I only recently learned that some socks are fitted for L and R feet.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 25 October 2017 11:42 (six years ago) link
I'm currently reading 1493 by Charles C Mann which is all about how humans introduced species to different to different continents (both intentionally and inadvertently). I think the one fact that surprised my the most is actually that there were no earthworms in North America before the arrival of Europeans. So I just learned that a couple of days ago.
― silverfish, Wednesday, 25 October 2017 13:02 (six years ago) link
i just realized that we use a base-10 counting system most likely because we have 10 fingers to count on
check out diamonddave85 over here, str8 boasting about his full complement of fingers
― clammy marinara (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 25 October 2017 13:06 (six years ago) link
xpost Might have been that book (or maybe another?) where I learned that the honeybee itself is an invasive species the Europeans brought with them that in turn killed the native bees and took over their duties. Off (but on) topic, I have no idea why but I could not for the life of me finish 1491. In fact, I only finally abandoned it last week and moved on to something else. Just the sheer onslaught of history and dates and whatnot was too relentless. It just kept going. Feel bad, because I was looking forward to moving on to 1493, but I don't think I can do it.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 25 October 2017 13:10 (six years ago) link
I don't think you need to have read 1491 to read 1493, they deal with different things. 1493 is all about ecology, agriculture and trade how intertwined this all is. I'm currently reading the chapter on the effects of introducing potatoes to Europe and this just keep getting surprised by how far reaching the consequences are.
Also, the last section in 1491 about how the pre-columbian amazonian rain forest is in large part man-made is probably the most interesting part of that book.
― silverfish, Wednesday, 25 October 2017 13:42 (six years ago) link
'Roiled' is American for 'riled'.
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Saturday, 11 November 2017 12:46 (six years ago) link
not to be mistaken with 'birled' as popularised by RT star presenter Alex Salmond.
― calzino, Saturday, 11 November 2017 12:57 (six years ago) link
Birl means to spin round. Don't know how Wee Eck's been using it on RT though.
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Saturday, 11 November 2017 13:05 (six years ago) link
I think I just learned this now. I'm not sure I've ever heard "roiled".
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Saturday, 11 November 2017 14:04 (six years ago) link
Americans use both roil and rile. I'd say roil if I were talking about water and rile if I were talking about making someone upset.
― Moodles, Saturday, 11 November 2017 14:49 (six years ago) link
Oh, I have read "roil" in reference to water but mostly in older literature.
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Saturday, 11 November 2017 14:52 (six years ago) link
Noodles says what I was going to say. Water is roiled and people are riled.
― piezoelectric landlord (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 11 November 2017 15:59 (six years ago) link
That the Iron Age refers specifically to the period when humans began smelting iron mined from the earth, as iron had actually been in use for a long time prior but it was all meteoric iron so people basically thought it was just some magic metal gifted to them from space aliens or gods or whatever rationale they had to apply to some crazy shit that was just falling from the sky.
― Fresh Toast (Old Lunch), Saturday, 11 November 2017 16:12 (six years ago) link
I warn my kids every night around nine to not rile the dog up.
I don't know if I've ever said the word "roil" out loud.
― pplains, Saturday, 11 November 2017 17:54 (six years ago) link
Right, though the context I saw it in was about upsetting or annoying someone... having said that what's all this stuff about roiling (or riling) water?
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Saturday, 11 November 2017 18:06 (six years ago) link
"Roil" is how Americans say "rile" when they're doing a British accent.
― nickn, Saturday, 11 November 2017 19:00 (six years ago) link
I did almost mention Dick Van Dyke earlier.
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Saturday, 11 November 2017 19:03 (six years ago) link
"The sea raged and roiled" is the only usage of the word "roil" that seems familiar to me.
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Saturday, 11 November 2017 19:55 (six years ago) link
agree, I only think of “roil”as tumultuous waters
― mh, Saturday, 11 November 2017 19:58 (six years ago) link
― nickn, Saturday, November 11, 2017 1:00 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Or like how we refer to their Roil Family.
― pplains, Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:25 (six years ago) link
I'm sure I've heard roiling in cooking terms when you boil water in a pan and the water's bubbling away ferociously, what I'd call a fast boil. Is that the same thing again?
― ailsa, Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:34 (six years ago) link
rolling boil maybe
― mh, Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:41 (six years ago) link
broil?
