Trivia Thread!

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Here's a doc on the platypus:

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

In 2017 scientists discovered an underwater octopus city off the coast of Eastern Australia that they named 'Octlantis.' It was populated by a species called the gloomy octopus which was previously thought to be solitary. The scientists witnessed complex social behaviors occurring in the population of 15 octopuses, who were living together, communicating, and even evicting each other from dens. It was the second such city found in the area after a first — “Octopolis” — was discovered in 2009.

Octopolis and Octlantis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Deimos]

In 2017 scientists discovered an underwater octopus city off the coast of Eastern Australia that they named 'Octlantis.' It was populated by a species called the gloomy octopus which was previously thought to be solitary. The scientists witnessed complex social behaviors occurring in the population of 15 octopuses, who were living together, communicating, and even evicting each other from dens. It was the second such city found in the area after a first — “Octopolis” — was discovered in 2009.

Octopolis and Octlantis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tangential trivia query:
What is the plural of octopus? octopuses?.... octopus? (cf. deer)... octopi? 🤔

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

One of my Greek professors said that "technically" it would be octopodes (long "e"). But that octopuses is acceptable.

 

[Deimos]

One of my Greek professors said that "technically" it would be octopodes (long "e"). But that octopuses is acceptable.

So does it follow that the plural of platypus is platypodes? (long "e") 😄

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

The subject didn't arise.

 

[Ent]

From Dictionary.com:
“Both octopuses and octopi are acceptable plurals for octopus. Of the two, octopuses is the simpler and more commonly used. The proposed plural octopodes is based on the plural of the Ancient Greek word from which octopus ultimately derives. But it’s rarely used outside of the octopuses vs. octopi debate.”

“The plural of platypus is platypuses. While the word platypi is sometimes used, it is less common. To make platypus plural, simply add an es to the end of the word. For example, one platypus becomes two platypuses.”

Also:
“Since the "pus" in platypus derives from the Greek "pous," the plural would be platypodes, like octupus and octopodes.”

And there we have it according to one source. (Since the subject came up.)

 

[Firiel23]

In my humble opinion, the Greek pronunciation (octopodes, platypodes) has the best mouth-feel, and therefore, should be the way it is pronounced. However, we all know that is not the way English works; on the contrary, the English language seems to take all the most difficult exceptions to the rules of every language it comes into contact with, and incorporate them into itself.....

I'm sure Tolkien would have a comeback for that...

 

[Deimos]

From Dictionary.com:
...

“The plural of platypus is platypuses. While the word platypi is sometimes used, it is less common. To make platypus plural, simply add an es to the end of the word. For example, one platypus becomes two platypuses.”

Also:
“Since the "pus" in platypus derives from the Greek "pous," the plural would be platypodes, like octupus and octopodes.”

And there we have it according to one source. (Since the subject came up.)

"One platypus ... two platypuses,
Three platypuses, four.
Five platypuses, six platypuses,
Seven platypuses, more. "
😆

 

[Deimos]

The subject didn't arise.

*sigh*....You are such a killjoy....🙄🙄🙄...😉

 

[Ent]

"One platypus ... two platypuses,
Three platypuses, four.
Five platypuses, six platypuses,
Seven platypuses, more. "

have you been imbibing unseemly liquids, sir Deimos?

 

[Deimos]

have you been imbibing unseemly liquids, sir Deimos?

Cabernet Sauvignon is not an "unseemly liquid."
Nor is single malt whiskey, nor ale, nor hard cider.

Vanilla cream soda?.... now there is an "unseemly liquid" 😖 ....the sale of which should be banned.

 

[Vorondil]

In 2017 scientists discovered an underwater octopus city off the coast of Eastern Australia that they named 'Octlantis.' It was populated by a species called the gloomy octopus which was previously thought to be solitary. The scientists witnessed complex social behaviors occurring in the population of 15 octopuses, who were living together, communicating, and even evicting each other from dens. It was the second such city found in the area after a first — “Octopolis” — was discovered in 2009.

Octopolis and Octlantis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

How could they have called it Octlantis? R'lyeh would have been a much better name. In fact, its the perfect name, they both have tentacled terrors inhabiting them, they're both underwater.

Sure, Octlantis is slightly easier to pronounce than R'lyeh, but it just sounds so inane.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

How could they have called it Octlantis? R'lyeh would have been a much better name. In fact, its the perfect name, they both have tentacled terrors inhabiting them, they're both underwater.

Sure, Octlantis is slightly easier to pronounce than R'lyeh, but it just sounds so inane.

I hadn’t thought of that since I haven’t read Cthulhu in a while but that’d be way cooler lol.

 

[Ent]

Cabernet Sauvignon is not an "unseemly liquid."
Nor is single malt whiskey, nor ale, nor hard cider.

Vanilla cream soda?.... now there is an "unseemly liquid" 😖 ....the sale of which should be banned.

glad we got that cleared up. 😄

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Some Cthulhu fun facts!

According to creator H. P. Lovecraft, just looking at the monster is enough to drive anyone completely mad. So, if you’ve been indicted for first degree murder, you might want to arrange some face time with Cthulhu to further that whole insanity defense.

At six hundred feet tall, Cthulhu is tall enough to ride any roller coaster in the world… even theoretical roller coasters that haven’t been invented yet.

 

[Deimos]

Some Cthulhu fun facts!

According to creator H. P. Lovecraft, just looking at the monster is enough to drive anyone completely mad. So, if you’ve been indicted for first degree murder, you might want to arrange some face time with Cthulhu to further that whole insanity defense.

At six hundred feet tall, Cthulhu is tall enough to ride any roller coaster in the world… even theoretical roller coasters that haven’t been invented yet.

More often than not it occurs to me that Lovecraft himself was a mite deranged 😬

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

More often than not it occurs to me that Lovecraft himself was a mite deranged 😬

I'd agree, that's what makes his stories so nutty

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Here's a bit of related trivia:

In Practical Demonkeeping, the first of Christopher Moore's Pine Cove novels, two characters go into a diner for breakfast; the waitress comes to their table and says in a world-weary tone "Welcome to HP's. Today's special is Eggs Cthulhu, a list of ingredients of which would drive mortals mad. Coffee?".

 

[Ent]

Pipe Organ Trivia: Largest Pipe Organs

The largest pipe organ in the world terms of number of pipes, is the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It has 33,451 pipes (another report says 33,112 pipes) spread across 449 ranks. (It also has seven manuals, and 314 stops. it weighs about 150 tons.)

The largest pipe organ in the world based on physical mass weight and number of ranks, is the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, though it only has 28,750 pipes. They sit in 464 ranks. It weighs in at 287 tons. (It has 6 manuals and 'an array of stops.' (haven't found the count yet.)

The largest free-standing pipe organ in the world in terms of physical size is in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau, Germany. With only 17,000 pipes, (17,974 in another report) it had 233 registers, and electric key action with programmable setter allowing for more than 4,000 settings, thus almost infinite ways to combine and coax sound and range from it.
.......Though the world does boast many among the largest pipe organs, Interestingly (at least to this Ent), this organ, along with the other 2 'largest above,' was built by an American firm.