Today I learned...

[Becky]

That's astonishing!

 

[nivrip]

Interesting stuff.

I found this too...………………

"Eels swim by generating body waves which travel the length of their bodies. They can swim backwards by reversing the direction of the wave."

Which is amazing.

I tried eating some eel in a meal recently but didn't like it one bit.

They can grow to a huge size, up to 3 m (10 ft) long and up to 110 kg (240 lb) in weight.

This is a Japanese Wolf Eel. Not a pretty fish.

 

[Becky]

Woah, I wouldn't want to encounter one of those!

 

[Urmas]

TIL: VW original component 199 398 500 A

 

[Becky]

I do love currywurst

 

[Urmas]

I do love currywurst

Who doesn't?

Trivia bit: there is a British twist in the History of Currywurst

The invention of currywurst is attributed to Herta Heuwer in Berlin in 1949, after she obtained ketchup (or possibly Worcestershire sauce) and curry powder from British soldiers in Germany.[2][3] She mixed these ingredients with other spices and poured it over grilled pork sausage. Heuwer started selling the cheap but filling snack at a street stand in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, where it became popular with construction workers rebuilding the devastated city.

Deutsches Currywurst Museum (Berlin)

 

[Becky]

Today I learned that Major Anna Nikulina raised the Soviet flag over Reich Chancellery at significant danger to herself after the Red Army successfully invaded Berlin during WW2. She was a political officer with Lieutenant-General I. P. Rossly's 9th Rifle Corps of the 5th Shock Army.

I was quite surprised about this to be honest, I hadn't realised that some women fought on the front line in WW2. Turns out they served as pilots (flying combat missions), snipers, and even a small number of machine gunners and tank drivers.

More info here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_in_Berlin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_women_in_World_War_II

 

[Abarbarian]

Today I learned that Major Anna Nikulina raised the Soviet flag over Reich Chancellery at significant danger to herself after the Red Army successfully invaded Berlin during WW2. She was a political officer with Lieutenant-General I. P. Rossly's 9th Rifle Corps of the 5th Shock Army.

I was quite surprised about this to be honest, I hadn't realised that some women fought on the front line in WW2. Turns out they served as pilots (flying combat missions), snipers, and even a small number of machine gunners and tank drivers.

More info here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_in_Berlin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_women_in_World_War_II

 

[Urmas]

She was a political officer...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commissar

Following the problems encountered in 1941, with dual commanders in units, commissars and other political officers were removed from direct command-roles. Political officers were then more directly tasked with morale- and regulation-based goals. A political officer's classification was also changed to the form of a "Deputy for Political Matters". The specific position of "Commissar" itself survived only at regimental and front levels, where the Commissars formed the Military Councils with their corresponding military commanders.

 

[Abarbarian]

TIL that grown men wear bibs

 

[Urmas]

TIL: Rednose

 

[Abarbarian]

TIL.

The Nevada giants

The Paiute Indians in Nevada tell stories of the Si-Te-Cah, a race of red-haired giants that had lived in Nevada for thousands of years before the Paiute settled the land. Other Indian tribes throughout the United States tell a similar story. According to the Paiute, the tribes unified to defeat the giants and finally kicked them out of their homeland after a protracted war.

The Ancient Giants of Nevada and The Mystery of Lovelock Cave

Was North America once inhabited by a race of giants? According to an old legend supported by several challenging archaeological finds, it is possible.

This Ancient Legend About Giants In Nevada Will Completely Blow Your Mind

The remains of red-haired giants weren’t only discovered inside Lovelock Cave. In 1931, two giant skeletons were found near Lovelock, Nevada in the Humboldt dry lake bed. One of the skeletons measured 8.5-feet tall, and the other measured nearly 10-feet tall. In 1939, another giant skeleton was discovered at Friedman Ranch, measuring 7 feet, 7 inches tall.

Maybe Bigfoot is one of those giants......................................

 

[nivrip]

Best picture of Bigfoot I've ever seen.

However, not in Nevada.

 

[Abarbarian]

Best picture of Bigfoot I've ever seen.


View attachment 12215

However, not in Nevada.

Is that BigFoot riding on the back of Nessie ??

 

[nivrip]

Is that BigFoot riding on the back of Nessie ??

It certainly is. And if you could see under the water you find that he was wearing a kilt.

 

[Urmas]

... he was wearing a kilt.

Going regimental?

 

[Becky]

I was listening to the 'No Such Thing As A Fish' podcast the other day, and learned that Zebras fart with every stride when they run

Skip to 32:51 to hear them discuss it...

Zebra farts can be heard from long distances across the plains of Africa, and this is particularly common when they are startled and begin to run – the motion propels the gas from their bodies and they often fart loudly with each stride.

http://www.discoverwildlife.com/animals/everything-you-need-know-about-animal-flatulence

 

[Urmas]

Zebras fart with every stride when they run

The (almost) opposite case HERE (see the last paragraph)

 

[Becky]

The (almost) opposite case HERE (see the last paragraph)

they have to take a bathroom break roughly every 6 miles. In Finnish, this distance is known as “poronkusema” or “reindeer’s piss” and was an old-fashioned description of distances in the countryside.

Haha, that's hilarious!

How on earth does Santa deal with this?!

 

[Urmas]

How on earth does Santa deal with this?!

I'd say that how he deals with this is up to him... but he'd better deal with this. Because if a reindeer is made to run beyond that distance, paralysis will follow.