Tag Archives: Facts

Cape of Good Hope

By | |
Leave a comment
Cape of Good Hope

You better have a lot of hope when travelling the seas of the Cape of Good Hope.

  • The Cape of Good Hope is a narrow, rocky piece of land that juts out into the South Atlantic Ocean, found in South Africa’s Cape Peninsula.
  • The Cape of Good Hope is part of the Table Mountain National Park, and contrary to popular belief, is not actually the southernmost point of Africa, as that title goes to Cape Agulhas.
  • ‘The Cape of Good Hope’ is also known simply as ‘The Cape’ and is known in Afrikaans as ‘Kaap die Goeie Hoop’.
  • The Cape of Good Hope is regarded as particularly important by many sailors, as it is used as a reference point when sailing to Australia or East Asia.
  • Bartolomeu Dias, an explorer from Portugal, was the first known person from Europe to discover the Cape of Good Hope, doing so in 1488, and named it ‘Cape of Storms’.
Cape of Good Hope, Water, Africa, Rocks, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Place, Head
Cape of Good Hope
Image courtesy of Iryna Kuchma/Flickr
  • The Da Gama and the Dias Crosses are situated on the Cape of Good Hope as beacons, and when the two are aligned they point towards a major water vehicle hazard known as ‘Whittle Rock’.
  • Despite the bad weather that Bartolomeu Dias experienced at the Cape of Good Hope, John II of Portugal, the king who commissioned the initial expedition, renamed it as such to portray a more positive perspective on sailing to India.
  • There are around 250 bird species, including penguins, that are found in the Cape of Good Hope vicinity, while other animals from zebras, deer, reptiles, antelopes, otters and rodents are also found in the area.
  • Approximately 1100 native plant species populate the Cape of Good Hope, and includes large quantities of shrubby vegetation known as ‘fynbos’, like proteas, cone bushes and tree pincushions.
  • By legend, the Cape of Good Hope is the haunted location of the ghostly ship The Flying Dutchman, which is said to be cursed so that it can never reach land.
Bibliography:
Cape of Good Hope, 2015, Pano, http://www.airpano.com/360Degree-VirtualTour.php?3D=cape-good-hope-rsa
Cape of Good Hope, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope

Amazon:       

Mahjong

By | |
1 Comment
Mahjong

Mahjong requires a great deal of understanding to play due to its complexity.

  • Mahjong is a popular Chinese game that involves the use of tiles in a game of strategy, memory and skill.
  • ‘Mahjong’ is also known as ‘majiang’, ‘mah jong’, ‘ma jong’ and ma cheuk’.
  • A total of up to 144 tiles are typically used in a game of mahjong, featuring depictions of bamboo, circles and characters from numbers one to nine; as well as special symbols from seasons, winds, dragons and flowers.
  • The Chinese word ‘máquè’, was one of the earliest names for the game of mahjong, which literally means ‘sparrow’, however it’s significance is uncertain and other possible names and theories exist.
  • The origins of mahjong are quite disputed and it is possible that the Chinese teacher Confucius designed the game around 500 BC; or the Chinese military invented it in the later 1800s; or it simply grew or was created out of other similar styled games.

Mahjong, Trivia, Invention, Game, Ten Random Facts, Tiles, China, Chinese, Asia,

  • Mahjong has previously had a gambling component that resulted in the Chinese government banning the game in China from 1949 to 1985, and the game was later reinstated without that element.
  • Mahjong became known to the English-speaking world around 1895, and began being imported in  North America in the 1920’s, while the rules of the game were printed in English by various people causing the game to have many variations in the rules.
  • The general aim of the game is to score points primarily by ‘wooing’ or forming ‘mahjong’, which is done by achieving a specific set of combinations of tiles by picking them up, while others are discarded.
  • The first mahjong World Championships were held in Japan’s Mahjong Museum in 2002, and the competition was won by Mai Hatsune from Japan.
  • Generally a game of mahjong is played by four people over a series of rounds, although variants with two, three or even five players, are also played.
Bibliography:
A Brief History, 2011, Mah Jong Museum, http://www.mahjongmuseum.com/brief.htm
The History of Mah Jong, 2011, Mah Jong Sets, http://www.mahjongsets.co.uk/history-mahjong.html
Mahjong, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong

Amazon:       

Music Stand

By | |
Leave a comment
Music Stand

Music stands were once an item of little importance, and now they are a musical necessity.

