Useless Knowledge Thread

Green Lantern · #1 02-01-2010, 08:23 PM

Do you have a random fact in your head? Useless knowledge? A Piece of Trivia that the people around you don't appreciate?

Post it here!

Random Useless Knowledge Thread
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101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan (Wendy) are the only two Disney cartoon features with both parents that are present and don't die throughout the movie.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

Kamma70 · #2 02-01-2010, 09:01 PM

Wendy is also the first time that name is used. No records of the name Wendy before then.

Altoona Man · #3 02-02-2010, 01:36 AM

49 out of 50 US States have recorded temperatures below zero. Yes, California has been below zero many a time, remember those mountains get mighty cold, it has been as cold as -45 in Boca, California, and many places in California have recorded monthly low temperatures for the lower 48, such as 2 degrees for June at White Mountain (with the ultimate record low being -1 in Anaktuvuk Pass, AK). Texas has been below zero, with the state record low being a surprisingly cold -23 in Seminole. Even Florida has been below zero before, the record low in Florida is -2 set on February 13, 1899 in Tallahassee. The only state to never go below zero is Hawaii. Big surprise, right? But I think the record low temperature in Hawaii will surprise you more than the fact that every other state has been below zero before. The record low in Hawaii is 12 degrees Fahrenheit set in 1979, which goes to show even tropical Hawaii is not completely spared from the cold.

Now, here's another one. Unsurprisingly, the record lows for most months have been set in the state of Alaska. However, during the summer, the 20+ hour sun heats up Alaska much warmer than it normally would be expected to be. During July and August, the chilly rocky mountain small towns, which sometimes get almost as cold as Alaska in the winter, are generally colder than Alaska in the summer. The reason is that they are generally in the mountains, but also in a little bit of a valley, because many mining towns were built in mountain valleys. This allows cold air to pool into them during the night but still have the chill of the higher elevations. Meanwhile, Alaskan towns are experiencing in some places 24 hours of sunlight during May, June, and July, and still a lot in August, while much of Alaska is built on flatlands that don't get quite so cold. Fairbanks, Alaska, which is known for mighty cold winters, has only gotten down to 28 in June, 30 in July, and 19 in August, and those are especially rare (except the 28 in June, it sometimes approaches that temperature in early June when some snow falls during an unusually cold spell in early June, but very rarely gets below 29 due to the 20-21 long hours of sunlight there).

Now, my challenge to you is to name states in which you think the record lows in July and August would be (two different states), bonus points if you can approximate the towns. But don't look it up and copy+paste or all of TalkPA will be disqualified from participating in Altoona Man's trivia challenges.

And we really don't want that to happen, do we? Seriously though, this challenge is for fun more than anything.

Green Lantern · #4 02-02-2010, 07:33 AM

Fine, if we are going to challenge with trivia - What was the first name of Gilligan and the Skipper's full name on Gilligan's Island?

Altoona Man · #5 02-02-2010, 07:45 AM

Willy is Gilligan's first name (although I think it was only used once if I remember right) and Jonas Grumby is the Skipper. Now, care to take a stab at my trivia question? I'll give you a hint: Both states are rocky mountain states.

Green Lantern · #6 02-03-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altoona Man

Willy is Gilligan's first name (although I think it was only used once if I remember right) and Jonas Grumby is the Skipper. Now, care to take a stab at my trivia question? I'll give you a hint: Both states are rocky mountain states.

i give up, what is the answer?

in the mean time..........

A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.
Almonds are a member of the peach family.

A whale's penis is called a dork.

Altoona Man · #7 02-03-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Lantern

i give up, what is the answer?

in the mean time..........

A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.
Almonds are a member of the peach family.

A whale's penis is called a dork.

That first one almost makes me wish I were a pig.

Anyways, the answers to my question are Wyoming and Montana. Every month's record low except July and August are held in Alaska. The July record low is 10 degrees in Painter, Wyoming while the August record low is 5 degrees in Bowen, Montana.

Green Lantern · #8 02-05-2010, 11:30 AM

The Queen Mary is the only surviving major pre-war transatlantic ocean liner still in existence.

Summerrain · #9 02-05-2010, 02:41 PM

The dot over the letter "i" is called a tittle.

Dale Smith · #10 02-05-2010, 06:37 PM

Trivia question: If you dug a hole clear through the planet earth at it's widest point and you jumped in said hole,how long would it take for you to come out the other side? Just pretend you wouldn't burn up in the center.

Green Lantern · #11 02-05-2010, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale Smith

Trivia question: If you dug a hole clear through the planet earth at it's widest point and you jumped in said hole,how long would it take for you to come out the other side? Just pretend you wouldn't burn up in the center.

I am trying to think if this is a trick question. I think that if you were to jump in you would fall to center and get trapped there. Physics wouldn't allow you to fall "up" to the other side.

or am I over thinking this one?

Summerrain · #12 02-05-2010, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale Smith

Trivia question: If you dug a hole clear through the planet earth at it's widest point and you jumped in said hole,how long would it take for you to come out the other side? Just pretend you wouldn't burn up in the center.

Long enough for me to want another 6 pack.... ?

Kamma70 · #13 02-05-2010, 07:03 PM

Canadian Geese mate for life.

Summerrain · #14 02-05-2010, 07:04 PM

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

Dale Smith · #15 02-05-2010, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Lantern

I am trying to think if this is a trick question. I think that if you were to jump in you would fall to center and get trapped there. Physics wouldn't allow you to fall "up" to the other side.

or am I over thinking this one?

According to the show I saw about this happening, they said theoretically you could literally step out of the other side. The show was called Journey to the center of the earth.

Green Lantern · #16 02-05-2010, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale Smith

According to the show I saw about this happening, they said theoretically you could literally step out of the other side. The show was called Journey to the center of the earth.

I guess in theory that would work. You would build momentum in the fall that would basically slingshot you past center but I don't think that you'd be able to clear out the other side.

Dale Smith · #17 02-05-2010, 07:11 PM

They said the momentum you gained would equal the resistance on the other side.

Dale Smith · #18 02-05-2010, 07:13 PM

If I remember correctly they said it would take 36 hours to make the trip.

Green Lantern · #19 02-05-2010, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale Smith

If I remember correctly they said it would take 36 hours to make the trip.

damn it, I was just trying to figure out the math too.

seriously, I was just getting the diameter of the earth, I know gravity and momentum and all was starting to figure it out.

I am going to watch the GI JOE movie, want to tell me how that ends too

Dale Smith · #20 02-05-2010, 07:27 PM

I'm sorry but it just seemed so long to me that no one would get it. I should have known you would try and figure it out.
The graphic they used to show you was a circle being earth and then an outer circle showing the longest possible free fall a sky diver could make. You couldn't even see the gap between the two circles. We live on a pretty big planet!