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Things you've always wondered about but couldn't be bothered to find out


Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

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1 hour ago, gjcc said:

Maybe 1979 should become the new year Zero to avoid all religious arguments. So 2012 becomes 32AS. 

 

 

DFF39E0A-5005-4A56-99DE-E98A1D5D5B69.jpeg

 

If we started in 1998, (you don't get a year zero, eg 1AD followed 1BC), 2012 would be year 15.  :sweeet:

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Scnorthedinburgh
1 hour ago, Lemongrab said:

 

If we started in 1998, (you don't get a year zero, eg 1AD followed 1BC), 2012 would be year 15.  :sweeet:

Are you Pol Pot?

Year zero does have a ring to it.

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how come when you’re using roll on deodorant, the ball always has deodorant on it, even though the roll on itself is upside down (when dealing with yer oxters anyway)? Wouldn’t gravity dictate that the deodorant ‘liquid’ would fall away from the ball area (oooft). 

 

And how come when I phone my missus on her mobile, I’ll sometimes get an American style ringing before she picks up...even though she’s sat on her hole in sunny Gilmerton? 

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5 hours ago, Mr Sifter said:

how come when you’re using roll on deodorant, the ball always has deodorant on it, even though the roll on itself is upside down (when dealing with yer oxters anyway)? Wouldn’t gravity dictate that the deodorant ‘liquid’ would fall away from the ball area (oooft). 

 

And how come when I phone my missus on her mobile, I’ll sometimes get an American style ringing before she picks up...even though she’s sat on her hole in sunny Gilmerton? 

 

If you leave your deodorant sitting long enough, with the rollerball pointing upwards, it would eventually dry out. But it doesn't in the short-term because of an added ingredient in the deodorant, I think it's silica, that makes the contents cling to the rollerball.

 

I've used the word rollerball because using the word 'ball' would result in too many 'Ooh matron!" comments. :wink: 

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10 hours ago, Mr Sifter said:

how come when you’re using roll on deodorant, the ball always has deodorant on it, even though the roll on itself is upside down (when dealing with yer oxters anyway)? Wouldn’t gravity dictate that the deodorant ‘liquid’ would fall away from the ball area (oooft). 

 

And how come when I phone my missus on her mobile, I’ll sometimes get an American style ringing before she picks up...even though she’s sat on her hole in sunny Gilmerton? 

 

Are your and your wife's phone both set to use voLTE (calling over the 4G network)? I read somewhere that voLTE to voLTE calls have a different ring. That's as much as you're getting though, I had a look and it's all soooo complicated.

Edited by Lemongrab
stupidity
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  • 2 weeks later...
I P Knightley

How come Edinburgh has so many bungalows?

 

I'm not sure whether it's a disproportionate number compared to other Scottish cities but it's certainly a higher proportion than London. There's no rhyme or reason to it. Older houses with an upstairs; newer houses with an upstairs and, somewhere in the middle (or just around the corner) rows and rows of bungalows. Bungalows on low lying lands, bigger houses up the hills. 

 

Really. What went on?

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13 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

How come Edinburgh has so many bungalows?

 

I'm not sure whether it's a disproportionate number compared to other Scottish cities but it's certainly a higher proportion than London. There's no rhyme or reason to it. Older houses with an upstairs; newer houses with an upstairs and, somewhere in the middle (or just around the corner) rows and rows of bungalows. Bungalows on low lying lands, bigger houses up the hills. 

 

Really. What went on?

Maybe it was a combination of fashion at the time they were built + lots of available land at the time + a reaction against the tradition of flats in Edinburgh?

 

I was surprised to read that over 2/3 of dwellings in Edinburgh are flats.

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When did traffic lights in Edinburgh stop speaking to you, or do any still do this? 

 

From when I was wee, I remember traffic lights at pedestrian crossings would announce "Traffic coming from *Street name* has been signalled to stop" 

 

I remember it happening outside the St James Centre and in Musselburgh, but can't find any evidence to support it did actually happen! 

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6 hours ago, tian447 said:

When did traffic lights in Edinburgh stop speaking to you, or do any still do this? 

 

From when I was wee, I remember traffic lights at pedestrian crossings would announce "Traffic coming from *Street name* has been signalled to stop" 

 

I remember it happening outside the St James Centre and in Musselburgh, but can't find any evidence to support it did actually happen! 

