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This is the Conversation Forum for Ask h2g2 << The Infernal Internal Jukebox British English - the sequel >> Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 1, 2012 by Florida Sailor Visit my Club at A87794248 This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8501 The circumference of the Earth is 24,901.55 miles. Before satellite navigation became possible the longitude (east or west) position of a ship or other object was obtained by measuring the angle of the Sun above the horizon, the moment that the angle of the Sun begins to diminish it is local noon. By comparing the exact time difference in local noon to the current time in Greenwich, England, the longitude could be calculated. An hour's difference equals a little over a thousand miles. An error of 1 minute would put you about 17 1/4 miles from your true position and a single second produces an error of over a quarter mile. The next time you look at a pre 20th century map you will understand why the widths appear a bit off. F S PS The 18 hour error in the New Year is not the time of midnight, but rather the time the orbit around the sun is complete. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 1, 2012 by Pit - ( Carpe Diem - Stay in Bed ) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8502 CZ, >Time is indeed an illusion and a rather arbitrary one at that.< Lunchtime even more. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 1, 2012 by Baron Grim This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8503 Doubly so. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 2, 2012 by Vestboy back in the UK This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8504 Here's a useless fact. I didn't ring in the New Year. Does that make me more correct than people who did? And what time was it anyway, then? There's a useless fact worth knowing. I also want to call an umpire's decision on the usefulness of the contribution about calculating your position by the angle of the sun while glancing at your watch. There's not many facts more USEFUL than that, surely! Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 2, 2012 by Pit - ( Carpe Diem - Stay in Bed ) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8505 Well, my watch tells me itīs 7 divided by 46. Definitely useless. Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 2, 2012 by Florida Sailor Visit my Club at A87794248 This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8506 Vestboy <I also want to call an umpire's decision on the usefulness of the contribution about calculating your position by the angle of the sun while glancing at your watch. There's not many facts more USEFUL than that, surely!> Maybe before G.P.S. If anybody reading this thread actually uses my post to cross an ocean I will plead guilty and suffer the fate I deserve. On the other hand isn't the very definition of a useless fact something you know is true but never use for a practical result. F S Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Vestboy back in the UK This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8507 *puts down hammer and saw that is being used for making Kontiki style floating thingy* Will the GPS be waterproof and run on solar power even if it's cloudy? Then I won't need to take my home made angle judger wassaname and my Mickey Mouse watches. One set to GMT and the other set to tea time. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Baron Grim This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8508 That's pronounced "Tey AH tih meh". Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Vestboy back in the UK This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8509 Is that a fact? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Baron Grim This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8510 Nope. It's a literary reference. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Vestboy back in the UK This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8511 *licks tip of pencil to alter plans for Kontiki to have book shelving* I'll need somewhere to keep the watches. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Pit - ( Carpe Diem - Stay in Bed ) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8512 CZ, shaddup. In dis dere forum we donīt be used to peple what read and write too good. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 3, 2012 by Baron Grim This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8513 But it's just Pratchett. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8514 You can see Blackpool Tower from the top of Mt Snowdon. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8515 The word 'murder' originates from the 'murdum fine' imposed on Anglo-Saxon society whenever someone killed a Norman after the conquest. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by Xanatic This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8516 Hmm, the word also exists in both the Scandinavian and Germanic languages. That makes your claim seem unlikely. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8517 Ok, here's another. All of the castles Edward I built in Wales are one day's march apart. Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by Mr. Dreadful - Give a man a fish and he might not like fish and you've just wasted a fish... This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8518 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php...ame=0&search=murder&searchmode=none Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8519 Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: useless facts Posted Jan 4, 2012 by Mr. Dreadful - Give a man a fish and he might not like fish and you've just wasted a fish... This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8520 What's so funny? Read the First Reply to this Posting << < > >> Conversation list << < > >> Conversation list

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