
KARL MARX: It was a historical inevitability.
HIPPOCRATES: Because of an excess of phlegm in its pancreas.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives being called into question.
EINSTEIN: Whether the chicken crossed the road or the road moved beneath the chicken depends upon your frame of reference.
BUDDHA: Asking this question denies your own chicken nature.
GRANDPA: In my day, we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Someone told us that the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough for us.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die. In the rain.
Were you in a restaurant in Canada called Truffle Pig? I was there a few days ago, and it had that exact same joke, with all the same people.
I’ve never been there. It’s an old joke, with many variations and later additions (most of them inferior, in my opinion). I looked around the Internet and tried to reconstruct the original version, as I remembered it. The restaurant owners must have done the same.
….Wait, it’s supposed to be funny?
How many surrealists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
To get to the other side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many postmodernists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
Firstly, how have to ask if you are going to use lightbulbs at all. Will a lightbulb be more symbolic of the oppression of the media, or can an alternate source of light such as a candle provide greater illumination in the matters of autonomic dissmissal? Secondly, how should the lightbulb be placed in the socket? Is putting it in backwards a symbol our culture’s obsession with introspective reversal, or would that be overstating it? If you break the lightbulb and fill the socket with the glass, does that provide a philosophical glimpse into object permanence in terms of whether the glass is a lightbulb, or will it be overstating the lightbulb. Perhaps the best way is to understate the position, to make a statement of society’s dependance yet utter ignorance of modern technology. There’s also the question of where the socket goes in the room. Should it go in it’s traditional spot on the ceiling, reminiscent of the bare rooms in an asylum; or a stranger place on the wall or floor give a greater insight into our inability to percieve form over function solutions? It is possible the best place for the socket is floating in the air, as a nod towards nonrepresentational sculpture? The most important question to ask, however, is whether the lightbulb should be purely conceptual. Is the idea of a lightbulb still a lightbulb? What about a broken lightbulb? A broken lightbulb floating in a room with no method of illumination? Which is more descriptive or conceptual- a drawing of a lightbulb or a description of such? Would a child’s drawing of a lightbulb be more or less representational? What if a very young child who had never seen a lightbulb before was asked to copy a drawing of a lightbulb? Would that be a drawing of a lightbulb? How would a blind person describe a lightbulb? What if we took all the descriptions of lightbulbs from every person on Earth and compiled them into a word picture of a lightbulb- or better yet- a candle? This could easily represent our natural ability to percieve when there is nothing. Perhaps a lightbulb without a filament would be a better choice, representing how much we can remove and still easily recognize something. Or better yet- a candle inside the lightbulb shell. It could represent our society’s adoration of a technologically advanced exterior while having a simplistic interior. Would a lightbulb painted black, completely unable to illuminate anything be too obviously a statement about the fundamental uselessness of technology. Or better yet, the lightbulb painted black, broken, hanging in the middle of the room surrounded by a blind woman’s description of what she believes the lightbulb to be, with the drawings of children who have never seen lightbulbs before pasted around the room, along with dictionary definitions or lightbulbs. The room could be illuminated only by candles, and the wax would slowly fill the room, representing technology’s inability to progress without destroying the environment. The fact that the lightbulb is broken and painted black could represent the collapse of our inherently fragile civil structure, and the way technology does not last during periods of social upheaval. The melting wax burning or destroying the children’s drawings represents the loss of innocence. If they were forced to watch their drawings being destroyed, it could become a coming of age moment for them, when the put aside childish things and begin searching for knowledge. Would this be too obvious? What about a video of men in blank masks turning a perfectly normal room with a lightbulb into the art exhibit? Would playing it backward create a greater philosophical implication of the return of sense and civiliation? Yes! I’ll need a blind woman to hire, 30 babies to raise in carefully controlled conditions, a hundred candles, black paint, 5 masks, 5 construction workers, a video camera, and a lightbulb. Who will fund me?
Cookies if you read all the way through without your brain pouring out your ears.
Before he was a famous and influential guitarist, Martin Carthy worked in technical theater. ASMs for the win!
Also, he held a grudge against Paul Simon for some time after the latter adapted the former’s adaptation of Scarborough Fair. Or something like that. It’s like I read in a folk songbook once how Lonnie Donegan stole an arrangement of Rock Island Line. How do you steal something like a folk song? They’re public domain, I thought. If you want to look at it that way everyone steals them from Sir Francis Child, who stole them from one of his colleagues or something (I read somewhere that he let everyone else do all the work but don’t quote me on that because I might be making it up), who stole them from some random old Scottish/Welsh/English/Irish people who…didn’t steal them because they’re public domain. They evolve, that’s how it works.
Today I learned what it feels like to hiccup and cough at the same time.
Apparently, I have a noticeable Canadian accent.
Are you Canadian?
My dad is, and he taught me to talk, so I suppose it makes sense. It’s just weird because I’ve lived in California my whole life …
There is a trill key from C natural to D!
When my tutor at bandcamp told me this, I accidentily told him that I also played trombone, and he went all “NO SAY IT ISNT SO PLEASE OH HOW COULD YOU” so I gave the excuse that my band director needed low brass. (Another reason I did it was because I had a crush on the first chair trombonist…)
But anyway, the trill key can also be used as an alternate fingering!
Today I learned that the species of the first discovered fossilized tardigrade was named after Tolkien’s character Beorn. (This may be inaccurate; my chain of sources was somewhat disjointed, but I think that it was the first fossilized tardigrade discovered.) I then learned that there’s actually quite an extensive list of species that were named after Tolkien and his characters and races, and even after some words in Tolkien’s various languages.
J.K. Rowling, you’re next.
