Factoids - useless but interesting snippets

[drpaladin]

On 12/4/2025 at 7:52 PM, Zombie said:

The Way We Were - is now forgotten… 

for most of the 20th century boys swam naked in schools across the USA

and this wasn’t a choice - it was compulsory 

But here’s the thing - this has been officially ‘forgotten’, erased from social memory 

Pt1 (2+3 on YT)

 

It was in the American Public Health Association guidelines until 1972 when gender equality caused the change. The original reason was hygiene. Fibers from those wool suits would clog the rudimentary filters of the time and promote bacteria.

[ReaderPaul]

8 hours ago, drpaladin said:

It was in the American Public Health Association guidelines until 1972 when gender equality caused the change. The original reason was hygiene. Fibers from those wool suits would clog the rudimentary filters of the time and promote bacteria.

Another thing it accomplished was helping guys realize there is a very wide range of "normal" in male genitalia.  I never had nude swimming available, but I was raised in a very rural area where guys urinated almost anywhere that females could not see them.  A guy who turned away to hide his genitals was considered weird if more than one male was urinating.  I never heard any male tease another for a small male member, but sometimes heard complimentary remarks about a male with large genitalia or testicles.

I think some of the things of excessive modesty we have now were caused by females exerting their influence and prudery.  A few years back I went to a movie theater  and in the men's room they had installed 36 inch privacy shields between each urinal.  That seems like overdoing the modesty -- I am unaware of ANY male which would need 36 inches (3 feet or 0.9144 meter) to shield his penis from view.

[drpaladin]

6 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

Another thing it accomplished was helping guys realize there is a very wide range of "normal" in male genitalia.  I never had nude swimming available, but I was raised in a very rural area where guys urinated almost anywhere that females could not see them.  A guy who turned away to hide his genitals was considered weird if more than one male was urinating.  I never heard any male tease another for a small male member, but sometimes heard complimentary remarks about a male with large genitalia or testicles.

I think some of the things of excessive modesty we have now were caused by females exerting their influence and prudery.  A few years back I went to a movie theater  and in the men's room they had installed 36 inch privacy shields between each urinal.  That seems like overdoing the modesty -- I am unaware of ANY male which would need 36 inches (3 feet or 0.9144 meter) to shield his penis from view.

Your speculation is likely correct.

[Cane23]

On 1/4/2026 at 6:14 AM, ReaderPaul said:

Another thing it accomplished was helping guys realize there is a very wide range of "normal" in male genitalia.  I never had nude swimming available, but I was raised in a very rural area where guys urinated almost anywhere that females could not see them.  A guy who turned away to hide his genitals was considered weird if more than one male was urinating.  I never heard any male tease another for a small male member, but sometimes heard complimentary remarks about a male with large genitalia or testicles.

I think some of the things of excessive modesty we have now were caused by females exerting their influence and prudery.  A few years back I went to a movie theater  and in the men's room they had installed 36 inch privacy shields between each urinal.  That seems like overdoing the modesty -- I am unaware of ANY male which would need 36 inches (3 feet or 0.9144 meter) to shield his penis from view.

Puritanism has a long history in the United States, but recent developments aren't something I would blame on women. Beyond 'modesty,' a much larger issue is the 'insecurity' fueled by the intense body image culture pushed by mass media and the widespread availability of pornography. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, as long as we can distinguish between what's normal and what's fantasy.

The bigger problem is that many young people develop inferiority complexes at an early age because they're constantly confronted with unrealistic standards of masculinity. For instance, I was reading an erotic story (not on this site), mostly just smut, but I was really surprised when the protagonist said, 'I was nothing special, just an average 7 inches.'

If a teenager thinks that 7 inches is the 'average,' it can create serious issues with self-esteem. The pressure to live up to these unrealistic standards can be harmful to mental health, especially when young people are still figuring out their own identities.

