I bet you didnt know that

Junkyard Tom · 07-02-2018 12:37AM

Probably well known but worth repeating that is that the faint crackling sound we hear when we pull a jumper/fleece off over our heads/ears are electrical sparks created by static, like tiny lighting bolts followed by tiny thunder-claps.

Joeseph Balls · 07-02-2018 12:49AM

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Rodney Mullen invented a trick that gave rise to street skating as a sport/activity. Skateboarding was confined to flat surfaces, nice flat roads, and old swimming pools, until Rodney Mullen invented the 'ollie'. Here's an ollie. Suddenly kerbs and cracks on the pavement weren't a problem - in fact almost everything became a challenge which is why there are anti-skateboarding measures all around us.

As a kid RM used to practice in his very strict Christian Father's barn where there was a bit of flat concrete. His Father took a dislike to his skating and took his board off him.. Rodney stopped eating he was so unhappy about it and his Father gave him back his board.

Rodney Mullen went on to be a skateboarding superstar. He's a multi-millionaire now and shuns anything to do with competition in any form - he still can be seen skating the streets in various locations not far from his home and is now in his 50's.

Alan Gelfand invented the Ollie I always thought.
Mullen invented too many ollie based tricks to list here but not the Ollie.

Junkyard Tom · 07-02-2018 12:54AM

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

Mullen invented too many ollie based tricks to list here but not the Ollie.

As far as I know Mullen invented the flat-ground static ollie and Galfand adapted it to a go-forward ollie. I guess ultimately 'invented' is the wrong word, developed would be more accurate.

Edit: it's the other way round. Galfand was doing an ollie like trick off ramps and in pools and stuff. Mullen was the first to do it on flat ground which meant it could be adapted for the street.

IvyTheTerrible · 07-02-2018 07:09AM

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Probably well known but worth repeating that is that the faint crackling sound we hear when we pull a jumper/fleece off over our heads/ears are electrical sparks created by static, like tiny lighting bolts followed by tiny thunder-claps.

Do it with the light off in front of a mirror and you will see blue flashes!

Liam28 · 07-02-2018 11:37AM

There has never been a war between two democracies.

Conall Cernach · 07-02-2018 11:44AM

Liam28 wrote: »

There has never been a war between two democracies.

I don't think that's true. Britain was at war with America for instance. They also declared war on Finland during WW2.

Professor Moriarty · 07-02-2018 11:49AM

Conall Cernach wrote: »

I don't think that's true. Britain was at war with America for instance. They also declared war on Finland during WW2.

Technically, isn't Britain a monarchy?

ohnonotgmail · 07-02-2018 11:54AM

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Technically, isn't Britain a monarchy?

the queen is a figurehead with no actual powers.

Professor Moriarty · 07-02-2018 11:57AM

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

the queen is a figurehead with no actual powers.

I know but it's actually a constitutional monarchy with the Queen as head of state.

Skylinehead · 07-02-2018 11:58AM

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Technically, isn't Britain a monarchy?

A constitutional monarchy, but still a democracy. Are you thinking of a republic here?

In any case it's not even slightly true. There's tons of examples of wars between democracies.

Professor Moriarty · 07-02-2018 11:59AM

Skylinehead wrote: »

A constitutional monarchy, but still a democracy.

In any case it's not even slightly true. There's tons of examples of wars between democracies.

Of course, it's just semantics. You could argue either way.

Conall Cernach · 07-02-2018 12:06PM

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Technically, isn't Britain a monarchy?

It's a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy.

I think Spain was also a constitutional monarchy during the Spanish-American War of 1898.

I've thought of another one: The revolutionary French Republic was at war with Britain in the late 18th/early 19th centuries.

Let's not forget the Irish Republic and Britain from 1919 - 22.

Quazzie · 07-02-2018 12:45PM

Conall Cernach wrote: »

It's a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy.

I think Spain was also a constitutional monarchy during the Spanish-American War of 1898.

I've thought of another one: The revolutionary French Republic was at war with Britain in the late 18th/early 19th centuries.

Let's not forget the Irish Republic and Britain from 1919 - 22.

Ireland didn't become a Republic until 1937

Conall Cernach · 07-02-2018 12:53PM

Quazzie wrote: »

Ireland didn't become a Republic until 1937

The Irish Republic and The Republic of Ireland are two different entities. The Irish Republic had its own government, courts and army which operated over the entire country.

Quazzie · 07-02-2018 12:55PM

Conall Cernach wrote: »

The Irish Republic and The Republic of Ireland are two different entities. The Irish Republic had its own government, courts and army which operated over the entire country.

