NPR

There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

Similarly, there’s a bit of Italy that’s entirely surrounded by Switzerland. Although it’s legally part of Italy, it only became part of the EU customs Union last year, and prior to that was administratively effectively part of Switzerland. Salaries are paid in Swiss francs, although the official currency is the Euro. Emergency services are supplied by the Swiss, but the police by the Italians. You have to use a Swiss dialling code for telephone calls, unless you’re calling the town hall, which has an Italian code.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campione_d%27Italia

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

I've been to a little part of Austria that is only accessible from Austria itself by road from going into Germany first, there are probably quite a few of these quirks - there's a Sweden / Norway or Finland / Norway one that's the same IIRC

tabascoboy wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:55 am

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

I've been to a little part of Austria that is only accessible from Austria itself by road from going into Germany first, there are probably quite a few of these quirks - there's a Sweden / Norway or Finland / Norway one that's the same IIRC

Yeah, I ran across that whilst fact checking for the Italy one. This stuff always comes to mind when people say a Scotland/England border would be unworkable. People put up with entirely bonkers border nonsense all over the world, just by acting like it’s normal.

There's a beaver dam in northern Alberta that's approximately 850m long and can be seen from space.

Niegs wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:42 am There's a beaver dam in northern Alberta that's approximately 850m long and can be seen from space.

That’s pretty amazing, but given that modern satellites can more or less read a newspaper from orbit, what does ‘can be seen from space’ actually mean nowadays?

It's very well known one now, but when it was first revealed that glass is actually a liquid, that just flows very, very slowly; many people must have thought that was complete batshit.

Though saying that, it now seems to be classified as an "amorphous solid" so maybe it was batshit after all...

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:50 am

Niegs wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:42 am There's a beaver dam in northern Alberta that's approximately 850m long and can be seen from space.

That’s pretty amazing, but given that modern satellites can more or less read a newspaper from orbit, what does ‘can be seen from space’ actually mean nowadays?

Satellites cannot read a newspaper from orbit, that’s Hollywood bullshit I’m afraid.

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:08 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:50 am

Niegs wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:42 am There's a beaver dam in northern Alberta that's approximately 850m long and can be seen from space.

That’s pretty amazing, but given that modern satellites can more or less read a newspaper from orbit, what does ‘can be seen from space’ actually mean nowadays?

Satellites cannot read a newspaper from orbit, that’s Hollywood bullshit I’m afraid.

OK, I’m exaggerating, I know. But you can identify individual cars using Google Maps...

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:24 am Russia has a land border with Finland

And with Norway.

The world's largest pyramid is in Mexico

Niegs wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:24 am

PornDog wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:13 pm

FujiKiwi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:57 am This isn’t that spectacular, but I remember meeting someone (my great grandmother) who remembered meeting Queen Victoria. I like those surprising facts that connect the seemingly distant past with the present.

My great grandmother was evicted from her home as a child by red coats. One of the soldiers went back into the burning house as she had left her little dolly thing inside. He also gave her her first boiled sweet.

She always said that you could find a nice Englishman, but that as a race they were cunts (my word, not hers)

Was this in the early 1800s? Do you mean ‘khaki coats’?

No, red coats. Would have been early 1880's I suppose.

GogLais wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:23 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:24 am Russia has a land border with Finland

And with Norway.

Very true. Actually a better example, as the borders with Norway and NK are both relatively tiny and in unexpected places that you didn’t think the relevant countries extended to.

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:23 pm

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:08 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:50 am

That’s pretty amazing, but given that modern satellites can more or less read a newspaper from orbit, what does ‘can be seen from space’ actually mean nowadays?

Satellites cannot read a newspaper from orbit, that’s Hollywood bullshit I’m afraid.

OK, I’m exaggerating, I know. But you can identify individual cars using Google Maps...

Those are aerial pics, not satellite

Niegs wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:24 am

PornDog wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:13 pm

FujiKiwi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:57 am This isn’t that spectacular, but I remember meeting someone (my great grandmother) who remembered meeting Queen Victoria. I like those surprising facts that connect the seemingly distant past with the present.

My great grandmother was evicted from her home as a child by red coats. One of the soldiers went back into the burning house as she had left her little dolly thing inside. He also gave her her first boiled sweet.

She always said that you could find a nice Englishman, but that as a race they were cunts (my word, not hers)

Was this in the early 1800s? Do you mean ‘khaki coats’?

I think it was the turn of the 20th century the scarlet tunic was binned. Although the bands of some units still use it now.

Wiki says last time a red coat was worn in combat was 1885.

British soldiers fought in scarlet and blue uniforms for the last time at the Battle of Gennis in the Sudan on 30 December 1885. They formed part of an expeditionary force sent from Britain to participate in the Nile Campaign of 1884–85, wearing the "home service uniform" of the period.[35] This included scarlet "frocks" (plain jackets in harder-wearing material designed for informal wear),[36] although some regiments sent from India were in khaki drill.[37] A small detachment of infantry which reached Khartoum by steamer on 28 January 1885 were ordered to fight in their red coats in order to let the Mahdist rebels know that the real British forces had arrived.[38]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_coat_ ... y_uniform)



But more in keeping with the 'surprising' facts theme...

