Really TRUE odd factoids

[Joey Shabadoo]

Alan Turing feared losing his savings if Germany invaded Britain, so he used the money to buy two 90 kg silver bars, buried them in the woods, and wrote down the location in code. Later on when he wanted to dig up the silver bars he was unable to break his own coded message and never found them.

 

[Tenkaykev]

The " NATO phonetic alphabet " isn't phonetic and wasn't developed by NATO.

 

[raleighnut]

The " NATO phonetic alphabet " isn't phonetic and wasn't developed by NATO.

yep
A - Ar5ehole
B - bumhole
C - I'm not going there
D- ...........................

 

[Beebo]

Alan Turing feared losing his savings if Germany invaded Britain, so he used the money to buy two 90 kg silver bars, buried them in the woods, and wrote down the location in code. Later on when he wanted to dig up the silver bars he was unable to break his own coded message and never found them.

The story is apparently true, but I don’t believe 90kg. That’s completely unmanageable.
I don’t think Alan was up to moving 180kg of silver.
Apparently it was worth £250 so I suspect it was more like 9kg each.

 

[Chris S]

 

[Chris S]

 

[Electric_Andy]

View attachment 791330

That's very interesting. I often thought it weird (but cool) that there was a band playing on each episode

 

[T4tomo]

That's very interesting. I often thought it weird (but cool) that there was a band playing on each episode

It was always seamlessly cut into the dialogue too

 

[classic33]

The original 1879 formula for Listerine was marketed to scrub floors.

 

[classic33]

The world’s first traffic light didn’t just direct traffic—it killed a man. London’s 1868 gas-powered 'innovation' ended in an explosion that killed it's police operator just weeks after installation.
It stalled further innovation in such systems for the next fifty years.

 

[classic33]

Ever wondered why that one minute remaining when your washing machine "says" it finished and before you can open the door seems so long?

The answer is it's really 3 minutes 43 seconds.

 

[classic33]

Frank Hayes, the only jockey in recorded history to win a race while dead.
On June 4th, 1923 at Belmont Park, New York.

 

[Drago]

Arthur Kneibler invented the modern briefs for Jockey International, which he nicknamed "Jockey briefs" due to their support, similar to a jockstrap. The design was inspired by a postcard of French swimwear, and the first "Y-front" briefs were sold in 1935.

 

[raleighnut]

the first "Y-front" briefs were sold in 1935.

And @Drago is still wearing them

 

[T4tomo]

Ever wondered why that one minute remaining when your washing machine "says" it finished and before you can open the door seems so long?

The answer is it's really 3 minutes 43 seconds.

mine isn't, it says finished, plays a short cheery tune and then a the click of the door release goes..