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Minor Strangeness (IHTM)

Escargot,

It is estimated that 190,040 ton of gold has been mined.

From wiki.
People also ask
Can all the gold in the world fit in a swimming pool?
If an Olympic-sized swimming pool has a volume of 2.5 million liters, then we divide and get our answer. So we would need 3.27 swimming pools to hold the entire global supply of gold, which some argue is the entire amount of gold mined since before the Egyptians began mining gold before 2000 BC


So the answer to your question is No.

INT21.
 
..190,040 ton of gold has been mined. ..

Assuming Metric Tonnes.

That would be 190,040,000 Kilo

or 190,040,000,000 gram.

Not all that much to go around if the whole World needed to change.

Badger pelts ? Maybe beaver. I hear beaver is negotiable.

INT21.
 
Or we could use leaves. Or badger pelts.
Or bottles of whisky.

To back a currency the asset really needs to be available but not overly-easily or freely manufactured, and not easily faked.

The inventors of Bitcoin got this economic/psychological equation just right: It takes significant real world effort to create Bitcoins which means that they are available but not overly-easily created, and cannot easily be faked.

Something that is consumable in its own right can help to add value. Tinned food can potentially work well as a currency backing in this respect, although one has to work out agreeable tinned peas-to-tinned fish exchange rates. Maybe base it on the protein content.
 
We can't do beaver pelts in the UK because allegedly a Prince Hywel in Wales did use them as currency, so there are none left. Leaves would be more valuable in winter. And if we don't do something fairly soon about the levels of national debt they'll be more valuable than pounds.
 
To take things back to a "smart devices doing odd things" theme:

I usually ask Google smart speaker to play nature sounds to help me sleep, but not sure I'll be doing that tonight.

I woke from a nightmare to hear a demonic-sounding voice just breaking through the "ocean" sounds I'd asked Google to play the night before. The diabolical voice was repeating a phrase I couldn't understand.

I lay listening for a bit, just trying to figure out what the interference might be and what might be being said, but it was genuinely unpleasant sounding, so I just told it to stop.
 
To take things back to a "smart devices doing odd things" theme:

I usually ask Google smart speaker to play nature sounds to help me sleep, but not sure I'll be doing that tonight.

I woke from a nightmare to hear a demonic-sounding voice just breaking through the "ocean" sounds I'd asked Google to play the night before. The diabolical voice was repeating a phrase I couldn't understand.

I lay listening for a bit, just trying to figure out what the interference might be and what might be being said, but it was genuinely unpleasant sounding, so I just told it to stop.

Yeah I get rubbish sleep with weird dreams when I'm using white noise stuff too. Why are you using those sleep apps?
 
To take things back to a "smart devices doing odd things" theme:

I usually ask Google smart speaker to play nature sounds to help me sleep, but not sure I'll be doing that tonight.

I woke from a nightmare to hear a demonic-sounding voice just breaking through the "ocean" sounds I'd asked Google to play the night before. The diabolical voice was repeating a phrase I couldn't understand.

I lay listening for a bit, just trying to figure out what the interference might be and what might be being said, but it was genuinely unpleasant sounding, so I just told it to stop.
Perhaps it was just Ctulhu wandering by. That wouldbe a natural sound.
 
Cthulhu wandering by would make a squelchy, moist sound.
 
I've just received a men's washbag and toiletry set via eBay. I didn't order it. A parcel arrived this morning, with no note. The return address has two different names on it, presumably the seller and the person who ordered it..but neither mean anything to me.

The printed address ( presumably the eBay seller) is Anne Wright in Norfolk. But next to that in pen it says "Diana Antonio via eBay". Good old Diana. Kind, generous Diana. Who the fuck is Diana?

I love a mystery, but more the solving of it.. so have tracked down the ebay seller and emailed them, to see if they can offer any more information on my benefactor. We shall see. Worse case scenario, i have a secret admirer who thinks I'm hot but could do with a wash.
 
I've just received a men's washbag and toiletry set via eBay. I didn't order it. A parcel arrived this morning, with no note. The return address has two different names on it, presumably the seller and the person who ordered it..but neither mean anything to me.

The printed address ( presumably the eBay seller) is Anne Wright in Norfolk. But next to that in pen it says "Diana Antonio via eBay". Good old Diana. Kind, generous Diana. Who the fuck is Diana?

I love a mystery, but more the solving of it.. so have tracked down the ebay seller and emailed them, to see if they can offer any more information on my benefactor. We shall see. Worse case scenario, i have a secret admirer who thinks I'm hot but could do with a wash.
My Mum and Dad had something odd like this too.
They received a few items sent out by some charity that sells cards and other merchandise. It had my Dad's name and address on the outside, but on the inside, it had somebody else's order details. My Mum rang them to get them to collect it all, but they haven't bothered.
 
I've just received a men's washbag and toiletry set via eBay. I didn't order it. A parcel arrived this morning, with no note. The return address has two different names on it, presumably the seller and the person who ordered it..but neither mean anything to me.

The printed address ( presumably the eBay seller) is Anne Wright in Norfolk. But next to that in pen it says "Diana Antonio via eBay". Good old Diana. Kind, generous Diana. Who the fuck is Diana?