There was definitely one on Shandwick Place too, and I think there was another on Home Street near The Kings.  Others used to beep.

 

A lot of the boxes for pedestrian crossings used to have a wee plastic cone on the underside, which spun when the green man was on, also to help the sight impaired. I'm now wondering if newer crossings still have this.

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been here before
1 hour ago, Lemongrab said:

There was definitely one on Shandwick Place too, and I think there was another on Home Street near The Kings.  Others used to beep.

 

A lot of the boxes for pedestrian crossings used to have a wee plastic cone on the underside, which spun when the green man was on, also to help the sight impaired. I'm now wondering if newer crossings still have this.

 

They do.

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3 hours ago, Lemongrab said:

There was definitely one on Shandwick Place too, and I think there was another on Home Street near The Kings.  Others used to beep.

 

A lot of the boxes for pedestrian crossings used to have a wee plastic cone on the underside, which spun when the green man was on, also to help the sight impaired. I'm now wondering if newer crossings still have this.

 

That's the ones!  I take it they've all been phased out, in favour of the spinning cone (which as you say, is exactly for the visually impaired - the red tactile path area lets you know you're at a crossing, and the spinning thing tells you when it's safe to cross, aside from the crossing beeps - which is no help to someone with a hearing impairment). 

 

Are there any left in Edinburgh at all? Or any videos showing them in action?

 

This definitely isn't off the back of an argument and needing to be proved right... :lol:

 

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2 hours ago, tian447 said:

 

That's the ones!  I take it they've all been phased out, in favour of the spinning cone (which as you say, is exactly for the visually impaired - the red tactile path area lets you know you're at a crossing, and the spinning thing tells you when it's safe to cross, aside from the crossing beeps - which is no help to someone with a hearing impairment). 

 

Are there any left in Edinburgh at all? Or any videos showing them in action?

 

This definitely isn't off the back of an argument and needing to be proved right... :lol:

 

 

Definitely used to be one on Shandwick Place. My mates old man drove a taxi and was once asked by tourists why the lights spoke. He told them it was to let blind people know the lights have changed. 

 

"Gee, really!?! We don't let blind people drive back home..." 

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I lived in Roseburn and the crossing on Roseburn Terrace right next to Roseburn Gardens still talked as of a year ago. I didn't realise it was something that had been put in place ages ago.

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1 hour ago, JimKongUno said:

Havnt always wondered but for some time iv looked at this and thought what the **** does it mean ?

 

:interehjrling:

 

Interesting

 

At least that Is what I assumed it meant. No idea of its origins.

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10 minutes ago, Tazio said:

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

 

Yeah! Good question. I actually found the European version of Wii Sports for my flatmates ages ago so that the game would measure the wind in kilometres per hour instead of miles, but the other effect was making the holes be listed in metres, including on the putting green!

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A Boy Named Crow
2 hours ago, hughesie27 said:

Interesting

 

At least that Is what I assumed it meant. No idea of its origins.

I assumed the same, would be interehjrlested to know how it came about though 

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I P Knightley
On 18/08/2019 at 13:28, Normthebarman said:

Definitely used to be one on Shandwick Place. My mates old man drove a taxi and was once asked by tourists why the lights spoke. He told them it was to let blind people know the lights have changed. 

 

"Gee, really!?! We don't let blind people drive back home..." 

:lol:

"The traffic coming from Princes Street has been signalled to stop." All fine if you know what direction it is to Princes Street.

 

On 26/08/2019 at 13:55, Tazio said:

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

I played with a French lad in France and he talked the golf course in metres. However, he's mad keen on watching the sport and, of course, most of the coverage is American so he's kind of bilingual and was able to give me guidance in yards.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Why do the reporters at the matches on sky sports news soccer Saturday face away from the action. Why not put the camera in front so they can provide the update without looking away?

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2 hours ago, Cal_ said:

Why do the reporters at the matches on sky sports news soccer Saturday face away from the action. Why not put the camera in front so they can provide the update without looking away?

Because we would never have gotten this gem otherwise 

 

 

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Why are ales usually much cheaper than lagers? I know they're a bit weaker, but I've seen pubs sell things like Belhaven and John Smiths for about £1.50 a pint cheaper than say Tennents.