There’s already a
dragondinosaur based off of HP.I’m pretty sure youre right. I also know of a dinosaur (not even an avian one!) named after Hogwarts and a plant named after Apparating, although neither of those are anywhere near as awesome as tardigrades.
I learned today that under Massachusetts law, horses still have the right of way on public roads.
M.C. Escher was left-handed.
This seems oddly right.
(I didn’t mean to make a pun, honest! I didn’t realise it was until I typed it out and facepalmed.)
The total Harry Potter series (According a magazine I just read) is 42 hundred pages long.
Wouldn’t that depend on what editions you’re using?
A man once called the police because someone tried to sell him fake cocaine, passing it off as the real thing. Also, you can buy bandanas with labeled pictures of animal scat on them. Or ones with tracks. I want them.
Today I learned that GPS manufacturers are supposed to have their devices automatically disable tracking if they’re at an altitude of more than 60,000 feet or are traveling faster than 1,000 knots (about 1200 mph). These restrictions exist so the devices can’t be used to guide ICBMs. This is awesome.
Well, drat. I guess I’m going to need a new way to guide my nuclear missiles.
Today I learned how to admire grass and that there has been at least one instance of a wild elephant choosing to stand on its hind legs to reach some seed pods in a tree. Can’t you just picture it?
I learned that listening to the Master’s theme and then switching to the Shiki soundtrack is a really bad idea if you plan on sleeping. Gaaaaaahhh.
Bacteria never die of old age. Do you realize what this means?! Hypothetically, it is not impossible for a bacterium to live forever (Voldemort was wrong). It’s quite possible that one of our baterial ancestors is still alive–it could be literally under one of our noses right now, and we wouldn’t know it! I’ve always wanted to see my infinitely great grandparents, and it turns out I might have touched one more great than I could possibly imagine. I’m rather awestruck.
Really? My mom disagrees on this, and she’s a biologist. Where did you see this information?
But then, what exactly is meant from to “die of old age”? How exactly does anything die from old age?
It’s a matter of definition, I think. Bacteria reproduce by dividing. After that happens, do you consider them the same bacteria, or new ones? If they’re the same, then every bacterium in the world has been around for billions of years. On the other hand, during that time they’ve also changed a lot by mutation and gene-swapping and such.
Ah. I read it in a book called Pocket Ecology, but I was the one who went, “So they could still be alive!” After all, it never said that they didn’t inevitably “die” some other way…
Why can’t things ever be as simple as they appear?!
There’s a sea slug forum! Squee!
…Never mind. It’s ending. There’s a technical problem.
Today I learned that there’s a technical name for the fear of mushrooms and fungus: mycophobia. Now I can describe myself more professionally.
Now, is it an actual phobia, or simply a fear? There is an important clinical difference.
It’s thoroughly irrational, and fairly severe, so it’s a phobia.
So you have panic attacks, and will go out of your way to avoid the possibility of coming into contact with mushrooms?
A full panic attack is not a defining factor of phobias. That said, I do have panic symptoms and will certainly go out of my way to avoid mushrooms and fungus. For instance, when it rains a lot, we get mushrooms in our yard. When I have to mow the lawn and thus run over the mushrooms, I try to stand way off to the side (as far away from the mushrooms as possible) and push through them as quickly as possible, all the while breathing heavier and often shuddering somewhat, with sweaty palms and the whole works. A few years ago I opened up the fridge and grabbed a container of margarine that was, unbeknownst to me, beyond its expiration date. I opened the lid and it was red and green and fuzzy. I dropped the container on the floor and ran out of the room.
Hmm, interesting. I don’t think i’ve got a phobia of anything.
Say, I hope that you don’t mind pictures of mushrooms…
I have a mild phobia of open doors; is there a word for that?
Wouldn’t that be more of an OCD type thing?
Phobias are actually very related to OCD- they are essentially the obsessions without the compulsioins. Many people with OCD who compulsively wash their hands are also germophobes.
Googling seems to say that it’s called… Open door phobia.
There is not a concrete name for a phobia of cephalopods, either. “Teuthophobia” is what the proper Greek name would be, as “Teuthology” is the study of them.
Rosebud2 (77.2)- Yours is fine as long as I don’t examine it too closely.
Bibliophile (77.2.1)- Sounds like an offshoot of agoraphobia, maybe? I’m sure someone has a word for it. If it exists, there’s a phobia for it.
Fear of lice is Phthiriophobia.
Gesundheit.
What a beautiful word!
I know! It’s too bad it’s associated with lice.
That confused me, since I’d thought you said it was fear of ice. Thank you for making me go back and check.
I learned that when one has just had 4 wisdom teeth removed, it is not a good idea to laugh very much.
That sounds like…wise advice.
aww, so nice of you to make sure she doesn’t laugh
I learned that the Justin Bieber song “Baby” is in the key of Eb major.
I used to like the key of Eb major!
BAIBEH BAIBEH BAIBEH MOOO!
BAIBEH BAIBEH BAIBEH GLUE!
I’m Not Sure Where That Came From.
No, Enceladus, I don’t think a cow with its mouth glued shut would sound quite that distressed.
I could have sworn I posted a comment earlier today. It didn’t have anything inappropriate in it, as far as I know. Is it in the spam filter?
Nope.
I think I accidentally put it on the FAIL thread.
Just Chuck Testa.
I’M SO SORRY.
Yesterday, while listening to the radio, I learned the word “nidget,” which refers to one who fetches a midwife, and the word “runction,” which means the act of weeding. I also learned that the word “Gadzooks” is derived from “God’s hooks” and refers to the nails used in the crucifixion.