[drpaladin]

1 hour ago, Cane23 said:

Puritanism has a long history in the United States, but recent developments aren't something I would blame on women. Beyond 'modesty,' a much larger issue is the 'insecurity' fueled by the intense body image culture pushed by mass media and the widespread availability of pornography. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, as long as we can distinguish between what's normal and what's fantasy.

The bigger problem is that many young people develop inferiority complexes at an early age because they're constantly confronted with unrealistic standards of masculinity. For instance, I was reading an erotic story (not on this site), mostly just smut, but I was really surprised when the protagonist said, 'I was nothing special, just an average 7 inches.'

If a teenager thinks that 7 inches is the 'average,' it can create serious issues with self-esteem. The pressure to live up to these unrealistic standards can be harmful to mental health, especially when young people are still figuring out their own identities.

'Nothing special' for a porn story is what they meant subconsciously.

[ReaderPaul]

What @Cane23 and @drpaladin said both have validity.  But teens have often not read enough to learn that many of the endowments shown in porn are via men more endowed than average, and/or the lengths are artificially enhanced by camera angles and strategically planned close-ups.  Further, some schools do not require mass showering as was the rule when I was in high school.  

When my son was in school they were building additional new intermediate and high schools due to overcrowding.  There were 150 students in one of his PE classes, and nobody was encouraged to shower, due to lack of facilities.

I think there are additional factors which could be discussed for a long time.  But it still is a problem.

Edited January 7 by ReaderPaul

[Bill W]

2 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

What @Cane23 and @drpaladin said both have validity.  But teens have often not read enough to learn that many of the endowments shown in porn a via men more endowed than average, and/or the lengths are artificially enhanced by camera angles and strategically planned close-ups.  Further, some schools do not require mass showering as was the rule when I was in high school.  

When my son was in school they were building additional new intermediate and high schools due to overcrowding.  There were 150 students in one of his PE classes, and nobody was encouraged to shower, due to lack of facilities.

I think there are additional factors which could be discussed for a long time.  But it still is a problem.

From what I've heard from my grandchildren, students don't shower after gym classes and many, if not all, of those playing sports don't shower after practices or games.  I find that to be both concerning and unhealthy, and I wonder how many students have to sit near a smelly classmate who had PE during a period earlier in the school day.  

[drpaladin]

4 minutes ago, Bill W said:

From what I've heard from my grandchildren, students don't shower after gym classes and many, if not all, of those playing sports don't shower after practices or games.  I find that to be both concerning and unhealthy, and I wonder how many students have to sit near a smelly classmate who had PE during a period earlier in the school day.  

Showering was optional in my day.

Sniffing someone's BO never killed anybody.

 

[Bill W]

2 minutes ago, drpaladin said:

Showering was optional in my day.

Sniffing someone's BO never killed anybody.

 

It may not kill anybody, but it can sure distract them during class so they miss out on what the teacher is saying or what they're working on.  That could end up affecting their grade. 

[drpaladin]

2 minutes ago, Bill W said:

It may not kill anybody, but it can sure distract them during class so they miss out on what the teacher is saying or what they're working on.  That could end up affecting their grade. 

Vick's Salve. Just a dab'll do ya.

[Page Scrawler]

On 1/7/2026 at 2:00 AM, Bill W said:

I wonder how many students have to sit near a smelly classmate who had PE during a period earlier in the school day.

I never used the locker room in high school, because I was afraid the harassment would be even worse than what I already experienced. Instead, I just changed my shirt in the bathroom and applied fresh deodorant as necessary.

[Zombie]

English tenses - a nightmare 

“So, who’s driving?”, said the Penguin, looking disapprovingly down her beak at Brad and Steve, lolling in their seats, legs spread wide open with no care for the spectacle they presented.

Brad burped. Loudly.

Steve thought for a moment. Or, rather, tried to think.

”We couldn’t agree who was the designated driver”, he replied, speaking slowly and with exaggerated precision in order to avoid slurring but having particular difficulty with “designated driver”, which he had to repeat several times until he was satisfied he had correctly enunciated the phrase (he hadn’t).

