Recent comments in /f/todayilearned
WaterChi t1_janshm6 wrote
Reply to TIL "to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps" is an example of an impossible task. The idiom dates at least to 1834, from the Workingman's Advocate: "It is conjectured that Mr. Murphee will now be enabled to hand himself over the Cumberland river or a barn yard fence by the straps of his boots. by meat-juice
.. which is why it's particularly cruel when people tell you it's your fault if you can't do it. They are laughing at those less fortunate, mocking them.
RepeatUnnecessary324 t1_jansb9o wrote
Reply to TIL "to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps" is an example of an impossible task. The idiom dates at least to 1834, from the Workingman's Advocate: "It is conjectured that Mr. Murphee will now be enabled to hand himself over the Cumberland river or a barn yard fence by the straps of his boots. by meat-juice
doesn’t have the same ring to it now as it used to
DaveOJ12 t1_janrqt2 wrote
Reply to TIL the "Nokia Tune" was originally composed in 1902 by Spanish guitarist and composer Francisco Tárrega, part of a piece called "Gran Vals" and was the first identifiable mobile phone ring tone by mantolwen
Here's video of the Nokia ringtone going off at a concert, while the violinist plays off on it.
DelcoScum t1_janqh15 wrote
Reply to TIL the "Nokia Tune" was originally composed in 1902 by Spanish guitarist and composer Francisco Tárrega, part of a piece called "Gran Vals" and was the first identifiable mobile phone ring tone by mantolwen
I rocked this as my ringtone for awhile for my work phone. When it would go off in public I would always get a nod of approval or two
temujin64 t1_jan5i30 wrote
Reply to comment by absolutelyshafted in TIL that Crusaders granted safe passage to Mamluk armies to fight Mongols in 1260. by MimirHinnVitru
Didn't the Mamluks also decisively defeat them too?
WorldsGreatestPoop t1_jan51l1 wrote
I’ve always wondered if Sea Turtles are endangered why we don’t gather up like 1000 babies and escort them past the beach and shallows and let like half of them survive. We could repopulate the numbers pretty quick.
Fluid_Mulberry394 t1_jamxdm7 wrote
So will seagulls, owls, osprey, etc. From nest to sea is a natural danger zone with high probability of failure to survive.
newhugh123 t1_jamx8zk wrote
A turtle made it to the sea!
GreenStrong t1_jamw39k wrote
Reply to comment by AlcoholicCocoa in TIL Crabs will capture and eat baby Sea Turtles after they hatch. by TheMadhopper
Logically, we will all evolve to eat baby sea turtles after they hatch, but by that time, they too will be crabs.
TheMadhopper OP t1_jamvjn3 wrote
It's a rough life for a baby sea turtle as only about 1 in 1000 turtles make it to adulthood. But if they do make it they can usually live between 50 -100 years.
AlcoholicCocoa t1_jamvhdl wrote
Crab is the final lifeform after all
BabyLegsOShanahan t1_jamaphj wrote
Reply to comment by EmphasisFinal in TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
Someone is upset.
EmphasisFinal t1_jalvxp3 wrote
Reply to comment by BabyLegsOShanahan in TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
You're an idiot
bryniepoo t1_jallclf wrote
Reply to TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
Waking the dead ... how rude
jeffinRTP t1_jalfzvf wrote
Reply to TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
Hopefully there's a fence around the cemeteries as people are dying to get in.
BabyLegsOShanahan t1_jalbi4s wrote
Reply to TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
I know descendants of the Hart family. Bulldoze it.
croninsiglos t1_jal99xq wrote
Reply to TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
It’s super convenient when there’s an accident.
Asha_Brea t1_jal8i52 wrote
Reply to TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
Smart. Ghost can't pass through the iron in the rails
The_Frostweaver t1_jal8d8q wrote
Reply to TIL: There are two cemeteries surrounded by runways at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA by galspanic
Fewer noise complaints this way
thedamnoftinkers OP t1_jajz1v7 wrote
Reply to comment by fondledbydolphins in TIL that traditional lacquer is made w urushiol sap, aka the rash-causing toxin in poison ivy & poison oak. In fact, "urushi" (as in "urushi-ol") is the Japanese for the Chinese lacquer tree (also toxic) & an English word for lacquerware. They all fall in the genus Toxicodendron, or "poison tree". by thedamnoftinkers
I thought about growing mangoes. Then I learned about the bark.
Thank you, mango tree farmers, for fighting those bastards for delicious mangoes.
thedamnoftinkers OP t1_jajydsc wrote
Reply to comment by RenterGotNoNBN in TIL that traditional lacquer is made w urushiol sap, aka the rash-causing toxin in poison ivy & poison oak. In fact, "urushi" (as in "urushi-ol") is the Japanese for the Chinese lacquer tree (also toxic) & an English word for lacquerware. They all fall in the genus Toxicodendron, or "poison tree". by thedamnoftinkers
You're thinking of shellac, which, ironically, also originally involved trees. (They're not necessarily wholly different categories; Wikipedia calls urushiol "true lacquer".)
Shellac is much more common in the West, whereas lacquer is so heavily associated with Asia that lacquering (or mimicking the lacquered look) is called "japanning" in the trades, much like porcelain is usually called "china".
Ameisen t1_jajvqo0 wrote
Reply to comment by AnselaJonla in TIL that Crusaders granted safe passage to Mamluk armies to fight Mongols in 1260. by MimirHinnVitru
Germany alone today has tens of thousands of castles (though not as many in the 13th century). It would have been a strange place for the Mongols, especially as the Emperor's orders were to heavily stock the castles and cities, avoid direct engagements, and force the Mongols into sieges.
This AskHistorians reply goes into more detail aa well., including other, more important factors.
AnselaJonla t1_jajsvms wrote
Reply to comment by Ameisen in TIL that Crusaders granted safe passage to Mamluk armies to fight Mongols in 1260. by MimirHinnVitru
> Mongols would have had a lot of difficulty with central European terrain, and the sheer density of fortifications - Europe had a lot of castles, forts, and fortified cities, since they were constantly at war.
Isn't this the "Dothraki wouldn't do well in Westeros" argument? Which makes sense, given the influences GRRM drew from.
NeoPossum t1_janu9z4 wrote
Reply to TIL the "Nokia Tune" was originally composed in 1902 by Spanish guitarist and composer Francisco Tárrega, part of a piece called "Gran Vals" and was the first identifiable mobile phone ring tone by mantolwen
It's been used as a jazz standard as well.