Author Topic: what I have learned today. (Read 857978 times)

Canardly · « **Reply #525 on:** 01 June, 2015, 12:10:00 am »

How on earth did the Entente Cordiale happen?

mark · « **Reply #526 on:** 01 June, 2015, 01:57:56 am »

I've sent quite a few books and calendars to Ireland over the years, Christmas presents to a sister there. I think it was pretty obvious what was in the various packages, especially when they came from Amazon.com.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #527 on:** 01 June, 2015, 09:39:21 am »

Quote from: Canardly on 01 June, 2015, 12:10:00 am

How on earth did the Entente Cordiale happen?

It started with a lime, then some fizzy water and sugar. The entente was only added later.

TheLurker · « **Reply #528 on:** 01 June, 2015, 07:50:34 pm »

Quote from: Canardly on 01 June, 2015, 12:10:00 am

How on earth did the Entente Cordiale happen?

V. Late 19th Cent.
France. Ey Rosbifs, les Allemands zey look a bit dangereux. We make, how you say, "alliance", non?
Britain. Oh I say, that's rather a top hole idea, err, oui c'est une bonne idee. This Dreadnought arms race's gettin' a bit pricey eh wot!?

And yah boo sucks to Sellars & Yeatman.

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #529 on:** 01 June, 2015, 08:04:52 pm »

Quote from: Biggsy on 31 May, 2015, 07:16:03 pm

You're not allowed to post a book to Ireland without a licence from the ROI Minister of Justice, and you're not allowed to post any printed matter to France and Japan, full stop. According to the Royal Fail. ...Well, you can post them, but the items aren't supposed to be accepted by the receiving countries' postal services.

...To list just a couple of examples of the many ordinary items in Prohibited lists.

http://www.royalmail.com/personal/international-delivery/country-guides

What? I am expecting 2 books from the UK and received another about a week ago. Don't tell anyone...

Biggsy · « **Reply #530 on:** 01 June, 2015, 08:25:13 pm »

I didn't say the bonkers rules were enforced. I'm glad to learn they aren't!

David Martin · « **Reply #531 on:** 01 June, 2015, 08:55:41 pm »

I have learned more about grid systems and projections than I really wanted to, but I now appear to be able to extract data from OSM and calculate areas etc from it (field sizes mostly for an ecologist colleague) with minimal fuss.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #532 on:** 02 June, 2015, 11:25:39 am »

That Nigel Molesworh hav a page on Linkedin

Current role is Special Legal adviser to the IOC

Quote

Making shure committee members get their fair share of perks eg limos, slap-up meals and vintage wine gums

L CC · « **Reply #533 on:** 19 June, 2015, 03:10:02 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 29 May, 2015, 06:51:48 pm

I noticed in another thread the Knopfler brothers were at the same school as someone on this forum. I think it might have been fboab. Maybe.

Their uncle lived in the house which had a garage opposite ours on the back lane.

Our head of sixth gave an annual assembly pep-talk in September (FACT verified by older sister, who got it twice, I got expelled so only got it once) where he retold the tale that he'd told M Knopfler to stop messing on that gee-tar and focus on his studies. He told us to love what you do and do it as well as you can. I have it on fairly good authority that this was subsequently updated to include reference to one A Shearer (year below me- some dorky fussballing sporty type) who was told to follow his dream.

This belongs in another thread, doesn't it?

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #534 on:** 19 June, 2015, 03:45:23 pm »

Probably the one about ridiculous management phrases.

Andrij · « **Reply #535 on:** 19 June, 2015, 08:37:04 pm »

How All 50 States Got Their Names

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #536 on:** 19 June, 2015, 09:08:36 pm »

Quote from: Andrij on 19 June, 2015, 08:37:04 pm

How All 50 States Got Their Names

California is a mythical island. I think we'd all suspected this!

T42 · « **Reply #537 on:** 19 June, 2015, 09:39:20 pm »

I did learn summat today. But I've forgotten what it was.

Basil · « **Reply #538 on:** 19 June, 2015, 09:51:27 pm »

Fuck me! La lodger has a trumpet!
She's been here nearly two years and we never knew. Seems she thought I would not be happy about it

I've informed her that she has just gone to the top of the house cool table.

T42 · « **Reply #539 on:** 20 June, 2015, 02:22:15 pm »

Nipping round roundabout sharpish, learned that BB on new bike is 2.5 cm lower than on Audax bike.

tiermat · « **Reply #540 on:** 24 June, 2015, 08:13:25 am »

After a conversation with TLD, I learnt that I have something in common with:
Dwight Eisenhower
Shannon Doherty
Dynamo
Anastasia
and Mike McCready.

rafletcher · « **Reply #541 on:** 24 June, 2015, 09:29:46 am »

That the reason women's stage races have short(er) stages is because the UCI mandate that race distances can only be a maximum average of 100km per day in a stage race and the longest stage can not exceed 130km. The Ladies Tour of Holland one year was actually downgraded a category by the UCI when they broke this rule.

Also that Sweetspot, the organisers of the Aviva Women's Tour of Britain applied to the UCI for special dispensation. For the first time ever there were two 140km stages back to back in the middle of the 5 day race and an average distance per stage of 120km.

L CC · « **Reply #542 on:** 24 June, 2015, 05:04:06 pm »

The difference between F/UTP and UTP Cat5e cables.

(Clue: Not just £2.79+VAT)

Ham · « **Reply #543 on:** 27 June, 2015, 12:16:03 pm »

Quote from: fboab on 24 June, 2015, 05:04:06 pm

The difference between F/UTP and UTP Cat5e cables.

(Clue: Not just £2.79+VAT)

If it is any help I have c 300m of Cat 5e cable to give away.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #544 on:** 27 June, 2015, 12:33:12 pm »

If I still had the l33t 5k1llz required to put connectors on the stuff...

Ham · « **Reply #545 on:** 27 June, 2015, 03:55:04 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 27 June, 2015, 12:33:12 pm

If I still had the l33t 5k1llz required to put connectors on the stuff...

If you need some made up do shout, I have all the gubbins. It is wire not flex, but still works with RJ45 on the end.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #546 on:** 28 June, 2015, 02:56:02 pm »

The deed is done now, and the Great Escalier at Larrington Towers is increasingly resembling the interior of a slightly down-at-heel spaceship or a U-boat being rebuilt while on patrol.

Torslanda · « **Reply #547 on:** 28 June, 2015, 03:30:18 pm »

That creating what is best called a 'utilitarian finish' on a Land Rover may be achieved with a high-density roller.

L CC · « **Reply #548 on:** 28 June, 2015, 04:06:05 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 27 June, 2015, 12:16:03 pm

Quote from: fboab on 24 June, 2015, 05:04:06 pm
The difference between F/UTP and UTP Cat5e cables.

(Clue: Not just £2.79+VAT)

If it is any help I have c 300m of Cat 5e cable to give away.

Er, no.
I need around 2,000 x 10m grey with RJ45 both ends pa... If (as I suspect) the F is over-specification from engineering that's a worthwhile cost saving.

Ham · « **Reply #549 on:** 29 June, 2015, 07:51:44 am »

That a laissez faire attitude to the accuracy of one's watch is fine when the bicycle is ones preferred mode of transport, less so for the good old chemin de fer.