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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to know the useless facts you store in your brain..

334 replies

IseeNarcPeople · 31/07/2023 20:25

The ones that never get an outting, the chance to use them has never arisen.
For instance, from the many useless facts in my brain:
The phrases "Not enough room to swing a cat" and "Don't let the cat out of the bag" are actually about a whip "Cat O' nine tails" which was kept as a warning and punishment on ships.
Oh and snails can sleep for three years.
Please release some of yours.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Soubriquet · 31/07/2023 20:55

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog is a sentence that uses every letter in the alphabet

AffIt · 31/07/2023 20:55

Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 31/07/2023 20:54

Waterloo has 24 platforms and is the largest in the UK

Edinburgh Waverley has 20, so technically no.2 in the UK, with Leeds no.3 (although 2nd largest in England)

Every time I’ve posted on one of these threads someone tells me my facts are wrong, it’s dicing with death 😂

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At the risk of being 'that arsehole', I'm fairly sure Edinburgh Waverly has 21?

englishrose1234 · 31/07/2023 20:56

Over50usernamesNow · 31/07/2023 20:33

Seven eights are fifty six.

I remember learning, and re-learning, and re-learning that over and over as a kid because I couldn't get it! Eventually it just got completely and permanently lodged there.

I cannot remember once ever finding this a useful thing to know as a adult. 🙂 Noone has ever asked me "what are seven eights?" And it doesn't seem to have been a necessary piece of knowledge in any area of my life (and I did statistics as part of my university degree!! So not averse to maths generally!!)

You'd be a good pharmacist! 56 is a really common number in pharmacy (one tablet daily - two months supply, one table twice daily - one months supply - all 56!)

BarelyLiterate · 31/07/2023 20:58

Rolls Royce PLC does not make cars. It makes jet engines, gas turbine power plants and nuclear reactors.
Rolls Royce cars are made by BMW.

MrsMoastyToasty · 31/07/2023 20:59

Edinburgh is further west than Bristol.

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/07/2023 20:59

Soubriquet · 31/07/2023 20:55

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog is a sentence that uses every letter in the alphabet

If you like word ones...

John, where Paul had had 'had had', had had 'had'. 'Had had' had had more impact on the marker.

11 'had's in a row and it's grammatically correct.

Allmyghosts · 31/07/2023 21:02

Sarah nelmes was the milkmaid who inspired Edward jenner, I have no idea why her name has stuck in my head.

MustBeThursday · 31/07/2023 21:03

The vegetation of the Savannah grassland is tall tufted grasses with the occasional tree or shrub. I have no need or use for this small piece of information.

Uppersop · 31/07/2023 21:03

In 1142, Empress Matilda (daughter of Henry I) escaped from Oxford Castle where her cousin King Stephen, was holding her captive. She crossed the frozen Thames wrapped in a white cloak, so wasn’t spotted in the snowy conditions. I am convinced that this snippet of info will come in useful one day!

Original poster
IseeNarcPeople · 31/07/2023 21:03

Quite a lot of our modern sayings and words have nautical origins.
"In the doldrums" a shipping area, a belt around the earth near the equator with barely any winds where boats and ships get stuck.
"Skyscraper" the highest sail on a ship.
" don't like the cut of your jib"
The jib was the sail that identified the ships nationality.
Xenophobia on the high seas..

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 31/07/2023 21:03

Wombats poo is a cube.

Ouch.

AlanJohnsonsBeamer · 31/07/2023 21:04

Lellochip · 31/07/2023 20:48

Humans are more sensitive to the smell of petrichor than sharks are to blood

Show quote history

Awesome!

Allmyghosts · 31/07/2023 21:06

Over50usernamesNow · 31/07/2023 20:33

Seven eights are fifty six.

I remember learning, and re-learning, and re-learning that over and over as a kid because I couldn't get it! Eventually it just got completely and permanently lodged there.

I cannot remember once ever finding this a useful thing to know as a adult. 🙂 Noone has ever asked me "what are seven eights?" And it doesn't seem to have been a necessary piece of knowledge in any area of my life (and I did statistics as part of my university degree!! So not averse to maths generally!!)

Seven eigths of what? I'm confused

Laiste · 31/07/2023 21:06

At 2 and a half years old you are half the height you are going to be as an adult.

Sounds nuts but it's true. I checked with my 4 DCs (3 are in their 20s now) and it's accurate to within an inch or so.

Allmyghosts · 31/07/2023 21:07

Oh you mean 7x8. Sorry I get it (idiot)

ApocalypseNowt · 31/07/2023 21:07

The word 'cabal' is an acronym.

DismantledKing · 31/07/2023 21:08

Dogs can’t look up

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/07/2023 21:08

Laiste · 31/07/2023 21:06

At 2 and a half years old you are half the height you are going to be as an adult.

Sounds nuts but it's true. I checked with my 4 DCs (3 are in their 20s now) and it's accurate to within an inch or so.

This means DD will be 6 foot and I don't think she will.

Time will tell. But the boys have all shot past her which really pisses her off.

Laiste · 31/07/2023 21:09

DismantledKing · 31/07/2023 21:08

Dogs can’t look up

lol, my DH had me going with this one on our first date 😂

Laiste · 31/07/2023 21:11

@MrsTerryPratchett meet me back here in 15 years and let me know 😃

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/07/2023 21:12

Laiste · 31/07/2023 21:11

@MrsTerryPratchett meet me back here in 15 years and let me know 😃

Will do!!!

Jewelanemone · 31/07/2023 21:13

MrsMoastyToasty · 31/07/2023 20:59

Edinburgh is further west than Bristol.

Out of all the facts on this thread, this has astonished me the most!

WhateverMate · 31/07/2023 21:14

All Walkers crisps go out of date on a Saturday.

Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 31/07/2023 21:15

AffIt · 31/07/2023 20:55

At the risk of being 'that arsehole', I'm fairly sure Edinburgh Waverly has 21?

Show quote history

Dammit @AffIt 😂

Although I can’t find anything saying it has 21?

SheWhoReportsToHim · 31/07/2023 21:16

Shakespeare actually rhymes really well. Examples where he doesn't seem to (e.g., if this be error and upon me proved / I never writ, nor no man ever loved) are typically due to a shift in pronunciation.

Also, Shakespeare loved a good pun, and half of his have also fallen victim to pronunciation changes.