Random Knowledge

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Stockton-on-Tees (a town local to me) has more heroin addicts per square mile than London.

Also, I was gave a talk on HIV/AIDS as I had a friend who died from it and I was amazed to realise that the majority of young people think you can catch it from using the same toilet as someone who has HIV! Other popular myths were that you only get it if you're gay, the contraceptive pill stops it and you can't catch it through unprotected sex if it's your first time. The last one seems to be popular with pregnancy as well!

 

On HIV/AIDS...only around 40% of 15-24 year-olds around the world know how the disease spreads and how to protect yourself from it.

There's around 2,7 million new HIV contractions annually. The numbers have been on the decline since its peak in 2001.

There are estimated 1.9 to 2.4 million deaths due to AIDS every year.

The main reason for HIV/AIDS has becoming a pandemic is the lack of knowledge about the disease.

 

Many uneducated South Africans believe that having sex with a virgin can cure aids. Hence the high incident of gang rape and baby rape (some of the cases of rape that I've heard will make your stomach turn).

The Hippopotamous, far from being cute and cuddly, is easily one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, if not the most dangerous. Not even crocodiles mess with them, since they can snap crocs in half with one bite.

 

As I was reading that, I thought you were going to say people had sex with hippos....not a wise idea!

One of the many side effects of anti-depressants can be suicidal thoughts...which is ironic

 

When you coat a pickle slice with ketchup it will stick to nearly anything.

 

What color is a polar bear's skin? Black. I learned this from my first-grade-teacher sister. I am not smarter than a first grader.

 

Oh, Thank you so much. Sorry to be so long in replying but I forgot all about this thread and it is such a good one.

You have made my day, The Magpie. Don't worry about understanding it. The word is it takes ten years to learn and a lifetime to master. But it is fascinating.

 

Completely random knowledge: By far the best translation of Greek plays is that done by Lattigrew.

More completely random knowledge: There are three main views of the Cold War, each prevalent at different points.

1940s - 50s:
Highly influenced by Keenan's famous Long Telegram, historians at this time saw the Russians as perpetuators of the Cold War. It does't help that many leading historians in fact held positions in the US government. This is the "Orthodox" view, and cites Stalin's aggression and general Soviet dickery. Naturally heavily biased.

1960s - 80s:
Influenced by the negative press of America in the Vietnam war, a new age of historians turn to blame America for starting the Cold War, citing tight American trade policies, unrealistic goals (Wilsonian idealism), and Truman's idiocy. Economy is the key part in their argument. Equally unrealistic as it ignores Stalin's ambitions. Known as "Revionists".

1990s - now:
After the Cold War actually ended, historians could make a more balanced judgement, especially as the Kremlin archives began opening to them. Many once-sensitive documents shed light on the true situation. New Historians now generally put the blame on both sides - John Gaddis is the leader in this trend. They are known as "Post-Revisionists".

This largely applies to Western historians, not Soviet ones. However it seems like Soviet historians was also biased and believed in Soviet Supremacy/American dickery (as expressed in Molotov's Telegram, known as the Soviet version of the Long Telegram),

 

As many as 11 men could be listed among the roster of the Three Stooges.

Does it count that I learned that by Googling them?

 

I am inclined to agree...

Despite what Peter Griffin says, a Twinkie will not survive a nuclear war...their average shelf life is 25 days.

Cockroaches will not inherit the earth after an all out nuclear war; many other simple organisms have a better chance of survival. The Mythbusters proved that flour beetles fair a lot better to radiation.

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Also, there are 79 SP members whose birthday is apparently Jan 1st, and we have members ranging in age from 1 to 109.