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

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Why do the Italian national teams play in Blue when their is no Blue in their flag. All other nations I can think of play in a strip that somehow represents their national colours.

[G.Wright]

Why do the Italian national teams play in Blue when their is no Blue in their flag. All other nations I can think of play in a strip that somehow represents their national colours.

Is it not to do with the Azzuri sea?

 

Also New Zealand and Australia done play in colours represented by their flags.

[Kmeister]

Why do the Italian national teams play in Blue when their is no Blue in their flag. All other nations I can think of play in a strip that somehow represents their national colours.

Think it is something to do with their Royal Family. That is certainly why Holland play in Orange as that is the colour of the Dutch Royal Family.

[Kmeister]

Believe its got some thing to do with using a clock as a scoreboard. Not entirely sure though.

I thought that as well but why go 15, 30, 40 and not 15, 30, 45?

[Debut 4]

It's an instinctive thing to check that you are in healthy working order. We're very uptight in this country so we let the faeces fall straight into the water to be forgotten about but you can't fight nature. You'll find in other countries (Germany for one) there is a little shelf in the bowl to allow you to have a good inspection before flushing.

in Germany I think it's known as the "pick n mix" method where you analyse any foreign bodies lodged in the bum cigar, then further rummaging is done to make sure nothing is missed. I could be wrong though?

[Chewie]

Think it is something to do with their Royal Family. That is certainly why Holland play in Orange as that is the colour of the Dutch Royal Family.

 

I think this is right  - from memory it's the colour of House Savoy who were the first rulers of the modern day Italy.

[Bert Le Clos]

Why are blow jobs called blow jobs?

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

I think this is right  - from memory it's the colour of House Savoy who were the first rulers of the modern day Italy.

So it must go back to around the time of unification of Italy in 1870. Grazie.

[3fingersreid]

My dog sits at the window , as other dogs go by he doesn't move however a cat goes past he goes of his fekin head , how does he differentiate between dog and cat?

 

As per washing instructions ie wash inside out how does the colour from clothing fade faster on one side than the other ?

[Cal_]

Why are blow jobs called blow jobs?

The common slang term blow-*** is a misnomer, as blowing is not normally part of fellatio. In fact, blowing air into a partner's penis is an unhealthy practice. It is most commonly thought to be a facetious use of "blow" as the opposite of "suck". It has been suggested to be a corruption of "below-job", allegedly an old Victorian slang term that was commonly used to describe the act. However, there is a third school of thought that believes the word "blow" in "blow-***" indicates the climax of the penis (compare to blowing of a volcano). The phrase "blow-***" originated in the 1940's;[7] at the time, it was also used by Allied pilots as a slang term for jet aircraft.[8]"

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Is it not to do with the Azzuri sea?

 

Also New Zealand and Australia done play in colours represented by their flags.

I know the flags of those countries have The Southern Cross and a union flag but is there not some aboriginal reason for the Black Fern/ kiwi and the green and yellow wallaby strips.

[Bert Le Clos]

The common slang term blow-*** is a misnomer, as blowing is not normally part of fellatio. In fact, blowing air into a partner's penis is an unhealthy practice. It is most commonly thought to be a facetious use of "blow" as the opposite of "suck". It has been suggested to be a corruption of "below-job", allegedly an old Victorian slang term that was commonly used to describe the act. However, there is a third school of thought that believes the word "blow" in "blow-***" indicates the climax of the penis (compare to blowing of a volcano). The phrase "blow-***" originated in the 1940's;[7] at the time, it was also used by Allied pilots as a slang term for jet aircraft.[8]"

 

But you "blow" during a hand job or a diddy ride too. Not just during a BJ. Not having that.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

My dog sits at the window , as other dogs go by he doesn't move however a cat goes past he goes of his fekin head , how does he differentiate between dog and cat?

 

As per washing instructions ie wash inside out how does the colour from clothing fade faster on one side than the other ?

I think the water pressure is higher on the outside of said garment hence the colour will receive more friction on that side and fade quicker.

