Today I learned...

[Urmas]

Using a plastic mold, Chinese farms have started to grow pears that resemble babies and are distributing them in supermarkets.

 

[bootneck02]

Gor blimey better put the keyboard in the washing machine. But don't think I will try the Banna Sandwich and Mayonnaise though.

 

[Urmas]

TIL: London Zoo gorilla drank...

The incursion into the zookeeper area culminated in Kumbuka glugging five litres of undiluted blackcurrant squash...

Respect. UTMOST respect. Chapeau. Superhero. Dude.

 

[Becky]

I sincerely hope not. I mean...

Yeah I hope not too. We'd certainly struggle to do much worse in the UK!

 

[Urmas]

Yeah I hope not too. We'd certainly struggle to do much worse in the UK!

Could be better everywhere. But as for present-day machine translations... I remember the first time I visited London alone, some 35 years ago. I was almost 18, but looked plenty old enough for pubs. One day, I was walking somewhere — can't remember exactly where — south of the river, the kind of a neighborhood that won't get mentioned in tourist guides, and I thought a beer might be in order. Only problem was, most (if not all) of the pubs I walked past had a sign saying, "travellers not welcome". I thought it odd that they'd choose not to serve a thirsty tourist who had come a long way.

At that time, I'd had English for eight years at school. And, yet, it was many years later when I realized what was meant. And, I gotta say, I was a bit shocked.

But here's the kicker: I just checked Google Translate with ten languages. Only two of them (Finnish and French) were on the ball with my ancient dilemma.

So... my conclusion is that there is still LOTS to be done.

 

[nivrip]

And, today I also learned...:

Using a plastic mold, Chinese farms have started to grow pears that resemble babies and are distributing them in supermarkets.

The mold gets clamped onto the fruit while it is still small enough to fit and then taken off when the fruit fills the mold. It will then continuing growing in the special shape.

Source (with pics) http://mashable.com/2014/08/19/pear-babies/#gBGJW1ucmkqR

Don't like the babies at all.

It would be more fun to have a mould that turned out apple shaped pears.

 

[bootneck02]

The trouble with UK people is they think everybody in the rest of Europe speaks English so they don't bother. That is why I like going to the USA is because they kind of talk English.

 

[bootneck02]

As far as the pears I think they are kind of cute in a Chinese kind of way.

 

[Taffycat]

TIL.....

That maybe that old song about "The Purple People-Eater" was based on this little guy:

Aww... those sad eyes! The source article is here: www.bbc.co.uk

 

[nivrip]

And for all these years I thought that the monster only ate purple people.

 

[Urmas]

TIL: Square boobs (aka Facebook at it again)

The "offending" breast cancer awareness video ad (by the Swedish Cancer Society)

We understand that you have to have rules about the content published on your platform. But you must also understand that one of our main tasks is to disseminate important information about cancer – in this case breast cancer.

After trying to meet your control for several days without success, we have now come up with a solution that will hopefully make you happy: Two pink squares!

This can not possibly offend you, or anyone. Now we can continue to spread our important breast school without upsetting you.

Facebook subsequently apologized for banning the video, saying in a statement to the Guardian: “We’re very sorry, our team processes millions of advertising images each week, and in some instances we incorrectly prohibit ads. This image does not violate our ad policies. We apologize for the error and have let the advertiser know we are approving their ads.”

Ahem... Mastrophobia is the correct term for the fear of breasts.

 

[Urmas]

TIL: Disney adapts Kaurismäki film for new comic

The award-winning film by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki has been adapted into a Donald Duck comic, known as “The Duck Without a Past”.

The Man Without a Past (2002) Trailer

 

[Urmas]

TIL (video): MOOSE TUBE

 

[nivrip]

TIL that Sweden has the largest scale model of the Solar System in the world. It is in the scale of 1:20,000,000 and stretches 950km across the country.

Details HERE

Gives some idea of the vast distances involved, especially to the outer planets.

 

[Becky]

That's awesome @nivrip

 

[bootneck02]

Not many people know that, nice find nivrip.

 

[Taffycat]

TIL...

Eggs are back in favour! Remember the dire warnings in the media about them raising cholesterol, and being "advised" to consume no more than 2 - 3 per week?

Now, a daily egg, is said to help reduce strokes by 12%! Source: www.natureworldnews.com

 

[Taffycat]

TIL...

One is not allowed to carry a plank along a pavement in London, unless unloading it from a vehicle.
Source: bbc.co.uk (Referencing Section 54 of the Metropolitan Police Act)

The same Beeb article also mentions:

A rule introduced at the beginning of 2011 banned staff at Carlisle City Council from talking about anything not work-related.

If employees wanted to discuss the weather, holidays or babies (the three categories specified in the instructions), they were told to clock-out - so they would not be paid for time spent chatting.

Ooh-er...

 

[nivrip]

I wonder if the rule still applies?

They would be clocking in and out all day long.

 

[Becky]

Today I learned about some unique words from around the world:

I think my favourite is 'Utepils' - to sit outside on a sunny day enjoying a beer