Post something you've learnt today

[The Fish]

The town of Derby Line Vermont straddles the US/Canada border. The border actually runs through the middle of the local library.

[Santa C]

The town of Derby Line Vermont straddles the US/Canada border. The border actually runs through the middle of the local library.

Very interesting Paul - thanks

Wiki
Derby Line is known for the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a line house deliberately constructed on the international border and opened in 1904. The donors were a binational couple: Carlos F. Haskell was a local American businessman who owned a number of sawmills, while Martha Stewart Haskell was Canadian. The intent was that people on both sides of the border would have use of the facility, which is now a designated historic site. Patrons of the library from either side of the border may use the facility without going through border security.

Besides the library, five inhabited structures are divided by the border. Most residents use the US entrances to avoid problems with the border patrol; crossing the border within buildings does not require official permission.[ A tool-and-die factory, once operated by the Butterfield division of Litton Industries, is also divided. The factory in Canada closed in 1982 after a lengthy strike by Canadian workers. The factory in Derby Line is open. It was bought in 1988 by Group Tivoly, a cutting tools company based in France, and has 160 employees.

There are ramifications to living directly on the border of another country. For example, the US Border Patrol expressed a desire to close off streets (such as Canusa Street) which have historically run together with those of Stanstead Town. [In many US locales the term for such a political entity is "township".] Border officials were concerned about illegal immigration. In 2007, the village of Derby Line met with the Mayor and Council of Stanstead in joint session in Québec, to be addressed by the authorities. Ironically, this meant that the Vermont village's trustee meeting was held in a foreign country, following Vermont procedural rules.

A telephone call between Derby Line, Vermont, and Rock Island, Québec, is local




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[Santa C]

'skeezy' - I have never come across that word before

Do us Brits ever use it....?



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[GoogaMooga]

Pogo were forced to change their name to Poco after Pogo comic strip creator Walt Kelly threatened them with a cease and desist order.

[Santa C]

That the Czech Republic government directed use of Czechia as the official English short name in 2016




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[Minnie the Minx]

Tacos on flour reheated - superb
Tacos on corn reheated - very dodgy

[GoogaMooga]

The world's smallest hotel is located in Copenhagen. You have to get up early to book a room there. They have only got one room and a café.

[Minnie the Minx]

I just ordered some more of my cat’s thyroid meds. He gets chicken flavour but among the choices is ‘cricket flavour’

Howzat!

[BARON CORNY DOG]

That the Czech Republic government directed use of Czechia as the official English short name in 2016




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Speaking of which, I just learned one of my great-great grandfathers was an early proponent of the Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas, a fraternal insurance and social organization for Czech-Texans. I never even knew it existed at all!

https://spjst.org/about/our-history/

[The Slider]

The version of 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day' that we are all familiar with is a very carefully reconstructed copy made by Roy Wood in 1981 when they wanted to rerelease it but couldn't find the master tape.
The original recording only exists on the 1973 single - every digital copy is the 1981 rerecording
You can hear the original on Youtube footage of the December 1973 Top of the Pops performance - and I defy you to tell the difference.
(actually you can if you listen to it forensically but the fact that even I didn't realise this until today means it is a fucking impressive counterfeit)

Original:


Rerecording:

[Minnie the Minx]

Decided to wear heels last night to dinner - haven’t worn any in about three years I think. A probable Covid casualty. I tried on two pairs and immediately got crippling pain across the top band of my foot. I’d be pretty sad if it was true, but it looks like it is - I can’t wear heels anymore.

[Santa C]

That all rodents have four toes on their hand-like front feet and five toes on their hind feet






*Further research suggests this is not true

A capybara is different….

Any views?




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[mudshark]

So what is it you have learned today?

[Santa C]

So what is it you have learned today?

Nothing....





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[Santa C]

So what is it you have learned today?

Nothing....

So, that put a damper on this thread...!




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[souphound]

So what is it you have learned today?

Nothing....

So, that put a damper on this thread...!




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A harsh lesson on its own.

[mudshark]

Well I learned today that between 2008 and 2011 a band existed in Rotterdam with the name of Anne Frank Zappa.
Now I'll have to learn if they were any damn good. The name itself has earned the band 'douze points', in my book.

[Santa C]

Well I learned today that between 2008 and 2011 a band existed in Rotterdam with the name of Anne Frank Zappa.
Now I'll have to learn if they were any damn good. The name itself has earned the band 'douze points', in my book.

ooooof!



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[Samoan]

A Nazareth Market was an English police term for an illegal night time market.
It stemed from a tradition of underworld activity originating from the old horse fairs and still existed in some street markets up to 1992.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/l ... 39325.html

Art dealers and the police are pressing the Government to abolish a medieval law that allows people to buy stolen goods at street markets throughout England.

[Santa C]

That Germany and USA have the most IKEA stores (55 each) - the latter includes the unincorporated territory of Puerto Rica - 52 without.

The UK has 22





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