- Origin of the word “GIG”?
- Are blue Cleanaway Bins sorted for recycling?
- What is the meaning of the “Stick Family” stickers?
- What is the lowest overnight temperature in Brisbane in August?
- Was Venice planned? How did it get there? Is it accessible by land? How deep are the canals?
- Why is typing in CAPITALS perceived as rude?
- How did people discover that Professor Stephen Hawking as the smartest man in the world?
More great questions today – our listeners never cease to surprise us with their quirky questions.
Ray wanted to know a the origin of the word “GIG” when used to describe a performance by a band etc?
Gig is one of those words that has a unknown origin. There are theories and it seems the closest possible origin could be from the French word “Giggue” which means a dance or a ball. The word GIG has had various meanings over time ranging from “to whirl”, “a long ship”, “a horse drawn carriage” and, over 200 years ago it also was used to describe ladies private bits. True.
Greg asked if the Cleanaway Industrial bin at his work was sorted to remove recyclables? He currently puts his in there as he doesn’t have a recycling service at home.
Cleanaway confirmed that their common blue industrial bins are not sorted for recyclables. You need to place your recyclables in a designated Cleanaway recyclable bin.
Manjit the Singing Cabbie wanted to know why everyone was putting stickers on their car of stick people families. Did it have some type of meaning?
No Manjit, they are just a fad. A new car decoration, akin to Frangipani Stickers. They can be purchased from www.thestickerfamily.com.au should you want some for your Cab.
John, originally from Parkes, wanted to know what the lowest minimum overnight temperature has been in Brisbane in August?
The lowest minimum temperature recorded in Brisbane ever was -1.8C on 8th August 1941. During the current month of August the lowest temperature was 3.8C also recorded on 8th August.
Harry wanted to know if Venice was planned or did it occur naturally, is it accessible by land and what is the depth of the canals?
Great questions Harry – Venice is such an amazing city.
The city actually stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po (south) and the Piave (north) Rivers.
Venice started with some fishermen who lived on rafts anchored with posts to the muddy islands of the lagoons. When cities cush as Padua, Aquileai and Altino were being invaded by Germanics and Huns, refugees fled to these marshy lagoons and this is how Venice started.
The early Venetians built in water-proof stone from Istria upon rafts made of larch and timber piles driven deep into the island. These slender piles were made from Oak and Pine harvested in the forests of the northern Veneto, the mainland opposite Venice, and floated down rivers to the lagoon. These piles provided a flexible but sturdy foundation once driven into the islands subsoil to rest upon the solid compressed clay that underlied the islands of the Lagoon. The buildings themselves were normally built on a framework of wood with brick ontop of this framework and then a facing of some heavier stone.
You can drive to the Mainland and park your car in one of the carparks there. You cannot actually drive in Venice as there are no roads.
The depth of the canals range from 8 to 16 feet. Some canals have naturally occurred around the small mud island and some have been dug out.
Irene asked why do people say if you USE CAPITALS WHEN TYPING IT IS SEEN AS YELLING OR RUDE?
This is one of those things that has evolved with the increased use of the written word for communication. Believe it or not there have been studies done on the effects of upper case use with readers. It has been discovered that people read 12% faster with a mixture of upper and lower case than with all uppercase. The most amazing find was 5% of the participants one of the studies actually had increased blood pressure while reading all upper case. Amazing!
Jeff asked how did people discover that Professor Stephen Hawking was the smartest person in the world?
I am assuming that Jeff is asking this because perhaps he thinks Professor Hawking has always had his disability. Growing up he wasn’t incapacitated as he is now with Motor Neurone Disease and attended school and university like other children. He was a “different” learner with made him stand out from other students. He did not take notes and did not need to be shown how to do things. He could know how to do things simply by being told it could be done. He did not need to watch or take notes. When being tested in a Oral Exam at Oxford University the Lecturers knew they were in a the presence of someone with an ability to learn like no other.