  • Music stands are an invention used to hold music books or sheet music during a musical performance or practice.
  • Most often music stands are made of a metal material, although they are occasionally made of plastic or wood.
  • Music stands are commonly engineered with the ability to fold and collapse, particularly for compact storage or transport purposes.
  • A music stand is typically a central pole with legs, with a flat rectangle shaped head at the top which holds the music, and the head may be a solid rectangle, or one that has gaps or holes and is possibly collapsible.
  • Music stands range greatly in size, from small, portable versions used in marching bands, to larger versions reaching human height and used in orchestras.

Music Stand, Invention, Black, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Duty, Square, Chrome

  • It is thought that music stands originated in 200 BC in Ancient China, although they were not commonly used until the 1300s by European musicians from Germany and Switzerland.
  • Often a small shelf is part of the head of a music stand, which helps to hold the music on the stand and also allows for a pencil or other small items to rest there, while others have clips or other mechanisms to attach the music to the stand.
  • Generally music stands used for professional purposes are coloured black in a matte finish so that they are inconspicuous during a performance, however stands can be coated with chrome, or painted in a glossy black colour, or other alternative.
  • The column of a music stand is often adjustable in height, and the head is often tilted at an angle so the musician can view the music clearly and easily.
  • Music stands are available in different versions, from lightweight ones often used by amateurs, to heavy duty sturdy ones that are typically used by professionals and are able to hold heavy books.
Bibliography:
Music Stand, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_stand
What is a Music Stand?, 2015, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-music-stand.htm

Amazon:        

Tasmanian Devil

By | |
Leave a comment
Tasmanian Devil

Australia is full of iconic animals such as Tasmanian devils.

  • Tasmanian devils are small nocturnal animals that are marsupials native to Australia, and they are now found solely in Tasmania.
  • The scientific name of a Tasmanian devil is Sarcophilus harrisii, and it is from the family Dasyuridae, a family of mostly Australian marsupials.
  • As the largest extant marsupials that eat meat since the extinction of thylacines, the length of Tasmanian devils ranges from 57 to 65 centimetres (22 to 26 inches) and they weigh 6 to 8 kilograms (13 to 18 pounds).
  • Despite its relatively small size, the clamping of a Tasmanian devil’s jaw produces forces of up to 533 newtons, which is useful for bone crushing and is enough to snap wire made from thick metal, and the jaw is able to open at 75 to 80 degree angle.
  • Tasmanian devils have tails that are particularly thick, mainly due to storing fat, and an animal in good health will have a fatter tail; and the tail is useful for balance and also contains a scent gland.
Tasmanian Devil, Animal, Mammal, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Black, Australia, Marsupial
Tasmanian Devil
Image courtesy of Travis/Flickr
  • The fur of Tasmanian devils ranges from a dark grey, brown to a black colour, and they generally have a white strip across the underside of there neck.
  • A Tasmanian devil’s diet consists of a variety of animals including rodents, birds, rabbits, wombats, some livestock, insects and already dead animals, and they generally live alone and have an average lifespan of five to eight years.
  • It is believed that Tasmanian devils became extinct on mainland Australia thousands of years ago, and the current population in Tasmania is listed as endangered and is decreasing, due to hunting, habitat loss and disease.
  • It is a common myth that Tasmanian devils attack people on a regular basis, however, in reality they are generally quite fearful and passive, although biting may occur as a last resort.
  • Numerous young are produced by a female Tasmanian devil at a single time, however, only two to four infants survive and live in their mother’s pouch for approximately four months.
Bibliography:
Tasmanian Devil, 2010, Australian Reptile Park, http://www.reptilepark.com.au/animalprofile.asp?id=154
Tasmanian Devil, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/tasmanian-devil/
Tasmanian Devil, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_devil

Amazon:      

Capsicum

By | |
Leave a comment
Capsicum

Capsicums may not by spicy but they certainly help spice up a meal.