Runction. Got it. COuld have saved me an embarrassing conversation a few months ago.
“Did you do anything today?”
“No, not really. Well, I did weed I guess.
“WHAT”
“?”
“PLEASE REREAD THAT”
“I MEANT THE GARDEN!”
Ouch.
The steel scrubber SOS pads can sharpen your scissors if you cut them in half.
Jelly babies (The strange British candy) have names, and rather bizarre names too (Boofuls?!?!?)
Refrigerators work by having some sort of liquid (there’s a name for it, but I can’t remember what it is) that absorbs heat. The heat is all taken away by the liquid. Thus: coolness. Iceboxes work in much the same way, as ice is endothermic. Some really cool old fridges, like the ones that, in a store, would hold meat, have a large ice block at the top. Water is pumped around the cabinet, absorbing the heat as it goes. When it passes by the ice it cools down again, so it can absorb more heat.
I learned that the headphones that come with a Yamaha digital piano have two plugs: an outer plug to put into the keyboard, and a smaller one that, when the outer one is screwed off, can fit into most music devices, including iPods. This accounted for many hours of pleasant listening, seeing as my other earbuds are broken. Also, I can plug them into my digital tuner metronome, so now I can hear the metronome over my saxophone.
I also learned that knitting needles have a tendency to slip between sofa cusions, and that there is no Roswell Middle School in Roswell, New Mexico. There is a Roswell Elementary and a Roswell High, but no Roswell Middle. (I was randomly scanning the Internet for stuff about aliens.)
Is this thread dead?
Last night I learned that if I go for long spans of time without watching Doctor Who, then I start having dreams about it.
Not dead, just sleeping. Today I learned that the dorm laundry (which I am right next to) is incredibly popular on weekends.
Paper mills smell like burnt broccoli. Also, if you use the word “shiny” as some variety of happy exclamation, other people are unlikely to understand you don’t mean it literally and will thus be confused.
I learned that,in French, Doctor Who is still called Doctor Who (only with a French accent) and not Doctor Qui or something.
Were you talking to a French Whovian?
I’ve watched some Who in French back when I was learning it.. I learned the word for “werewolf” that way.
(it was actually really tricky, though, because in order to understand speech I tend to do a lot of lipreading and since it was dubbed…)
How do you find French Doctor Who episodes?!
Dailymotion. And googling.
I was watching Doctor Who trailers in French. (I learned how to say “Who’s your daddy?!” in French. XD)
I used to think that my friends dad was just being obnoxious when he went around saying Doctor Who in a french accent an claiming that french people called it that, but I guess he was right. The french accent was still bad though.
I learned last night that:
– Roswell, New Mexico, is the location of the largest mozzarella factory in the United States.
– The ghost orchid grows in Florida swamps and is all roots and a flower, with no leaves. No part of it normally touches the ground- the roots grow around trees.
– The Louis and Clark Expedition set out from Pennsylvania.
– The geographic center of North America is located in North Dakota.
Thank you, U-Hall Venture Across America website!
*U-Haul.
Yesterday, really, but I learned that the Vatican has the government type Ecclesiastical Monarchy.
This weekend I learned:
The cake is delicious and moist.
I’M IN SPACE!
And now I know what to do with these lemons.
Today I learned that the word “ambition” originally came from Roman politicians bending the rules regarding campaigning for office.
Today I learned/verified that English teachers like to learn about who you are on the first day of school and Math teachers just want to start the curriculum.
That fits the subjects, I guess.
I learned that it really freaks girls named Ilana out to explain that you already know their name is Hebrew for “Tree”. (I’m just glad she didn’t ask *why* I knew.)
Why did you know?
Because of Ilan Ramon.
I learned that I live in the same state as my clone.
I learned that the the movie Dr. Strangelove was meant to end in an 11 minute pie fight, but it was cut out (I love you wired magazine!!!!!)
money orders are actual things that you can actually buy! also they are apparently safer than sending a check in the mail? idk but they exist and my life is 90x better now
A money order is bought somewhere like a grocery store through a reputable brand, and therefore prepaid, so it’s guaranteed to work anywhere and not bounce!
THIS PLEASES ME GREATLY
ALSO
HELLO
SCREAMS INTERNALLY
I learned that Voldemort is a paint colour.
I just learned another place I’m now going to spend money. Wait- where can I find this paint?
*revulsion* What colour is it?
Today I learned that only 13% percent of Icelanders believe it is impossible that elves exist, while 19% think it unlikely, 37% say it’s possible, 17% think it’s likely, and 8% say elves definitely do exist.
I think it’s clear that what Icelanders believe to be elves are, in fact, wungs that are away from Muse Academy.
I’d say the likelihood verges on certainty.
I love the fact that this statistic has been mentioned at least twice on the ‘blog now.
Why is there no name for the fear of the color pink?! There’s purple, but no pink! I CANNOT NAME MY FEARS!
Today I learned that a SQUID is a Superconducting QUantum Interference Device, a device that senses minute changes in magnetic fields, used to indicate neural activity in the brain. The verb “to squid” refers to when a parachute assumes an elongated squidlike shape owing to excess air pressure. The word “squid” is also a slang term for a nerdy, wimpy sort of person.
Today I read the TVTropes article on My Little Pony. And realized that my blogname sounds like an MLP pony. >_<
No no I think the rainbow pony is named Rainbow Dash.
And it’s a great show!
but I am not a brony!
to elaborate on that point: once i was dining with a classy friend and her sophisticated parents and was super engaged in intelligent conversation about how MLP’s animation standards and storytelling are paragons of integrity in an environment infamous for lack of such things but then they were like “…and we heard about this lifestyle on a NPR show about “bronies” do you know of such a thing and would you elaborate on how you know so much about this?” and I was like “well I spend a lot of time on the internet?”
