85 replies to this topic

[Dexter Green]

Learning is fun!

Post an interesting Wikipedia article you've stumbled across recently and we can all learn more about this wonderful world of ours.

http://en.wikipedia..../Sonic_hedgehog Most of this is well over my head but it's interesting none the less.

Edited by Milo of Kroton, 13 December 2011 - 04:08 PM.

[Kate G]

One that Kurt told me about:

Water bears!

They can withstand redonk levels of radiation, temperature, and pressure, and dehydrate themselves and come back to life like ten years later. Brilliant!

[19 Dead]

Second Chechen War - I've been reading bits of this today, after Rod lent me that book about the conflicts. I never really knew about any of this before so I'm finding it pretty interesting to read.


I also think this article about murderer Albert Fish is a really interesting article if only for the sheer horror of the crimes and the uniqueness of the letter to the parents. Horrible cannibal/infanticide content. Seriously one of the most unsettling things I've read online.

Edited by 19 Dead, 13 December 2011 - 04:20 PM.

[Kate G]

This is my favourite list to get lost in for a few hours...

Wikipedia's unusual articles

Seem to remember finding this list through this very forum a while back, not sure who first linked to it.

[rae]

http://en.wikipedia..../Tunguska_event

I don't believe in the UFO nonsense but it's still pretty interesting.

Edited by rae, 13 December 2011 - 04:21 PM.

[Kate G]

19 Dead, on 13 December 2011 - 04:19 PM, said:

I also think this article about murderer Albert Fish is a really interesting article if only for the sheer horror of the crimes and the uniqueness of the letter to the parents. Horrible cannibal/infanticide content. Seriously one of the most unsettling things I've read online.

I've read that before, it's absolutely horrible. The worst thing about looking for serial killers on Wiki is that you end up hopping from article to article. Before you know it, you've spent a whole lunch hour reading about the most grotesque murders evar.

[chi]

http://en.wikipedia....ional_wrestling)

[19 Dead]

Kind of related I guess - I have a game on my phone called Wiki Golf. It gives you a random article, and you have to get to another random article under par. I once got something like Steve Jobs to Russian Farming in 5.

[19 Dead]

Kate G, on 13 December 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

I've read that before, it's absolutely horrible. The worst thing about looking for serial killers on Wiki is that you end up hopping from article to article. Before you know it, you've spent a whole lunch hour reading about the most grotesque murders evar.

Quoted for tr00f. This is probably the worst I've ever read, but I've looked around quite a few of the articles on killers and stuff because strangely enough they're generally more informative than shitty £4.99 books like "THE WORLD'S MOST MONSTROUS MURDERS" from WHSmiths. The Zodiac Killer article is also really interesting, just to see how s/he tied up the media & the police and got away with it.

[NUMBER WANG]

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Magic_Alex

Magic Alex. Bullshitter of the highest order. Conned The Beatles out of millions before upping his game and ripping off The Sultan Of Oman and King Hussein of Jordan with deathtrap "bulletproof vehicles".

Quote

Mardas told Lennon about his ideas for futuristic electronic devices he was "working on", such as a telephone that responded to its owner's voice and could identify who was calling,[9] a force field that would surround The Beatles' homes, an X-ray camera, paint that would make anything invisible, car paint that would change colour by flicking a switch, and wallpaper speakers,[10] which would actually be a part of the wallpaper.[8] Mardas later asked for the V-12 engines from Lennon's Rolls-Royce and Harrison's Ferrari Berlinetta car, so he could build a flying saucer.[8]

[19 Dead]

The Four Temperaments

Found this article after discussing (at length) with some mates the concept of the typical trope of The Group Of Four in TV and Movies (Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, The A-Team, Ghostbusters, South Park etc). Also see > TV Tropes Four Temperament Ensemble. Be careful of the TV Tropes site if you have shit to do because I have literally spent whole days on that site.

Edited by 19 Dead, 13 December 2011 - 04:35 PM.

[Ally Needy]

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Tania_Head

Fake 9/11 survivor Tania "Dick" Head. Good documentary online about her too.

[Dexter Green]

Kate G, on 13 December 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

I've read that before, it's absolutely horrible. The worst thing about looking for serial killers on Wiki is that you end up hopping from article to article. Before you know it, you've spent a whole lunch hour reading about the most grotesque murders evar.

Tell me about it! Some of them are truly stomach churning, I read one about a guy that built a hotel with all sorts of secret rooms and corridors and this horrible torture dungeon, I think there's actually a film in development about him.

Edit: http://en.wikipedia....ki/H._H._Holmes This is he.

Edited by Milo of Kroton, 13 December 2011 - 04:37 PM.

[rae]

Kate G, on 13 December 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

I've read that before, it's absolutely horrible. The worst thing about looking for serial killers on Wiki is that you end up hopping from article to article. Before you know it, you've spent a whole lunch hour reading about the most grotesque murders evar.

I'm glad it isn't just me that does this. It's horrible. You get sucked in.

[Youth Jihad]

http://en.wikipedia....p_of_Yugoslavia

Re: reading about serial killers. Can remember once reading about the Moors Murders before going for a run because I planned to listen to The Smiths (s/t, 'suffer little children'). Fine, except that I then went for a run on the moors.

Also, kinda related, but I've also watched Twin Peaks to then go running by the woods later in the day. Never learn.

[Noel]

re: "hopping from article to article", I do a similar kind of thing on Discogs with white power bands and the like :/

this is pretty cool (see also the UK example linked at the end) http://en.wikipedia....ignal_intrusion - proto-Anonymous type irritant hackers of the analogue age are quite interesting to me

Edited by Noel, 13 December 2011 - 04:56 PM.

[Doubting Thomas]

http://en.wikipedia....erland_syndrome - Alice in Wonderland syndrome

Also known as the "big house, little house feeling" when you're a kid.

Edited by Doubting Thomas, 13 December 2011 - 04:58 PM.

[Noel]

was kind of hoping the references were gonna cite Father Dougal

[donaldduck]

I can't pronounce it but it is certainly interesting.

[Cardiff Gentleman]

Youth Jihad, on 13 December 2011 - 04:46 PM, said:

http://en.wikipedia....p_of_Yugoslavia

Re: reading about serial killers. Can remember once reading about the Moors Murders before going for a run because I planned to listen to The Smiths (s/t, 'suffer little children'). Fine, except that I then went for a run on the moors.

Also, kinda related, but I've also watched Twin Peaks to then go running by the woods later in the day. Never learn.

This'll spoil your Christmas - they used to play 'Little drummer boy' whilst they were torturing the kids.
There's something that you shouldn't read and I steer clear of serial killer stuff now