Interesting Wikipedia articles?

Interesting Wikipedia articles?

Author
Discussion

BadBull

1,924 posts

74 months

Thursday 3rd September 2020
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Santa Claus and a Gingerbread Man shot flaming arrows at it. rofl

lufbramatt

5,370 posts

136 months

Wednesday 16th September 2020
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Centralia, Pennsylvania- rubbish fire in a landfill site in 1962 got out of hand and spread into a huge coal mine under the town, resulted in the whole town being abandoned when it turned out the seams of coal left underground burned really well and they couldn't put out the fire.. the fire is still burning today. One of the inspirations for the film Silent Hill.

wiki link

Google maps link:

maps link


loafer123

15,501 posts

217 months

Wednesday 16th September 2020
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lufbramatt said:
Centralia, Pennsylvania- rubbish fire in a landfill site in 1962 got out of hand and spread into a huge coal mine under the town, resulted in the whole town being abandoned when it turned out the seams of coal left underground burned really well and they couldn't put out the fire.. the fire is still burning today. One of the inspirations for the film Silent Hill.

wiki link

Google maps link:

maps link
Same thing happened in Kiruna, Sweden...the whole town was moved 3km to the east...

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architect...

RacingPete

8,916 posts

206 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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Possible, probably definite repost, but hey it's 2020 and I enjoyed reading it!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digby_Tatham-Warte...

"During the battle, Digby wore his red beret instead of a helmet and waved his umbrella while walking about the defences despite heavy mortar fire. When the Germans started using tanks to cross the bridge, Digby led a bayonet charge against them wearing a bowler hat. He later disabled a German armoured car with his umbrella, incapacitating the driver by shoving the umbrella through the car's observational slit and poking the driver in the eye."

rodericb

6,840 posts

128 months

Saturday 26th September 2020
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I don't know if we've had this one yet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania

There's another page on Wikipedia about it which is about a specific time of the mania: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_plague_of_15...

glazbagun

14,322 posts

199 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Wearing

Musician builds a career of decent renown, catches an illness and spends the rest of his life with a 30 second memory, convinced he's just woken up.

cuprabob

14,901 posts

216 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
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glazbagun said:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Wearing

Musician builds a career of decent renown, catches an illness and spends the rest of his life with a 30 second memory, convinced he's just woken up.
I fear quite a few politicians suffer with the same infliction smile

Mr E

21,794 posts

261 months

Sunday 8th November 2020
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From the kids encyclopaedia we’re working though.

1950’s science kit for children. With radioactive isotopes, alpha emitters and your very own function Geiger counter.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_U-238_Atom...

I’d love to try to get that past the average parent these days.

EVO575

226 posts

209 months

Friday 13th November 2020
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Fordlandia

andym1603

1,821 posts

174 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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EVO575 said:
Fordlandia
I watched that on "Abandoned Engineering", I think. Big mistake by Ford. Good that it is still in use by the locals.

Jaska

731 posts

144 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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Went to a far away island to watch Venus going past the sun (happens only twice every 100+ years, and only for a few hours)

Doesn't get there in time so can't see it properly while the boat is rocking around.

Decides to stay on the island for the next one in 8 years

Eight years later... Misses it because its overcast that day.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Le_Genti...

Jaska

731 posts

144 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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Pretty interesting history of what's called the 'most remote island in the world'

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerguelen_Islands

One specific section below:

The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis called at Kerguelen during December 1940. This ship's first fatality of the war occurred when a sailor, Bernhard Herrmann, fell while painting the funnel. He is buried in what is sometimes referred to as "the southernmost German war grave" of World War II.

TTmonkey

20,911 posts

249 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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Jaska said:
Pretty interesting history of what's called the 'most remote island in the world'

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerguelen_Islands

One specific section below:

The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis called at Kerguelen during December 1940. This ship's first fatality of the war occurred when a sailor, Bernhard Herrmann, fell while painting the funnel. He is buried in what is sometimes referred to as "the southernmost German war grave" of World War II.
Also famous for the remotest fast food restaurant in the world.....




I think someone made a joke on google maps.

Halmyre

11,325 posts

141 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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TTmonkey said:
Jaska said:
Pretty interesting history of what's called the 'most remote island in the world'

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerguelen_Islands

One specific section below:

The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis called at Kerguelen during December 1940. This ship's first fatality of the war occurred when a sailor, Bernhard Herrmann, fell while painting the funnel. He is buried in what is sometimes referred to as "the southernmost German war grave" of World War II.
Also famous for the remotest fast food restaurant in the world.....




I think someone made a joke on google maps.
Well, if it isn't a joke at least the inhabitants know what a Whopper is in French.


matchmaker

8,531 posts

202 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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Halmyre said:
TTmonkey said:
Jaska said:
Pretty interesting history of what's called the 'most remote island in the world'

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerguelen_Islands

One specific section below:

The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis called at Kerguelen during December 1940. This ship's first fatality of the war occurred when a sailor, Bernhard Herrmann, fell while painting the funnel. He is buried in what is sometimes referred to as "the southernmost German war grave" of World War II.
Also famous for the remotest fast food restaurant in the world.....




I think someone made a joke on google maps.
Well, if it isn't a joke at least the inhabitants know what a Whopper is in French.
I thought I recognised the name from my childhood and indeed I was right:

Wikipedia said:
The Kerguelen Islands were the setting for a post-Second World War confrontation between W. E. Johns's recurring hero, Biggles, and the crew of a gold bullion-bearing German U-boat, in the 1948 novel Biggles' Second Case.

Jaska

731 posts

144 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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TTmonkey said:
Also famous for the remotest fast food restaurant in the world.....




I think someone made a joke on google maps.
Good spot!

Reminded me of this: https://youtu.be/u7OILPlG3rY

TTmonkey

20,911 posts

249 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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Jaska said:
TTmonkey said:
Also famous for the remotest fast food restaurant in the world.....




I think someone made a joke on google maps.
Good spot!

Reminded me of this: https://youtu.be/u7OILPlG3rY
hehe


That ‘burger place‘ is even remote from the few residents on the islands. It’s a good trek inland.

Shame google maps is low res over these islands. Satellite photos only I guess.

TTmonkey

20,911 posts

249 months

Monday 30th November 2020
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This place is even more remote, with no settlements a all.

But if you find it on the map, and zoom in, you will see it too has a Burger King.... (wonder if it’s a drive-thru....?)


southendpier

5,293 posts

231 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
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TTmonkey said:
Shame google maps is low res over these islands. Satellite photos only I guess.
have a look on google earth pro.




Brother D

3,776 posts

178 months

Monday 28th December 2020
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