Between 1861 and 1908, eight men had their VCs taken away after being convicted of crimes. Those crimes included theft of a colleague’s medals, stealing a cow, desertion and bigamy. George V was strongly against forfeiture of a Victoria Cross and said that even if a man was hanged he should wear his VC on the scaffold.

One thing that never seems to change is procurement/issuing of kit so I'll bet only those deploying or deployed got the khaki first (we were issued osprey and acogs then handed them back at the end of the tour ). I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case then too.

Forgot the guards, they still wear it ceremonially.

Jock42 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:06 pm One thing that never seems to change is procurement/issuing of kit so I'll bet only until deploying or deployed got the khaki first (we were issued osprey and acogs then handed them back at the end of the tour ). I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case then too.

Forgot the guards, they still were it ceremonially.

The Red coat was the official service tunic until 1905, and was still being issued as a parade and walking out uniform as late as 1914. What was worn in late India and the Boer war was very much given a blind eye

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

Spent quite a bit of time in and around Delta, B.C, and lived in Tsawwassen. We used to drive over to Point Roberts to gas up.

Reno is further west than L.A.

There's a spot in Lake Tahoe where 6 feet from the edge of the lake the depth is such that you could fit the Washington Monument on top of the Empire Sate Building under the surface.

If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown.

Prevaricator wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 2:00 am If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown.

Preferably the Flat Earthers..

Prevaricator wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 2:00 am If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown.

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:54 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:23 pm

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:08 pm

Satellites cannot read a newspaper from orbit, that’s Hollywood bullshit I’m afraid.

OK, I’m exaggerating, I know. But you can identify individual cars using Google Maps...

Those are aerial pics, not satellite

I went and, well, Googled, and that isn’t actually true, or not any more at any rate. They’ve been using Landsat photos for a while now.

Apparently the current resolution limit for a satellite photo is about 50 x 50cm, so you can just about make out people. That’s outside the military though. I read one thing that said military satellites can do up to 7x7cm. No idea whether or not that’s true. Apparently there’s a military base in North Korea, though, where they knew when the satellite was going over and had three games of volleyball on the go when it did.

Prevaricator wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:21 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

Spent quite a bit of time in and around Delta, B.C, and lived in Tsawwassen. We used to drive over to Point Roberts to gas up.

That’s really cool. Was the fuel cheaper there? I have a friend who lives in Newry, and drives to Ireland to fill up for the same reason.

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:39 am

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:54 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:23 pm

OK, I’m exaggerating, I know. But you can identify individual cars using Google Maps...

Those are aerial pics, not satellite

I went and, well, Googled, and that isn’t actually true, or not any more at any rate. They’ve been using Landsat photos for a while now.

Apparently the current resolution limit for a satellite photo is about 50 x 50cm, so you can just about make out people. That’s outside the military though. I read one thing that said military satellites can do up to 7x7cm. No idea whether or not that’s true. Apparently there’s a military base in North Korea, though, where they knew when the satellite was going over and had three games of volleyball on the go when it did.

Depends on the resolution. When you’re getting better than Landsat resolution, it’s aerial.

50 x 50 needs an aperture of around 60cm in low earth orbit, in theory. It scales linearly, so for 7cm you’d need about seven times that size. So a telescope with an aperture of over 4m. However in low earth orbit, you’re moving at 7km per second, and when you start to look at the signal to noise you need to get an image that fine at that speed, its pretty much impossible.

Reading a newspaper headline, you’d need to be able to resolve at least ten times better than the 7cm, so. 40m aperture. And then there’s the signal to noise. And the atmospheric blurring.

Biffer wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:52 am

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:39 am

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:54 pm

Those are aerial pics, not satellite

I went and, well, Googled, and that isn’t actually true, or not any more at any rate. They’ve been using Landsat photos for a while now.

Apparently the current resolution limit for a satellite photo is about 50 x 50cm, so you can just about make out people. That’s outside the military though. I read one thing that said military satellites can do up to 7x7cm. No idea whether or not that’s true. Apparently there’s a military base in North Korea, though, where they knew when the satellite was going over and had three games of volleyball on the go when it did.

Depends on the resolution. When you’re getting better than Landsat resolution, it’s aerial.

50 x 50 needs an aperture of around 60cm in low earth orbit, in theory. It scales linearly, so for 7cm you’d need about seven times that size. So a telescope with an aperture of over 4m. However in low earth orbit, you’re moving at 7km per second, and when you start to look at the signal to noise you need to get an image that fine at that speed, its pretty much impossible.

