Charybdis - 19 August 2005 02:12 PM

The squid is the only land mammal that is capable of swallowing a grown adult whole.

You forgot about the tree octopus; larger individuals have been known to engulf small adults.

Ah, but the tree octopus is strictly aboreal, unlike the squid which is comfortable both on land and in the trees.

Darn, David beat me to it.  I wanted to debunk some of those!

hey smerk, dunno if i’d sink, but my nans dog was definitely sinking into the ground when he fell… sorry, bounded, into some quicksand and definitely wouldnt have been able to get out on his own.

Statues of Famous people on horse-back:

If both front feet on ground-  Means nothing particularly happened.

If one of front legs raised the rider died as a result of wounds received in battle

If both front legs of horse raised the rider (whoever he/she was) died in battle.

System is used mainly by us Brits but think the US does it too. Any examples, let me know.

The Bible is the most stolen publishing…..

Mort - 23 August 2005 02:26 PM

Statues of Famous people on horse-back:

If both front feet on ground-  Means nothing particularly happened.

If one of front legs raised the rider died as a result of wounds received in battle

If both front legs of horse raised the rider (whoever he/she was) died in battle.

System is used mainly by us Brits but think the US does it too. Any examples, let me know.

Sorry Mort:

http://www.snopes.com/military/statue.htm

None of these fit into that code:
GEN. SIMON BOLIVAR: 18th at C and Virginia NW (1959). One hoof raised; died in peace of tuberculosis.

MAJ. GEN. NATHANIEL GREENE: Stanton Square, Maryland and Massachusetts NE (1877). One hoof raised; died in peace, unwounded.

MAJ. GEN. ANDREW JACKSON: Lafayette Park (1853). Two hooves raised; died in peace.

LT. GEN. THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON: Manassas (1940). All hooves on ground; wounded by own men and died.

MAJ. GEN. PHILIP KEARNY: Arlington National Cemetery (1914). One hoof raised; died in battle.

MAJ. GEN. GEORGE B. McCLELLAN: Connecticut Avenue and Columbia Road NW (1907). One hoof raised; died in peace, unwounded.

LT. GEN. THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON: Manassas (1940). All hooves on ground; wounded by own men and died.

By his own men? Gonna have to look that one up casue it sounds funny. Is that date mean to be 1840? Thought he was a Civil War fella?

*If I’m recalling this correctly* no piece of paper can be properly folded in half more than 8 times, no matter how big or small, thick or thin. Try it for yourself.

Oh and yes, you’re right the rule applies to only a few statues in the US (asked my bro last night, He’s an officer in our forces but spent a few months over your side giving civil war ours last year) but over here we try and stick to it.

Good (and this time correct) Fact:  The little divot in the middle of your upper lip which extends to your nose is called a Filtrum.

And…..

Maggie Thatcher invented the process to help preserve frozen ice-cream. She really was cool….!

And…..

In 1980, Saddam Hussein received a key to the city of Detroit.

Mort - 24 August 2005 11:23 AM

LT. GEN. THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON: Manassas (1940). All hooves on ground; wounded by own men and died.

By his own men? Gonna have to look that one up casue it sounds funny. Is that date mean to be 1840? Thought he was a Civil War fella?

It was dark out.  Serious tragedy.  He was a civil war fellow.  I don’t know if the date is a typo or the date the statue was erected.  In fact, when it happened, I think they propped him up on his horse, and didn’t tell the other soldiers that he had been wounded - so as not to bring down morale.  I did find this:  Died: 10 May 1863.  After the battle at Chancellorville (May 2-4, 1863), Jackson was wounded by his own soldiers and his left arm was amputated. A week later he died, possibly of pneumonia.  His other nickname was “Old Blue Light,” for his eyes… Jackson was present at the execution of abolitionist John Brown… Lee’s famous response to Jackson after he was wounded was “You have lost your left. I have lost my right arm.”