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

[Cade]

The long jump.

Where in the sand is the measurement taken how far they have jumped? 

The first or last bit of undisturbed sand?  There arse or toes?

First bit of disturbed sand, disturbed by any part of the body.

Edited August 14, 2017 by Cade

[Jambos_1874]

How do airlines like Ryanair make a profit when they charge so little? You can fly to mainland Europe for ?15 FFS!! I get that not everyone on thw flight will be paying as little as that but it still amazes me.

[Samuel Camazzola]

Is the rail network always relatively flat? I can't recall ever feeling as if I was travelling uphill or downhill.

[Pennywise]

Anyone know where the shows are? Drove past them last week at the Forth Road Bridge, took the kids back yesterday but they've moved.

 

Where to is the question?

 

Sent from my VFD 600 using Tapatalk

[Stuart Lyon]

There's shows at the Meadows. Saw them setting up the other day.

[Paolo]

Which is cheaper to run? A gas cooker or an electric cooker?

[Tazio]

Is the rail network always relatively flat? I can't recall ever feeling as if I was travelling uphill or downhill.

Yes. Trains can't do hills as there isn't enough traction between steel wheels and steel rails. That's why you get things like just north of the Forth Bridge where they've basically blown their way through a decent sized hill.

[Paolo]

Yes. Trains can't do hills as there isn't enough traction between steel wheels and steel rails. That's why you get things like just north of the Forth Bridge where they've basically blown their way through a decent sized hill.

So 'The Runaway Train' is a load of bollocks then.

[Bindy Badgy]

So 'The Runaway Train' is a load of bollocks then.

 

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway goes uphill over a substantial distance so it's possible. The elevation increases from around 100m to around 2200m. Don't think it's particularly efficient though.

[Ivan Drago]

Is it just me or do you never see those car washes that you used to drive in anymore? If so why not and why have they been replaced with these manual car washes that have popped up everywhere

[JWL]

Is there a comparison website you can use to see which comparison website is the best?

[A Boy Named Crow]

In the summer the poles have near perpetual daytime and in winter it's near perpetual darkness. As you get nearer the equator the difference gets smaller between the extremes. Is this difference symmetrical though, so that over the course of a year everywhere has the same amount of daylight?

[Riddley Walker]

In the summer the poles have near perpetual daytime and in winter it's near perpetual darkness. As you get nearer the equator the difference gets smaller between the extremes. Is this difference symmetrical though, so that over the course of a year everywhere has the same amount of daylight?

I don't know the answer but this is a great question.

[Riddley Walker]

In the summer the poles have near perpetual daytime and in winter it's near perpetual darkness. As you get nearer the equator the difference gets smaller between the extremes. Is this difference symmetrical though, so that over the course of a year everywhere has the same amount of daylight?

The internet is telling me everywhere in the world receives the same number of daylight hours.

[A Boy Named Crow]

The internet is telling me everywhere in the world receives the same number of daylight hours.

Cheers, problem solved!

[3fingersreid]

Driverless vehicles , given there has been a few bumps with them during trials , how do you swap details ? Or are you as the human guilty regardless?

[hughesie27]

Driverless vehicles , given there has been a few bumps with them during trials , how do you swap details ? Or are you as the human guilty regardless?

That's basically the 1 single issue with them becoming mainstream. Who is responsible.

 

Their tests have shown that they are vastly better at avoiding accidents than humans are.

However when someone dies from an accident who is responsible?

 

We will soon see long distance freight drivers replaced by computerised vehicles and your uber won't have a driver called Jason picking you up anymore.

 

Elon Musk actually wants us to buy cars which we can then set times for them to become available as robot taxis whilst we are at work not using them. Earning us money.

Edited August 25, 2017 by hughesie27

[3fingersreid]

That's basically the 1 single issue with them becoming mainstream. Who is responsible.

 

Their tests have shown that they are vastly better at avoiding accidents than humans are.

However when someone dies from an accident who is responsible?

 

We will soon see long distance freight drivers replaced by computerised vehicles and your uber won't have a driver called Jason picking you up anymore.

