There are two popular theories on the origin of Blind Freddy. A blind hawker called Freddy or Freddie who lived in Sydney in the 1920s; or A police officer, Sir Frederick William Pottinger, who was in charge of the Lachlan district. The success of bushranger Ben Hall in evading capture there in 1862 earned Pottinger the name “Blind Freddy”. Here is… Continue Reading
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Origin of Peeping Tom
Lady Godiva, was an 11th century Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants. The name “Peeping Tom” for a voyeur originates from later versions of this legend in which a man named Tom had watched her ride and was struck blind… Continue Reading
It’s the Oscars!
We all love the Oscars, don’t we? Let’s have a look at the history of the Oscars and some interesting facts. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) created the awards program in order to recognize outstanding achievement and to encourage excellence in all areas of filmmaking. The first Academy Awards ceremony… Continue Reading
How fast does electricity travel? What exactly is Dry Cleaning?
Speed of Electricity Yesterday on 4BC Afternoons, Lindsay asked how fast does electricity travel? Really fast we all thought. Not so. Not so. Electricity travels at less than 1 cm per minute – it is practically crawling! An electrical wire works a lot like a water hose which is full of water… Continue Reading
Where is the largest bell in the world?
This week on 4BC Radio Jack wanted to know: Where is the largest bell in the world? How wide and how tall is it? Can we hear a recording of it? Is there a recording of different bells from around the world, like a CD or something? The largest working bell in the world is… Continue Reading
How Are Hills Formed?
This is a question from Cormac in Sydney Hills are mostly formed by nature. They can be formed by a build up of rock debris or sand deposited by glaciers and wind. Hills can also be created by the faults (cracks in the earth) which can cause earthquakes. They are also caused by erosion… Continue Reading
How Do Smoke Signals Work?
Back in the day when smoke signals were a common method of communication over long distances, how did they get a warning or help message through without everyone else seeing it? This is an interesting question and almost as interesting as smoke signals themselves. In cowboy and Indian movies they depicted the Indians as… Continue Reading
Why Are Most People Born Right Handed?
Lisa’s Mr 12 wanted to know the answer to this question today. Despite research about brain function, intelligence, and artistic talent, no one has been able to figure out why less than one person in six is left-handed. Scientists have worked out what makes a person favour one hand over another, just not the reason… Continue Reading
Happy Valentine’s Day
The day of love is upon us once more. Did you know Valentine’s Day has been celebrated since the 2nd Century, but not always as we know it today? The true history of St Valentine’s Day is not clear and there are many stories as to how it came about. It is believed,… Continue Reading
My Twitter Has Been Hacked
It seems more and more people are having their Twitter accounts hacked. How do you know you’ve been hacked? Your Twitter account sends dodgy DM’s to your followers with a link. If your followers click on the link, they are then compromised. Usually you find out about because someone tweets you to… Continue Reading