  • A capsicum is a species of fruit that is popularly eaten as a vegetable, and is native to tropical areas of North and South America.
  • ‘Capsicums’ are also known  as ‘peppers’, ‘sweet peppers’, and ‘bell peppers’.
  • The scientific name of a common capsicum is Capsicum annum and it is from the family Solanaceae, the family of nightshades.
  • The colour of capsicums ranges greatly, though they are more commonly red, green or yellow in colour, but purple, brown, white and orange varieties are also available.
  • China was the largest producer of capsicums in 2007, with a total production of 14,033,000 tonnes (15,468,700 tons) out of the world total of 26,056,900 tonnes (28,722,800 tons).
Capsicum, Vegetable, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Red, Bell Pepper, Green, Vivid, HealthyCapsicum
Image courtesy of Live4Soccer/Flickr
  • Red capsicums, compared to green, orange and yellow ones, are the sweetest, especially if they are not picked until ripe, while the green coloured fruit are the least sweet and are often just unripened red fruit.
  • It is thought that capsicums where first cultivated around 5000 BC, and the first European to discover the fruit was Christopher Columbus, when he visited the West Indies.
  • Capsicums, or sweet peppers, are unusual in that they do not contain capsaicin, which gives others in the genus of the same name, including chili peppers, a hot spicy flavour.
  • Capsicums are extremely high in vitamin C and high in vitamin A, and depending on the variety, they may also contain significant quantities of vitamins B6 and K, and folate, and they also contain many other vitamins and minerals.
  • Capsicums are eaten both raw and cooked, often as a side vegetable, especially due to the vegetable’s crispiness.
Bibliography:
Bell Pepper, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pepper
Capsicum, 2011, Fresh For Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/capsicum/capsicum.html
Capsicum, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum

Amazon:       

Bank of England

By | |
Leave a comment
Bank of England

The Bank of England is the financial pride of England.

  • The Bank of England is the United Kingdom’s central bank, located on Threadneedle Street, in England’s London, in Europe.
  • The ‘Bank of England’ is officially known as the ‘Governor and Company of the Bank of England’, and it is also informally known as ‘The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’.
  • The Bank of England, as a central bank, is the second oldest on earth, and its framework has been used as guide for nearly all central banks in existence today.
  • In 1694, the Bank of England was founded, using a proposed scheme designed by Scotsman William Paterson, with the support of the first Earl of Halifax, Charles Montagu, and merchant Michael Godfrey.
  • Initially, subscribers provided financial assistance to fund the Bank of England, while the bank provided a loan of 1.2 million pounds (1.8 million US dollars) to the English government, after an economical collapse due to being defeated at the hands of France.
Bank of England, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Construction, Building, Government, London, Side, Flag
Bank of England, Lombard Street
Image courtesy of Diliff / Wikimedia Commons
  • The Bank of England originated in Walbrook in London, on a site where the Mithras temple of the Roman ‘God of Contracts’ once stood, and the bank was later relocated to its site on Threadneedle Street in 1734.
  • Money notes began to be distributed by the Bank of England from 1694, originally made by hand, until 1725 when notes started to become printed mechanically.
  • A vault can be found underneath the Bank of England, that houses a store of gold that was worth 156 billion pounds (nearly 240 billion US dollars) in 2012.
  • The currency used by the Bank of England is pound sterling, and the bank had a total reserve of 403 billion pounds (620 billion US dollars) in 2013.
  • The Bank of England premises on Threadneedle Street has been built and rebuilt a number of times over the centuries, while the current bank building was designed by Englishmen Herbert Baker, and was constructed from 1925 to 1939.
Bibliography:
Bank of England, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_England
Buildings and Architects, n.d, Bank of England, http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about/Pages/history/buildings.aspx
History, n.d, Bank of England, http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about/Pages/history/default.aspx#3

Amazon:       

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...