à ²¥_à ²¥
Don’t shy away from it! Embrace bronydom!
I know, I just meant that Rainbow Storm sounds like it could be a pony as well. I’m not sure how to feel about this. Maybe I should actually watch the show …
You should. It’s really good.
I learned that it is really caking hard to try to figure out using Flickr and Google Images which of a pair of people is which when the two people apparently live together, work together, and are tagged together in every single photo they appear in, even when the photo is only of one of them. Especially if the two of them don’t look all that dissimilar to begin with.
On a related subject, though a question rather than a realization: Does anyone know what accounts for the Strange Morphing Hair Color Syndrome among many people in their various photos? When one
stalksresearches people online, one notices this a lot. They’ll be blond in one photo, brunette in the next. Are they all just dyeing their hair, or what? Anyone know?Another thing learned today: The acronym for this thread is WILT. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?…
I don’t know about the Strange Morphing Hair Color Syndrome, but Lori Garver seems to have it quite bad. I’ve seen her in person twice and I still can’t tell if she’s blond or brunette.
Today I learned that trypophobia is more common than I thought. One of my best friends claims to be afraid of lotus seeds. I’m not sure if she’s actually deathly afraid of them, or just finds them creepy and disgusting.
106 – I just looked up lotus seed pods and I find them creepy and disgusting.
Today I learned that Arthur Darvill collects taxidermy.
Creepy and disgusting, but they taste pretty good.
106–The look like a showerhead with eyes.
Creepy and disgusting, but are you actually scared of them? Finding something creepy and disgusting doesn’t constitute a phobia, does it?
Definitely not. Still, if people find it creepy and disgusting, that makes it more likely that others will be afraid of them, which in turn makes it more likely that others still would have a phobia of them.
Today I discovered the dangers of quoting Worst Story Ever loudly to my friend while in the vicinity of Certain Girls At My School.
Today I learned that when I’m half-asleep I’m very bad at sudoku but very good at crosswords. *yawns*
According to a “color personality” quiz we took in English for some reason, I have a white personality. Meaning I am independent, motivated by peace, quietly stubborn, and like to avoid conflict. Hm.
I took one once, and I’m turquoise. That means I’m a cross between blue and green, with a slight tendency toward blue. Blue people are kind, compassionate idealists, and green people are, basically, Ravenclaws. I hope it’s right, because it’s exactly what I’d like to be. It also means I’m not very orange at all, which I agree with; orange is not at all like me. It’s the Dionysian side of people, basically, and mine is… reduced. More so in real life than on the Internet, I think, but I’m pretty sure it could be said in either place. Although the least Dionysian color is, for them, gold, and I’ve only a little gold in me… Anyway. Not that they mentioned Ravenclaw or Dionysis or anything; they went into long explanations that I felt could be summed up that way.
I’m curious, so I’m going to take another now. Wait, never mind; I can’t find a good one besides the one I mentioned.
Today I found out that I have been wearing my left sock upside down.
All your life?
No, just that day.
I learned how amusing it is to translate a story about wealthy Roman men passing out drunk into English.
Cambridge Latin course?
My favorite part of that was that we learned the word for “drunk” before the word for “yes”.
Sorry to respond so late. No, it’s “Ecce Romani 2”. We learned two ways to say “yes” in “Ecce Romani 1”.
Oh, you do in that course? I’m think that’s the book I’m using for my extracurricular Latin class.
I learned I look like an idiot in black lipstick.
Meanwhile, I realized that the only makeup I own is black lipstick. And if I hadn’t needed it for cosplaying Death last year I wouldn’t even have that.
I’ve never owned any at all. Well, that’s not true; I accidentally won some for free in a contest once. I traded it for a puzzle.
Not as much as I do in green lipstick, don’t worry.
Why were you wearing green lipstick?
Long story involving an orchestra concert and a lost bet to a saxophonist.
If you wear tardigrade pins every day, people will think they saw several people wearing them.
Maybe I shouldn’t have told her I was only one; maybe she would’ve thought they were ‘in’ and bought some herself (I have no idea who she was; I don’t know her; I’m just speculating). That would be nice, because eventually they would be. Then again, I just can’t imagine anyone thinking tardigrades were popular; at the time, she didn’t have a clue what they were.
Only one side of the Mass. Ave bridge has a stairway down to riverside sidewalk level.
And if you get to the end of the wrong side, unless you want to get hit by a car, you have to walk all the way back to the MIT side and cross the street there so you’ll be on the right side.
I learned that putting a blinking light in a saxophone looks really cool.
Anything involving saxophones looks really cool.
Agreed.
(Although when I volunteered all the other saxophonists told me it was the worst decision of my life…. I’m still excited though, especially since Canbe [my alto] is sort of broken. 
)
I’m really excited because I’m going to play baritone saxophone in concert band. I’ve never played anything but alto.
…There is a band which performs nothing but heavy metal adaptations of traditional Jewish/Yiddish/Russian/Polish(?) folk songs.
It is slightly hard to figure out whether to laugh hysterically at them or write them up as the most epic thing in the world. I’ve settled on doing both. You guys must all look them up and decide for yourself — the bandname is Gevolt.
That sounds like something my brother would have loved a few months ago. (He seems to become a different person every 2 weeks; I don’t know how he does it). I would look it up, but I just can’t stand the sound of heavy metal, so I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it.
After the metal version of Tumbalalaika I just heard I am in full agreement with you.
When my Spanish teacher says “feelings” she sounds disturbingly like GLaDOS.