[Paolo]

Why is an uphill battle not good, but it is also. Kt good if things are going downhill?

Edited January 25, 2015 by Claudia

[Bert Le Clos]

Why is an uphill battle not good, but it is also. Kt good if things are going downhill?

 

I would guess because an uphill battle is harder to fight.

 

And because when things go downhill they tend to speed up and can go out of control?

[Tazio]

I would guess because an uphill battle is harder to fight.

 

And because when things go downhill they tend to speed up and can go out of control?

 

See also level playing field.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

My dog sits at the window , as other dogs go by he doesn't move however a cat goes past he goes of his fekin head , how does he differentiate between dog and cat?

 

 

Dogs recognise even more than that:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3354028/Dogs-can-read-emotion-in-human-faces.html

 

Dogs and cats are essentially competing species, their wild ancestors would attack and kill each other to eliminate competition for resources such as food. Lions in Africa kill spotted hunting dogs whenever they find them, and grey wolves attack leopards and other predators when they meet in the wild also. Dogs are very intelligent animals and even though vision is not their primary sense, it is in their interests to be able to distinguish between different species that pass through their territories.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Who do Americans say we are going down town when they are heading for a city centre whilst we tend to say we are going up to the town?

[Kmeister]

Who do Americans say we are going down town when they are heading for a city centre whilst we tend to say we are going up to the town?

Because we have a positive outlook on life.

[Paolo]

See also level playing field.

Weren't Hibs suppose to dominate us in such conditions?

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Weren't Hibs suppose to dominate us in such conditions?

They couldn't even do that when they had a slope on "their" playing field.

[2NaFish]

Who do Americans say we are going down town when they are heading for a city centre whilst we tend to say we are going up to the town?

European towns usually center on old forts, which are usually built on hills.

 

I'd imagine the reason for yanks is the make up of Manhattan. You'd live uptown and then headtown for some action.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

European towns usually center on old forts, which are usually built on hills.

 

I'd imagine the reason for yanks is the make up of Manhattan. You'd live uptown and then headtown for some action.

Thought about it again and it could be that most settlements in the states sprung up by rivers lakes and coasts so the centres would be down at the water level and have remained there such as Chicago on Lake Michigan.

[G.Wright]

I know the flags of those countries have The Southern Cross and a union flag but is there not some aboriginal reason for the Black Fern/ kiwi and the green and yellow wallaby strips.

There is a yellow sun on the aboriginal flag. Not sure about the green though. Suppose on the same theme England play predominately in White but the accent colour is often blue rather than red.

[Boris]

Why is an uphill battle not good, but it is also. Kt good if things are going downhill?

 

Having the higher ground is usually strategically better in military matters.

[cosanostra]

Having the higher ground is usually strategically better in military matters.

Just ask Anakin Skywalker.

 

I've always wondered what the "Gaffer" does on film sets. There always seems to be a Gaffer listed in the end credits of films and TV show but I've no idea what his role is. I know I could google it but that would make this thread pointless.

In my head, he's some guy with a massive role of parcel tape and he goes around taping things to other things. Possibly wrong though.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Just ask Anakin Skywalker.

 

I've always wondered what the "Gaffer" does on film sets. There always seems to be a Gaffer listed in the end credits of films and TV show but I've no idea what his role is. I know I could google it but that would make this thread pointless.

In my head, he's some guy with a massive role of parcel tape and he goes around taping things to other things. Possibly wrong though.

Is  there not also a grip. Is that the guy who holds the sound boom. Not sure?

[Tazio]

The Gaffer is the head of lighting. Grips are crew members who work with cameras and getting them in position, the Dolly Grips are the ones looking after the dollies (wheeled trolleys that run on tracks with cameras on them. They also help out the lighting department but not with the actual lights.

 

The person with the boom is normally a Boom Operator.

[OmiyaHearts]

Is  there not also a grip. Is that the guy who holds the sound boom. Not sure?

My wife worked on a few episodes of Rebus (Ken Stott ones) as a boom op and she was on the credits as assistant sound recordist.

