Platypuses in the wild have a life expectancy of 10 years. Platypuses in captivity have a life expectancy of 17 years. Perry the Platypus will live longer than that, possibly more than the two figures combined.
"If you don't put enough commas in, you won't know where to breathe and will die of asphyxiation"
My sister's studying for the GRE right now, and we were talking about the word "pellucid." I thought it might be "opaque" but I was kind of a little bit wrong. It was "transparent." So we talked about how she could remember it...(this isn't fascinating, but it is definitely a random tidbit)
pellucid has "lucid"
"lucid" can mean "clear"
"clear" can be "transparent"
And, as she pointed out, that must be why "translucent" has a "luc" in it!
(Come to think of it, "luc" might be from the ...Latin?... root "lux" which means light, right?)
On Ken Jennings's blog, he asked this question: If people with dwarfism don’t like being called “midgets,” is the word completely verboten, or can we still use it in other contexts (“midget-class” kiddie athletics, “mental midget,” etc.)?
Apparently the short answer is that you should never use it, because little people really hate it.
I found this observation particularly interesting:
"To someone not familiar with the ins and outs of the terminology, “midget” sounds like the clear, polite choice. “Little people” just sounds condescending; a “dwarf” is a creature (and not always a nice one) from mythology. This probably makes it hard to train people to change their vocabulary."
Also, I always thought those little tootsie rolls were called "midgets" because they were really small. Turns out they are "midgees." I don't even know what that means.
thebigcheese wrote:Today I learned that blue lobsters are the result of a rare genetic defect. Aside from the color, they are basically the same as regular lobsters and can be cooked and eaten normally. Now you know.
I've seen blue lobsters before at an aquarium. And a half-blue, half-orange lobster, although it was kind of sickly.
Overall, more educated Mormons are more religiously involved than less educated Mormons, as measured by church attendance and other factors. (This is contrary to a general trend among Protestants, where more education leads to less religious involvement.) However, Mormons women who have gone to grad school are somewhat less religiously involved than Mormon women whose highest level of education is a 4-year degree. (cite)
I also noticed that Mormon males that have gone to grad school are slightly more religiously involved than those with Bachelor's or lower. That is an odd phenomenon. I wonder why that is? Changed preferences about family life that can make church-going uncomfortable? I know there's a big problem with single women over 35 going inactive, I would imagine that they are on average more educated than others, and being in a Relief Society with mostly wives/mothers/grandmothers who talk about babies/motherhood/wifery all the time can be very discouraging and awkward. I'm intrigued.
As a non-married LDS woman in grad school, I might be concerned for my spiritual future if I didn't have so many callings they are nearly a full-time job.
A coconut shy is a game where you throw three balls at a row of coconuts to knock them down. This game inspired the 1944 novelty song, "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts."
"If you don't put enough commas in, you won't know where to breathe and will die of asphyxiation"
habiba wrote:I also noticed that Mormon males that have gone to grad school are slightly more religiously involved than those with Bachelor's or lower. That is an odd phenomenon. I wonder why that is? Changed preferences about family life that can make church-going uncomfortable?
Well, the general trend is for more education (in men) to lead to more religiosity overall, so the undergrad -> grad school phenomenon is just continuing the trend.
Today I realized...while in the shower, for some reason...that the kids in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are based on the Catholic seven deadly sins. I looked it up to see if other people had realized the same thing, and of course they had, but we disagree as to which deadly sins. I saw one person list Violet Beauregard as Pride and Veruca Salt as Greed. But I think there are clues in their names (Veruca Salt is lust, I think: Salt > Salacious. Violet is Envy, represented by her competitive nature. But rather than turning green, she turns violet. Too much of a stretch?) Mike Teavee might be a combo of Pride and Sloth. Augustus Gloop is clearly gluttony, and Gloop...sounds kinda like Glut. I read in one forum that Charlie represents envy. Maybe.
krebscout wrote:Today I realized...while in the shower, for some reason...that the kids in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are based on the Catholic seven deadly sins. I looked it up to see if other people had realized the same thing, and of course they had, but we disagree as to which deadly sins. I saw one person list Violet Beauregard as Pride and Veruca Salt as Greed. But I think there are clues in their names (Veruca Salt is lust, I think: Salt > Salacious. Violet is Envy, represented by her competitive nature. But rather than turning green, she turns violet. Too much of a stretch?) Mike Teavee might be a combo of Pride and Sloth. Augustus Gloop is clearly gluttony, and Gloop...sounds kinda like Glut. I read in one forum that Charlie represents envy. Maybe.
Also, Spongebob characters.
Perhaps. Also of potential note may be the sixth child, cut from publication. Also, the sin for lust may fit better if looked at as luxuria, extravagance instead of the modern meaning of sexual desire. I'd still wonder, as ire never really appears, and I'd think that Dahl could have worked it in fairly easily if he was modeling kids off of the big seven.
He who knows others is clever;
He who knows himself has discernment.
He who overcomes others has force;
He who overcomes himself is strong. 33:1-4
Today I learned that it's possible to be an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid. Irish-American cook Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary, was one such carrier who spread the disease to at least 53 people in the early 20th century.
Emiliana wrote:Today I learned that it's possible to be an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid. Irish-American cook Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary, was one such carrier who spread the disease to at least 53 people in the early 20th century.
I looked her up on the Fount of All Knowledge and found out she worked in Oyster Bay, Long Island, which was totally one of my mission areas. It makes me feel almost famous (almost). That makes me located with a second disease center: I lived literally two blocks away from the Swine Flu school and caught that dread disease within a week or two of its coming out. So, yes, I am one of the original pig flu people. Rock on.
I learned that when addressing the Patriarch of Constantinople, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, one addresses him, not as "Your Holiness" or "Your Eminence," but rather as "Your Beatitude."
