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Message 891725 - Posted: 5 May 2009, 23:52:45 UTC
Last modified: 5 May 2009, 23:54:45 UTC

World's largest flower

The largest flower in the world, the rafflesia arnoldi, weighs 7 kg (15 pounds) and grows only on the Sumatra island of Indonesia. Its petals grow to metre (1,6 feet) long and 2,5 cm (1 inch) thick.

There are 16 species of rafflesia, found in Sumatra, Malaysia and Borneo. The species is named after the naturalist Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded the British colony of Singapore in 1819. Raffles discovered the parasitic plant with his friend Dr. Joseph Arnold during their travels in May 1818. The rafflesia arnoldi is named after the two.

However fascinating and beautiful the rafflesia arnoldi may be, it is also called "corpse flower" and really reeks, the latter to attract flies for pollination.

Of about 200,000 kinds of flowers in the world, the smallest is the duckweed, which can only be seen with a microscope.

Oldest living thing

The oldest living thing on earth is a flowering shrub called the creosote bush, found in the Mojave Desert. It is 15 metres (50 ft) in diameter. It is estimated that it started from a seed nearly 12,000 years ago. During its lifetime the last major period of glaciation in North America came to an end, the wheel and writing were invented, and the great Egyptian and Mayan pyramids were built. The shrub is still living.

P.S. measurements in this quote are approximate

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Message 891736 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 0:09:56 UTC - in response to Message 891725.  
Last modified: 6 May 2009, 0:11:03 UTC

World's largest flower

The largest flower in the world, the rafflesia arnoldi, weighs 7 kg (15 pounds) and grows only on the Sumatra island of Indonesia. Its petals grow to meter (1,6 feet) long and 2,5 cm (1 inch) thick.

There are 16 species of rafflesia, found in Sumatra, Malaysia and Borneo. The species is named after the naturalist Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded the British colony of Singapore in 1819. Raffles discovered the parasitic plant with his friend Dr. Joseph Arnold during their travels in May 1818. The rafflesia arnoldi is named after the two.

However fascinating and beautiful the rafflesia arnoldi may be, it is also called "corpse flower" and really reeks, the latter to attract flies for pollination.

Of about 200,000 kinds of flowers in the world, the smallest is the duckweed, which can only be seen with a microscope.

Oldest living thing

The oldest living thing on earth is a flowering shrub called the creosote bush, found in the Mojave Desert. It is 15 meters (50 ft) in diameter. It is estimated that it started from a seed nearly 12,000 years ago. During its lifetime the last major period of glaciation in North America came to an end, the wheel and writing were invented, and the great Egyptian and Mayan pyramids were built. The shrub is still living.

P.S. measurements in this quote are approximate

Oldest living thing?

I thought the Bristlecone Pine Tree had that distinction, At least according to the USFS.

This one might have died
hundreds of years ago, but still
stands. Its wood gives clues to
scientists who read the rings to
compare to rings of living trees,
making a 10,000 year-long record.


wiki wrote:

The oldest (acknowledged) living organism known is a bristlecone pine tree nicknamed "Methuselah" (after Methuselah, the longest-lived person in the Bible). Methuselah is located in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of eastern California, however its precise location is undisclosed by the U.S. Forest Service to protect the tree from vandalism.[1] The age of Methuselah was measured by core samples in 1957 to be 4,789 years old.


If It's not the oldest, Oh well, Fame is fleeting even for a plant. :D
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Message 891763 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 0:43:54 UTC

Volcanic Records
This day in 1944 was the most recent occurrence of Mount Vesuvius erupting in Italy, taking 26 lives and forcing mass evacuations of nearby towns. Spectacular and deadly, here are some record breaking facts in this field:

Most active volcano
The world's most active volcano is Kilauea, in Hawaii, USA, erupting on a continuous basis since 1983. Lava is being discharged at a rate of 5 m³(7 yd³ or 176 ft³) per second.

Smallest volano
Sand volcanoes, also known as sand blows, are formed during earthquakes when water is squeezed out from subsurface layers, carrying sediment with it that erupts onto the surface. The largest sand volcanoes are only around a few metres across with heights of a few tenths of centimetres.

Youngest volcano
Paricutin, in Mexico, is a volcanic cone that erupted from a corn field on 20 February 1943, and was volcanically active until 1953. Most of the activity occurred in the first year, during which the volcanic cone grew to a height of 336 m (1,100 ft). Paricutin offered geologists a rare opportunity to witness the birth, evolution and death of a volcano.

Largest volcano crater
The worlds largest caldera or volcano crater is that of Toba, north-central Sumatra, Indonesia, covering 1,775 km (685 miles). It last erupted around 75,000 years ago.

Highest active volcano
The Ojos del Salado on the border between Chile and Argentina, is the world's highest active volcano at 6,887 m (22,595 ft) high.

guinness world records
18 March 2008


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Message 891765 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 0:48:10 UTC

Largest Volcano in the Solar System: Olympus Mons on Mars.
Largest Mountain on Earth: The Mauna Kea volcano, It's taller than Everest.
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Message 891798 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 2:24:46 UTC

The first movie screened publicly was "La Sortie des Ouvriers de l'Usine Lumire" which was presented by Auguste and Louis Lumiere in Paris in 1895.