 

I'll find out from her what the key grip is. I always wondered what the role of Best Boy was, she told me but I can't remember.

 

*edit*already answered above!

Edited January 26, 2015 by donaldmclachlan

[Tazio]

Best Boy is the gaffers assistant.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

The Gaffer is the head of lighting. Grips are crew members who work with cameras and getting them in position, the Dolly Grips are the ones looking after the dollies (wheeled trolleys that run on tracks with cameras on them. They also help out the lighting department but not with the actual lights.

 

The person with the boom is normally a Boom Operator.

 

 

My wife worked on a few episodes of Rebus (Ken Stott ones) as a boom op and she was on the credits as assistant sound recordist.

 

I'll find out from her what the key grip is. I always wondered what the role of Best Boy was, she told me but I can't remember.

 

*edit*already answered above!

Thanks for that, just thought it sounded like someone gripping onto something like the boom. I have a better grip of that information now

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Sorry if mentioned already but I wondered how they decaffeinate coffee or tea for that matter. I would think it involves removing a part of the bean or leaf containing the caffeine. Watched a program once explaining the process but can't remember how it was done.?

[FWJ]

Sorry if mentioned already but I wondered how they decaffeinate coffee or tea for that matter. I would think it involves removing a part of the bean or leaf containing the caffeine. Watched a program once explaining the process but can't remember how it was done.?

I think the bean is soaked in a liquid solvent under high pressure into which the caffeine dissolves.  The pressure is reduced and the solvent (now containing the caffeine) evaporates off.  I believe some of the solvents used are better than others.

 

Why do we talk of a "meteoric rise" when a meteor is a streak of light going down?

 

Why will my mate's dog sit and sleep through any amount of noise on the TV including gun-fights and explosions but as soon as a wee firework goes off a mile away it s**ts itself?

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

I think the bean is soaked in a liquid solvent under high pressure into which the caffeine dissolves.  The pressure is reduced and the solvent (now containing the caffeine) evaporates off.  I believe some of the solvents used are better than others.

 

Why do we talk of a "meteoric rise" when a meteor is a streak of light going down?

 

Why will my mate's dog sit and sleep through any amount of noise on the TV including gun-fights and explosions but as soon as a wee firework goes off a mile away it s**ts itself?

I think I will stick to ordinary coffee having heard that. A lot of sound effects such as gun fire and explosions are probably done by computer savvy sound engineers nowadays for safety reasons and your dog knows that. Canines are not stupid and can tell when something is not quite right.

[trotter]

Sorry if mentioned already but I wondered how they decaffeinate coffee or tea for that matter. I would think it involves removing a part of the bean or leaf containing the caffeine. Watched a program once explaining the process but can't remember how it was done.?

 

Traditionally organic solvents were used, but now most coffee factories use supercritical carbon dioxide (neither a discrete liquid or a gas, but displays the properties of both). It dissolves the caffeine and then is released from the bean by simply dropping the pressure and it all evaporates off leaving no residue. 

Source: I did my masters thesis on a new method of extraction of opiates from poppies at MacFarlan Smith, found the above out during my literature search

[Kmeister]

Why do the shelters at bus stops and train stations have a 6 inch gap at the bottom. OK, you might be protected from the rain but the design allows the wind to swirl through them making them freezing.

 

Is there a practical reason for this?

[trotter]

Why do the shelters at bus stops and train stations have a 6 inch gap at the bottom. OK, you might be protected from the rain but the design allows the wind to swirl through them making them freezing.

 

Is there a practical reason for this?

To let vomit and pish wash away in the rain?

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Traditionally organic solvents were used, but now most coffee factories use supercritical carbon dioxide (neither a discrete liquid or a gas, but displays the properties of both). It dissolves the caffeine and then is released from the bean by simply dropping the pressure and it all evaporates off leaving no residue. 

Source: I did my masters thesis on a new method of extraction of opiates from poppies at MacFarlan Smith, found the above out during my literature search

If they ever got the two mixed up it would lead to an interesting brew. Costa coffee beware!