 

Elon Musk actually wants us to buy cars which we can then set times for them to become available as robot taxis whilst we are at work not using them. Earning us money.

Don't you swear at me again

along with myself and at least two others on here uber is a swear word of the highest order lol

[3fingersreid]

What's the covering over the tax office building on drumsheugh gdns made of and what's the point of it ?

[mutley]

What's the covering over the tax office building on drumsheugh gdns made of and what's the point of it ?

I've wondered that as well. It's like they have still to go back and finish it

[I P Knightley]

How come you can plug your phone in to a socket to charge and it will take a different time if you use a different cable?

 

Isn't it just wire with lecky running down it at the speed of sound or whatever?

 

How can some wire be slower than other wire?

[Justin Z]

How come you can plug your phone in to a socket to charge and it will take a different time if you use a different cable?

 

Isn't it just wire with lecky running down it at the speed of sound or whatever?

 

How can some wire be slower than other wire?

 

There is a transformer inside the thick part of the charger, and different transformers will take the AC current coming from the wall and convert it to various levels of DC current.  The cable too might have multiple wires within the one lead that carry say 500 milliamps current at 5 volts DC each, or just one that carries that. Or maybe another cable will tell the charger to only send 350 mA at most as that's all it's capable of carrying, and obviously that'll make a difference.

[FWJ]

I've got a digital radio at work. There's an alarm feature (I think) and maybe a 'snooze' and 'sleep' too, but I've never used any of that. I just switch it on and off.

 

At 2pm exactly every day it suddenly gets really quiet, still on but the volume is really low. Turning the volume dial makes no difference, I have to switch it off and back on again and it's fine.

At 3pm exactly it switches off.

It doesn't matter what time I switch it on in the morning or if I switch it off for a while during the day this happens at exactly 2pm and 3pm.

 

Have looked in the instruction book and tried fiddling with it but to no avail.

 

Weird.

[Pennywise]

I've got a digital radio at work. There's an alarm feature (I think) and maybe a 'snooze' and 'sleep' too, but I've never used any of that. I just switch it on and off.

 

At 2pm exactly every day it suddenly gets really quiet, still on but the volume is really low. Turning the volume dial makes no difference, I have to switch it off and back on again and it's fine.

At 3pm exactly it switches off.

It doesn't matter what time I switch it on in the morning or if I switch it off for a while during the day this happens at exactly 2pm and 3pm.

 

Have looked in the instruction book and tried fiddling with it but to no avail.

 

Weird.

It's obviously haunted.

 

Duh!

 

Sent from my VFD 600 using Tapatalk

[Riddley Walker]

I've got a digital radio at work. There's an alarm feature (I think) and maybe a 'snooze' and 'sleep' too, but I've never used any of that. I just switch it on and off.

 

At 2pm exactly every day it suddenly gets really quiet, still on but the volume is really low. Turning the volume dial makes no difference, I have to switch it off and back on again and it's fine.

At 3pm exactly it switches off.

It doesn't matter what time I switch it on in the morning or if I switch it off for a while during the day this happens at exactly 2pm and 3pm.

 

Have looked in the instruction book and tried fiddling with it but to no avail.

 

Weird.

Digital AIDS by the sound of it.

[I P Knightley]

There is a transformer inside the thick part of the charger, and different transformers will take the AC current coming from the wall and convert it to various levels of DC current.  The cable too might have multiple wires within the one lead that carry say 500 milliamps current at 5 volts DC each, or just one that carries that. Or maybe another cable will tell the charger to only send 350 mA at most as that's all it's capable of carrying, and obviously that'll make a difference.

It's all down to the wire: same charging port, same device, different wires.

 

How can you tell by looking at the cables whether it's a slow one or a fast one? They're identical. Why do people do this to me?

[robroy1874]

I've got a digital radio at work. There's an alarm feature (I think) and maybe a 'snooze' and 'sleep' too, but I've never used any of that. I just switch it on and off.

 

At 2pm exactly every day it suddenly gets really quiet, still on but the volume is really low. Turning the volume dial makes no difference, I have to switch it off and back on again and it's fine.

At 3pm exactly it switches off.

It doesn't matter what time I switch it on in the morning or if I switch it off for a while during the day this happens at exactly 2pm and 3pm.

