Recent comments in /f/todayilearned
ADDeviant-again t1_j8nr02q wrote
Reply to comment by myeff in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
Funniest shit ever. I check in every few months for the updates. I wish they would post every single entry sometimes...
tubetalkerx t1_j8nqq4x wrote
Vlacas12 t1_j8npyy8 wrote
Reply to comment by darthbiscuit in TIL that in November 1954, a woman in Alabama survived being struck by a meteorite that hit the roof of her house, bounced off a radio and hit her in upper thigh and hand. She was left with a large bruise on her side but was otherwise not seriously injured. by g_man2522
Ouch! That took a dark turn.
[deleted] t1_j8npxw6 wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
[removed]
Mddcat04 t1_j8npirr wrote
Reply to comment by Nerditter in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
It absolutely is.
Uglytool t1_j8nonkw wrote
Reply to comment by _Silly_Wizard_ in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
The night was moister than an oyster, and just as willing to open her inviting shell.
[deleted] t1_j8nno1c wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
[removed]
TheCloudFestival t1_j8nn8z8 wrote
Reply to comment by myeff in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
Not only is the opening 'line' bad, but the book is essentially unreadable. It was written in the style of the time, which was a loose collection of several page long run-on sentences.
[deleted] t1_j8nn4kj wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
[deleted]
[deleted] t1_j8nn19y wrote
Reply to comment by bigbangbilly in TIL: The wires helping hold up antenna and poles are not "guide wires" by actually "guy-wires" by HanSolo71
[deleted]
zed857 t1_j8nltt6 wrote
Reply to comment by Logondo in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed...
PghMe101 t1_j8nl31m wrote
Reply to comment by SliceMcNuts in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
YOU STUPID MONKEY!!!!
Nerditter t1_j8nh8xg wrote
Reply to comment by IDK_Maybe_ in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
I think that first line in Wrinkle In Time is a kind of joke about how cliche an opening sentence it is.
Mister-Grumpy t1_j8nh8jp wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
Raymond Chandler
It's a Raymond Chandler evening
At the end of someone's day
And I'm standing in my pocket
And I'm slowly turning grey
I remember what I told you
But I can't remember why
And the yellow leaves are falling
In a spiral from the sky
There's a body on the railings
That I can't identify
And I'd like to reassure you
But I'm not that kind of guy
It's a Raymond Chandler evening
And the pavements are all wet
And I'm lurking in the shadows
Because it hasn't happened...
...yet.
~Robyn Hitchcock
KillingHalfAnHour t1_j8ngthz wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
That line from the Five Iron Frenzy song makes more sense to me now
bolanrox t1_j8ng4vx wrote
Reply to comment by mossgard007 in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
> This was the inspiration for "The Studdley Luckler Chonicles - Tales of the World's Greatest Defective. "It was dark. So dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face."
then you were probably eaten by a Grue
Bearded_Pip t1_j8ng3ow wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
No wonder Snoopy stoped there. That’s a long intro.
Iron_Chic t1_j8nfpgy wrote
Reply to comment by Busy-Marsupial9172 in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
I was too lazy to read that post. Two lines AND a second paragraph?!?!
IDK_Maybe_ t1_j8nfhwq wrote
Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
For some reason I always thought wrinkle in time was the first book
_Silly_Wizard_ t1_j8nfhtj wrote
Reply to comment by AgentElman in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
>The night was moist.
jusmellow t1_j8nf9r0 wrote
Reply to comment by myeff in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
Lmao omg I cant stop laughing after reading one of the contest winners' opening sentence
darthbiscuit t1_j8neq5j wrote
Reply to TIL that in November 1954, a woman in Alabama survived being struck by a meteorite that hit the roof of her house, bounced off a radio and hit her in upper thigh and hand. She was left with a large bruise on her side but was otherwise not seriously injured. by g_man2522
“Woman survives being hit by Meteorite. ‘She’ll be fine.’ says husband, Meteorite Johnson.”
fromwayuphigh t1_j8nej83 wrote
Reply to comment by Some0neAwesome in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
And there is now an annual Bulwer-Lytton award for worst opening line in a published work. Some of them are just eye-gougingly bad.
myeff t1_j8neez2 wrote
Reply to comment by Some0neAwesome in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
Which gave rise to the Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest, which each year challenges participants "to write an atrocious opening sentence to the worst novel never written."
themeatbridge t1_j8nrfyb wrote
Reply to comment by jusmellow in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow
This is a gold mine.
The 2021 winner in the Children's category:
>Despite an exhaustive search, rescuers were unable to locate young Christopher Robin in the Hundred Acre Wood before hypothermia took him, and the animals he once called friends descended upon his corpse like a silly old bear upon a pot of hunny.
>Paul Kollas, Orlando, FL