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Connections
Jul. 27th, 2005 08:44 pmWhat is the second most southerly national capital? Why do I want to know that?
It all starts with a discussion about a type of rifle that we had not heard of from a thriller that somebody was reading. Turns out that the make of rifle comes from Finland. So we go talking about Finland's economy and what it produces. Which of course leads to talking about Nokia. But that is a distraction as we get to talking about the climate in Finland. Just how cold does it get. Just how much continental climate warm does it get. Really cold - is it that far north? Look at a map - yes Helsinki is way north - further north than any part of the UK (except various smaller islands). It seems that only Reykjavik is further north of the world's capital cities - Helsinki is number 2. Now we know Wellington is the southernmost world capital. What is number 2 in the south.
Such is the level of conversation at work. We do get some strange looks.
By the way, he answer would appear to be Canberra at 35.17 South, then Montevideo then Buenos Aires. All according to the CIA factbook - and no, before anybody gets picky, I don't count either the Fauklands or the Faroes in my consideration.
It all starts with a discussion about a type of rifle that we had not heard of from a thriller that somebody was reading. Turns out that the make of rifle comes from Finland. So we go talking about Finland's economy and what it produces. Which of course leads to talking about Nokia. But that is a distraction as we get to talking about the climate in Finland. Just how cold does it get. Just how much continental climate warm does it get. Really cold - is it that far north? Look at a map - yes Helsinki is way north - further north than any part of the UK (except various smaller islands). It seems that only Reykjavik is further north of the world's capital cities - Helsinki is number 2. Now we know Wellington is the southernmost world capital. What is number 2 in the south.
Such is the level of conversation at work. We do get some strange looks.
By the way, he answer would appear to be Canberra at 35.17 South, then Montevideo then Buenos Aires. All according to the CIA factbook - and no, before anybody gets picky, I don't count either the Fauklands or the Faroes in my consideration.