whyze

[whyze]

Why does the song say "mulberry bush" when mulberries grow on trees?

"The rhyme was first recorded by James Orchard Halliwell as an English children's game in the mid-19th century. He noted that there was a similar game with the lyrics 'Here we go round the bramble bush'. The bramble bush may be an earlier version, possibly changed because of the difficulty of the alliteration, since mulberries do not grow on bushes." — Wikipedia

[whyze]

Why can't I have a duck as a pet?

The average domestic duck relieves itself every 15 minutes. No thanks.

[whyze]

What is the longest poem ever written?

  Mahabharata is the longest known poem in the world. It comprises 220,000 lines divided into 18 sections.

Mahabharata was written in Sanskrit, the ancient sacred language of India, and tells the story of a great battle that occurred 3,000 years previous on the banks of the Saraswati river.

[whyze]

Is the "stumbling block" an actual thing?

Lots of English terms come from the Latin. Others come from the Bible. And because the Bible was in Latin, lots of terms are from both.

"Stumbling block" has its roots was used in Romans 14:13 to translate the Greek "skandalon," which means a trap or snare. That's also where we get "scandal."

Stumbling block also can be traced to Leviticus 19:14, "Before the blind, do not put a stumbling block."

So, it's pretty safe to say you don't have to go looking for literal stumbling blocks, nor did the Romans.

[whyze]

Where do Moleskine notebooks get their name?

According to Wikipedia:

Notebooks with features similar to the present Moleskine notebooks were popular in Paris during the 19th and 20th centuries, handmade by small French bookbinders who supplied the stationery shops of Paris. As documented by many art collections and museums, in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, these nameless notebooks became a prominent creative tool for avant-garde artists who enjoyed drawing and writing outdoors; putting down impressions on paper; painting from life in the streets and cafés; and capturing extemporary scenes, ideas, and emotions. Among artists who used similar black notebooks were Oscar Wilde, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Henri Matisse.

The present Moleskine notebook is specifically fashioned after Bruce Chatwin's descriptions of the notebooks he used in his travels. The name itself, "Moleskine", is a nickname that Chatwin uses in one of his most celebrated writings, The Songlines (1986). In this book, Chatwin tells the story of his original supplier of notebooks, a Paris stationer who in 1986 informed him that the last notebook manufacturer, a small family-run firm in Tours, had discontinued production that year, after the death of the owner. "Le vrai Moleskine n’est plus" ("The real Moleskine is no more") are the words Chatwin puts in the mouth of the owner of the stationery shop in Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie.[2]

[whyze]

How much would it cost to be Batman?

Believe it or not, someone already answered this question. I'm serious.

[whyze]

Why does my butt hurt when I ride motorcycles?

If your butt is fine riding in a car all day, why does it hurt when you distance ride a motorcycle? 

It's because you're bouncing, even when you don't think you are. Riders experience hundreds of uncontrolled micro-bounces per mile. That energy is absorbed by your butt. 

"But my butt is meaty," you say?

Well, most of your weight is placed on your sitting bones, also known as the ischial tuberosities. And those guys are pointy, so they press on nerves and muscle. That causes loss of blood flow, muscle fatigue and cramping.

As if that weren't bad enough, your skin's trapped in there, too. And skin's pretty sensitive stuff. So the micro-bounces are pulsing your nerves and rubbing your skin raw.

Still totally worth it.

[whyze]

Who's the deadliest soldier of all time?

Nicknamed “White Death,” Simo Hayha of Finland is credited with more than 800 kills. During the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union, Hayha amassed 505 confirmed sniper kills (37 more unconfirmed) and more than 200 confirmed kills by submachine gun. When asked if he regretted killing so many people, Hayha said, “I did what I was told to as well as I could.”

In 1940, Häyhä was shot in his left jaw by a Russian soldier during combat. The bullet tumbled upon impact and exited his head. He was picked up by fellow soldiers who said "half his head was missing," but he was not dead. he regained consciousness 11 days later on the day peace was declared. 

Oh, and he didn't use a scope. Iron sights. 

[whyze]

Do the colors on the little flags in people's yards mean anything?

Marking flags, ubiquitously used at work sites, are color coded. However, they can be purchased by anyone, so don't count on them matching the APWA's standards.

[whyze]

why did you wear a skirt so often in high school?

Goths love three things: death, dance and dress-up. My black skirts satisfied all three of those categories. They were long and dark, consistent with a state of mourning. They felt great when dancing, and they complemented tops that just wouldn't look right with pants.

Sadly, I grew from boy to man, and my current frame and facial features just aren't right for skirts.

[whyze]

How much does an ice cream truck driver make?

According to SimplyHired.com, the average salary for an ice cream truck driver job is $25,000. MSBC reports that some drivers take home 35 percent of their daily sales but spend about $12 on daily truck rental fees. There are also gas costs.