AN INTERESTING HISTORY LESSON

Railroad tracks. This is fascinating. Be sure to read the final paragraph; your understanding of it will depend on the earlier part of the content.

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.

Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US railroads.

Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did 'they' use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England , because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.

So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England ) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since.

And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.

So the next time you are handed a Specification/Procedure/Process and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with it?' you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.) Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRB's. The SRB's are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRB's would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRB's had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRB's had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass. And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important?

Not a lot of people know this.

Excellent! They say you learn something everyday, so thats my quota filled. Thanks.

Who gives a rat's ass?

2 rats asses would make for a skinny shuttle, and very long one at that.

I luurrrrrrrrrve useless info.

Clears throat...

AN INTERESTING HISTORY LESSON

Railroad tracks. This is fascinating. Be sure to read the final paragraph; your understanding of it will depend on the earlier part of the content.

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.

Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US railroads.

Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did 'they' use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England , because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.

So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England ) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since.

And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.

So the next time you are handed a Specification/Procedure/Process and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with it?' you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.) Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRB's. The SRB's are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRB's would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRB's had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRB's had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass. And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important?

Even my budgie knows this, and it's deaf !

How do you know it's deaf?

It might just be sulking.

Jeez, I would...

Clever Budgie. How is he on calculus?

How did you know his perch was called 'Calculus'?

And he's fine on it.

How did you know his perch was called 'Calculus'?

And he's fine on it.

First time I've ever heard of a budgie with a pet fish, and he gets on it aswell !!!!

I too liked that story, however.

I too liked that story, however.

Oh Cuban, your such a killjoy. I knew it wasn't true! This is Bedlam...

....I'm sorry - I know I know - hangs head in shame in the corner of the room (again).

When I first read the article a year or so ago I so wanted to believe.

I will dedicate my morning to finding something we can believe in, by way of penance on my part.

Well done Cuban - no cigar, Tiggs.

OK maybe not the entire morning but a good five minutes digging in my inbox has yield Trend Candy.

All real - in one sense or another.

I offer Bacon Plasters and one of the website's main pages as a source of endless clicking and wow comments.

They offer a weekly newsletter by email with a selection of what's new, what's funny etc. (Also RSS.)

Feet shoes image.

I hope this post in some small part sanctifies my earlier errant keystrokes.

Oh come on Cuban - Tigger's roar is far worse than his bite...

Tigger's roar is far worse than his bite...

Funny you should offer that thought, when I see the Snow Tiger I hear not a roar, but anticipate either a wink or a small pink tongue to flick out and brush his nose.

Quite correct. A tongue in cheek comment. Tiggs is definitely not prone to roaring...

Or biting.

'

He looks quite fierce under water though :-

I can see his next avatar now.

^ A snorkel?

'

He looks quite fierce under water though :-

That's a frightening image. I would never use it as an avatar...

Tigers, however, are very strong swimmers!

And here I thought that cats avoided water... isn't that one Ken posted a photoshop?

And here I thought that cats avoided water... isn't that one Ken posted a photoshop?

I Don't think it is a Photoshop, but not being an expert I could be wrong.

Here are 2 more off the same site (Friday Humour)

PM me for link if interested.

And here I thought that cats avoided water... isn't that one Ken posted a photoshop?

Check this:

http://images.google.co.uk/images?as_q=tig...off&as_st=y

And here I thought that cats avoided water... isn't that one Ken posted a photoshop?

All mammals know how to swim instinctively, that doesn't mean that they enjoy it though, throw a big cat into a swimming pool and it will probably make that sort of face.

Actually, there are lions in a certain part of Africa who swim and hunt in the water. Learned behavior from a new environment The Tsaro Pride

So, although not Tigers it is still possible.

Tigers do genuinely love the water!