Jack Aubrey’s commands included Sophie, Lively, Boadicea, and Surprise ( among others).
Joseph Haydn’s 94th symphony is widely known as the Surprise Symphony, due to a sudden, exceptionally loud fortissimo that follows a soft opening in the second movement.
It has regularly woken up nodding concertgoers.
In the 1970’s, there was a competition held for recipes that included earthworms. The winner was called “Surprise Cake”.
Although the first rap song is widely thought to be the Sugar Hill Gang’s 1979 “Rapper’s Delight”, which was certainly seminal, there is a good basis to give the honor to Adriano Celentano’s 1970 “Prisencolinensinainciusol”, which was his attempt to show what American English songs sound like to a non-Anglophone Italian ear.
“Lose Yourself” from the Eminem film 8 Mile (2002) was the first rap song to win an Academy Award.
Kim Basinger played Eminem’s white-trash mom in 8 Mile; the two allegedly had an affair during the shoot.
Being chosen for the part of Jin Kwon on Lost meant that Daniel Dae Kim had to relearn speaking Korean very fast, a language he hadn’t effectively spoken since his childhood.
The movie Lost Weekend has the iconic line about drinking “One’s too many an’ a hundred’s not enough.”
Pálinka is a traditional fruit brandy in Hungary and the countries of the Carpathian Basin. Under the 2008 “Hungarian Pálinka Law”, only fruit spirits distilled from a mash of ripe fruits produced in Hungary, mashed, distilled, matured and bottled locally can be called pálinka.
H. Richard Hornberger, author of the book MAS*H, used the pseudonym “Richard Hooker” in reference to his golf game.
In the MAS*H novels, Henry Blake didn’t die.
Spearchucker Jones, the Painless Pole, Ugly John, Scorch, Knocko, and Boone all appeared in the TV pilot episode of “MAS*H” as well as in the film, but not in any subsequent episodes. George Morgan was Father Mulcahy, but was replaced by William Christopher afterward.
The theme song for MAS*H is Suicide is Painless. Here are its lyrics:
Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see…
[REFRAIN]:
that suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it’s too late, and…
[REFRAIN]
The game of life is hard to play
I’m gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I’ll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.
[REFRAIN]
The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I’m beat
and to another give my seat
for that’s the only painless feat.
[REFRAIN]
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn’t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger…watch it grin, but…
[REFRAIN]
A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
is it to be or not to be
and I replied ‘oh why ask me?’
[REFRAIN]
'Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
…and you can do the same thing if you please.*
The suicide rate in the United States has been increasing in recent years. Relatively easy access to firearms was identified by the National Institutes of Health as a key factor.
The Remington MSR (Modular Sniper Rifle) recently won the SOCOM PSR competition (Precision Sniper Rifle) for the US military’s next sniper rifle. The MSR can fire either the 338 Lapua Magnum, 338 Norma Magnum, 300 Winchester Magnum, or the 308 Winchester (7.62x51 NATO) and its barrel and bolt can be changed fairly easily in the field. The contract awarded to Remington is worth $79.7 million for 5,150 rifles including suppressors, and 4,696,800 rounds of ammunition over the next ten years.
The sniper rifle model that won the PSR competition and will enter military service is a modified version of the original Remington MSR. It can be chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO, .300 Winchester Magnum, and .338 Lapua Magnum.
NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was founded in 1949.
Siam changed its name – again and for the last time – to Thailand in 1949. First it changed from Siam to Thailand in June 1939, so it was Thailand for all of WWII. Then it changed back to Siam at the end of the war. Then Thailand again in 1949.
There are two forms of Siamese cats. The traditional (appleheads) and the modern (wedge).
T.S. Eliot was an extremely successful poet and playwright. Despite writing several successful full-length plays – most notably Murder at the Cathedral abd The Cocktail Party, his most successful theatrical work was a musical made up of what was basically a throwaway project for his godchildren: Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.