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General Discussion => Hobbies & Crafts => Topic started by: Clive on November 13, 2009, 16:57

Title: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 13, 2009, 16:57: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/8357134.stm
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 13, 2009, 17:00: They were talking about this on Jeremy Vine this afternoon. Can you imagine the smell, after a while? :ack:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 13, 2009, 17:01: It's not so bad, the bacteria will be harnessed.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: GillE on November 13, 2009, 21:56: Did you know that human urine contains traces of saltpetre? In days of yore, urine was collected and the saltpetre extracted to cure meats such as bacon.

And no, I'm taking the proverbial :) . 'Tis true.

Nowadays you're probably better off eating bacon and other meats which haven't been preserved with saltpetre. Common salt (which is used for most home-cured bacon) does just as good a job of preservation although it allows the meat to turn slightly greyish. Saltpetre leaves a lovely meaty red colour but it carries an avoidable cancer risk.

Apologies to Rik for discussing salted meats!
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 13, 2009, 22:05: I heard today that saltpetre was (is?) also used to make gunpowder!
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 13, 2009, 22:36: Quote from: GillE on November 13, 2009, 21:56
Did you know that human urine contains traces of saltpetre?

Which is why martial arts experts pee over their hands to make them harder. Apparently. :D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 13, 2009, 22:37: I thought martial arts experts were pretty hard already! ;D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: GillE on November 13, 2009, 22:41: Perhaps it's the saltpetre that makes the 'KAPOW' sound when a black belt thumps you.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 13, 2009, 22:44: I'd just settle for the OW! ;D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 13, 2009, 22:51: Quote from: GillE on November 13, 2009, 22:41
Perhaps it's the saltpetre that makes the 'KAPOW' sound when a black belt thumps you.

Adding charcoal and sulphur to the saltpetre makes gunpowder - that would go 'KAPOW'. :D I used to make lots of gunpowder when I was a kid and I'm lucky I didn't blow myself up. Looking back on it I can't believe how stupid I was!!
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 13, 2009, 22:52: I have to ask, Clive. Why? :crazy:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 13, 2009, 22:54: To make fireworks of course! ;D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 13, 2009, 22:55: :laugh:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 14, 2009, 09:46: Quote from: GillE on November 13, 2009, 21:56
Apologies to Rik for discussing salted meats!

I forgive you, Gill, even though I'd kill for a bacon buttie right now. :)
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 14, 2009, 09:48: Quote from: Simon on November 13, 2009, 22:52
I have to ask, Clive. Why? :crazy:

Why he was so stupid? ;D I also made slow matches.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 14, 2009, 09:57: 'Slow' matches? :dunno:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 14, 2009, 10:13: A piece of cord impregnated with saltpetre. It burnt slowly but steadily and was used to fire cannons. It's good for lighting fireworks too.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 14, 2009, 10:32: See, it's a generation thing. I expect fireworks are lighted at the push of a button now.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 14, 2009, 10:45: I used to make them out of sash cord - much more fun. :)
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 14, 2009, 11:06: ;D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 14, 2009, 13:33: I used to put all sorts of chemicals in my fireworks to make them more interesting but they did little more than change colour when they burned. I was trying to make Roman Candles. :D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 14, 2009, 17:11: Technically, you needed some slaves to execute...
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 14, 2009, 19:57: Just like in Helen Mirren's version of Caligula. :devil:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 15, 2009, 00:03: I take it you know it well? ;D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 15, 2009, 09:21: Perhaps. :laugh:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 15, 2009, 11:03: I can bet why Clive remembers Helen Mirren, but not the actor playing Caligula. :devil:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 15, 2009, 11:04: :D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 15, 2009, 16:49: John Geilgud and Peter O'Toole played good parts. :D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 15, 2009, 16:50: And the lead was... ?
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 15, 2009, 18:26: Malcolm McDowell. He soo fitted the part!
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 15, 2009, 18:34: Well done for getting past the obvious hurdle. ;D
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 15, 2009, 19:54: I think his other big film was Clockwork Orange which I have never seen. :dunno:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 15, 2009, 20:50: Have you not? That does surprise me. I think it was over-hyped, especially when it was withdrawn from the UK by Kubrick, but was probably quite shocking for it's time.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Clive on November 15, 2009, 21:06: Never seen it on TV either Simon.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 15, 2009, 21:40: I don't think it's been on TV, has it? Oh, maybe Channel 4. :dunno:
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 16, 2009, 09:22: Quote from: Clive on November 15, 2009, 19:54
I think his other big film was Clockwork Orange which I have never seen. :dunno:

Brilliant film for the time, almost a prediction of how society would deteriorate, and how desparate Govts would get. He also starred in Oh Lucky Man, weird, but interesting.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 16, 2009, 09:53: I think Clockwork Orange probably had much more of an impact at the time. Apparently, Kubrick was threatened with arrest by the police, which prompted him to withdraw the film from the UK.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Rik on November 16, 2009, 10:14: It was, and is, a very violent film. Amongst themselves, multiple rapes, gang wars, police and Govt.
Title: Re: British gardeners urged to urinate on their plants
Post by: Simon on November 16, 2009, 10:30: I must get round to seeing it again. :devil: