Odd factoids

[Drago]

Glass was invented by the ancient Greeks in 1951 to create windows. Prior to then windows had traditionally been glazed with bricks, which limited their utility somewhat.

 

[classic33]

Glass was invented by the ancient Greeks in 1951 to create windows. Prior to then windows had traditionally been glazed with bricks, which limited their utility somewhat.

Prevented any implemetation of a "Window Tax" because those charged with collecting it, could never find them. They dropped it in despair.

 

[Drago]

Tax was introduced by the president of Scotland, Napoleon Boneparte, in 1991. He wanted to raise extra revenue to buy lift-up soles for his shoes, so introduced a charge so that whenever nails or tacks were sold a levy was paid to the government. Tacks quickly got abbreviated to tax, and the name stuck.

Bonaparte was later to marry Princess DeGaulle kf Paris, and all future presidents of France were descendents of their offspring. This also doomed all French presidents to be egotistical shortarses.

 

[classic33]

The Royal Navy was among the first to mass-produce hardtack. Production began as early as the 1660s. British tars were issued up to a pound of biscuit a day, along with their generous 1 gallon beer ration.

Made using salt, water and wheat flour (which is rich in protein, vitamins and calories), hardtack could provide modest nutrition for a crew at sea or an army in the field for weeks, even months. The secret to making biscuit last so long is to draw out every last trace of moisture. To that end, slabs of hardtack were baked and re-baked as many as four separate times. Once in storage, the biscuits would keep indefinitely (if kept dry).

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Glass was invented by the ancient Greeks in 1951 to create windows. Prior to then windows had traditionally been glazed with bricks, which limited their utility somewhat.

There is a house between Stockport and Marple called Seventeen Windows. When the window tax was introduced they bricked up most of the windows. This house used to be at the far end of my paper round.

 

[Drago]

There is a house between Stockport and Marple called Seventeen Windows. When the window tax was introduced they bricked up most of the windows. This house used to be at the far end of my paper round.

The Royal Navy was formed in 1902 by the Vikings. The Norse warriors wanted to give Henry the 8th their traditional sea burial. However, the deceased king was rather enormous and failed to sink, thus scuppering the funeral. Unable to dispose of the body the Vikings decided to repurpose it as a warship. As the ship was made from deceased royalty, the Royal Navy was born.

 

[Threevok]

Viking helmets didn't have horns on at all.

Vikings would send their cattle into battle first, to stampede villages into submission.

Frightened villagers mistook the cattle for armored soldiers and ran away, long before the wimpier, Norwegian invaders arrived

 

[david k]

Modern glass was perfected in St Helens as Pilkingtons float glass in the early 1900s

Prior to that all glass was made by a bloke called Fred, he was really busy

 

[NorthernDave]

Mary, Queen of Scotch, was an alcoholic who invented sticky tape.

The tape was to stick the glass and bottle to her hands.

While effective, using tape to stick bottle to hand was an inelegant solution and hardly befitting of a royal, even a Scottish one.

This led to the development of Velcro by the Earl of Dudley, which was more effective, allowed almost limitless reuse and could easily be fashioned into a stylish drinking glove.

 

[Kempstonian]

The Royal Navy was among the first to mass-produce hardtack. Production began as early as the 1660s. British tars were issued up to a pound of biscuit a day, along with their generous 1 gallon beer ration.

Made using salt, water and wheat flour (which is rich in protein, vitamins and calories), hardtack could provide modest nutrition for a crew at sea or an army in the field for weeks, even months. The secret to making biscuit last so long is to draw out every last trace of moisture. To that end, slabs of hardtack were baked and re-baked as many as four separate times. Once in storage, the biscuits would keep indefinitely (if kept dry).

Unless infasted by weevils. To make them edible, these little critters were dug out of the biscuits by cabin boys in their (limited) spare time and it was noticed that as the weevils ran away, even during the heaviest storms, when the ship was violently rocking, what great sea legs they had - prompting one young lad to observe that weevils wobble but they don't fall down.

 

[classic33]

Ground eggshells make a wonderful, non-toxic abrasive for those tough-to-clean pots and pans. Mix them with a little soapy water for a powerful clean.

You can also use eggshells to clean your hummingbird feeders!


Can also be used as a Calcium supplement. Just follow the instructions.

Skip the pills and simply bake your shells at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let them cool and grind them to a fine powder. Add your supplement (a teaspoon or less) to your favorite smoothie or juice once a day.

 

[Drago]

Ground eggshells make an excellent cleaning material, particularly once the egg itself is removed from within.

 

[Kempstonian]

Hang on, I'm getting confused here... are we now supposed to throw away the contents and eat the egg shell?

 

[Dave7]

You can also use eggshells to clean your hummingbird feeders!
.

Now you tell me. I have tried all ways to clean my hummingbird feeders** (I have 6 of them btw). And all this while I could have used egg shells.
**I have no idea why but in the 6 years I have had the feeders not one hummingbird has bothered to visit

 

[Dave7]

Naan bread was invented in India in the 16th Century but not as a food. It was theoretically a cheap footwear. They quickly realised it was not suitable but as they had already made 3000 tons of it they had to quickly find another use. Someone developed curry and the problem was solved.