Guybrush

Thanks With the pressure of such expectation, I would have to!

I've actually always wondered what norwegian and perhaps other scandinavian languages would sound like if I came from an english speaking country like England. For example, would I think it sounded more similar to japanese than dutch?

Icelandish to us is very old fashioned, ancient really as it's similar to the norse language of the vikings. It also seems perhaps a bit posh. They go to great lengths with keeping the language the way it is while in Norway, it's been allowed to evolve.

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Something Completely Different

cardboard adolescent

i'm so deliriously happy that everything is EXPLODING

Zaqarbal

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Neapolitan

I find that interesting because I heard the French spoken in Canada is an older type then France's French, too.

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piknik

LOL i love the oatmeal.

Astronomer

My dad, who is a scientist at the University of Melbourne, told me that two of the factors that have affected the Earth's temperature - which by many is being coined 'global warming' - are the fact that there are less sun spots, and that there have been no major volcanic eruptions in recent times.

Apparently, when there are more sun spots on the sun, the Earth is cooler. And currently the sun has a record low of sun spots for a very long time. Also, there has not been a major volcanic eruption for a very long time which may also be contributing to the temperature. Which is interesting now that the debris in the air will prevent sunlight coming to Earth, thus cooling the temperature.

I know nothing about science and don't know if this is true or not but I found it interesting to think about.

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Seltzer

It is indeed fascinating how fragile we are in the wake of natural disasters. NZ is conveniently ensconced in the tail end of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Rangitoto isn't far from me and its last recorded eruption was only 600 years ago! Some of you may have heard of the Pink and White Terraces which were destroyed by the Mt Tarawera eruption in 1886.


It's interesting stuff. Back in high school, our French teacher introduced us to an exchange student from Quebec and I had a bit of trouble understanding her accent although listening isn't my strong suit anyway.


Possible double meaning intended?

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Astronomer

And didn't Mount Ruapehu erupt in around 2007? I remember seeing it when I was driving through the Taupo volcanic zone... that volcano is badass.

Edit: the Pink and White Terraces story is unbelievable, I also went and visited the 'buried village.' That whole area of New Zealand is just amazing... Rotorua especially.

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Seltzer

Yeah it did erupt in 07, but thankfully it was nothing too serious. But it's scary how active Ruapehu is.

I have an amusing story about Tarawera actually... in Form 6 I went there on a science camp and we were meant to be descending a fairly steep scoria slope by using the technique of slowly placing one foot in front of the other. I of course decided it would be a brilliant idea to overtake the two groups in front of me who were proceeding at snail's pace.

I started accelerating and couldn't slow down, and it got to the point where I was taking metre-long strides at a ridiculous pace. I was scared for my life and there were some pretty menacing rocks awaiting me at the bottom. I figured I was only getting faster and faster so I made the decision to pull out. I forward flipped over my head twice and somehow only received a few grazes and cuts to the knees. I could have easily broken my back or neck.

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Astronomer

Haha oh my. Amusing now perhaps, but that sounds scary! There's always one in every group, though :P

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