I’m not sure what to think about this.
One guy randomly asked me today if I voiced GLaDOS (or something like that, I don’t know much about Portal)…
Things I Am Not Good At #257: Dodgeball
When I have to do that for gym, I just hide. I’m not technically disobeying any rules, and I don’t have to throw anything (or worse, decide where to throw it–how do people do that?), and I’m less likely to get hit. Apparently this was a good idea, because the rest of my group in my theatre class decided to pantomime this without my telling them anything about it. They came up with it on their own. Strangely, I was the one who hid, just like IRL. Well, I had already been assigned the part of the Cautious Child..
I was really good at dodgeball because until it was down to a few people, I just stood very still in a corner of the room and no one noticed me.
That was usually my strategy too!
When I play dodgeball, no one notices me even if I’m not in a corner.
Ah, ye old invisibility trick! Comes in handy sometimes.
Sometimes known as “disglamour.”
Yes, that’s the word I was looking for. My brain was practicing it this very morning.
I learned that band geeks are essential for Brain Game teams.
*feels valued*
Today I realized that this thread has been much less active during the school year. It could be a natural consequence of its age, or it could because no one’s learning anything now that they’re in school.
SFTDP. For me, at least, it’s not that I’m not learning anything, it’s just that there’s so much that I can’t possibly post it all. Also, I’m busy because I have homework to do and such. So I guess it doesn’t have ot be as negative as I thought.
Surprisingly, I’m learning much more than I usually do in school.It’s nice. I’ve been busy, though.
I for one have not learned much outside of band yet.
Today I learned that witnessing people on the Internet try to reconstruct the PSAT through imperfect recollections and conflicting interpretations is a really cool example of crowdsourcing.
This is technically against the rules of the PSAT; you’re not supposed to discuss it with anyone until the results come back.
I know. That’s exactly why I don’t participate.
All the same, it’s fascinating to watch.
Today I learned that I am an “applying math” person because I don’t like proofs. I just don’t see the point of them.
Oh proofs. I actually never took math proofs, but I’m taking general proofs in a Logic class right now and actually enjoy them. You might enjoy them more too–the point of them is to prove that your argument is logically correct, so it’s really helpful in debates, or on the LSATs, or things like that.
What are LSATs? I took the PSAT today… HOW MANY SATs ARE THERE?
It’s the Law School Admission Test. It’s for those seeking to enter law school, so unless you want to become a lawyer don’t worry about them. They are similar to the MCATs and GREs in that they test for grad school admissions, like the SATs test for undergrad college admission. You have time before you have to worry about them.
If you do want to become a lawyer, the LSATs resemble a slightly more difficult version of the English/Reading sections on the ACTs or SATs, with an added logic problems section. Lots of reading comprehension, lots of logical and analytical reasoning. Things you would probably want to be good at if you were a lawyer.
Does it cost anything to take that? I have no intention of ever becoming a lawyer, but it sounds fun, and it would be cool to see if, hypothetically, I could get into law school, even though I’d definitely never go unless I got a scholarship, in which case I’d still never do anything with that training.
…I can’t even imagine that. I love proofs but hate actually practicing solving equations and so on. Well, then, I suppose I’m definitely not an ‘applying math’ person. Interestingly, my position, while opposite to yours, is for the same reason–without proofs, it’d be impossible to understand math at all, and there’s no point in doing something you don’t understand. But once you know how to do things–and the proofs can show you how–what’s the point in practicing? When I need to in real life, I will. I don’t want to spend my time doing rote things like that; I want to learn how they work. I’m a ‘why’ person, not a ‘what’ person.
Blood stains reeds.
I hope they don’t get too angry about it. If it sues you, I’ll be fly to California and defend you in court.
Biblio, if for whatever reason I end up in jail, will you be my lawyer?
Of course! It wouldn’t be nearly as interesting as defending someone from a musical instrument, though.
Bibliophile, you would make an excellent lawyer!
Thank you! I don’t intend to ever become one, although I can pretend to if a MuseBlogger needs someone to defend them for free, but it’s nice to think I could be if I wanted to, even though I don’t.
By the way, my theatre class is doing a play in which a bratty 9-year-old sues Santa Claus for not giving her a My Little Pony Grooming And Stable Set. I tried out for her lawyer. It’s the part I hope to get, although I’m also trying out for the girl, her mother, and possibly Rudolph (They let girls be Rudolph, for some reason; I think that makes little sense, but if it works in my favor, I won’t protest it), as well as an elf whose name I don’t recall.
Guys, we already know that the blood on the reeds will taste delicious.
We did the vampire stuff a while ago.
…Am currently imagining an entire marching/pep band made of Halloween creatures.
The vampires are the clarinetists. A few of them are flutes, too, because they think it’s a more *refined* instrument. All the werewolves are freshmen on trumpets or trombones or other brass, and the band director just wants to shoot them occasionally because every so often when the band isn’t supposed to be playing they’ll just start blasting “Let’s Go Band” as loud as they can.
The zombies are on drums. what burn what
And what if, in the middle of a performance, a zombie’s arm falls off?
Percussionists are dropping sticks and assorted other appendages all the time. They probably keep a spare arm somewhere on them.
What I learned today: Blood sticks to ice as well as staining reeds. When you cut your finger, the bleeding may seem to have stopped in a few minutes, but when you get ice for your water, and you don’t have a functioning dispenser, so you have to use your hand, be very careful not to touch any ice you’re not using yourself, because you do not want to get blood on anyone else’s ice; that would be unsanitary, as the members of my family, at least, are all humans and susceptible to all the germs in others’ blood. Water with your own bloody ice in it has a nice, faint, salty flavor to it, but it hurts a little bit to get the ice off your finger and into the glass, although it’s not difficult.
