Topic: What I learned today! (Read 195125 times)

Mongrel · « **Reply #2740 on:** December 18, 2013, 06:53:59 PM »

Today I learned something of the life of Michael John O'Leary, who, among various other lifelong heroics, earned a VC for singlehandedly taking out two machine gun nests in WWI.

Mostly worth it for this bit:

Quote

Tributes came from numerous prominent figures of the day, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who said that "No writer in fiction would dare to fasten such an achievement on any of his characters, but the Irish have always had a reputation of being wonderful fighters, and Lance-Corporal Michael O’Leary is clearly one of them." and Thomas Scanlan who said: "I heard early this week of the great achievements of the Irish Guards. All Ireland is proud of O’Leary. He fully deserves the high honour that has been conferred upon him. Ireland is grateful to him."

His reception was repeated in Macroom when he visited Ireland, with crowds turning out to applaud him. Daniel O'Leary was interviewed in a local newspaper regarding his son's exploit but was reportedly unimpressed, commenting: "I am surprised he didn't do more. I often laid out twenty men myself with a stick coming from Macroom Fair, and it is a bad trial of Mick that he could kill only eight, and he having a rifle and bayonet."

Brentai · « **Reply #2741 on:** December 19, 2013, 03:29:19 AM »

Having only recently read the Sherlock Holmes collection, I can appreciate what exactly it means for Arthur Conan Doyle to say that an achievement is too over-the-top for his characters.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2742 on:** December 19, 2013, 04:17:47 AM »

That the notorious "Welfare Queen" spoken of in Reagan's speeches and often dismissed as the fabrication of right-wing demagoguery was not only real, but was in fact vastly more terrifying than the mere petty criminal ole Ron made her out to be.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2743 on:** December 20, 2013, 04:36:01 AM »

Potoooooooo

Mongrel · « **Reply #2744 on:** December 21, 2013, 09:20:18 AM »

The Bazooka - of WWII and after fame - was actually invented during WWI, by no less of a person than Robert Goddard.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2745 on:** December 25, 2013, 03:38:01 AM »

The term "Xmas" actually dates as far back as the 16th century.

Friday · « **Reply #2746 on:** December 25, 2013, 05:19:24 AM »

A Megaman Xmas

"What the fuck are we doing," asked Brentai.

"It can't possibly be as bad as the Star Wars Holiday Special," said Thad.

Just then, the Kool-Aid Man came crashing through the wall. Bricks bounced and clattered like bowling pins struck by a meteor. Suddenly the background turned to stars and a horizontal blue strip framed Kool-Aid Man.

"OH YEEEEEEEEEEEAH," said the Kool-Aid Man. "I'm here to get REVENGE."

Thad looked at Brentai. Brentai looked at Thad.

"It's worse," said Brentai, as his arm morphed into a Buster Cannon.

"I'd argue with you, but I just noticed that the Kool-Aid Man's bowl is filled with semen," said Thad, as he pulled out his T-Sabre.

"Enough talk!" said the Kool-Aid Man, as his life bar filled up from bottom to top. "Have at you!"

And then the universe exploded.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #2747 on:** December 25, 2013, 05:58:24 AM »

Today I learned that the real-life Lone Ranger was a runaway slave named Bass Reeves who became a US Marshal after the Civil War.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2748 on:** December 25, 2013, 06:06:26 AM »

Quote from: Ted Skelmont on December 25, 2013, 05:58:24 AM

Today I learned that the real-life Lone Ranger was a runaway slave named Bass Reeves who became a US Marshal after the Civil War.

TBH, that dude is way more interesting than the fictional Lone Ranger.

Disposable Ninja · « **Reply #2749 on:** December 28, 2013, 01:13:15 AM »

An African-American man named Jerry Lawson designed the Fairchild Channel F, the first interchangeable cartridge-based video game console.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2750 on:** December 31, 2013, 05:06:30 PM »

Bacon pancakes are an honest-to-god real-life "old country home cooking" Dutch/Belgian recipe.

Büge · « **Reply #2751 on:** January 01, 2014, 12:40:58 AM »

Quote from: Mongrel on December 31, 2013, 05:06:30 PM

Bacon pancakes

Goddamn it.

Bacon Pancakes - ORIGINAL VIDEO

Büge · « **Reply #2752 on:** January 03, 2014, 04:15:50 AM »

During the filming of Gremlins 2, Christopher Lee apologized to Joe Dante for appearing in The Howling II.

Mazian · « **Reply #2753 on:** January 05, 2014, 02:44:50 PM »

The "native" name of the state of Idaho was probably made up as a fake, and was originally proposed for what became Colorado instead.

Büge · « **Reply #2754 on:** January 05, 2014, 03:08:22 PM »

There exists an episode of "Penguins of Madagascar", never aired in the states, where a toy unicorn is brought to life and conquers the world through the magic of friendship.

The unicorn is voiced by Conan O'Brien.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2755 on:** January 06, 2014, 01:21:55 AM »

There is a German expression, "tiefer Griff ins Klo", which translates literally as "a deep grip in the toilet" - meaning something is really bad.

Friday · « **Reply #2756 on:** January 06, 2014, 08:03:21 AM »

Now I'm picturing the German High Command sweatily having to use that phrase to Hitler when he asked how things were going toward the end of the war

Brentai · « **Reply #2757 on:** January 06, 2014, 08:37:45 AM »

I get the feeling that most German idioms come from the end of a war.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2758 on:** January 06, 2014, 11:52:42 AM »

Whereas German idiots get them into to war in the first place.

... I'll get my coat.

Mongrel · « **Reply #2759 on:** January 09, 2014, 02:25:55 PM »

The horrible, but beloved old 60's-era Canadian cartoon Rocket Robin Hood was directed and produced by none other than Ralph Bakshi. After the series folded, Bakshi worked on the characters and plot to make them more exaggerated and tongue-in-cheek. His redesigns were not picked up as a show in their own right, but did go on to form the basis for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

News:

Author Topic: What I learned today! (Read 195125 times)