What Is, Isn't - 51723
"I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth." - Neil Armstrong
Happy birthday, Mom! Let’s jump in …
The Daily Rabbit Hole: Synesthesia
“Some synesthetes perceive texture in response to sight, hear sounds in response to smells, or associate shapes with flavors.”
The Internet loves to blend stories together to add a little extra zest to something already interesting. Take for example the Internet lore surrounding Snoop Dog’s brother-in-law dying in a police standoff:
The story goes: Snoop was there to talk his brother-in-law, the creator of the song Peanut Butter Jelly Time, off the ledge before he was ultimately killed in a police standoff. This is false, but not completely. Snoop wasn’t there, but he did record a plea message that was delivered to his brother-in-law Jermaine Fuller, who did not actually create the song Peanut Butter Jelly Time though it was widely thought that he did.
Confusing I know.
Interestingly, when you read about how this became Internet lore - it’s hard to blame anyone for mixing up the details. We’re conditioned to believe that the truth is stranger than fiction, but that isn’t always the case.
The ‘Wait, What?’ Vortex: Fireflies/Lightning Bugs
“Whether you call them fireflies or lightning bugs, these insects are neither flies nor true bugs.”
The subtle difference …
Let’s consider for a moment that even Neil Armstrong wasn’t quite sure if he said his predetermined line while stepping onto the moon correctly or not. “One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.” There is some old computer evidence that was dug up that seems to indicate he did say the contextually important article “a” in the quote, but that’s not what one hears upon listening, as it certainly was at the very least blipped out in the radio transmission - even if the computer data file says he might have said something between “for” and “man.”
It’s astonishing how often we misremember, mishear, miss the point entirely. It’s almost as if we’d be better off applying percentages to statements we believe rather than the binary, “true or false.” Sure, we’d have a few items at 100% - death, and taxes namely - but the vast majority of things that are true probably land between 90-100%, and things that aren’t true are likely between 0-10%. There’s always a chance we’re wrong, as the Internet will never let us forget.
Assessing a bit before parroting the wrong information is wise.
Truly a groundbreaking conclusion.