Random trivia questions

[chappy]

Of course in today's political climate the Russian Rainbow should not be seen as implying tolerance for, nor acceptance of alternative lifestyles.

I say, boy...boy! what you need is a pheasant.

Next question: How many countries have NOT been invaded by the British? 22 [URL]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9653497/British-have-invaded-nine-out-of-ten-countries-so-look-out-Luxembourg.html[/URL]

[Batalov]

Originally Posted by chappy

Of course in today's political climate the Russian Rainbow should not be seen as implying tolerance for, nor acceptance of alternative lifestyles.

Indeed, indeed.

Interestingly, the Russian rainbow does not have (and never had) "indigo", but it still has 7 colors. The "sky blue" is a distinct color, most like your English "cyan". In an ironic twist, exactly this color ("голубой") has been for quite a while associated with alternative lifestyles, not the whole rainbow.

[Brian-E]

Originally Posted by chappy

Next question: How many countries have NOT been invaded by the British? 22 [URL]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9653497/British-have-invaded-nine-out-of-ten-countries-so-look-out-Luxembourg.html[/URL]

Nice follow-on question. Did you pose it because it has certain links with rainbow social diversity to which you and Serge were just referring? I don't think it's any coincidence that some of the most homophobic countries in the world were part of the British Empire. A few of them are only just managing, in the last few years, to throw their old British bigoted laws away, notably India. Others, especially in parts of Africa and in the Caribbean, are still resisting strongly.

[davar55]

Originally Posted by Brian-E

Nice follow-on question. Did you pose it because it has certain links with rainbow social diversity to which you and Serge were just referring? I don't think it's any coincidence that some of the most homophobic countries in the world were part of the British Empire. A few of them are only just managing, in the last few years, to throw their old British bigoted laws away, notably India. Others, especially in parts of Africa and in the Caribbean, are still resisting strongly.

OK some transient trivia:

What are the thirteen (?) states that have approved same-sex
marriage, and what's your best guess as to the next three?

[davar55]

Originally Posted by chappy

...
I know only that there's a book about this that someone once recommended I read. But, I don't remember the reason.

Was that book called "Google" by any chance? I've had that
recommended to me a few times, and it's one convoluted yarn.
One thing leads to another until ... something turns up.

[cheesehead]

Next question: How many countries have NOT been invaded by the British? 22 [URL]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9653497/British-have-invaded-nine-out-of-ten-countries-so-look-out-Luxembourg.html[/URL]

Note that the author uses a broad definition of "invasion":

The remainder have been included because the British were found to have achieved some sort of military presence in the territory – however transitory – either through force, the threat of force, negotiation or payment.

Incursions by British pirates, privateers or armed explorers have also been included, provided they were operating with the approval of their government.

[Hyperspacial8]

Originally Posted by chappy

Approximately how long is the longest straight line you can sail on the planet earth? 20,000 miles give or take. [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpQwuGueeoA&feature=youtu.be[/url]

https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net..._5544899_n.jpg






var map;
var ge;

google.load("maps", "2.x");

function init() {
map = new GMap2(document.getElementById('map3d'));
map.setCenter(new GLatLng(37, -122), 12);

var mapui = map.getDefaultUI();
mapui.maptypes.physical = false;
map.setUI(mapui);

// add 'Earth' as one of the map types
map.addMapType(G_SATELLITE_3D_MAP);

// create a marker
var marker = new GMarker(new GLatLng(37, -122));
GEvent.addListener(marker, "click", function() {
var html = '<div style="width: 210px; padding-right: 10px">Hello world!</div>';
marker.openInfoWindowHtml(html);
});

[LaurV]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Note that the author uses a broad definition of "invasion":

That is what I wanted to remark, knowing that the Brits never "invaded" eastern European countries, for example, they "raided" Romania few times during second WW, for the few months when we were allied with Germany, and there were some sporadic bombing, but not big deal, and it was never an "invasion". In fact I had no idea about those raids until I saw the "map" posted above, and I started wondering where the color over my country comes from... (that is how I learned something new).

[c10ck3r]

I've been doing a bit of philosophical musing in relation to an English course I'm taking at the moment. Trying to find a source of common examples of irony, I wondered if there were some type of Chronicle of Situational Irony. I then realized, much to my chagrin, that if one were to call it that, filling it with examples of situational irony would create a paradox, would it not?

[ewmayer]

Originally Posted by chappy

Next question: How many countries have NOT been invaded by the British?

Including or excluding Beatles concerts?

Originally Posted by c10ck3r

I've been doing a bit of philosophical musing in relation to an English course I'm taking at the moment. Trying to find a source of common examples of irony, I wondered if there were some type of Chronicle of Situational Irony. I then realized, much to my chagrin, that if one were to call it that, filling it with examples of situational irony would create a paradox, would it not?

If you're not near a readily accessible source of irony ore, try your local scrapyard - one of the best things about irony is that it is quite readily recyclable. A good way to find situational irony may be to carry a small but powerful pocket magnet, or if you are not averse to lugging more gear, a metal detector will work nicely to find irony which has been buried in shallow locations.

If you are instead referring to dietary irony, any decent vitamin supplement should have an ample amount of that.

[davar55]

Out of the 5 trillion, 345 billion, 678 million, 999 thousand,
forty-seven total number of trivia questions,
what is the answer to the six-hundred seventh?

(Is that random enough? Any sensoble joke answer accepted.)