Hmm. I used to think that mid-19th-century corsets were so tight that women's breathing was constricted to the extent that many of them fainted. But apparently I was wrong -- at least, according to this article from the Lancaster History Museum, about corsetry myths. Oh well. I was wrong, and that's fine. Now I've learned something new.
Today I learned what's going on on TikTok in Canada with the American ban (posted to Instagram threads) https://www.threads.net/@rubycanread/post/DFAKe7cyY48?xmt=AQGzvabfrJi7io4Uwsx7fl0ADtcwH-Sz5mm8bDB2xU9__Q https://www.threads.net/@baileycolors/post/DFAXC-tRZCo?xmt=AQGzvabfrJi7io4Uwsx7fl0ADtcwH-Sz5mm8bDB2xU9__Q
Today I learned that over the last 12 generations, spanning approximately 400 years, you have had 4094 direct ancestors (from parents, grandparents ... to ... tenth great-grandparents.)
Only if all those ancestors only held a unique position in your ancestral tree. Unless I have it wrong, isn't it 4096? Or does 4094 take the above into account?
Here's the Instagram post I got it from https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEiiolUOG7d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Let's see. *fires up ye ole Excel* - 2 parents - 4 grandparents - 8 great-grandparents - etc., etc... I'm too lazy to reconstruct the whole damn thing. But ... 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64 + 128 + 256 + 512 + 1,024 + 2,048 = 4,094. So, yes: that person on instagram knows how to math. I think the confusion arose because 2 ^ 12 is indeed 4,096. No biggie. Where this instagram thingummy falls down is that there are only 11 generations, not 12, unless you include yourself. At any rate, yes: in order for me to exist, a whole bunch of random chances had to come true. But if one or two hadn't, I still would have existed, only not as the present "me". It's a simple demonstration of the multiverse. Big whoop. *blows a raspberry*
Except that was what they called sportswear. Not like you're swattin' the jolly old tennis ball about in white tie and tails, what?
That's because, in spite of not having our modern conveniences like electronic calculators and sneakers with lights in them, our ancestors were not dumb.
How smart could they have been if their sneakers didn't even light up? Not even properly h. sapiens in my book...
Today I learned that the collection of matches, matchbooks, and other match-related items is called phillumeny.
Interesting. Thanks, Iain. Similarly, stamp collecting is called philately ... but coin collecting is called numismatics. I wonder why it doesn't follow the -eny or -ely ending? Does anyone know?
Today I learned that the song “Mack the Knife” is based on a character in The Threepenny Opera (1928), who in turn is based on the character Captain Macheath in The Beggar’s Opera (1728).
Yep! A few years ago, when I wrote a parody of "Mack the Knife" (just for fun), I looked into it and learned that myself. I didn't learn this today, but two years ago, I learned all about smithing techniques, both current and ancient. (One of my two MCs in my then-current novel was a pre-Christ blacksmith, so of course I had to know).
I waited on him several times during my casino days. Nice guy. ETA: Whoops. That would be Bobby Vinton. Darin died before I was born. I always mix those two up. Thank you, Google.
Today I learned that the national debt of the US is around $36,431 billion, which makes the debt per person approximately $107,049. In Canada, the federal debt is around $1,236 billion. With a population of about 40.1 million, our debt per citizen is $30,905
This is interesting: https://apnews.com/article/ai-copyright-office-artificial-intelligence-363f1c537eb86b624bf5e81bed70d459 Glad I don't rely on creating intellectual property for income. Going to be less and less of that going around, one way or another.
Not related to the story, but now I'm curious: the flag in that picture is at half-mast. Is October 18th a holiday of some kind in the US (or a day of mourning)? I did some research, and the only holiday I can find that's even close is Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day -- and that fluctuates between October 8th and October 14th (whichever is a Monday). On the other hand, October 18th in the US is National Chocolate Cupcake Day. (Wait, what?! *researches* OK, so it's not official - phew - but on the other hand, there is this wikipedia page: List of food days.) I found this quote particularly depressing: "As of 2014, the United States had over 365 days related to awareness of specific foods or drinks." Examples include "National Whipped Cream Day", "National Cupcake Day", "National Vanilla Cupcake Day" ... but no chocolate ones. How odd. On the other hand, December 1st is "Eat a Red Apple Day", apparently. Are there actually people who need a special day to eat a certain food? Really...? And are all these special days necessary? Yes, it's a fun thing to do. But I'm sure it'd get tiresome after, I'unno, a couple of weeks? "Where's your vanilla cupcake!!!" "I didn't feel like eating one today." "TRAITOR! HANG HIM!" Surely that sounds like the start of a dystopian novel or something ...
I don't 'understand how they are going to be drawing that magical line between what is acceptable and what isn't. From the article:
All you need in the US is the relevant business council (the National Apple Growers' Union or whatever) to say that it's a national day and it is. As a matter of fact, as the president and chief steward (and sole member) of the Iain Aschendale Fanclub, I hereby declare January 31st to be National Iain Aschendale Appreciation day. Leave your "likes" below, I'm falling behind.
Today I learned about something called acoustic ecology, sometimes called ecoacoustics or soundscape studies, an interdisciplinary science that investigates “natural and anthropogenic sounds and their relationships with the environment over multiple scales of time and space.” The philosophy underpinning Acoustic Ecology is … “that we try to hear the acoustic environment as a musical composition and, further, that we own responsibility for its composition.” https://naisa.ca/radio-art-companion/an-introduction-to-acoustic-ecology/