The first movie to use sound was "The Jazz Singer," released in 1927: the first words, spoken by Al Jolson, were: "Wait a minute, you ain't heard nothing yet."

According to the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), in 1996 the average Hollywood film cost $35.3 million to make and another $17.7 million to market.

Disney's "The Lion King" cost $45 million to make and employed a total of 800 animators.

Bollywood flicks are produced at average $2m.

The most expensive film ever made as of the year 2000, was James Cameron's "Titanic." It cost $200 million, but also was the most successful, in the sense that it won 11 Academy Awards, equalling "Ben Hur" of 1959.

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Message 891806 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 2:47:45 UTC - in response to Message 891798.  

The first movie screened publicly was "La Sortie des Ouvriers de l'Usine Lumire" which was presented by Auguste and Louis Lumiere in Paris in 1895.

The first movie to use sound was "The Jazz Singer," released in 1927: the first words, spoken by Al Jolson, were: "Wait a minute, you ain't heard nothing yet."

According to the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), in 1996 the average Hollywood film cost $35.3 million to make and another $17.7 million to market.

Disney's "The Lion King" cost $45 million to make and employed a total of 800 animators.

Bollywood flicks are produced at average $2m.

The most expensive film ever made as of the year 2000, was James Cameron's "Titanic." It cost $200 million, but also was the most successful, in the sense that it won 11 Academy Awards, equalling "Ben Hur" of 1959.

According to anecdotage.com, the aptly titled "Cure for Insomnia" is the longest film ever. It runs about 87 hours and features L.D. Groban reading a really looooong poem. Just in case you find that kind of boring, according to IMDb, the film slices in pornography and music video footage. Probably not the best "date movie," but we'd still take it over Sandler.

From http://ask.yahoo.com/20060413.html


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Message 891811 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 3:51:03 UTC

The worlds shortest ferry service appears to be 65 feet in Galveston Texas. Another possible contender is in Sweden across a narrow canal.


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Message 891827 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 5:05:33 UTC - in response to Message 891765.  

Largest Volcano in the Solar System: Olympus Mons on Mars.
Largest Mountain on Earth: The Mauna Kea volcano, It's taller than Everest.

Mauna Kea could hold 140 Mount Everests inside It and is 56,000' high as measured from the mountains base to 13,600' above sea level and is Earths Olympus Mons(Mount Olympus).
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Message 891883 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 11:40:34 UTC


Thanksgiving held twice in 1815

Thanksgiving was a centuries-old tradition held by most cultures around the world. After the autumn harvest, communities held 3-day-long feasts, sharing meat, bread and beer. Today, Thanksgiving is known best as an US public holiday.

The first US Thanksgiving was held between 21 September and 11 November 1621 in Massachusetts by 50 Plymouth Pilgrims and their 90 Wampanoag neighbours. After that, Thanksgiving was held fairly randomly. Thanksgiving days were proclaimed annually by the US Congress from 1777 to 1783 which, except for 1782, were all celebrated in December. George Washington declared Thanksgiving in 1789 and 1795, and John Adams in 1798 and 1799. James Madison declared Thanksgiving twice in 1815. None of these were celebrated in the autumn.

The next national Thanksgiving was declared only in April 1862, by Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, he declared Thanksgiving for 6 August, and for the last Thursday in November. He went on to declare a similar Thanksgiving observance in 1864, establishing a precedent that was followed by Andrew Johnson in 1865 and by every subsequent president.

After a few deviations of the day of celebration - Thanksgiving was held on 7 December in 1865, and 18 November in 1869 - the last Thursday in November was proclaimed as the national Thanksgiving day, but still not a officially holiday. Thanksgiving remained a custom unsanctified by law until President Roosevelt signed a bill on 26 November 1941 that established the fourth Thursday in November as the national Thanksgiving public holiday.

Turkey is the traditional dish for the Thanksgiving feast. In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations. There is no official reason or declaration for the use of turkey. They just happened to be the most plentiful meat available at the time of the first Thanksgiving in 1621, starting the tradition.

Canada's Thanksgiving is held on the second Monday in October.

Israel has the highest consumption of turkey per capita: [b]27 pounds = 12.246994 kilograms to be exact
12 kg (27 lb).


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Message 891901 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 13:29:31 UTC - in response to Message 891883.  

Speaking of Thanksgiving and the Guest of Honor, Did You know one Benjamin Franklin wanted the Turkey to be the Official Bird of the USA instead of the Bald Eagle?

He thought the Turkey was the more Noble Bird and that the Eagle was just a cowardly Carrion eater.
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Message 891927 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 14:45:55 UTC

Why is it called a "loo?"
The British word for toilet, "loo", derives from the French "garde a l'eau!" In medieval Europe people had little conception of hygiene and threw the contents of their chamber pots out the window into the street below. In France the practice was preceded by "garde a l'eau!" ("watch out for the water!"). In England, this phrase was Anglicised, first to "gardy-loo!", then just "loo", and eventually came to mean the toilet/lavatory itself. The American word for toilet, "john", is named after John Harington who in 1596 invented an indoor water closet for Queen Elizabeth I.

