EmperorJake t1_j8qc7qw wrote on February 16, 2023 at 4:36 AM

> D. Kriesel, a German Ph.D. student studying computational geometry, encountered a strange problem when scanning a blueprint on a common Xerox office scanner. The numbers denoting the square footage of rooms were totally wrong, and what's more, they changed when he scanned the blueprint again.

>Intrigued, Kriesel tried scanning a table of costs and figures. Numbers changed again—but not wildly, just by a little bit: 54.60 became 54.80, for instance.

Another article on that same news: https://www.theregister.com/2013/08/06/xerox_copier_flaw_means_dodgy_numbers_and_dangerous_designs/

Yeah, that could potentially result in lawsuits or other legal mess with Xerox being caught in the crossfire. Such as a purchase contract's or construction plan's numbers being silently changed.

ScaryBluejay87 t1_j8q9tbd wrote on February 16, 2023 at 4:14 AM

Reply to comment by minister-of-farts in TIL the phrase “you can’t handle the truth” was created/ improvised by Jack Nicholson. The movie's original screenplay boasted the line "You already have the truth," which Nicholson trimmed to "You can't handle the truth." by SixedSigma

So … intense logging operations?

2WaterGuns t1_j8q9pj0 wrote on February 16, 2023 at 4:13 AM

Reply to comment by 10kLines in TIL the phrase “you can’t handle the truth” was created/ improvised by Jack Nicholson. The movie's original screenplay boasted the line "You already have the truth," which Nicholson trimmed to "You can't handle the truth." by SixedSigma

When you say it out loud it flows better

Typical_Balance3892 t1_j8q90av wrote on February 16, 2023 at 4:07 AM

Reply to comment by shed1 in TIL the phrase “you can’t handle the truth” was created/ improvised by Jack Nicholson. The movie's original screenplay boasted the line "You already have the truth," which Nicholson trimmed to "You can't handle the truth." by SixedSigma

>You're not going to hear anyone in here say, 'You can't handle the truth!'

Of course I know they will, it'll be me.

"... B-but sir you're just a jury memb-"

I SAID IT WILL BE ME WHO SAYS IT

pm_me_your_taintt t1_j8q8p2q wrote on February 16, 2023 at 4:04 AM

Reply to comment by PopeImpiousthePi 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'm gonna kill the bitch

F5PPu6kGqj t1_j8q8iig wrote on February 16, 2023 at 4:03 AM

Reply to comment by C_K_Fire 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

> In 1956, Mrs. Hodges decided to sell the meteorite to the Alabama Museum of Natural History, against her husband's wishes, and as he recalled, for about $25.

But looking further:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/1954-extraterrestrial-bruiser-shocked-alabama-woman-180973646/

> At that time, when Americans were skittish about the threat of nuclear war and alert to rumors of flying saucers, the Air Force took custody of the object to verify that it was indeed a meteorite. Officers at Maxwell Air Force Base promised that it would be returned to the Hodges household, which coincidentally stood across the street from a drive-in theater named The Comet. It featured a neon depiction of a comet soaring through space.

> Identifying the object as a meteorite was relatively easy, but determining its ownership became complicated. The Hodges rented their home, and their landlady, Birdie Guy, thought the meteorite belonged to her.

> The case eventually was settled out of court with Guy getting $500 to let Ann Hodges keep the meteorite. When Eugene Hodges was unable to find a buyer for it, the family used it as a doorstop for a while before donating it to the Alabama Museum of Natural History.