The Ultimate Trivia Thread

[Luffy]

The time difference between the Stegosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus Rex is greater than the time difference between the Tyrannosaurus Rex and us.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Luffy

The time difference between the Stegosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus Rex is greater than the time difference between the Tyrannosaurus Rex and us.

Nice one. 82 million years from Stegosaurus to Tyrannosaurus. 65 million years from Tyrannosaurus to us.


Dame Nellie Melba, an opera singer, is one of a very small number of people to have two foods named after her. (Melba Toast and Peach Melba)

[Luffy]

In 1598, Queen Elizabeth ordered a banquet featuring a food source from the new world; Potatoes.

The royal cooks, having never prepared potatoes before, threw the veggie away and cooked the green part instead, sickening the whole royal court. Queen Elizabeth banned the vegetable for 100 years. The ban was lifted a few years later when potatoes gained popularity in Spain, France, and Italy.

[Solitaire1]

Johnny Carson was the first choice for the lead in the show that became known as "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

[trichobezoar]

According to The Word Museum, blutter-bunged is "confounded, overcome by surprise." Gloppened has a similar meaning.

[Luffy]

Of the 10 deadliest wars ever, 7 were fought in China alone.

[trichobezoar]

According to The Word Museum, bouffage is a "satisfying meal; [from] Old French bouffer, to swell. [Skeat] Any meat that, eaten greedily, fil[l]s the mouth, and makes the cheeks to swell; cheeke-puffing meat."

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by trichobezoar

According to The Word Museum, bouffage is a "satisfying meal; [from] Old French bouffer, to swell. [Skeat] Any meat that, eaten greedily, fil[l]s the mouth, and makes the cheeks to swell; cheeke-puffing meat."

Nowadays Bouffer in French simply means eat (quickly/a lot). Food informally can be called Bouffe. The French have strict manners about eating frugally and politely. They frown upon second helpings e.g. That's why most of them are thin.

The French comic "Les Quatre Aces" (the four aces) has a gluttonous character called Bouffi.

[Luffy]

Crushed insects are used in food colouring: Red E120 (cochineal) is made from bugs.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Luffy

Crushed insects are used in food colouring: Red E120 (cochineal) is made from bugs.

A very old method. Snails were used back in antiquity to give robes their purple color. The process was so expensive (as it required so many snails) that only the very wealthy (such as kings) could afford it. Hence 'royal purple.'

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by crich70

A very old method. Snails were used back in antiquity to give robes their purple color. The process was so expensive (as it required so many snails) that only the very wealthy (such as kings) could afford it. Hence 'royal purple.'

Thanks for the info, crich. You should think about posting trivia yourself, as you clearly can contribute to the thread.

[trichobezoar]

According to The Word Museum, to be bruffed is to be "[t]hickly clothed."

I imagine a lot of us are bruffed nowadays.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Luffy

Nowadays Bouffer in French simply means eat (quickly/a lot). Food informally can be called Bouffe. The French have strict manners about eating frugally and politely. They frown upon second helpings e.g. That's why most of them are thin.

The French comic "Les Quatre Aces" (the four aces) has a gluttonous character called Bouffi.

I wonder if that's where we get the word buffet from.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by crich70

I wonder if that's where we get the word buffet from.

Buffet the self-serve meal is drawn from the piece of furniture on which such a meal might be served.

[trichobezoar]

A buzznack is "[a]n old organ, out of order and playing badly", according to The Word Museum.