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Things you didn't know until very recently...

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What interesting things have you only recently learned about?

To be clear, this is about things which have been true for some time and you only recently learned about, not things that only happened recently. In particular, recent deaths of celebrities and other high-profile individuals should go in the General RIP Thread.

    Original post 
Hey guys...and gals...I was just browsing through an XKCD strip and ended up learning that Jimmy Carter was attacked by a swimming rabbit.

Courtesy link...

So, what interesting things have you guys...and gals...only recently learned about?

Edited by Twiddler on Apr 8th 2023 at 1:07:55 AM

LuckyRevenant ALMSIVI from The Flood Since: Jan, 2001
ALMSIVI
#3151: Nov 23rd 2010 at 11:17:39 PM

Seals are carnivorans. Carnivora -> Caniformia -> Arctoidea -> Pinnipedia (Seals and walruses).

Of course, they're more closely related to bears than cats, but still.

"I can't imagine what Hell will have in store, but I know when I'm there, I won't wander anymore."
Zudak Since: Dec, 1969
#3152: Nov 23rd 2010 at 11:25:35 PM

Bears?! holy shit no wonder seals are so badass, they're like bears with flippers

edited 23rd Nov '10 11:25:46 PM by Zudak

Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
DUMB
#3153: Nov 23rd 2010 at 11:27:12 PM

Have you ever seen one of the huge walruses in person? They will fuck your shit up if you get near them. Like a very lazy grizzly.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.
Zudak Since: Dec, 1969
#3154: Nov 23rd 2010 at 11:29:42 PM

not in person, but i know that you do not fuck with one. or an elephant seal

edited 23rd Nov '10 11:29:54 PM by Zudak

Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#3156: Nov 24th 2010 at 7:00:11 AM

They make me think of hippos. Looking docile and harmless from a distance, then turning into a MURDER MACHINE if you tick it off.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
CompassionateSadist from some other place Since: Sep, 2009
#3157: Nov 24th 2010 at 12:16:15 PM

Marilyn Manson is the name of a band and not just a person.

Also, this probably doesn't count, but I recently found out that TV Tropes Twitter mentioned me in a tweet. Cool. grin

edited 24th Nov '10 12:20:09 PM by CompassionateSadist

Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
DUMB
#3158: Nov 24th 2010 at 12:47:29 PM

SimCity was partly inspired by the story in The Cyberiad that reminded me of SimCity when I read it. gringringringringrin

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#3159: Nov 24th 2010 at 1:01:45 PM

[Windows key] + M = minimizes all your windows, usually. Groovy for when you want to see something on your desktop, like a particular link or icon.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#3160: Nov 24th 2010 at 1:59:38 PM

It DOES!

Also: you don't have to Ctrl-Alt-Del, you can get to Task Manager by right clicking on the taskbar and selecting it!

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Zudak Since: Dec, 1969
#3161: Nov 24th 2010 at 3:49:42 PM

Knew the latter but not the former!

Kinkajou I'm Only Sleeping Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Hiding
I'm Only Sleeping
#3162: Nov 24th 2010 at 4:26:45 PM

Or you could use Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

If this kid lived he could have united Aragon, Portugal, and Castille.

Poland really is Europe's Butt Monkey. No wonder they take revenge by dominating Wikipedia.

INT is knowing a tomato is a fruit. WIS is knowing it doesn't belong in a fruit salad. CHA is convincing people that it does.
Wicked223 from Death Star in the forest Since: Apr, 2009
#3163: Nov 24th 2010 at 4:27:02 PM

J Dilla (one of the greatest hip-hop producers ever) died on the same day (not year) I was born.

You can't even write racist abuse in excrement on somebody's car without the politically correct brigade jumping down your throat!
AlirozTheConfused Bibliophile. from Daz Huat! Since: May, 2010
Bibliophile.
#3164: Nov 24th 2010 at 4:28:21 PM

Alligator comes from the spanish phrase "El Lagarto", which the spaniards often used to refer to all types of crocodilians.

Never be without a Hat! Hot means heat. I don't care if your usage dates to 1300, it's my word, not yours. My Pm box is open.
ImipolexG frozen in time from all our yesterdays Since: Jan, 2001
frozen in time
#3165: Nov 24th 2010 at 6:09:49 PM

What a "boilerplate" is.

Standard text or program code used routinely and added with a text editor or word processor; text of a legal or official nature added to documents or labels.

no one will notice that I changed this
Landstander God Of Cake from Somewhere else Since: Jan, 2001
God Of Cake
#3167: Nov 26th 2010 at 2:20:48 AM

Giraffes are kosher animals.

Emperor Wu liked cake, but not exploding cake!
Idler20 Rabbit Season Since: Oct, 2010
Rabbit Season
#3168: Nov 26th 2010 at 3:47:24 AM

Eadweard Muybridge killed someone.

You're an ad hominem attack!
uximata Since: Apr, 2010
#3169: Nov 26th 2010 at 5:49:02 AM

@Kinkajou: The union of those was made by Phillip II of Spain (Filipe I de Portugal), but we kicked out Phillip IV of Spain when he tried to make us a Spanish province. Portugal was under the rule of Spain for about 60 years.

Also:

Rott: Portugoose
What? Really?

Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
DUMB
#3170: Nov 28th 2010 at 6:36:07 PM

There are not one, but two programming languages which can be/are Klingon.

Appropriately, one is Perl.

edited 28th Nov '10 6:36:21 PM by Tzetze

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.
Tangent128 from Virginia Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#3171: Nov 28th 2010 at 6:53:14 PM

"Can be Klingon"? What's the decision function for that set? surprised

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?
Kinkajou I'm Only Sleeping Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Hiding
I'm Only Sleeping
#3172: Nov 28th 2010 at 7:45:28 PM

The union of those was made by Phillip II of Spain (Filipe I de Portugal), but we kicked out Phillip IV of Spain when he tried to make us a Spanish province. Portugal was under the rule of Spain for about 60 years.

1580-1640, right?

And it was because Philip II respected the Portuguese rights, while his weaker successors and their validos didn't.

INT is knowing a tomato is a fruit. WIS is knowing it doesn't belong in a fruit salad. CHA is convincing people that it does.
Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
DUMB
#3173: Nov 28th 2010 at 7:49:19 PM

"Can be Klingon"? What's the decision function for that set?

Heh... I meant the keywords and junk, but that's just so boring, you know.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.
IanExMachina The Paedofinder General from Gone with the Chickens Since: Jul, 2009
The Paedofinder General
#3174: Nov 29th 2010 at 3:53:46 PM

Something I didn't know:

There is at least one case of Paedo hyenas...

"A male spotted hyena which attempted to mate with a female which succeeded in driving it off, eventually turned to its ten-month-old cub, repeatedly mounting it and ejaculating on it. The cub sometimes ignored this and sometimes struggled 'slightly as if in play'. The mother did not intervene."

By the powers invested in me by tabloid-reading imbeciles, I pronounce you guilty of paedophilia!
LuckyRevenant ALMSIVI from The Flood Since: Jan, 2001
ALMSIVI
#3175: Nov 29th 2010 at 3:55:16 PM

Bonobos have paedos. All the time.

Then again, sex is like life for bonobos. Gotta start them early!

"I can't imagine what Hell will have in store, but I know when I'm there, I won't wander anymore."

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