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Message 891996 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 16:45:44 UTC - in response to Message 891901.  
Last modified: 6 May 2009, 16:46:51 UTC

Speaking of Thanksgiving and the Guest of Honor, Did You know one Benjamin Franklin wanted the Turkey to be the Official Bird of the USA instead of the Bald Eagle?

He thought the Turkey was the more Noble Bird and that the Eagle was just a cowardly Carrion eater.


Although it's a great-sounding story, the account of Ben Franklin and the turkey vs. eagle for national bird is merely a myth that's been spread in US folklore.

From American Heritage:

The Truth About Turkey and Thanksgiving

"Nor is it true, Smith tells us, that Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey for inclusion on the official seal of the United States. In a 1784 letter to his daughter he did disparage the bald eagle as “a Bird of bad moral Character,” while praising the turkey as “a much more respectable Bird.” But when he had served on a 1776 panel charged with designing the seal, Franklin proposed a tableau showing Moses crossing the Red Sea."

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Message 892061 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 19:44:24 UTC

The Space Shuttle always rolls over after launch to alleviate structural loading, allowing the shuttle to carry more mass into orbit.
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Message 892137 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 23:56:28 UTC

The smallest transistor is 50-nanometres wide - roughly 1/2000 the width of a human hair.

An electric oven uses one kilowatt-hour of electricity in about 20 minutes, but one kilowatt-hour will power a TV for 3 hours, run a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours, and keep an electric clock ticking for 3 months.

The double-helix structure of DNA was discovered in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick. The length of a single human DNA molecule, when extended, is 1.7 metres (5 ft 5 in).

A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times.

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Message 892142 - Posted: 7 May 2009, 0:03:04 UTC - in response to Message 892137.  

A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times.

Depends if you have an anvil or steamroller at your disposal.
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Message 892143 - Posted: 7 May 2009, 0:04:32 UTC - in response to Message 892137.  

The smallest transistor is 50-nanometres wide - roughly 1/2000 the width of a human hair.

An electric oven uses one kilowatt-hour of electricity in about 20 minutes, but one kilowatt-hour will power a TV for 3 hours, run a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours, and keep an electric clock ticking for 3 months.

The double-helix structure of DNA was discovered in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick. The length of a single human DNA molecule, when extended, is 1.7 metres (5 ft 5 in).

A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times.

1 KW-H should run a 100 wat light bulb for 10 hours not 12. 1000 / 100 = 10.


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Message 892144 - Posted: 7 May 2009, 0:07:22 UTC - in response to Message 892137.  

A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times.

Busted!

An even bigger piece of paper

A single roll of paper wasn't bit enough, so they decided to make their open big 170' x 220' piece using 17 rolls of paper joined together with double-sided tape. An experiment this large required that they go to Moffett Field and setup in one of the blimp hangers there.

Using the traditional technique of alternating folds length and width-wise, they were able to get eleven folds. They were able to get eight folds using their team of people. For the final three rolls, they had to roll in the industrial help: a Dynapac roller and a forklift.

OK. So it wasn't "square" :-)
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Message 892149 - Posted: 7 May 2009, 0:15:10 UTC - in response to Message 892144.  

A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times.

Busted!

An even bigger piece of paper

A single roll of paper wasn't bit enough, so they decided to make their open big 170' x 220' piece using 17 rolls of paper joined together with double-sided tape. An experiment this large required that they go to Moffett Field and setup in one of the blimp hangers there.

Using the traditional technique of alternating folds length and width-wise, they were able to get eleven folds. They were able to get eight folds using their team of people. For the final three rolls, they had to roll in the industrial help: a Dynapac roller and a forklift.

OK. So it wasn't "square" :-)

What they couldn't get Superman's help to make a 12th fold? ;)
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Message 892151 - Posted: 7 May 2009, 0:18:16 UTC - in response to Message 892144.  
Last modified: 7 May 2009, 0:35:13 UTC

A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times.

Busted!

An even bigger piece of paper

A single roll of paper wasn't bit enough, so they decided to make their open big 170' x 220' piece using 17 rolls of paper joined together with double-sided tape. An experiment this large required that they go to Moffett Field and setup in one of the blimp hangers there.

Using the traditional technique of alternating folds length and width-wise, they were able to get eleven folds. They were able to get eight folds using their team of people. For the final three rolls, they had to roll in the industrial help: a Dynapac roller and a forklift.

OK. So it wasn't "square" :-)


No problem, Mumps, that's what this thread is here for. If the fact is wrong or outdated, it should be pointed out. :o)
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Message 892178 - Posted: 7 May 2009, 3:08:11 UTC

The first President of the American colonies was not George Washington--it was John Hanson, a Constitutional Congress Representative from Maryland. Hanson was the third President of the US Constitutional Congress from 1781-1782. He was the first representative to serve a full one-year term and be called President of the United States in Congress Assembled. Hanson was also the one who approved and authorized the Great Seal of the United States.




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