I wonder… if you freeze garlic and then pick it up with bloody fingers, do you get to taste all 3 at once?
Actually, now that I’m thinking about vampires, I wonder what happens if a human bites one…
What happens if a mosquito bites a vampire? Also, what happens if a vampire drinks the blood of somebody with AIDS?
I am terrible at navigating corn mazes.
About a week ago a couple got lost in a corn maze and called 911. Keiffer and I had been to the same corn maze, and it was filled with signs that had a number you could call if you were lost.
We had to carry around big flags so we could be seen from the guard towers.
In New York, stuff is both incredibly expensive and incredibly cheap, sometimes even on the same street.
THERE IS A WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD MP3S OF THE H2G2 RADIO SHOW
MY LIFE IS NOW 42x BETTER
ALSO IPOD SAFARI CANNOT DOWNLOAD MP3 FILES WHICH IS STUPID
You know what I said about liking proofs earlier? Today I learned that I am perfectly capable of hating them. Like so. I HATE PROOFS AND I HATE MY HOMEWORK. asdfjkl; It must make logical sense, because it’s logic, but I cannot for the life of me see it.
WHO NEEDS LOGIC!? NOT ME! LA LA LA LA LA!
Most countries don’t have a Pledge of Allegiance. o_o
We didn’t have an official pledge of allegiance until the 1940s. (Although it had been written and used prior to that, it wasn’t recognized officially by Congress.)
The idea is quite foreign to me. I’ve never had to say anything like it.
Today I watched a Doctor Who episode in which Ten said something like “Billions and billions of stars. Billions and billions.” According to TVTropes, this is something Carl Sagan was known for saying. I reallyreally hope this was done on purpose.
There is at least one fanfic where Sagan meets The Doctor, there was another, but it seems to have been taken down.
In a book of Sagan’s essays I own, he says that he only ever said that phrase after it became famous — it was originally a misquotation.
((If the GAPAs would be kind enough to post this picture, if they deem it relevant enough…))
That’s odd, I thought Larson didn’t allow scans of Far Side strips to be posted online.
It was from some school website. I can only assume he hasn’t seen it yet, or something.
Singing “Want You Gone” really quietly in your friend’s ear is likely to freak them out. So is honking.
Today I learned that Georg Kreisler covered Tom Lehrer’s song, “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”, not the other way around. Mind blown.
Today I learned that if you combine one measure of milk and one measure of lemon-lime soda, it creates a drink that is absolutely indescribable and beyond comprehension. It’s not bad. I don’t know what to make of it. It doesn’t make any sense. Those two ingredients should not combine in this way.
I had lemon-lime soda in my possession only six days ago. DARN IT.
Maybe it’s like Squeeze Juice? (convoluted explanation upon request)
What is it?
TELL US TELL US
My sister.
My sister’s friend.
Orange juice.
Grahmcrackers.
Limeade.
Peanut Butter.
Frozen into popsicles.
That is all.
You froze your sister and her friend into popsicles?
Today I learned that shouting “Stop!” at a shelf of inanimate objects as it collapses and everything falls is completely useless.
My brother takes karate from a Power Ranger. A Power Ranger.
Well, someone who played one, anyway. I’m not going to say which one for privacy reasons, but…
Much more impressive than taking karate from a Teletubby.
When the computer tells you an ink cartridge s running low, it means empty.
Very true
Episodes from the first season of Pokemon are available On Demand.
Today I learned that not everyone can make their eyes vibrate back and forth. Now I feel special; I always thought that was a standard ability.
Vibrate?! How does that work?
Apparently it’s officially called “voluntary nystagmus”. In one survey, 9% of the subjects could do it. I’m sure you can find a video of it online somewhere. Basically, you can just jiggle your eyes back and forth really quickly. With me (and, according to one paper I read, most people), I have to moderately cross my eyes and my vision goes out of focus. It also seems to be easier to do in bright light than in darkness.
Oh! I can do that too! I didn’t know that only 9% of poeple could that. I can only do it for a few seconds at a time, though.
I can do it!
I can, too. Other people have always been moderately creeped out by it.
I can also do it!
All of my teachers are either positively or neutrally aligned with me bringing in my Nook to school. Happy day!
Rule 34 applies to Portal. *pours Brain Bleach directly into eyes* God, I’m never going on the internet again …
Rule 34 applies to everything.
Including MissingNo.
Rule 34 applies to everything.
Including MissingNo.
*gives large vat of virtual antibacterial soap*
Stick your head in it until you feel clean again. It has worked for me on several similar occasions.
Oops.
Apparently, some branches of Hinduism don’t require vegetarianism.
Yeah, and even with the ones that do, only particularly devout Hindus actually bother. As long as you don’t eat beef you’re spiritually pretty safe.
Apperently, Siberian cats are the 2nd largest type of cat, and my cat’s size is less than the smallest they’re supposed to be.
Wal-Mart brand shortening makes terrible piecrusts. TERRIBLE.
Oh, sorry. I think my touchscreen hates me. :/
Free choklit for gnomes!
[Music to a gnome’s ears! –Official Spokesgnome]
James K. Polk’s Postmaster General was named Cave Johnson.
Nightmare Before Christmas is STILL an awesome movie.
I learned that a Head of School who is Lutheran but with zero international experience is “better” for our school than one who is Christian, but not Lutheran, and with years of experience working in international schools. Our Head of School has to be Lutheran, you see, and appointed by the LCMS.
I also confirmed that our school is the most expensive in the city.
Buzz Aldrin punched a moon landing conspiracy theorist in the face.
