Comments for Damn Interesting http://www.damninteresting.com A collection of Damn Interesting things Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:48:54 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on The Unfortunate Sex Life of the Banana by blore http://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-the-banana#comment-25906 blore Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:48:54 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=971#comment-25906 This week's Banana News: 50 years ago, the Standard Fruit & Steamship Co. (now Dole) began shipping bananas in boxes. "The development of the banana box had a monumental impact," notes a manager at Dole. Pioneers of boxed banana shipment will gather for a reunion this weekend (March 19-21). http://thepacker.com/m/story.asp?sect=news&contentId=1002825 This week’s Banana News:

50 years ago, the Standard Fruit & Steamship Co. (now Dole) began shipping bananas in boxes. “The development of the banana box had a monumental impact,” notes a manager at Dole. Pioneers of boxed banana shipment will gather for a reunion this weekend (March 19-21).

http://thepacker.com/m/story.asp?sect=news&contentId=1002825

]]> Comment on The Ruins of Fordlândia by Ken W http://www.damninteresting.com/the-ruins-of-fordlandia#comment-25905 Ken W Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:21:03 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=596#comment-25905 Harvey Firestone founded a 220 square mile rubber plantation about the same time in Liberia, west central Africa. He also built an American style town on the plantation named Harbel. It has American style homes, stores, golf club, swimming pool, etc. Even a Coca-Cola plant. He also built a rubber research center run by botanists on the plantation. The plantation has been very successful; shipping millions of pounds of rubber and millions of gallons of latex to the USA over the years. It was run for many years with American management and Liberian workers. In recent years the number of Americans and Europeans have gone down as qualified Liberians have been hired for many of the middle and lower management jobs. Henry Ford hired "managers" to make decisions. Firestone hired experts (experienced botanists, scientists, rubber plantation managers, etc.). Harvey Firestone founded a 220 square mile rubber plantation about the same time in Liberia, west central Africa. He also built an American style town on the plantation named Harbel. It has American style homes, stores, golf club, swimming pool, etc. Even a Coca-Cola plant. He also built a rubber research center run by botanists on the plantation. The plantation has been very successful; shipping millions of pounds of rubber and millions of gallons of latex to the USA over the years. It was run for many years with American management and Liberian workers. In recent years the number of Americans and Europeans have gone down as qualified Liberians have been hired for many of the middle and lower management jobs.

Henry Ford hired “managers” to make decisions. Firestone hired experts (experienced botanists, scientists, rubber plantation managers, etc.).

]]> Comment on The Singing Scourge by MacAvity http://www.damninteresting.com/the-singing-scourge#comment-25904 MacAvity Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:57:14 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=354#comment-25904 [quote]Marius said: "Though I’ve never had cause to use it, thanks to Gordon Lightfoot I know all the great lakes."[/quote] "Lake Huron rolls, Superior gleams In the rooms of her icewater mansion; Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams The islands and bays are for sportsmen; And further below, Lake Ontario Takes in what Lake Erie can send her; And the ironboats go as the mariners all know With the Gales of November remembered!" Ah, elementary school music class, when I learned the lyrics of that entire song and sang them at the top of my terrible voice, to the great annoyance of all in the general vicinity. My high school Latin teacher used this technique. It was probably very effective (I can still remember " -i, -isti, -it, -imus, -istis, -erunt; -i, -isti, -it, -imus, -istis, -erunt; the perfect active indicative endings...") but it made at least half the class groan loudly every time we knew we were going to be forced to not only listen but sing along. Thumper325, you are a nut job and a pest, to put it mildly. I remember distinctly when you wrote about twelve pages' worth of burble about how you were David Hahn, the Radioactive Boyscout, not just his interviewer. As to the article itself, fascinating. I doubt it could ever work again, singing in a group now being fairly universally considered lame, childish, unmanly, and otherwise wholly unbefitting the military, but it's still a wonderful idea. [quote]Marius said: “Though I’ve never had cause to use it, thanks to Gordon Lightfoot I know all the great lakes.”[/quote]

“Lake Huron rolls, Superior gleams
In the rooms of her icewater mansion;
Old Michigan steams like a young man’s dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen;
And further below, Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her;
And the ironboats go as the mariners all know
With the Gales of November remembered!”