― rove mcmanus island (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:42 (six years ago) link
OIM RILLY ROILED UP ROIGHT NOW
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:54 (six years ago) link
flea circuses are actually a real thing that people used to do, with real fleas, not just a metaphor or a thing in cartoons
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:56 (six years ago) link
Yeah, but I'm sure I've heard it called roiling. Is broiling not grilling?
― ailsa, Saturday, 11 November 2017 21:56 (six years ago) link
oh you’re right. i’ve only ever had broiled meats in chinese/taiwanese soups, and just assumed broiling was that.
― rove mcmanus island (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 11 November 2017 22:04 (six years ago) link
that lots of guys apparently like to wank in front of unwilling women
― akm, Saturday, 11 November 2017 23:21 (six years ago) link
NOT ONLY THAT, but his weird anti-semitic racist plot to foist squaredancing upon the country is the whole reason for square dancing in gym class. https://t.co/LBUThVJpbi pic.twitter.com/ONEMWpAEHj— Robyn Pennacchia (@RobynElyse) December 7, 2017
― mookieproof, Friday, 8 December 2017 17:31 (six years ago) link
that is wild
― Roberto Spiralli, Friday, 8 December 2017 17:37 (six years ago) link
I only learned last week that in the chipmunks christmas song they're howling about a HULA HOOP instead of just indiscriminate wailing. I like my ~40 year internalized version better but I can live with reality too
― droit au butt (Euler), Friday, 8 December 2017 17:49 (six years ago) link
i still sing it as HOONA HOO because thats how it sounded to me, it’s funnier that way
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 9 December 2017 05:17 (six years ago) link
That Janice Long is Keith Chegwin's sister
― Colonel Poo, Monday, 11 December 2017 14:33 (six years ago) link
Can see a facial resemblance if that's true.
― Stevolende, Monday, 11 December 2017 14:57 (six years ago) link
Was, dudes.
― Mark G, Monday, 11 December 2017 15:00 (six years ago) link
That Janice Long is Keith Chegwin's sister― Colonel Poo, Monday, December 11, 2017 2:33 PM (thirty-two minutes ago) Bookmark
― Colonel Poo, Monday, December 11, 2017 2:33 PM (thirty-two minutes ago) Bookmark
haha, found this out about 32 minutes ago too
― Eyeball Kicks, Monday, 11 December 2017 15:06 (six years ago) link
er, Janice Long is still alive afaik
― Colonel Poo, Monday, 11 December 2017 15:14 (six years ago) link
That teenager is teenager because thirTEEN, fourTEEN, ... eighTEEN, nineTEEN. I still cringe at my statement of "but teenager is such a vague word..when does one become a teenager? 12? 13?" in a debate.
Also fell victim to the idea that pickles were vegetables in their own right (not pickled cucumbers). Then my immediate thought was that pickling cucumbers was terrible inefficient considering how much they shrunk in the vinegar (from supermarket cucumber size to gherkins).
That Liv Tyler is Steve Tyler's daughter.
― finlay (fionnland), Monday, 11 December 2017 15:35 (six years ago) link
fyi 'Beats' from People Just Do Nothing is(was) Keith Chegwin's nephew
― raise my chicken finger (Willl), Monday, 11 December 2017 15:42 (six years ago) link
I only worked out yesterday that 'ymmv' stands for 'your mileage may vary' rather than 'your meat, my veg'
― imago, Monday, 11 December 2017 15:47 (six years ago) link
U did not
― remember the lmao (darraghmac), Monday, 11 December 2017 15:48 (six years ago) link
phrase's very strange!
― imago, Monday, 11 December 2017 15:49 (six years ago) link
srsly though
― imago, Monday, 11 December 2017 15:50 (six years ago) link
i always found it a pretty natural phrase but your meat, my veg
― ogmor, Monday, 11 December 2017 16:08 (six years ago) link
à chacun son goat
― The Dearth of Stollen (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 December 2017 16:10 (six years ago) link
Three Google results for "your meat my veg". My brethren
― imago, Monday, 11 December 2017 16:16 (six years ago) link
Mind you, one of them types "your mileage may vary" as well just to be sure
― imago, Monday, 11 December 2017 16:17 (six years ago) link
"your meat may vary"
― Mark G, Monday, 11 December 2017 16:18 (six years ago) link
I shall wear it as penance
― your meat, my veg (imago), Monday, 11 December 2017 16:18 (six years ago) link
I like "your meat, my veg". Using this from now on.
― Moodles, Monday, 11 December 2017 16:42 (six years ago) link