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1 hour ago, Locky said:

Why are ales usually much cheaper than lagers? I know they're a bit weaker, but I've seen pubs sell things like Belhaven and John Smiths for about £1.50 a pint cheaper than say Tennents.

Because only pensioners drink them.

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  • 1 month later...

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by DETTY29
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been here before
2 hours ago, DETTY29 said:

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They done thst with the red cloured 'tar' at the end of the roads in Dalry when I stayed there 20 odd years ago. Used a frame as opposed to a roller but the same effect.

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Bits of the M90 in Kinross-Shire were huge prefabricated concrete slabs laid on site.  They’ve all been replaced by tarmac now - so must have some disadvantages?

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10 hours ago, DETTY29 said:

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not as good as this

 

 

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On 26/08/2019 at 05:55, Tazio said:

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

Canada went metric some time ago, but I just realised reading this post that as far as I am aware the golf courses I played in still use yards.

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  • 1 month later...
33 minutes ago, Salad Fingers said:

What do the post office do with all the wee kiddies letters to Santa? 

You send them in to a special address then the Royal Mail send replies back

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/write-to-santa

https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/letters-to-santa

 

Final posting date 6th Dec this year.

Edited by Cade
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Samuel Camazzola

"Marc Darcey" Menswear. Often see it flash up on advertising boarding at football. Is this a clothing brand or a retailer selling household names? 

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On 07/09/2019 at 16:36, Cal_ said:

Why do the reporters at the matches on sky sports news soccer Saturday face away from the action. Why not put the camera in front so they can provide the update without looking away?

 

It's because there are pre-defined camera spots for live games, they then use one of these for in-game updates, the camera spots are designed/placed so as to not interfere/block the view of fans so there is space only for the camera operator, switching them around would have the camera blocking the view of fans and also have cables causing more of a hazard

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On 16/10/2019 at 15:01, DETTY29 said:

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

Surely the biggest issue would be if there is any sort of ground movement then huge concrete slabs will crack where individual bricks allow more movement and also drainage?  

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I P Knightley
On 17/10/2019 at 01:32, bobsharp said:

Canada went metric some time ago, but I just realised reading this post that as far as I am aware the golf courses I played in still use yards.

The only place I've played in Canada was Victoria, BC. I'm pretty certain the yardages were in, eh, yards, maybe because of the 'British' part of BC. They might be more metric over towards the East where they also speak funny?

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23 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

The only place I've played in Canada was Victoria, BC. I'm pretty certain the yardages were in, eh, yards, maybe because of the 'British' part of BC. They might be more metric over towards the East where they also speak funny?

 

Golf courses in North America are all still in yards.  Same with American football.  Even in football (soccer), there is still the 18-yard box and the six-yard box.

 

Younger people, say those under 30, all think in metric.  They weren't taught the imperial system in school, so haven't a clue about inches, feet, yards, pounds, ounces, etc.

 

People older than that are typically OK with either system.

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  • 1 month later...

Random this one. 

But why on bottles in evian water is there a message that says "package not designed for long distance transportation outside Europe". 

 

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A Boy Named Crow
22 minutes ago, Jambomuzz said:

Random this one. 

But why on bottles in evian water is there a message that says "package not designed for long distance transportation outside Europe". 

 

There’s a part of me that wants to reply, because the package was not designed for long distance transportation outside Europe. But I know that part of me is the daft, immature part. The part that gets me into trouble in pubs etc. I’m just going to leave it.

 

Nothing to see here.

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All roads lead to Gorgie
40 minutes ago, Jambomuzz said:

Random this one. 

But why on bottles in evian water is there a message that says "package not designed for long distance transportation outside Europe". 

 

A bit of a guess but maybe the bottles are not designed for the change of air pressure on long flights or temperature changes on board ships over time!

The plastic used in bottles appears to be thinner now and less rigid than it once was!

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51 minutes ago, A Boy Named Crow said:

There’s a part of me that wants to reply, because the package was not designed for long distance transportation outside Europe. But I know that part of me is the daft, immature part. The part that gets me into trouble in pubs etc. I’m just going to leave it.

 

Nothing to see here.

Hahahaha I have a sense of humour, so I'd have understood, rare on here mind you. 

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31 minutes ago, All roads lead to Gorgie said:

A bit of a guess but maybe the bottles are not designed for the change of air pressure on long flights or temperature changes on board ships over time!