 

Have looked in the instruction book and tried fiddling with it but to no avail.

 

Weird.

Intelligent beings from another galaxy are trying to contact you. They are only close for a limited period each day. Try speaking loudly to your radio in a welcoming voice - maybe use a code for them. Like repeating 5-1,5-1,5-1 over and over until they respond

[Justin Z]

It's all down to the wire: same charging port, same device, different wires.

 

How can you tell by looking at the cables whether it's a slow one or a fast one? They're identical. Why do people do this to me?

 

Okay.  It'll be the actual metal wires inside the cable then.  One will have thicker wires inside than the other, which can carry more current. 

[FWJ]

Intelligent beings from another galaxy are trying to contact you. They are only close for a limited period each day. Try speaking loudly to your radio in a welcoming voice - maybe use a code for them. Like repeating 5-1,5-1,5-1 over and over until they respond

Will they hear it through my tin foil hat?

[3fingersreid]

Given how many social problems are caused by drink , who decided having a Gin garden in St Johns church grounds in Lothian rd was a good idea ? A church encouraging drinking on their grounds seems a bit strange .

[bairdy]

Why are New Yorkers so rude? There really has to be a specific reason, they have to be some of, if not the rudest in the west.

My wife would agree with you, she says they're the rudest people she's ever met !

[iantjambo]

Would all the technology we have available now been possible when Man first walked the earth?

[peter_hmfc]

Can outfield footballers play in jogging bottoms, and can they roll up their shirt sleeves up over their shoulder?

[Paolo]

Can outfield footballers play in jogging bottoms, and can they roll up their shirt sleeves up over their shoulder?

They can't wear jogging bottoms.

[@VladMagic]

Who discovered (and was brave enough) to crack an egg, cook the thing and then eat it?

 

I mean its just come out of a chickens bottom but someone, someday decided "you know what, that thing thats just come out of that there chickens bum is going to get cooked and eaten".

[A Boy Named Crow]

Who discovered (and was brave enough) to crack an egg, cook the thing and then eat it?

 

I mean its just come out of a chickens bottom but someone, someday decided "you know what, that thing thats just come out of that there chickens bum is going to get cooked and eaten".

The same question could be applied to milk from a cow eh?

[John Gentleman]

Who discovered (and was brave enough) to crack an egg, cook the thing and then eat it?

 

I mean its just come out of a chickens bottom but someone, someday decided "you know what, that thing thats just come out of that there chickens bum is going to get cooked and eaten".

Evolution by observation would be my guess. Early man observed other mammalian species raiding nests and thought, "I might have a crack at that...." It was probably a bit of serendipity that led us to frying/boiling them.

A more modern example would be aircraft. The very early prototypes featured wings based on the anatomy of birds, ie, leading edge/trailing edge, ideal angle of attack etc. Once the physics of it all were plugged in, we had planes. Even today, engineers are continually refining wing design, given the increase in flexibility when using carbon composites in place of the more rigid alloys of the (near) past. 

Edited September 21, 2017 by John Gentleman

[@VladMagic]

The same question could be applied to milk from a cow eh?

 

This i think is different as its much the same as breast feeding which we have done since the time of apes. I would think a fairly safe assumption would be made that cows milk (good for the calf) is as mothers milk (good for the baby).

[@VladMagic]

Evolution by observation would be my guess. Early man observed other mammalian species raiding nests and thought, "I might have a crack at that...." It was probably a bit of serendipity that led us to frying/boiling them.

A more modern example would be aircraft. The very early prototypes featured wings based on the anatomy of birds, ie, leading edge/trailing edge, ideal angle of attack etc. Once the physics of it all were plugged in, we had planes. Even today, engineers are continually refining wing design, given the increase in flexibility when using carbon composites in place of the more rigid alloys of the (near) past. 

 

Agree with your theory on observation.

[AlimOzturk]

Do tech companies hold back technological advancements for profit purposes?

 

For example, has a new PlayStation already been invented but they are waiting on the ps4 sales to drop before releasing?

[peter_hmfc]

They can't wear jogging bottoms.