Reading a newspaper headline, you’d need to be able to resolve at least ten times better than the 7cm, so. 40m aperture. And then there’s the signal to noise. And the atmospheric blurring.

Oh, stop with your inconvenient facts!

I did say I knew I was exaggerating about the newspaper headline...

Sorry, its part of what I do for a living and I'm very used to guys from startups saying that they can get impossible resolutions from small platforms, or thinking new tech will fix it when it's a hard physics limit.

Biffer wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 3:29 pm

Sorry, its part of what I do for a living and I'm very used to guys from startups saying that they can get impossible resolutions from small platforms, or thinking new tech will fix it when it's a hard physics limit.

It’s OK. I’m the same when people post medical bullshit.

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:43 am

Prevaricator wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:21 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

Spent quite a bit of time in and around Delta, B.C, and lived in Tsawwassen. We used to drive over to Point Roberts to gas up.

That’s really cool. Was the fuel cheaper there? I have a friend who lives in Newry, and drives to Ireland to fill up for the same reason.

Hellraiser wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:08 am

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:43 am

Prevaricator wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:21 pm Spent quite a bit of time in and around Delta, B.C, and lived in Tsawwassen. We used to drive over to Point Roberts to gas up.

That’s really cool. Was the fuel cheaper there? I have a friend who lives in Newry, and drives to Ireland to fill up for the same reason.

Pretty sure that’s how she described it. What’s the acceptable usage? ‘To the Republic’?

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

Also the only general built-up area of the US that isn't covered by Google Street View..

Prevaricator wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:21 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:30 am There’s a tiny bit of the USA that you can only reach by driving through Canada. As you have to cross two international borders to get there, it’s reputed to be a popular place to put people in Witness Protection.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2019120 ... ugh-canada

Spent quite a bit of time in and around Delta, B.C, and lived in Tsawwassen. We used to drive over to Point Roberts to gas up.

When I spent a term lecturing at University of BC at Vancouver, alll our neighbours went "over the border" to PR to fill up. Also most had PO addresses there to enable them to get cheap stuff from the US that is not available in Canada.

There's only one official crossing point, and that is always crowded with Canadian cars waiting to cross the border to fill up.

Went to a BBQ at a house on the border, at the end of their garden was a ditch about a foot deep and three feet wide, and that was the border. You could just walk out their back yard into the US. The actual border at the end of the road was a row of yellow painted concrete kerb stones across the road - you could drive over them in a 4x4 if you were so inclined.

Speaking of the western US/Can border, did you know that things got heated between the Yanks and Britain, with troops mustered, over a farmer shooting a pig that was into his ‘taters?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War_(1859)

The Dollop did a funny account of some of the mad personalities involved: https://allthingscomedy.com/podcasts/14 ... -vancouver

I'm not sure if this plays outside of Canada, but Under the Influence is a great radio program that looks at marketing, media, etc. in a light-hearted way. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1- ... -influence

A fact in this week's episode might just be fun enough for this thread.

A McDonalds franchisee created the Quarter Pounder back in 1971 and it was a massive hit, giving customers an option for a bit more meat than what was normally served. I think he said it was in the 80s A&W aimed to compete with it by creating a Third of a Pound Burger, which was slightly cheaper than the Quarter Pounder and was even more popular in blind taste tests. But it didn't sell. After further focus groups, they learned something... many Americans thought they were being ripped off thinking 1/3 was smaller than 1/4 because 3 is less than 4.

Apparently McDonald's attempts to have third of a pound burgers in recent years didn't catch on either!

Ian McGlinn loaned Anita Roddick £4k in 1977 in return for 50% of the business at the time. When L'Oreal bought The Body Shop in 2006 McGlinn made £146m from his shares.

the first known commercial transaction using Bitcoin was in 2010, when Laszlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 BTC. Had he held on to his Bitcoin, they would now have a value of around $446m

notfatcat wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:18 pm Ian McGlinn loaned Anita Roddick £4k in 1977 in return for 50% of the business at the time. When L'Oreal bought The Body Shop in 2006 McGlinn made £146m from his shares.

Reminds me of a story I heard on QI about one of the early inventors of the bra...

In her later autobiography, The Passionate Years, [Caresse Crosby] maintained that she had "a few hundred (units) of her design produced." She managed to secure a few orders from department stores, but her business never took off. Harry, who had a distaste for conventional business and a generous trust fund, discouraged her from pursuing the business and persuaded her to close it. She later sold the brassiere patent to The Warner Brothers Corset Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut for US$1,500 (roughly equivalent to $23,000 in current dollars). Warner manufactured the "Crosby" bra for a while, but it was not a popular style and was eventually discontinued. Warner went on to earn more than US$15 million from the bra patent over the next thirty years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caresse_C ... _brassiere

McDonald's is the largest toy retailer in the world due to the toys in its happy meals.

Lego is the largest manufacturer of tyres in the world.


Both judged on per unit sales I'm sure rather than any other metric you might choose.