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

Why do the shelters at bus stops and train stations have a 6 inch gap at the bottom. OK, you might be protected from the rain but the design allows the wind to swirl through them making them freezing.

 

Is there a practical reason for this?

Guess, but, could it be to let wind escape, so they don't blow over in gales?

[Tazio]

With the bus shelters probably to make it easier for them to be cleaned by scaffies. 

[djh83]

How come when a small island like the UK has so many distinctively different accents only a small distance from each other such as Edinburgh, Weegie, Geordie,Scouser, Manc, Cockney etc, do you then get a giant land mass like Australia say where by in large the accent is similar across the country. Even New Zealand, which is a different country, although slightly different is very similar to Australian.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

How come when a small island like the UK has so many distinctively different accents only a small distance from each other such as Edinburgh, Weegie, Geordie,Scouser, Manc, Cockney etc, do you then get a giant land mass like Australia say where by in large the accent is similar across the country. Even New Zealand, which is a different country, although slightly different is very similar to Australian.

I suppose it is governed by the mixing of accents when people flocked to the cities especially after the industrial revolution. Liverpool and Glasgow had the Irish and Highland Scots adding to the mix for instance. They say that a Parisian struggles to understand someone from the south of France or Brittanie so each country has local dialects it's just our ears that pick up the differences in the UK accents.

[Tazio]

Good luck telling a kiwi that he sounds like an Australian.

 

See also Canadian and American. Though of course America has a wide variety of accents itself.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

How come when a small island like the UK has so many distinctively different accents only a small distance from each other such as Edinburgh, Weegie, Geordie,Scouser, Manc, Cockney etc, do you then get a giant land mass like Australia say where by in large the accent is similar across the country. Even New Zealand, which is a different country, although slightly different is very similar to Australian.

No reckon maybe all our accents sound the same to antipodeans, while they think their accents all sound very different?

[2NaFish]

how come all Japanese people look alike?v

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

how come all Japanese people look alike?v

Asians are all just the same person.

[cosanostra]

No reckon maybe all our accents sound the same to antipodeans, while they think their accents all sound very different?

They don't and they don't, according to my Australian Mrs.

She struggles to understand strong Glasgow and Scouser accents but can understand most others easily. She can also tell the difference between Geordies, Irish, Northern Irish etc quite easily.

As for variations in the Australian accents, she thinks Australians from WA sound more English and less nasal than the rest of the country but other than that there's only a neddy sort of accent (bogan in her words) and normal Australian. Go figure.

 

I think djh83 has a point. New Zealand does sound like Australia until they say certain words and then you can hear it. Most Scots or British wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

[2NaFish]

They don't and they don't, according to my Australian Mrs.

She struggles to understand strong Glasgow and Scouser accents but can understand most others easily. She can also tell the difference between Geordies, Irish, Northern Irish etc quite easily.

As for variations in the Australian accents, she thinks Australians from WA sound more English and less nasal than the rest of the country but other than that there's only a neddy sort of accent (bogan in her words) and normal Australian. Go figure.

 

I think djh83 has a point. New Zealand does sound like Australia until they say certain words and then you can hear it. Most Scots or British wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

 

 

All accents have shibboleths. For new zealanders/australians i believe it is fish and chips (pronounced feesh and cheeps) in NZ.

[cosanostra]

All accents have shibboleths. For new zealanders/australians i believe it is fish and chips (pronounced feesh and cheeps) in NZ.

That's the example I've heard used a lot.

Same with the number 6.

[2NaFish]

That's the example I've heard used a lot.

Same with the number 6.

 

I was discussing this with a canadian friend, about how lots of american draft dodgers were tested in canada by reciting the alphabet as canadians say Zed rather than Zee, and we went on to discuss other shibboleths as passwords - lollapolooza etc. She went back to work and was discussing this with a colleague, who it turns out is in the masons. When the word shibboleth came up he got quite snarky and defensive as, apparently, the word Shibboleth itself is an actual password in the masons. I lost respect for them as a secret society when i discovered that one of their passwords is effectively password.

 

I'll bet their amazon acccount password is Amazon1