The "things you need to know" thread

[Transient]

How many bears would Bear Grylls grill if Bear Grylls could grill bears

About as many bears as Bear Grylls could grill if Bear Grylls could grill bears.

[Transient]

True, because

The very thought of Bear Grylls grilling bear fills Bear Grylls with regret, and a regret-filled Bear Grylls can't bear to grill bear.

[Wabbit]

I thought it was three.

If Bear Grylls could grill bears he'd grill three.

[seremtan]

the thought of bear grylls grilling bears with bare-breasted girls doesn't bear thinking about

or some joke like that

[EtUL]

he'd eat it raw you tarts have you ever seen the show

cripes

[Plan B]

I spent years annoyingly peeling garlic before someone told me to just squish the clove underneath the blade of a knife and voila, it peels in like 2 parts and 2 seconds.

Seriously, I entered this thread expecting nothing but useless shit, but this is sweet knowledge. Thanks.


But this =>

Also touching stainless steel to get rid of the smell of garlic and onion.

smells like superstitious shit.
No real logic to it, like the steel would somehow absorb the offending molecules.

still gonna try it, though

[Ryoki]

For a good, expansive, (dutch) base cooking book try Kook ook. Lots of tips and ideas in it. You won't need another for ages unless you're going to go pro chef or something.

Hehe thanks, but i'm already not a bad cook so to speak... unless it's like a bible with similar tricks like the garlic one?

Garlic trick is fucking awesome though, like foo said; quality of life = significantly improved

smells like superstitious shit.
No real logic to it, like the steel would somehow absorb the offending molecules.

Don't know what the science behind it is but i got a little steel thingie for exactly that purpose a year ago as a present and i can tell you that shit works.
Very mysterious.

[Whiskey 7]

yup. sulphur

While on the chemical side of things another I found interesting.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair..

[Peenyuh]

Does the handshake really come from warriors coming together to parlay? I've always wondered about that. Not enough to click endlessly to find out, but just enough to ask YOU geniuses.

[PhoeniX]

Hehe thanks, but i'm already not a bad cook so to speak... unless it's like a bible with similar tricks like the garlic one?

Garlic trick is fucking awesome though, like foo said; quality of life = significantly improved

Maybe you should get a copy of Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food - I've not read it but skimmed through it and it looks pretty interesting, likely with lots of random tips like that.

[Whiskey 7]

Does the handshake really come from warriors coming together to parlay? I've always wondered about that. Not enough to click endlessly to find out, but just enough to ask YOU geniuses.

Interesting. I recon you're on the right side of the track here Peenyuh



I have on good authority the salute we all know of course..



stems from knights, yes those knights, not the dark ones



occured when encountering a friend (not fiend) showed their empty (I don't have a sword here) hand

[Peenyuh]

I thought so. Thank you, sir.

[Ryoki]

Wikipedia disagrees with that and offers a much more plausible explanation.

The modern Western military salute evolved from the practice of men raising their hats as a gesture of respect. Taking off or tipping one's hat on meeting a social superior or a lady, or when greeting an acquaintance, was a normal polite civilian gesture from the 17th Century until the 1960s. Repeated hat-raising was impractical if heavy helmets or hats with chinstraps (such as shakos and bearskins) were worn, so from about 1745 the gesture was stylised to a mere hand movement. It was also common for individuals who did not wear hats to "tug their forelock" in imitation of the gesture of tipping the hat. This origin accounts for the common rule of not saluting when not wearing a cover.

The naval salute, with the palm downwards may have originated because the palms of naval ratings, particularly deckhands, were often dirty through working with lines: it would be insulting to present a dirty palm to an officer, so the palm was turned downwards. More likely it is simply the more natural position of the hand when seizing the peak of a cap. During the Napoleonic Wars, British crews saluted officers by touching a clenched fist to the brow as though grasping a hat-brim between fingers and thumb.

[Peenyuh]

Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC; a depiction of two soldiers shaking hands can be found on part of a 5th century BC funerary stele on display in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin...

The handshake is thought by some to have originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hand holds no weapon.[2][3][4]

Its purpose is to convey trust, balance, and equality.[5]

I don't see a disagreement. What am I missing?