Can they roll up their sleeves over the shoulder?

[I P Knightley]

A lift will accommodate 16 persons. Why not 16 people?

 

I always assumed it was down to illiteracy and bumptiousness, in the same way that people will abuse "myself". 

 

But now I'm starting to believe I'm missing out on some conspiracy.

[I P Knightley]

Do tech companies hold back technological advancements for profit purposes?

 

For example, has a new PlayStation already been invented but they are waiting on the ps4 sales to drop before releasing?

Yes they do.

[Unknown user]

Do tech companies hold back technological advancements for profit purposes?

 

For example, has a new PlayStation already been invented but they are waiting on the ps4 sales to drop before releasing?

Yes, absolutely.

I worked for a veterinary medical company a few years ago, tech support on instruments that analyse blood, body fluids etc.

I found out that the launch of a new instrument was delayed by two years because of disappointing early sales of it's predecessor- they decided to keep the current line active until all the units were sold before going into production on the new, improved, one, which basically did the same job but quicker and more reliably.

[redjambo]

A lift will accommodate 16 persons. Why not 16 people?

 

I always assumed it was down to illiteracy and bumptiousness, in the same way that people will abuse "myself". 

 

But now I'm starting to believe I'm missing out on some conspiracy.

 

Persons is correct, being the plural of person. Traditionally, "people" (a word from a different root than "person") refers to "a group of persons sharing a culture or social environment" (see article below) but over time has been adopted by many as a replacement for "persons". In the case of the lift, since we're talking about disparate individuals, "persons" seems, to me anyway, to be more applicable.

 

https://www.dailywritingtips.com/people-versus-persons/

[I P Knightley]

Persons is correct, being the plural of person. Traditionally, "people" (a word from a different root than "person") refers to "a group of persons sharing a culture or social environment" (see article below) but over time has been adopted by many as a replacement for "persons". In the case of the lift, since we're talking about disparate individuals, "persons" seems, to me anyway, to be more applicable.

 

https://www.dailywritingtips.com/people-versus-persons/

Does that mean it's a bit like "less" v "fewer"? 

 

I have to say, it sounds clumsy but that's probably because I was taught that 'people' is the plural for 'person'. I think that was by a succession of teachers, maybe even my parents. So I was right: it's part of a conspiracy. 

[redjambo]

Can outfield footballers play in jogging bottoms, and can they roll up their shirt sleeves up over their shoulder?

 

No, it has to be shorts. Only the goalkeeper can wear tracksuit trousers.

 

As per FIFA's Equipment Regulations (pdf file): http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/51/54/30/equipmentregulations-inhalt-e_neutral.pdf

[redjambo]

Does that mean it's a bit like "less" v "fewer"? 

 

I have to say, it sounds clumsy but that's probably because I was taught that 'people' is the plural for 'person'. I think that was by a succession of teachers, maybe even my parents. So I was right: it's part of a conspiracy. 

 

Not really, because less and fewer have specific grammatical situations where they should be used.

 

In this case, it's just that over time a word has come to mean something that it wasn't originally used for i.e. "people" now also means multiple individuals as well as a cohesive social group of folk.

 

You're right though, "persons" does sound quite clumsy, probably just because we're unused to seeing it outside a legal context (with some exceptions such as the lift scenario).

 

Language is always evolving in this manner though and, for all intents and purposes, "person" now has two interchangeable plural forms, with the interloper actually usurping the original plural to such an overwhelming extent that the original sounds incorrect outside specific contexts.

[Bindy Badgy]

Do tech companies hold back technological advancements for profit purposes?

 

For example, has a new PlayStation already been invented but they are waiting on the ps4 sales to drop before releasing?

 

You also have companies gimping current lines to make people upgrade to better models. It's common in the camera industry where they will lower the frames per second or some other feature on lower spec models even if the hardware in it is capable of performing at the same rate as the more expensive model.

[Shanks said no]

As a teenager my mother regularly fed me Liver sausage, sliced and grilled, on sandwiches. Any that I have tried just falls apart in the grill. Where can I buy it?

 

PS I once asked a butcher this question in a swimming pool in Egypt but he didn't really answer me.