The plastic used in bottles appears to be thinner now and less rigid than it once was!

That was my initial thinking, I also wonder if its something to do with helping the envirment, like why transport bottled water half way across the world, when they could drink their own. But I couldn't find a definitive answer. 

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All roads lead to Gorgie
1 hour ago, Jambomuzz said:

That was my initial thinking, I also wonder if its something to do with helping the envirment, like why transport bottled water half way across the world, when they could drink their own. But I couldn't find a definitive answer. 

I can see the larger water companies buying smaller bottled water producers in other countries to keep market share. It is probably a falling market anyway as I see a lot of places like coffee shops, pubs and work places now have large water holders where you can top up a bottle. A good thing for planet anyway.

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On 16/10/2013 at 04:11, Eddie said:

How can woman bleed for a week and not die?

 

How can Woman claim that child birth is the most painful experience ever when theyve never had a leather football smashed square in the nuts?

 

 

Or one o they tiny splinters that you get on your finger or thumb that catch on everything they are fecking sore.

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On 27/08/2019 at 17:19, I P Knightley said:

:lol:

"The traffic coming from Princes Street has been signalled to stop." All fine if you know what direction it is to Princes Street.

 

I played with a French lad in France and he talked the golf course in metres. However, he's mad keen on watching the sport and, of course, most of the coverage is American so he's kind of bilingual and was able to give me guidance in yards.

 

Off topic but that reminds me of the story Colin Montgomerie tells about Bernhard Langer. Langer was so meticulous about the yardage on a golf course that he asked his caddy how many yards it was to the sprinkler, when his caddy replied 148 (or something), Langer replied 'is that to the front of the sprinkler or the back'.................well I thought it was funny.

 

Back on topic, every time I watch Air Crash Investigation, they mention the point at which a plane has reached the maximum speed at which point the plane is unable to abort the take-off. Why can't the plane just put the anchors on at this point and continue along the runway until it stops (assuming there is enough runway to play with)?

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25 minutes ago, JWL said:

 

Off topic but that reminds me of the story Colin Montgomerie tells about Bernhard Langer. Langer was so meticulous about the yardage on a golf course that he asked his caddy how many yards it was to the sprinkler, when his caddy replied 148 (or something), Langer replied 'is that to the front of the sprinkler or the back'.................well I thought it was funny.

 

Back on topic, every time I watch Air Crash Investigation, they mention the point at which a plane has reached the maximum speed at which point the plane is unable to abort the take-off. Why can't the plane just put the anchors on at this point and continue along the runway until it stops (assuming there is enough runway to play with)?

 

I imagine the bit in bold is the main reason; that simply it wouldn't be able to stop at that speed before running out of runway.

 

Or, once they hit a certain speed the lift being generated is such that the plane will take off and trying to air brake or adjust the flaps at that speed would be impossible to control.

 

Both just guesses though on my part.

 

 

I like the Langer story 👍😂

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45 minutes ago, JWL said:

 

Off topic but that reminds me of the story Colin Montgomerie tells about Bernhard Langer. Langer was so meticulous about the yardage on a golf course that he asked his caddy how many yards it was to the sprinkler, when his caddy replied 148 (or something), Langer replied 'is that to the front of the sprinkler or the back'.................well I thought it was funny.

 

Back on topic, every time I watch Air Crash Investigation, they mention the point at which a plane has reached the maximum speed at which point the plane is unable to abort the take-off. Why can't the plane just put the anchors on at this point and continue along the runway until it stops (assuming there is enough runway to play with)?

 

The last part of you post, in brackets, is the key.

 

As the plane is accelerating down the runway, the co-pilot monitors the speed.  The critical speed is called V1, which he will announce aloud to the pilot.  When V1 is reached, the aircraft no longer has enough runway to safely brake to a halt so they are committed to take-off.

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I mentioned this on a thread in the terrace but got no answers. 
When did flags at the halfway line stop being used by clubs and specifically Tynecastle? 

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Last night walking along Stenhouse Drive to meet the wife , the pavement is split into two halves , one for pedestrians the other for cyclists . 
Why is it that the pedestrian half is closest to the road ? 
 

reason I ask is some ******* in a car went thru a puddle and I got a hibs fans bath , not ****ing happy about it .😡

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