I love a mystery, but more the solving of it.. so have tracked down the ebay seller and emailed them, to see if they can offer any more information on my benefactor. We shall see. Worse case scenario, i have a secret admirer who thinks I'm hot but could do with a wash.
Not one of your visitors who fancied your toiletries and then had a guilty conscience?
 
Not one of your visitors who fancied your toiletries and then had a guilty conscience?
Well...minus the motive..it had occurred to me to wonder if it was an overly appreciative airbnb guest, but have been through all my past bookings and can't see anyone of that name.
 
I've just received a men's washbag and toiletry set via eBay. I didn't order it. A parcel arrived this morning, with no note. The return address has two different names on it, presumably the seller and the person who ordered it..but neither mean anything to me.

The printed address ( presumably the eBay seller) is Anne Wright in Norfolk. But next to that in pen it says "Diana Antonio via eBay". Good old Diana. Kind, generous Diana. Who the fuck is Diana?

I love a mystery, but more the solving of it.. so have tracked down the ebay seller and emailed them, to see if they can offer any more information on my benefactor. We shall see. Worse case scenario, i have a secret admirer who thinks I'm hot but could do with a wash.

I think it was the NY Times recently had an article about just this experiemce by in investigative reporter whose parents received a series of unordered merchandise. You might find it searching on their website. Aa I remember it's a scam related to the need to establish the bona fides of a very shady business.
 
Was there not a case reported recently where goods were being delivered by Amazon which had not been ordered. The story went that a parrot had been talking to Alexa and random words had resulted in Amazon orders. Urban myth perhaps?
 
Was there not a case reported recently where goods were being delivered by Amazon which had not been ordered. The story went that a parrot had been talking to Alexa and random words had resulted in Amazon orders. Urban myth perhaps?
Having known a few pet parrots, I would not be surprised if that really had happened. Ornery gits they are. Messy too.
 
Was there not a case reported recently where goods were being delivered by Amazon which had not been ordered. The story went that a parrot had been talking to Alexa and random words had resulted in Amazon orders. Urban myth perhaps?

There were a flurry of news stories about an African grey parrot interacting with Alexa this month - e.g.:

https://www.geek.com/tech/parrot-falls-in-love-with-amazon-alexa-uses-it-to-order-treats-1766153/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/parrot-alexa-amazon-shopping_us_5c159050e4b05d7e5d8290ee

... but the few that bother to discuss the results seem to indicate no actual orders were processed or fulfilled.

However, there was a 2017 report of a different parrot successfully triggering an Amazon order:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4502204/parrot-alexa-shopping-online-amazon-buddy-african-grey/
 
"Every year, 31 December, my friends and I take a visit to the bathhouse..." Classic lines from the Soviet-era classic film "Ironiia Sud'by" - The Irony of Fate - which is broadcast every year without fail on New Year's Eve in Russia. And many people still watch it. Not being in Russia ourselves, the lure of exiled tradition proved too strong, so we set it playing at around twenty past ten. I ducked out at around 11.45 to take my younger daughter to see the fireworks. Got back to learn that we got the timing bang on: midnight on NYE in the film coincided with midnight NYE our time. Bodes well for the coming year.

 
"Every year, 31 December, my friends and I take a visit to the bathhouse..." Classic lines from the Soviet-era classic film "Ironiia Sud'by" - The Irony of Fate - which is broadcast every year without fail on New Year's Eve in Russia. And many people still watch it. Not being in Russia ourselves, the lure of exiled tradition proved too strong, so we set it playing at around twenty past ten. I ducked out at around 11.45 to take my younger daughter to see the fireworks. Got back to learn that we got the timing bang on: midnight on NYE in the film coincided with midnight NYE our time. Bodes well for the coming year.

Happy New Year, Krepostnoi!
 
On New Year's Eve here in the US, a classic movie cable network cleverly called 'Turner Classic Movies' always plays the entire series of 'Thin Man' films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. This lasts the entire day and has long been part of ringing in the New Year for me.

And I always have to stay home with the dog, anyway. The sound of fireworks makes poor Ellie truly suffer and I have to try to keep her calm. Midnight arrives in about seven-and-a-half hours where we are.

I'd like to wish everyone here a happy, healthy and wonderful year in 2019!!! May this board continue to flourish in its new home!!! Thanks again to all who made it possible.
 
On New Year's Eve here in the US, a classic movie cable network cleverly called 'Turner Classic Movies' always plays the entire series of 'Thin Man' films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. This lasts the entire day and has long been part of ringing in the New Year for me.

And I always have to stay home with the dog, anyway. The sound of fireworks makes poor Ellie truly suffer and I have to try to keep her calm. Midnight arrives in about seven-and-a-half hours where we are.

I'd like to wish everyone here a happy, healthy and wonderful year in 2019!!! May this board continue to flourish in its new home!!! Thanks again to all who made it possible.

There's also the classic Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy, too. Long time tradition for us nerds. Happy New Year! :D
 
There's also the classic Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy, too. Long time tradition for us nerds. Happy New Year! :D
TCM finished up with Nick and Nora Charles and Asta a bit ago, and I had just switched to Twilight Zone when I saw your post. Great minds, and all that.

Although I shouldn't be surprised. When you get down to it, Twilight Zone episodes are, more often than not, all about Fortean experiences, after all!
 
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