Obscure Knowledge you want the world to know you have

[lewisnotmiller]

Okay, so here is the plan.
Whack down areas where you have more than a passing knowledge, and which some may not be aware. So, I wouldn't put down something like Australia, since it's kinda pretty likely everyone knows I'm Australian. I also know about Aussie sports, Aussie beer, and Aussie wine, but you could possibly expect that. Finally, I know absolutely nothing about Aussie women, which again would be expected.

But I might list some of the following (in no particular order), broken up into stuff I have read/studied seriously, and stuff I have more knowledge than is normal/healthy... ;

Hardcore -

• Irish History
• Native American history (particularly some Algonquin)
• American pro sports (NBA and NFL)
• Classical history (not sure that's obscure though)
• Education

More than Passing -

• Byzantine History
• Ninjas (kinda...always wanted to know what parts of the stories were close to true)
• Dictators, generally (particularly various flavours of modern Communist types, or French Revolutionaries)
• Modern Russian history
• Fantasy fiction, both reading and writing (mostly with writing I know what I am SUPPOSED to do, and am simply not up to doing it...lol)
• Tech (I work in software industry, so only so much I can avoid)
• Business, both in terms of running one and consulting to large businesses. Process Design, Project and Programme Management, that sort of stuff. I should be at hardcore level with this, I suppose, but it's just not as interesting as Irish History...lol
• War. I'm a little out of date, but be it politics, military strategy ramifications...I have read a LOT in this area. Like I said, slightly out of date.
• Papua New Guinea
• Psychology...it was my major, plus my wife works in forensic mental health.

 

[Nietzsche]

Hardcore:

European History 850-1945(with extra emphasis on 1700-1945, and super-special emphasis on Prussia & the other German States of that era)
Germanic Cultures, Myths & Languages
Nazi (not a typo, just everything to do with Nazism, all the Nazi. I have a problem)
Can read & speak the Germanic languages including Yiddish
Nigh-encyclopedic knowledge of DC Comics, with emphasis on Batman
Various types of drugs/pharmaceuticals
German philosophy (kinda redundant, I know, as if there were any other kind)

More Than Passing:

German-school of Fencing
Tolkien
Can read Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew & Ancient Greek
Various forms & types of cooking
Some Psychology


...all I can think of.

 

[LuisDantas]

More than passing:

- Necktie Knots theory (aye, I mean theory, not so much the knots themselves).

- HTML coding by hand (I write casual texts in HTML more often than I do in Word or LibreOffice)

- Marvel and DC comics of the 1970s and 1980s (I'm above average in recognizing pencilers and inkers of the period as well)

- The original 152 or so Pokemon

- Passive/Agressive behavior and pressuring

- Faking a generic foreign accent and vocabulary (I basically look like I was not raised anywhere on Earth)

- Christian and Kardecist proselytism (I have developed an immunity of sorts out of sheer intensity of exposure)

- Being disarmingly sincere

- MediaWiki proselitism (one would think I owe stock on the corporation or something)

 

[ShivaFan]

"Obscure" ... ok. But just because I have some obscure knowledge of, doesn't mean I am of that.

The Ramayana.
Gilgamesh.
Woodpeckers.
Kolkata (Calcutta).
San Francisco.
The Gold Rush including Soapy Smith.
Oil painting technique.
Jan Vermeer.
1960s rock and psychedelic posters and handbills.
The Manson Family.
The history of Right Wing movements and early to modern Right Wing Radio in America.
Indian Buddhism and Jainism.
History and demographics of Hindu-Muslim riots.
Epidemeology.
Computer science early to modern.
Hinduism in America.
The histories, lineages, powers, relations, trivia, from the obscure to the profound of Hindu Devas and Devi.
Rolling Stones and Beatles.
Aggressive Investing.
Cuteness in girls.
Hard stone fruit trees.
Rice.
Wine making.
Disney and Disneyland.
Watches.

 

[Nietzsche]

Jan Vermeer.

You ever seen "Tim's Vermeer"? It's one of the most interesting documentaries I've ever seen, and shows how it is extremely likely that he was almost-literally 'painting with light'.

 

[ShivaFan]

Thank you, no but now I will.
I am literally in love with that painter. Many do not know he used the camera obscura.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram

interesting thread things I know something about

organic cultivation , ..I like growing things
theraputic uses of Herbs , ....I make soap and other theraputic Skin preperations
natural Dyeing , ...we are just about to start putting a herb and dye plant garden together for teaching purposes
spinning ,...from flece to fibre , ..then all the associated things that one can do with Yarn , ....knitting , weaving ....etc
textile production, ..
historical and reigonal textiles , and costume , ...
textile restoration , ....
traditional methods of many craft related subjects ....
arts education ,...

being a totaly non academic person most of my knowledge is in the creative arts , and the natural world .

 

[ShivaFan]

Ratikala you are admirable! What refined and valuable knowledge. Very nice.

 

[Wirey]

I can tell the difference between a boy and a girl pig from the way the bacon smells when you cook it. Oh, and I've seen every episode of Gilligan's Island 43 times.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

- stage lighting
- sailing and hangliding
- infantry small arms ( from Army Reserve service )
- building trades
- systems thinking
- Buddhism
- amateur acting
- psychology
- astronomy
- history of WW2

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Wow, we're covering just about everything here!

 

[Jainarayan]

I know a little bit about a lot but not a lot about anything.