And until 1937 was called the Irish Free State and still in the Commonwealth.

sbsquarepants · 07-02-2018 01:06PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_between_democracies:cool:

Buford T. Justice XIX · 07-02-2018 02:01PM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_between_democracies:cool:

Spoilsport:p

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 07-02-2018 02:55PM

Quazzie wrote: »

And until 1937 was called the Irish Free State and still in the Commonwealth.

The Irish Republic declared in 1919 was not the same as the Irish Free State which came into being in 1922.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 07-02-2018 02:59PM

Jeremy Clarkson claimed on QI that Britain and Finland in WW2 was the only example of democracies declaring war on each other. He was completely wrong.

Liam28 · 07-02-2018 04:02PM

OK, time to debunk some of these examples of democracies at war.
Finland was at war with Russia in 1941, and Britain, as Russia's ally, did declare war on Finland. But by war, I mean a 2 way armed conflict with multiple casualties. Finland-Britain had none of these.
The cases of America and Ireland are similar in that they were colonies of Britain at the time of their Wars of Independence. Ireland declared itself a republic in 1919, and the US formed a congress, but they were no more democratic countries than Kerry is. After the War of Independence, Treaty and Civil War, Ireland became a democracy. (Whether it was a Republic, or in the Commonwealth does not really matter.)

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 07-02-2018 04:07PM

Liam28 wrote: »

OK, time to debunk some of these examples of democracies at war.
Finland was at war with Russia in 1941, and Britain, as Russia's ally, did declare war on Finland. But by war, I mean a 2 way armed conflict with multiple casualties. Finland-Britain had none of these.
The cases of America and Ireland are similar in that they were colonies of Britain at the time of their Wars of Independence. Ireland declared itself a republic in 1919, and the US formed a congress, but they were no more democratic countries than Kerry is. After the War of Independence, Treaty and Civil War, Ireland became a democracy. (Whether it was a Republic, or in the Commonwealth does not really matter.)

That's a bit misleading. The elected representatives declared independence. Kerry has done no such thing. Nor does it have a long history as a separate nation.

Anyway, there are several better examples, such as the Spanish-American War.

ohnonotgmail · 07-02-2018 04:08PM

Liam28 wrote: »

OK, time to debunk some of these examples of democracies at war.
Finland was at war with Russia in 1941, and Britain, as Russia's ally, did declare war on Finland. But by war, I mean a 2 way armed conflict with multiple casualties. Finland-Britain had none of these.
The cases of America and Ireland are similar in that they were colonies of Britain at the time of their Wars of Independence. Ireland declared itself a republic in 1919, and the US formed a congress, but they were no more democratic countries than Kerry is. After the War of Independence, Treaty and Civil War, Ireland became a democracy. (Whether it was a Republic, or in the Commonwealth does not really matter.)

the war between britain and america is the war of 1812 not the revolution. Washington and the white house were both burned down by the british and the war also inspired the american anthem, theStar Splangled Banner

New Home · 07-02-2018 04:09PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

That's a bit misleading. The elected representatives declared independence. Kerry has done no such thing. Nor does it have a long history as a separate nation.

Anyway, there are several better examples, such as the Spanish-American War.

So why do they call themselves "The Kingdom"? :pac:

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 07-02-2018 04:12PM

New Home wrote: »

So why do they call themselves "The Kingdom"? :pac:

No idea. I think of it as harmless eccentricity like Corkonians saying they live in the real capital.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 07-02-2018 04:13PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

That's a bit misleading. The elected representatives declared independence. Kerry has done no such thing. Nor does it have a long history as a separate nation.

Anyway, there are several better examples, such as the Spanish-American War.

Yet!

New Home · 07-02-2018 04:13PM

Ah, those Rebels...

Ipso · 07-02-2018 05:58PM

If certain sections of a countries population can't vote (wimmin, blacks, taigs etc), can they be considered democracies?

Riva10 · 07-02-2018 06:37PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

No idea. I think of it as harmless eccentricity like Corkonians saying they live in the real capital.

Most definitely not eccentricity but certainly the truth

cdeb · 07-02-2018 06:57PM

Wasn't Hitler democratically elected? Or is it just that he had done away with democracy by the time war broke out?

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 07-02-2018 06:59PM

cdeb wrote: »

Wasn't Hitler democratically elected? Or is it just that he had done away with democracy by the time war broke out?

Any semblance of democracy was long gone by the time of the war. The Nazis won a lot of seats but they didn't have a democratic mandate to impose a totalitarian regime.

I bet you didnt know that

Comments