Tag Archives: Misc.

The Horrifying Origin of the Term “Stool Pigeon”

American gangster films of the 1920s, 30s and 40s have contributed a wealth of colourful slang to the English language, much of which is still floating around popular culture to this day: “sleeping with the fishes”, “concrete overshoes”, “G-man”, “Chicago typewriter”, “goon”, “big house”, “private dick”, “speakeasy”, “Chicago overcoat”, “ride the lightning”, “fuzz”, and many… Read More »

How Does Stealth Technology Actually Work?

At precisely 3 in the morning on January 17, 1991, a series of explosions rocked the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The explosions were exact and devastating, destroying Iraqi military radars, command bunkers, and communications hubs with surgical precision. Immediately, Iraq’s aerial defence system sprang into action, its 3,000 anti-aircraft guns saturating the air with explosive… Read More »

Space Religion

On Christmas Eve, 1968, nearly a billion people sat glued to their radios and television sets as the crew of Apollo 8 entered orbit around the moon. For three days the world had followed the pioneering mission three live television broadcasts, and they now waited eagerly to hear the historic words of the first humans… Read More »

What Type of Jackpot do you want?

Jackpots are special prizes that are often the biggest prize to be won in any game. Although other prizes can be won, in addition to the jackpot, there’s no guarantee of this. In fact, no one really knows when it’ll be up for grabs, plus anyone can win it. What’s more, there are different types of…… Read More »

When Does a Hill Become a Mountain?

Ever wonder when a hill becomes a mountain? Well, it turns out that language, like the universe, likes to resist simplicity… So the answer is- it’s complicated. But that’s not very interesting, so let’s dive into it shall we? To begin with, turning to our trusty Merriam-Webster Dictionary we have the following definition of a… Read More »

Facts about Australians and gambling

Fascinating facts abound about life in Australia, but when you chase some of them down, they don’t quite stand up to scrutiny. Everything there wants to kill you? The last death from a spider bite was in 1979, and you are far more likely to get killed by a horse than a creepy crawly. Tanned…… Read More »

15 Most Popular Flowers for Funerals

Funerals are a way for loved ones to pay their final respects and say goodbye to someone who has passed away. At Rosy Cremations, flowers play an important role in funerals, symbolising love, sympathy, and remembrance. Here are the 15 most popular flowers for funerals and their meanings. 1. Roses  Roses are a traditional symbol…… Read More »