Ah, elementary school music class, when I learned the lyrics of that entire song and sang them at the top of my terrible voice, to the great annoyance of all in the general vicinity.

My high school Latin teacher used this technique. It was probably very effective (I can still remember ” -i, -isti, -it, -imus, -istis, -erunt; -i, -isti, -it, -imus, -istis, -erunt; the perfect active indicative endings…”) but it made at least half the class groan loudly every time we knew we were going to be forced to not only listen but sing along.

Thumper325, you are a nut job and a pest, to put it mildly. I remember distinctly when you wrote about twelve pages’ worth of burble about how you were David Hahn, the Radioactive Boyscout, not just his interviewer.

As to the article itself, fascinating. I doubt it could ever work again, singing in a group now being fairly universally considered lame, childish, unmanly, and otherwise wholly unbefitting the military, but it’s still a wonderful idea.

]]> Comment on The Unfortunate Sex Life of the Banana by ngguy http://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-the-banana#comment-25903 ngguy Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:31:59 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=971#comment-25903 I've been reading this site for years and I'm disappointed that there hasn't been a post in half a year but what really disappoints me is the people who leave comments with curse words in them. I remember when everyone was civil to one another but now everything has changed. I guess just like myspace and bebo and other websites that were once considered great, this website has become a joke. I’ve been reading this site for years and I’m disappointed that there hasn’t been a post in half a year but what really disappoints me is the people who leave comments with curse words in them. I remember when everyone was civil to one another but now everything has changed. I guess just like myspace and bebo and other websites that were once considered great, this website has become a joke.

]]> Comment on Half-Brothers in the Womb by MacAvity http://www.damninteresting.com/half-brothers-in-the-womb#comment-25902 MacAvity Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:57:58 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=723#comment-25902 This was the case with Heracles and Iphicles, and Castor and Pollux. In each case one twin was the son of a mortal man and the other was the son of Zeus by the same (mortal) woman. I had always assumed that this was only possible in myth, that it just happened because Zeus was omnipotent like that. I'm fascinated to learn that it can happen in real life. As for my opinion on the irresponsibility of the hospital: Keep, rear, and love both children, leave money out of the issue, find out who made the mistake and make sure that person never works in a hospital again. This was the case with Heracles and Iphicles, and Castor and Pollux. In each case one twin was the son of a mortal man and the other was the son of Zeus by the same (mortal) woman. I had always assumed that this was only possible in myth, that it just happened because Zeus was omnipotent like that. I’m fascinated to learn that it can happen in real life.

As for my opinion on the irresponsibility of the hospital: Keep, rear, and love both children, leave money out of the issue, find out who made the mistake and make sure that person never works in a hospital again.

]]> Comment on The Unfortunate Sex Life of the Banana by Virgil Syonid http://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-the-banana#comment-25901 Virgil Syonid Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:46:51 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=971#comment-25901 They say there's truth in anagrams. Perhaps there's fate as well. Damn Interesting: Daring Sentiment Meandering Stint Terminating.... .. . . Ends They say there’s truth in anagrams. Perhaps there’s fate as well.

Damn Interesting:
Daring Sentiment
Meandering Stint
Terminating…. .. . . Ends

]]> Comment on The Unfortunate Sex Life of the Banana by Ard Ri http://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-the-banana#comment-25900 Ard Ri Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:03:47 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=971#comment-25900 300th!!! 300th!!!

]]> Comment on The Unfortunate Sex Life of the Banana by Ard Ri http://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-the-banana#comment-25899 Ard Ri Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:55:28 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=971#comment-25899 I'm Bored... I’m Bored…

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