You’ve seen the video, I hope?
When?
2002.
Today I learned that you can buy a life-sized Dalek or TARDIS for around $5,000.
If you knock an iPod Touch off of a loft bed onto a hardwood floor for the second time, it will STILL be completely unscathed.
Today I learned that Emma Goldman was the person who tried to assassinate Henry Frick, and that it was a follower of Emma Goldman who assassinated William McKinley. I was quite shocked.
Wait, never mind. A follower of Emma Goldman who tried to assassinate Henry Frick.
Writers got writer’s block and suffered from being too hard on their own work even six hundred years ago.
On Mac at least, you can change your Skype startup sound. Mine is “SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE”.
Today I learned that “Pumped Up Kicks” is about a homicidal teenager fantasizing about going on a killing spree.
Wikipedia tells me so much more than I ever needed to know.
Oh, yeah, I remember when I first informed my aunt of that fact. She didn’t entirely believe me.
…I’m proud to say I’ve never even heard of that, nor do I want to know what it is.
Ditto Bibliophile.
Yeah, I was a little sickened when I found that out.
I freaked my dad out my telling him that yesterday. He (jokingly) said to never tell him what song lyrics were again.
I learned today that the local Claire’s now requires parental consent, form-filling-out, and photo ID if you’re under 18 and want to get a piercing.
Cake.
My laundry detergent is apparently free of formaldehyde. Yay?
Now asbestos-free!
John Denver is very good for drowning out people in the next room over who play very loud hip-hop when you are trying to relax.
Today I learned that Bill Nye studied under Carl Sagan at Cornell.
No way. I’ve learned something today.
Hmm, then it turns out I knew something you didn’t for several years.
BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL!
My two favorite musical artists both suffer from insomnia.
Who are your two favorite musical artists?
iamsleepless and Owl City. (Oddly enough, I already knew that the latter had insomnia, but not iamsleepless. I guess I thought it was just a name.)
I knew that Owl City had insomnia because of the song ‘Fireflies’.
Yup.
Worry Scarves don’t seem to be effective as Worry Hats. But I’ll have to make do with a scarf until a better hat can be found.
Have I found a fellow QC fan?
There’s quite a few around here.
You have! There are a bunch of us here, I think. When I started QC I read the whole archives in 3 days, got nothing done. It was pretty bad. (Worth it.)
That is actually pretty impressive. But yes, it’s definitely worth it.
I did that too (well, I think it took me around 5 days). It’s like eating potato chips, or making R&R threads: once you start, you just can’t stop.
I think it took me at least a couple of weeks. I had some… interruptions.
Now I’m wondering if people are squidding Piggy’s post:
A. Out of sympathy for lack of a worry hat.
B. Out of sympathy for need for a worry hat.
C. Out of sympathy for people squidding Piggy.
D. Because they can.
E. Because Piggy has requested otherwise.
F. BECAUSE THEY LOVE CEPHALOPODS.
I think there’s a bit of F in every squid, but aside from that, I squidded his post mostly out of A but with a bit of B.
Why do you suppose I squid posts, then?
…I’m sorry; that didn’t t occur to me. Every squid that isn’t yours, then, or most of them.
F for sure! I can only imagine what would happen if we also had octopus, cuttlefish, and nautilus buttons….
CHAOS WOULD ENSUE
G. Because everyone’s doing it. Hivemind is easier than independent thought.
That’s exactly what I thought! Tell people that everyone’s doing something, and even if they’re not, they’ll start, because “everyone’s doing it”
H. Because you posted that.
The book Les Misérables was a favourite of the Confederate soldiers in the US Civil War; they called themselves Lee’s Miserables.
I am capable of running on a treadmill for twenty consecutive minutes without tripping and falling on my face.
I am not.
I am not capable of running on a treadmill for twenty consecutive minutes without dying of exhaustion.
Same here.
Once in gym we had to do a 20-minute run, and I have gym right after lunch. This was… unpleasant, to say the least.
My weight is equal to that of approximately 73 full-grown guinea pigs.
Despite being tallish with light-colored hair, I am quite good at blending into a crowd/not being noticed.
I MUST PUT THIS TO USE FOR THE KOKONSPIRACY
You have superpowers that I can never possess.
Use them only for good.
I can be the diversion.
There are only three fifteen-letter words in the English language that start with J.
What are they?
Judiciousnesses
Jurisprudential
Juxtapositional
Cool, I didn’t know that!
Cool!
Square Enix has a patent on the Final Fantasy battle system.
According to science illustrated, if you classify stars by color, the sun could be classified as a “Green star”.
Homestuck fans, this is your chance to flip out.
Today I learned that one year equals 1.168 kilocups of coffee, assuming a consumption level slightly above US national average. It also equals roughly 0.12046 teratweets, disregarding tweetflation. My data for that second set was two months old, so I had to extrapolate a bit, but I think the result is fairly accurate.
“Exile Vilify” is a depressing but good song.
(also I will have Portal 2 in only a few days squeeeee)
I now know the names of all the presidents who were vice presidents before (Adams, Arthur, H.W. Bush, Coolidge, Fillmore, Ford, both Johnsons, Jefferson, Nixon, T. Roosevelt, Truman, Tyler, Van Buren) and the ones whom assassination attempts were made on but failed (both Bushes, Carter, Clinton, Ford, Jackson, Nixon, Obama, Reagan, both Roosevelts, Truman) because of a stupid Social Studies quiz that I over-studied for.
I don’t remember assassination attempts on Presidents Nixon, Clinton, Bush 2, or Obama. Plots, maybe, but not attempts. Details?
Didn’t someone shoot at the White House recently?
