Random and useless thoughts and facts

Alaska is the only state whose name is on one row on a keyboard.

 

I appear to be prophetic.
https://www.writingforums.org/threads/value-judgement-3176-words.164878/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-63100636

 

Everyone should have the sort of friend who will do some light trespassing with you on a Friday night.

 

I’ve come across a most fascinating book—Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, written by Charles Mackay in 1841.
You can read it for free at the Gutenberg site by clicking on the link of the title.

I am reading the chapter entitled TULIPOMANIA. A mania for tulips swept across Europe in the 17th century. Any person of good taste had to have their tulips.
The demand for bulbs was so great, and speculators so anxious to obtain them, that prices got ridiculous.

The following list of articles and their values represent what was delivered for one single root of the rare Viceroy species:

Two lasts of wheat 448
Four lasts of rye 558
Four fat oxen 480
Eight fat swine 240
Twelve fat sheep 120
Two hogsheads of wine 70
Four tuns of beer 32
Two tuns of butter 192
One thousand lbs. of cheese 120
A complete bed 100
A suit of clothes 80
A silver drinking-cup 60
2500 florins

 

I've been playing cards all my life and never noticed/knew this.

The four kings in a standard deck of cards are all different because since the 16th century they have been based on four historical royal figures.

King of Spades - King David - has the largest sword which David took from Goliath.
King of Diamonds - Caesar - has an ax with a raised hand representing the Roman salute.
King of Hearts - Charlemagne - no moustache, and wearing a royal cloak.
King of Clubs - Alexander the Great - represented with the globe, because Alexander was a conqueror.

Spoiler: pics of kings

 

I don't play cards, but I knew that. Realized I didn't know who the queens were, though, and went looking: The Queen of Spades represents Pallas Athena, the Queen of Hearts represents Judith, the Queen of Diamonds Rachel, and the Queen of clubs represents Argine (an anagram of the word Regina, meaning Queen).

 

Desmond Morris, pioneering author of Naked Ape and Manwatching, amongst others, was interviewed on radio yesterday. Fascinating man who sounds nothing like I think a 94-year-old should, much like his good pal David Attenborough who's 96. He said he watches politicians speaking on TV with the mute pressed because what they will say is generally predictable and he figures he'll get a better handle just watching.

Seemed something well worth trying when trying to write gestures and mannerisms into a scene. Even if not helpful for that, there's many other credible reasons to adopt the practice.

 

Headline of the Day:

The iPhone 14's 'Crash Detection' Keeps Calling 911 on Rollercoasters

 

And since it says "Win up to 2x, 5x, or 10x," the 2x and 5x are redundant and superfluous, since both fall within "Up to 10x." Of course, "Up to 10x" also includes zero.

 

He is still alive! I read one of his books when I was in junior high, and that was about a hundred years ago.

 

Comic books will really have a guy called something like Alec Tricity just happen to gain electric powers.

 

And his girlfriend, Seren Dipity, who is really good at coming across great stuff they just happen to need in their crime fighting careers.

 

In 1817, William Lamb said the following in the House of Commons, in reference to the power of the press in relation to the suspension of habeaus corpus:
"It was common to speak of the power of the press, and he admitted that its power was great. He should, however, beg press of their duty to apply to themselves a maxim which they never neglected to urge on the consideration of government—"that the possession of great power necessarily implies great responsibility."

He then proceeded to climb up the walls of the Chamber and webbed the Speaker to his chair.

 

In which case, I'd hate to be called Randy Baumgartner.

 

That's how Groot happened I reckon.

 

The last crank telephone in the US was deactivated in 1983.

 

So no more crank calls?

 

Just listened to Ina Gadda Davita again this morning, threw me back a few decades. Can't say I like it all that much any more. Maybe I need some sort of consciousness expander.

 

Headline of the Day from The Babylon Bee:

'God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle In Life,' Says Man Unfamiliar With God, Life

 

Headline of the Day 2:

Nissan Sells Its Russian Business For Less Than A Dollar, Losing $687 Million

Time to sell your Nissan stock ...

 

I guess that explains all the suicides.

 

Headline of the Day from The Babylon Bee:

Entire Professional Soccer Team Dead After Team Bus Goes Over Slight Speed Bump

 

A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s, found in a mine, sold for $76,000.00.

 

Reasons why women were admitted to the lunatic asylum, late 19th century

Spoiler: Reasons for admission to asylum

 

MY GOD! Novel reading! Inconceivable!

THE HORROR!