Friday, January 30th — Cello Scrotum

Today I Learned…

…that there’s no such thing as cello scrotum.

Go figure, right?  I had no idea.

Saturday, January 17th — Roger That

Today I Learned…

…from my boss (via her “contacts” in the military) that the phrase “Roger that” is only actually ever said facetiously.  As in, “Participate in the Charge of the Light Brigade? Roger that.”

Can anyone with authority confirm or deny this?

Thursday, January 1st — Idaho

Today I Learned…

…that the name “Idaho” is completely made up.  One-hundred percent fake.

In the early 1860s, lobbyist George M. Willing suggested that Congress name their potential new Rocky Mountain territory “Idaho.”  He claimed this came from a Shoshone word meaning “gem of the mountain” or “the sun comes from the mountains.”  He later claimed to have made the name up — Congress didn’t officially accept the name, but it stuck amongst the locals.

Monday, December 15th — Glasses

Today I Learned…

…that I look damn good with my new glasses.  I also remembered how nice it is to have both bows attached to my glasses and not have to worry about them coming off all of the time.  Picture forthcoming when I have better lighting. EDIT: Picture is here!

damn I'm pretty

Sunday, December 7th — Dead Writers

Today I Learned…

…how a bunch of writers and poets either died or were found dead.  I don’t have time to reproduce the funny parts of the list, so I’ll just link to it here.

Any other funny and ineresting stories about famous people dying?

Saturday, December 6th — Leaning Learning

Today I Learned…

…that I shouldn’t lean up against things when I’ve been drinking.  At the ugly holiday sweater party I went to today (pictures forthcoming of my hideously ugly sweater), I leaned (leant?) up against the following:

• Nothing, causing myself to fall backwards a foot in the elevator
• A glass vase, causing it to fall to the floor and shatter, and giving the host a cut in the process
• The light switch in the kitchen, causing several people to think that it was last call or something

Yeah.  So not so much with me and the leaning anymore.

Friday, December 5th — Lucky

Today I Learned…

…just how lucky you can get on The Price is Right.

Saturday, November 29th — The Mortal Kombat Guy

(…I’ll be back tomorrow with the Rulloff’s trivia wrapup along with a special “What I Learned on my Thanksgiving Vacation edition. In the meantime…)

Today I Learned…

…that Maxim magazine had an interview with Hernan Sanchez, the voiceover artist for the announcer in the Mortal Kombat series.  And they made him say silly things using his recognizable voice into a microphone.  Click on the link to find the soundboard that resulted.   (Hopefully soon I’ll figure out if I can embed it here.)

Saturday, November 22nd — Missed Post DoublePak!

Today (and Yesterday) I Learned…

…that apparently in 2007 there were 22 incidents of anti-heterosexual hate crimes according to the FBI.  On a related note, I learned that there can be anti-heterosexual hate crimes.  Can anyone enlighten me as to how that would work?

…also that there is a possibility of direct evidence of dark matter relatively near our solar system!  Article on slashdot with other links.

Wednesday, November 19th — 747

Today I Learned…

…that a 747 can fly upside down.

However, it can only do so if it starts that way — the shear involved in doing a barrel roll in flight would rip the wings off.  If it were to start out upside down, it would do just fine.

…thanks to the HDST at tomake.