Today I Learned #2: Gone for a Wiki Walk

[rah]

So a slightly different definition. Interesting.

 

[Imaus]

TIL of the Lost Nationalist Army in Burma. Short of it: Chinese Nationalist forces fall back to Burma after the civil war and keep launching attacks into Yunnan up to the 60s. Burma, of course, hates this; they eventually have to shoot down a plane from Taiwan with American gear, and Taiwan pulls out what it can which is still around 4 thousand troops, with some hundreds dispersing into Laos and Thailand. Oh sure most of those might be Chinese who fled from Yunnan, but some of those guys probably had been fighting since the 30s or so.

Just imaging a disconnected army fighting for decades across a hostile country, in another country that is shooting you, in those hills.... It's one of those odd Military adventures like the Rwandans airlifting troops in airliners to attack Kinshasa or Israel attacking Uganda through Sudan and other escapades that I haven't seen yet.

And this was because there's a claim out there the Nationalists fought with the Communists in the 80s against the Vietnamese for the Parcels, but I can't find anything about that....

 

[r16]

that is more likely to be 1974 or so when the Chinese (Reds) sank a South Vietnamese warship or two , ı think . 1979 was hard on both China and Vietnam and they had Cambodia as a proxy battlefield already .

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Today I learned that a temperature of 100°C at 100% humidity would have a humidex of 647°C.

 

[Imaus]

Today I learned that a temperature of 100°C at 100% humidity would have a humidex of 647°C.

Otherwise known as NYC in July.

 

[Arakhor]

I suspect that you may be exaggerating ever so slightly.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Today I learned that 25,025 mL (around 25 litres) of urine was drained from a patient. "To the best of our knowledge, our patient had record breaking urine drained."

 

[Truthy]

A mondegreen is a misheard lyric. For example, "wrapped up like a douche"

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

A mondegreen is a misheard lyric. For example, "wrapped up like a douche"

'Scuse me while I kiss this guy!

 

[Zkribbler]

'Scuse me while I kiss this guy!

It's hard to find nice things on a four-sided cow.
Take your pants down, and make it happen.

 

[Ajidica]

It's one of those odd Military adventures like the Rwandans airlifting troops in airliners

Sub-Saharan Africa is full of odd military adventures. In the context of Africa's World War, you got Ugandan and Rwandan troops openly shooting at each other in Kinshasa while both forces were supposed to be there as allies in support of the Kabila government. Some other oddities include:

After the secession [of Katanga ended], many gendarmes returned to a civilian live or were integrated with the ANC. However, around 8,000 refused to, and many kept their arms and roamed North Rhodesia, Angola and Katanga. Many crossed the Congo border into Angola, where Portuguese colonial authorities assisted and trained them. They were involved in several mutinies and attempted invasions of the Congo, most notably the Stanleyville mutinies in 1966 and 1967.

After 1967, around 2,500 gendarmes were present in Angola, where they were reorganized as the Congolese National Liberation Front (FLNC) and fought in the Angolan War of Independence on the side of the Portuguese government against the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) and União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA). When the war ended in 1975, they fought in the Angolan Civil War against the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA). The FLNC was involved in Shaba I and II, attempted invasions of Katanga. Split into factions after the war, the Tigres emerged and played a decisive role in the First Congo War. There has since been little gendarme presence, but they have emerged as a symbol of secessionist thinking

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katangese_Gendarmerie

You also have instances like the Kaymanyola Brigade in Zaire, which despite Zaire being a staunch western ally and benefited from frequent western military intervention of Mobutu's government (during the Shaba I and II conflicts), was reliant on North Korean trained divisions to provide the only real striking power in the Zairian army.
https://books.google.com/books?id=XvtDAgAAQBAJ&pg=RA2-PA312&lpg=RA2-PA312&dq=kaymanyola+brigade+zaire&source=bl&ots=qHl6XlF2nT&sig=ACfU3U0qnvaXPWHzMAJJGES2W--zz0FcNw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjem_mbnNjpAhWbW80KHT8eDMgQ6AEwAHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=kaymanyola brigade zaire&f=false

There is also the time during the Angolan Civil Wars when the Marxist MPLA used Marxist Cuban troops to defend Chevron oil platforms in Cabinda from Marxist Cabindan rebels.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_for_the_Liberation_of_the_Enclave_of_Cabinda

'Scuse me while I kiss this guy!

Of course, when its Marc Almond doing a cover of that song, you can't be sure he didn't actually change the lyrics.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

TIL that there was an Acadian village called "Vil Bois Brule" (village in the burnt wood) where Truro is today.

And that my town had a firehouse burn down (!) (though it was a warehouse at the time).

 

[Takhisis]

And that my town had a firehouse burn down (!)

Now I know what's going on with your gaming.
*rummages around desk drawers for old Ghostbusters leaflet*
Dr. @EgonSpengler, do your thing!

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

TIL you can find histories of a lot of Canadian radio stations this website.

 

[Zkribbler]

Antibiotics negate birth control. My generation launched the sexual revolution. Ypu'd think sometime in the last 60 years, I have heard that.

 

[The_J]

Had not heard it myself, so looked it up, and it's not *that* bad. Some antibiotics will make the pill probably less effective.
But interesting though. I'll check with someone from my old department, maybe someone's interested.

 

[Zkribbler]

Thanx for the clarification, J.

 

[The_J]

I would still not rely on the pill if any of these antibiotics are taken, and I find this fact very interesting, just FYI .

 

[AmazonQueen]

TIL about Francis Crozier, 2nd-in-command of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition to discover the NW Passage.
I was inspired to look by the names of 3 minor characters in the Madaddam trilogy, Shackleton, Oates and Crozier.

 

[Synobun]

TIL about Francis Crozier, 2nd-in-command of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition to discover the NW Passage.
I was inspired to look by the names of 3 minor characters in the Madaddam trilogy, Shackleton, Oates and Crozier.

I learned about this because of Mafia. @Dolbster