[Bill W]

6 hours ago, Zombie said:

English tenses - a nightmare 

“So, who’s driving?”, said the Penguin, looking disapprovingly down her beak at Brad and Steve, lolling in their seats, legs spread wide open with no care for the spectacle they presented.

Brad burped. Loudly.

Steve thought for a moment. Or, rather, tried to think.

”We couldn’t agree who was the designated driver”, he replied, speaking slowly and with exaggerated precision in order to avoid slurring but having particular difficulty with “designated driver”, which he had to repeat several times until he was satisfied he had correctly enunciated the phrase (he hadn’t).

Steve never thought he would ever have to say the term and never attempted to pronounce it until recently.  In the past, Steve always thought the designated driver was a golf club.  

[drpaladin]

3 minutes ago, Bill W said:

Steve never thought he would ever have to say the term and never attempted to pronounce it until recently.  In the past, Steve always thought the designated driver was a golf club.  

They aren't members of the golf club.

[Zombie]

Sexy AI

it’s scary that we’re now getting aroused by computer code 😮

 

[drpaladin]

3 minutes ago, Zombie said:

Sexy AI

it’s scary that we’re now getting aroused by computer code 😮

 

Printed word or code, both start out the same.

[Zombie]

5 hours ago, drpaladin said:

Printed word or code, both start out the same.

printed words since at least 1440  (and first printed pictograms /pictographs c 3000-3500 BC)

computer coded words are so arriviste

[drpaladin]

4 hours ago, Zombie said:

printed words since at least 1440  (and first printed pictograms /pictographs c 3000-3500 BC)

computer coded words are so arriviste

A pictograph is a pictograph is a pictograph, no matter how it's derived.

[Zombie]

Crochet and knitting has always been a manly activity   

https://www.thecraftygentleman.net/2015/08/16/the-manly-history-of-knitting/

[Davide]

10 hours ago, Zombie said:

Crochet and knitting has always been a manly activity   

https://www.thecraftygentleman.net/2015/08/16/the-manly-history-of-knitting/

British Olympic diver (now retired) knitting at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

 

[Zombie]

they are watching you - inside your home - and they know exactly where you are 

 

[Bill W]

8 hours ago, Zombie said:

they are watching you - inside your home - and they know exactly where you are 

 

This is scary.  Think about it.  Things that most people use daily and are good tools can be combined to completely take away your privacy.  

Surveillance cameras to protect your home + WiFi + 5G + AI = a total loss of privacy.  George Orwell's fear about Big Brother watching you  can now become a non-physically invasive (because no one has to come into your home or follow you around) reality! 

 

[Zombie]

Celestial mechanics - spring equinox v spring equilux

today is the spring equinox (Friday, March 20, 2026), but the equilux - the day of equal light and dark - actually passed a few days ago for most of the Northern Hemisphere 

"Equinox" means "equal night” and occurs at the moment the Sun is directly above the equator (which only happens twice a year during the Earth’s orbit around the Sun) but the actual 12-hour day happens earlier in the spring (and later in autumn):

• atmospheric refraction makes the Earth's atmosphere act like a lens, bending sunlight so that we see the Sun "rising" before it actually crosses the horizon, and we see it "setting" after it has actually dipped below the horizon 
• the Sun is a disk, not a point, so sunrise and sunset are measured by the top edge of the Sun, but the equinox is measured from the Sun's centre, which adds a few extra minutes of light onto either end of the day

For most mid-latitude locations (like the UK and parts of North America), the equilux occurred around March 17 or 18 - so by today's equinox we already have roughly 8 to 10 minutes more daylight than darkness  

[Zombie]

🎶 “In The Navy!” 🎶 - so what really goes on? 🧐

 

 

[Zombie]

Hmm looks delicious! *licks lips* 

a favourite dish in Adana, Turkey - maybe everywhere…

Spoiler

sirdan