Yes, but the President was out of town.
Doesn’t that still count as an assassination attempt if the person was intending to attack the president?
So it was a badly planned assassination attempt.
Well, that depends on if they were actually trying to attack the president or just eh white house.
*attempts to post something not stupid and obvious*
The space agencies of America, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Europe (multiple countries) all contributed to the International Space Station.
Also, NASA is the only one of these not called (Country or Continent) Space Agency. We’re such hipsters.
Also, we were putting humans in space before it was mainstream.
If it’s just into space, and not on the moon, then wouldn’t the USSR be more hipster than thou?
I didn’t say NASA was the first, just that they were doing it before it was mainstream. NASA and the Russian Space Program are the hipsters of space exploration.
Chameleon Circuit is awesome.
Today I learned that the new Canadian hundred dollar bills smell like maple syrup.
Canada, I just can’t take you seriously as a country. You’re a parody of yourself.
“The tragedy of Canada is they could have had British culture, French cooking, and American technology, but instead they got American culture, British cooking, and French technology.”
“Duh, he is Canada! I recognize him from his sexy French hair, that looks so much like my own … not as nice, of course …”
“ARE YOU IMPLYING THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY HAIR, SIR?!”
Sorry, sorry. I involuntarily start quoting Axis Powers Hetalia when anyone brings up countries.
But that’s awesome! Why don’t more countries have scented money?
Well, what would America’s money smell like? French fries?
Starbucks, maybe? Apparently Canadians think that in America there is a Starbucks on every corner.
There is a Starbucks on every corner, at least in cities. In my experience, Starbucks location density corresponds directly with an area’s population. If an American city grew populous enough, literally 100 percent of the land would be used for Starbucks.
Apple pie would be an obvious choice for an American scent.
Maybe there could be different scents for each denomination. The one dollar bills could be apple pie, the fives could be French fries, the tens could be those latte-thingies that Starbucks sells (I don’t know exactly are or what they’re called…), etc.
Of course, after a while they’d all smell like sweat and worse things.
MOON DUST whatever that smells like.
Like spent gunpowder. They actually had a station where you could smell it at the “Beyond Planet Earth” exhibit.
Did you know that apparently 90% of American 20$ bills have traces of cocaine on them?
Cocaine is God’s way of saying that you’re making too much money.
-Robin Williams
When John Adams was courting his wife, he addressed his letters to her to “Miss Adorable.” Hers to him were addressed to “My Dearest Friend.”
They will be my OTP forever. I don’t even care if history counts as a fandom. I will ship them to my dying day.
In [the city where my aunt and uncle live], you can drive down a certain street without hitting a red light, because all the stoplights are coordinated. Also, if you take a right hand turn at one end of that street, you just might make it past the next stoplight.
These are called timed lights, and are often put in place by traffic engineers to cut down on speeding! It’s a fixed timing technique (as opposed to dynamic, which changes with traffic flow) best suited for suburban areas. The idea is that if you know you can go the speed limit and not stop to wait for a light, you won’t be tempted to speed to catch a light before it changes. If they’re timed correctly, you’ll actually be stopped every other light or so if you’re speeding. Improperly timed lights are a hazard to pedestrians, because you want traffic flowing at under 25 mph in residential areas. Cities are a whole other story, and benefit most from dynamic timing!
Tangentially, a yacht delivery captain once told me that you need to be extra careful when entering San Francisco Bay at night because the traffic lights on the hills look like port & starboard channel buoys from a distance. You’ll be lined up in a channel heading into harbor, and suddenly the red light off to starboard has turned green!
… when did i become an amateur traffic engineer
Yesterday, I learned that the Battle of Waterloo did not take place in Austin, Texas.
…I feel like I shouldn’t have had to read Les Mis to realize that.
(I really wish Victor Hugo hadn’t felt it necessary to write several chapters describing it before you get any idea of what it could possibly have to do with the story, though. I’m still not done with that part, and I still don’t see how it’s relevant yet, and I’m still annoyed).
I always assumed it took place in… well, Waterloo.
Austin used to be called Waterloo, and I’d never heard of anywhere else with that name until yesterday. All I knew about the Battle of Waterloo was that it was a battle that probably took place somewhere called Waterloo. My mind connected the two, even though I’d never learned about any Battle of Waterloo in my Texas history classes.
It is relevant, I promise, but I agree that it is extremely aggravating.
Also, why did you think the Battle of Waterloo took place in Texas?
Yesterday I learned that taking video clips and making animated GIFs out of them is a lot of fun, but also a lot of work when somewhere in the process the color gets sucked out of them pretty severely. Thank goodness for batch editing.
Today I learned that you can be officially certified as a Pokemon Professor. There’s a pretty rigorous exam to pass, and you have to be eighteen, but I want to make this happen. Unfortunately, I know very little about the card game. But I can learn.
How? Where?
Google around for “Pokemon Professor Program”. Like I said, though, you have to be eighteen. But you get a lab coat. They act as volunteer organizers for various events and tournaments and leagues, and by working they earn credits which can be redeemed for some exclusive merchandise.
According to TVTropes, David Tennant is a Firefly fan.
SO AWESOME /)^-^(\
Colm Wilkinson is Irish.
Colm Wilkinson has the most amazing voice ever.
Stephen Merchant (voice of Wheatley) is one of the creators of The Office.
First, TV Tropes has a wonderfully extensive page about Muse magazine.
Second, and more alarmingly, a whole section of the magazine’s Wikipedia article is devoted to us. And searching for MuseBlog redirects you to that page.
Could we possibly have a new installment of this thread? We’re well over 500 comments. It looks like we all do a lot of learning.