Or, do you mean the salute?

[Ryoki]

Maybe you should get a copy of Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food - I've not read it but skimmed through it and it looks pretty interesting, likely with lots of random tips like that.

Hah, most interesting

[Whiskey 7]

Wikipedia disagrees with that and offers a much more plausible explanation.

The modern Western military salute evolved from the practice of men raising their hats as a gesture of respect. Taking off or tipping one's hat on meeting a social superior or a lady, or when greeting an acquaintance, was a normal polite civilian gesture from the 17th Century............

Tend to agree Ryoki but I always believed it came from the knights of old opening their helmet visor to friend or foe before battle. A sign of mutual respect perhaps?
Just maybe the modern salute stems from old times back as far as the 1100's - 1200's.

I like the bit " ... individuals who did not wear hats to "tug their forelock" in imitation of the gesture of tipping the hat.... ".
How many time have we seen same?
I do occasionally do something similar in motion when seeing friends and mates from a distance.

We are talking two different gestures here Peenyuh as you have gathered and I should not have linked my salute comment to your handshake mate

Still the handshake (I believe) is meant to demonstrate this hand holds no weapon.

EDIT: Thinking of all those (yes they are) movies with gladiators in them, wasn't there a line "....we who are about to die salute you..."?
Maybe that mention salute is replacing/describing another action on their part

[Survivor]

For a good, expansive, (dutch) base cooking book try Kook ook. Lots of tips and ideas in it. You won't need another for ages unless you're going to go pro chef or something.

Hehe thanks, but i'm already not a bad cook so to speak... unless it's like a bible with similar tricks like the garlic one?

Garlic trick is fucking awesome though, like foo said; quality of life = significantly improved

It's not only about tricks, but it has enough explanation and handy tips woven inbetween that it's worth it. The tips aren't highlighted or anything but hidden in the text though so a read of your topic is in order. You can read for example the garlic part here.
Recipes range from basic to doably complex, and for just the € 25,- it is something any dutch person should have.

[Whiskey 7]

It's not only about tricks, but it has enough explanation and handy tips woven inbetween that it's worth it. The tips aren't highlighted or anything but hidden in the text though so a read of your topic is in order. You can read for example the garlic part here.
Recipes range from basic to doably complex, and for just the € 25,- it is something any dutch person should have.

^^^

Any person

What of this one

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.
Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'

[Survivor]

Do remember that most of the people I know suck at cooking (students). I'm probably a bit biased, but think you should be able to do more than microwave or boil/grill some stuff, .

[MKJ]

What of this one

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.
Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'

watched Boondock Saints have we?
its not true, it simply means "an estimate", as the thumb was often used as a measurementtool but obviously a not accurate one.
most thumbs are about the same size, but not all. thus, in the average case the measurement is correct but not always. hence, rule of thumb.

[Whiskey 7]

watched Boondock Saints have we?
its not true, it simply means "an estimate", as the thumb was often used as a measurementtool but obviously a not accurate one.
most thumbs are about the same size, but not all. thus, in the average case the measurement is correct but not always. hence, rule of thumb.

Yes I'll nod to that

I am still coming to grips (pun) with the height measurement of the horse being in hands

[Peenyuh]

http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-recurring ... o-believe/

Juss sayin...

[Whiskey 7]

http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-recurring-myths-we-apparently-really-want-to-believe/

Juss sayin...

Yes thanks Peenyuh

I saw the HPOA/HOPA hoax one (seems like years ago but it can't be) and just couldn't believe the effort that girl put into it a the time.
I have never seen the blue/red SAAB one before

[Whiskey 7]

Edit: Double post?

[Whiskey 7]

OK. Been too long since we had a goodnight thread/topic Remember when....

Anyway, it is along weekend here with a Public holiday on Monday and I am away at my holiday unit but, bummer, lots of rain is predicted.
Don't know about your weather forecasters in your locale but here seems they always get it wrong

Anyway for your pleasure....

The first novel ever written on a typewriter, Tom Sawyer.

Agh, it might be incorrect but in support however

anyhowhaveagoodweekend