The "Random Bullshit" Thread

[Vikingess]

So Olli doesn't have to tell us off again

Random BS:

- If you look at a species of jumping spider called Portia fimbriata from about 40cm away, it has good enough eyesight to look straight back at you and make eye contact, despite being about 3mm long.

- The biggest species of centipede, Scolopendra gigantea can grow as long as 30cm. I've seen one and they're horrible creatures, but fascinating.

- Rainforest species of spiders can swim.

- The Black Widow is one of the only spiders that is poisonous (toxic to eat) AND venomous (capable of injecting venom). The liquid from one mashed-up Black Widow is toxic enough to kill a camel.

Yes I am a geek. I also love spiders.

Feel free to share random BS, thoughts on the weather, who people say you look like (the only one I ever get is the Corpse Bride ) and so on and so forth.

And holy fuuuuuuuuuck my left ankle's itchy.

[Alasdhair]

Wahey! I'm good at these.

- The parts of your eye that are sensitive to black and white work far better in the dark than those the see in colour, so that's why you see in black and white in the dark.

- On average you will eat at least 8 spiders in your life time whilst you sleep.

- In the UK, there are 16 tie related deaths, 12 toaster related deaths, and 3 sex toy related deaths a year.

- You will most probably break your toe three times a year without knowing.

- It is physically impossible to lick your own elbow... But many people still try.

- A word may be registered into the dictionary if it is published three times by different sources.

- By UK law, publishing counts as it being shown to more than 3 people.

- In playing cards Clubs represents 'Soldiers', Diamonds represent 'Merchants', Spades represent 'Peasants' and Hearts represent 'The Upper Class'

- Mayflies and Fruit Flies are not actual flies as they have four wings, rather than the two needed to be classified as a fly.

- In an average year, the earth has 50,000 earthquakes.

- The parachute was invented 100 years before the aeroplane. Fuck knows what they did with it.

- All foods spoil over time, apart from honey.

- 1,500 left handed people die a year as a direct result of using right handed appliances.

- Pogonophobia is the irrational fear of beards. (Bill Bailey taught me that one)

- Gerontophobia is the fear of old people.

- Ephebiphobia is the fear of teenagers.

- Lachanophobia is the fear of vegetables.

- Kathisphobia is the fear of sitting down.

- The animal that kills the most people in the world is the mosquito due to the infections it carries.

- On average a human will consume 60,000lbs (27216KG) in it's life time.

- Ants never sleep.

[GeigeIstKrieg]

Holy shit!

[Vikingess]

Originally Posted by Alasdhair

- On average you will eat at least 8 spiders in your life time whilst you sleep.

Urban legend, sorry. No research has ever been done

And just for the record:

- The daddy-long-legs spider is not the most venomous in the world. Nowhere near it in fact.

- Camel spiders aren't spiders, they're Solifugae and more closely related to Harvestmen. They don't have venom glands, don't eat camels and can't run at 25mph.

- Spiders don't lay their eggs in cacti, people or any of the other places you hear stories about

- After recent research, Phoneutria nigriventer/fera (Brazilian Wandering Spider) is now recognised as the most venomous spider in the world rather than the Black Widow.


Spider geek, me?

Originally Posted by GeigeIstKrieg

Holy shit!

What? You told us to keep it to random bullshit threads

[ingrid]

you that there's this little bird (don't know the name of the bird)
and all his/her life it's flying from the northpole to the southpole and back again and so on ...

[Katie'Force]

see Ollie, look what you started! random spider facts! hehe

I always love the introduction Alice Cooper does about the Black Widow, makes them sound so evil.... and yet sexual at the same time.

as for daddy long legs, i freaked the girls at work out by catching one in my bare hands and taking outside whilst they were cowering in a corner screaming. i went camping a lot as a kid, daddy long legs were a way of life! hehe

gotta love bill bailey!!! saw him on his latest tour, so funny! his song about an emo kid working in starbucks had me in hysterics 'you don't see me unless i bleed on your panini!'

[Vikingess]

Originally Posted by Katie'Force

see Ollie, look what you started! random spider facts! hehe

When I get started on the details of P. fimbriata's visual awareness (their eyes are phenomenally advanced), which sub-species of Theraphosa is actually the biggest in the world (is it blondi, is it apophysis? The debate rages!), which sub-species of Phoneutria is the most venomous (nigriventer or fera? More debate!) and so on and so forth...



...It's all Olli's fault

[Katie'Force]

ollie! make her stop! make her stop now!!!! haha

[Katie'Force]

oh while i remember, doesn't look like i'll be able to stop at yours after the birmingham DF/turisas gig, cheers for the offer but plans have changed. i'm still going though so we shall have to meet up before the gig!

[Vikingess]

Originally Posted by Katie'Force

ollie! make her stop! make her stop now!!!! haha

Just you wait 'til I get onto the visual aids


"The orange shading on the carapace of this specimen combined with the position and length of the tibial spurs indicate that this is Brachypelma annitha, and the leg length and diameter along with the body size...."


Etc etc. I can talk about spiders for hours


(And it's no use appealing to Olli...I'm in Off-topic and therefore perfectly within my rights! )