I've only just got up now and it feels like the crack of dawn...

Did you know Indonesia is the 4th most populous country in the world, with 216 million people? The 300 ethnic groups speak 365 different languages. Bahasa Indonesia is the official language. Other languages include Acehnese, Ambonese, Batak, Buginese, Ceramese, Dayak, Halmahera, Javanese, Minahasa, Sundanese, Sasak, Tetum, and Toraja.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It covers 2 million square km, an area the size of Australia, but only 20% is land, the rest is water. There are five major islands and about 30 smaller island groups. The main islands are: Sumatra, Java/Madura, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Irian Jaya. In total, Indonesia comprises of 13,667 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. The capital is Jakarta.

have you looked at the poodle again yet Debs?

Did you know forks were first used in the Middle Ages, but eating with one was considered scandalous. In the 11th Century, when a Greek princess died shortly after introducing forks at her wedding with a Venetian Doge (chief magistrate) Domenico Selvo, it was perceived as divine punishment.

While forks were a regular feature on the tables of nobles in Italy since the 11th Century, and used in France in the 14th Century, it was introduced in England only in 1611 by Thomas Coryat through his book "Coryat's Curdities Hastily gobbled up in Five Months Travels in France, Savoy, Italy, &c." Even then, he was mocked about promoting the use of forks and called "Furcifer," meaning fork-bearer.

The upper classes of Spain were using forks in the 16th Century, as could be told from a large assortment of forks that were recovered from the wreck of La Girona, which sank off the coast of Ireland in 1588. In 1630, Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts had the first and only fork in colonial America.

No way, I never invented the fork; I'm not that old! :alien2:

edit: or did you mean the poodle? :lol:

probably not; try it and see, but you don't need to clear cookies every day... in fact, I don't think I've done that sinse before Christmas.

what's wrong with it; isn't it a work of art?

omg you saucey horse; that poodle is French; you know I like oriental women! :lol:

your mother is mostly right; the name Wendy did indeed appear in Peter Pan. and is commonly thought of as the origin of the name. It was certainly very seldom heard of before this time; but there are a very small amount Wendies before this time.

Mail from someone who does genealogical research shows that "Wendy" might have been in use before Peter Pan and might even have been a boy's name:
I must admit to being annoyed when I tell people my name. They always insist on mentioning Peter Pan. During my family reseach I have come across the name Wendy twice in the 1881 census of England, one born 1840, and one born in 1880. The magazine Family History also states that Wendy, along with the names Marian and Shirley were once boys names, and that in 1797 a boy named Wendy was apprenticed to some one in Glos.

While research shows that Barrie didn't invent the name "Wendy", he might as well have. Barrie introduced the character Wendy Darling in Peter Pan in 1904. It is well-known that J.M. Barrie's work was often inspired by the antics of children. Many important characters in his books are modeled after children of his friends and associates. One such child was a little girl named Margaret Henley (shown at the left) who adored Barrie and always called him "my friendy". However, because she couldn't pronounce her r's, the words came out "my fwendy". One variation of the tale says Margaret called Barrie "friendy-wendy" or in her pronunciation, "fwendy-wendy".


Margaret Henley died at age six (c. 1895). But Barrie used Margaret's invented name "Wendy" for a character who symbolizes mothering, caring, loyalty, and undying friendship. Who would have thought that the tenor of the world would be affected by a nickname invented by a little six year old girl? Imagine the ripples she's caused.

info from Wendy.com .... before you ask; I'm not mad enough to know all that





Did you know, when Ferdinand Magellan led the first circumnavigation of earth in the 16th century, his 5 ships were about 33 metres (100 feet) long, and reached 10 knots. Today, the Norway is the longest cruise liner, at 315,5 metres (1,035 feet), and reaches 25 knots. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth II (QEII), by comparison, is the 63rd largest ship.

The largest island in the world is Greenland. Australia is considered a continent because it has unique plant and animal life. Antarctica also is a continent - larger than Europe and Australia. Greenland, although quite big, shares the habitat features of Northern America.

The smallest island in the world - according to the Guiness Book of Records - is Bishop Rock. It lies at the most south-westerly part of the United Kingdom. It is one of 1040 islands around Britain and only has a lighthouse on it. In 1861, the British government set out the parameters for classifying an island. It was decided that if it was inhabited, the size was immaterial. However, if it was uninhabited, it had to be "the summer's pasturage of at least one sheep" - which is about two acres.

Did you know, in September 1752 the Julian calendar was replaced with the Gregorian calendar in Great Britain and its American colonies? The Julian calendar was 11 days behind the Gregorian calendar, so 14 September got to follow 2 September on the day of the change. The result was that between 3 and 13 September, absolutely nothing happened!