Well, I never knew that! Share your interesting info...

[AuntieA]

An adult human can live quite normally with only one third of one kidney. I found this out when as a student nurse, in my Pediatric clinical rotation, I had to counsel the parents of a three-year-old who had been born with one atrophied kidney and was going for surgery to have it removed. Odd coincidence, the mother of the little one was someone I had worked with prior to going into Nursing.

[MariaE]

Black olives start off green.

Not to mention that most budget black olives are really green olives with added dye. (Which makes it difficult for me to entirely trust my DH when he tells me he only likes green olives...)

[Kaora]

English once had a word gender agreement system, much like German, Latin or Sanskrit.  The entire sentence would be modified to reflect the gender of the subject, but now we only have a few words that change depending on the gender; such as, actor and actress, or emperor and empress.

That the Oboe has a common Middle Eastern ancestor, the Shawm, with the Chinese instrument the Suona, and a Japanese instrument, Charumera?

That the word "dansu," meaning dance, in Japanese is now considered a native word, despite it being imported from the Dutch explorers in the 18th century?

That in Dr Who, there is another 9th Doctor, who only appears on the BBC website in his own series of Flash animations, and was replaced by Eccleston?

For that matter, that the Shada animation on the website was based off an aborted story from Douglas Adams, blocked from production by strikes happening at the time?  It's also the basis for the first Dirk Gently book.  Infact, he hardly got any screenplays in; only his work in the Key of Time arc, The Pirate Planet, actually got filmed and broadcast.

My dad's a Wholigan, I just took after him.

[Bijou]

I didn't know that, and our family cooks with tofu all the time (one daughter is vegan, the other vegetarian.  My husband and I eat anything and everything).  I don't really care for the texture, myself, so I'm curious to see if I prefer it after it's been frozen. Thanks for the tip!

You're welcome.  It changes quite a bit.  I like tofu both ways.  The first time I tried it after it was frozen was in Chinese soup my MIL made.  I was amazed.  She was a wonderful cook. 

[cabbageweevil]

That in Dr Who, there is another 9th Doctor, who only appears on the BBC website in his own series of Flash animations, and was replaced by Eccleston?

For that matter, that the Shada animation on the website was based off an aborted story from Douglas Adams, blocked from production by strikes happening at the time?  It's also the basis for the first Dirk Gently book.  Infact, he hardly got any screenplays in; only his work in the Key of Time arc, The Pirate Planet, actually got filmed and broadcast.

My dad's a Wholigan, I just took after him.

"Wholigan" -- Dr. Who fan?  That's a new one on me.  I like it better than the frequently-encountered "Whovian", which for some reason strikes me as annoyingly precious.

[Snooks]

Cheddar cheese did not start out orange, and the orange color is added.

Beginning in the 12th century, the cheese made in the village of Cheddar was very popular and had a pale yellow color when mature due to the diet of the cows. Only the cheese made in the Cheddar region could be called by that name. Other cheesemakers noticed the success of the cheese, and began to dye their cheeses to compete with Cheddar cheese.

But cheddar cheese isn't orange 

[atirial]

That in Dr Who, there is another 9th Doctor, who only appears on the BBC website in his own series of Flash animations, and was replaced by Eccleston?

Played by Richard E. Grant (Scream of the Shalka). Trivia note: Derek Jacobi first played the Master in this serial.

The term "man" used to be gender-neutral. The gendered terms were "Wyf" and "Were". (Would that mean a female werewolf is a Wyfwolf?)

[RingTailedLemur]

Cheddar cheese did not start out orange, and the orange color is added.

Beginning in the 12th century, the cheese made in the village of Cheddar was very popular and had a pale yellow color when mature due to the diet of the cows. Only the cheese made in the Cheddar region could be called by that name. Other cheesemakers noticed the success of the cheese, and began to dye their cheeses to compete with Cheddar cheese.

But cheddar cheese isn't orange 

That's what I was going to say.  Ladyknight, is it possible you are thinking of Red Leicester cheese?

[Redsoil]

So, some Aussie facts:

In 1832, 300 female Convicts at the Cascade Female Factory mooned the Governor of Tasmania during a chapel service. It was said that in a "rare moment of collusion with the Convict women, the ladies in the Governor's party could not control their laughter."   Tassie still sells postcards depicting this scene.

A former Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, was in the Guiness Book of Records for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds.

A kangaroo being chased into a dam by a dog will seize the dog in its forepaws and hold it under water to drown it (actually happened to a friend's dog).  If a 'roo catches the dog on land, it can eviscerate it using its powerful hind legs.

[Giggity]

A former Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, was in the Guiness Book of Records for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds.

I don't care what party he is. I would totally vote for that guy.

[Redsoil]

I didn't vote for him (he's now retired), but he was a bit of a dude!  When Australia won the America's Cup (sailing) for the first time ever, he basically said that "any boss who sacks a worker who doesn't turn up to work today is a bum!"

[ladyknight1]

Black olives start off green.

Not to mention that most budget black olives are really green olives with added dye. (Which makes it difficult for me to entirely trust my DH when he tells me he only likes green olives...)

I love green olives, nicoise olives, and kalamata olives. I find the taste of canned black olives hideous. They have some compound that makes me shudder.

[ladyknight1]

Cheddar cheese did not start out orange, and the orange color is added.

Beginning in the 12th century, the cheese made in the village of Cheddar was very popular and had a pale yellow color when mature due to the diet of the cows. Only the cheese made in the Cheddar region could be called by that name. Other cheesemakers noticed the success of the cheese, and began to dye their cheeses to compete with Cheddar cheese.

But cheddar cheese isn't orange 

That's what I was going to say.  Ladyknight, is it possible you are thinking of Red Leicester cheese?

In the US, what is marketed as Cheddar cheese is orange, or at least a dark yellow. The white cheddar sold is the same product, without color additives.

And this is my 1000th post!

[Outdoor Girl]

Another use for Dawn dishsoap:  It works very well to take oil spots off of a paving stone driveway.  I would assume it would work well on concrete, too.  Little bit of soap, little bit of a scrub with a stiff brush and rinse.

[lady_disdain]

Hurray for Ladyknight!