Did you know.....

[Jay]

....that chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

TRUE : I tested this a few times (i recommended this to others) since I read this and it's completely true. Mind you, this doesn't mean you should be cutting them 6 inches from the eyes but still... very cool.


It's that time again! Go out there and find some interesting facts to post. Please only post one at a time. Make sure they are interesting... or maybe even useful!

 

[Hylian]

The best way to keep a soda that has been shaken up from squirting all over is to tap the sides of the can and than open it slowly.

 

[Jay]

Why tap it on the sides???



Every time you sneeze some of your brain cells die.

 

[Thread Necromancer]

According to a study produced by the faculty and students at the University of California at Berkeley, the world produces about 5 exabytes of unique information per year (an exabyte is a billion gigabytes). Email generates about 400,000 terabytes of new information each year worldwide.
Using the disk transfer rate of 100 Mbits per second (a typical value these days), it would take over 12,675 years to save 5 exabytes to a single disk.

Study, although appears a few years old

 

[Hylian]

Why tap it on the sides???

Supposedly when you shake it the carbonation bubbles are pushing against the sides of the can. So by tapping the sides you are supposed to dislodge the bubbles and make them go to the top. Also the opening slowly helps release the pressure slowly so it's not a sudden volatile eruption.

 

Why tap it on the sides???

Supposedly when you shake it the carbonation bubbles are pushing against the sides of the can. So by tapping the sides you are supposed to dislodge the bubbles and make them go to the top. Also the opening slowly helps release the pressure slowly so it's not a sudden volatile eruption.

By that logic, the bubbles would be pushing equally on all sides, so tapping the top or even bottom would work just as well.

 

[sixpackshaker]

I normally tap the top.

 

[Hylian]

Why tap it on the sides???

Supposedly when you shake it the carbonation bubbles are pushing against the sides of the can. So by tapping the sides you are supposed to dislodge the bubbles and make them go to the top. Also the opening slowly helps release the pressure slowly so it's not a sudden volatile eruption.

By that logic, the bubbles would be pushing equally on all sides, so tapping the top or even bottom would work just as well.

the bubbles are pushing equally yes. the sides have more surface area so supposedly it would knock more bubbles to the top than if you tapped the top.

 

Why tap it on the sides???

Supposedly when you shake it the carbonation bubbles are pushing against the sides of the can. So by tapping the sides you are supposed to dislodge the bubbles and make them go to the top. Also the opening slowly helps release the pressure slowly so it's not a sudden volatile eruption.

By that logic, the bubbles would be pushing equally on all sides, so tapping the top or even bottom would work just as well.

the bubbles are pushing equally yes. the sides have more surface area so supposedly it would knock more bubbles to the top than if you tapped the top.

It's a moot point anyway since it is wrong. http://www.snopes.com/science/sodacan.asp

 

[CynicismKills]

....that chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

TRUE : I tested this a few times (i recommended this to others) since I read this and it's completely true. Mind you, this doesn't mean you should be cutting them 6 inches from the eyes but still... very cool.


It's that time again! Go out there and find some interesting facts to post. Please only post one at a time. Make sure they are interesting... or maybe even useful!

Also, it helps to have something cold around your eyes afterward, too. I always walk into the walk-in fridges or point a fan at my face. Dries up your tear ducts until the fumes pass.

 

[Gusto]

One time I made the mistake of stacking/lining up five onions on the automatic deli slicer at work, assuming that the onions would cut so fast that my crying defense wouldn't activate. I think it went a little something like this:

"Oh cool, it worked! I'm some kinda geni- HOLY SHIT CHRIST FUCK MY EYES ARE BLEEDING"

I took a 15 minute break immediately thereafter.

 

[Tinwhistler]

swallowing a packet of sugar (like they serve for coffee/tea at restaurants) without fluids will cure hiccups.

 

[Jay]

swallowing a packet of sugar (like they serve for coffee/tea at restaurants) without fluids will cure hiccups.

What?!? Why! Awesome.

To take an oath, ancient Romans put a hand on their testicles. That’s where the word “testimony” comes from.

 

[Tinwhistler]

swallowing a packet of sugar (like they serve for coffee/tea at restaurants) without fluids will cure hiccups.

What?!? Why! Awesome.

I'm told it soothes the vagus nerve. It has always worked for me, and everyone I've ever told it to. Most sure-fire hiccup cure I've ever run across.

 

[Rob King]

Contrary to everything I had been taught while growing up, there are regions in Africa where it is not only legal, but encouraged to hunt Elephants. Elephants are apparently quite destructive, so if one shows up near your town, many of your crops and buildings are at risk. A town at risk puts in a call in to a game hunting company, a big game hunter gets the call and then goes to shoots the elephant.

Apparently the usual arrangement is that the hunter keeps the tusks, and the village gets to keep the elephant meat (which is apparently more valuable than the tusks anyhow).

 

To take an oath, ancient Romans put a hand on their testicles. That’s where the word “testimony” comes from.

I wonder if that also is where saying someone, "Has balls," came from? Like if you broke your word, the other person could castrate you. So, if you broke your word and got away with it, then you'd be said to, "Have balls."

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

swallowing a packet of sugar (like they serve for coffee/tea at restaurants) without fluids will cure hiccups.

What?!? Why! Awesome.

To take an oath, ancient Romans put a hand on their testicles. That’s where the word “testimony” comes from.

half of this thread is just not true

[Q] From Ron Ferguson: I just saw this on the Net and wondered if it was true: was the word testify based on men in the Roman court swearing to the truth of a statement on their testicles?

[A] I’ve seen that, too. This would seem as good a moment as any to scotch the story. There really is a strong link between testicle and testify (as well as attest, intestate, testament, contest and other words) but those who swear by this belief have misunderstood the matter.

The Latin word for a witness was testis, which derives from an Indo-European word for the number three. That was because the Romans regarded a witness as what we would call a trusted third party, one who stands aside from the dispute and can tell it how it really was.

From here: http://209.85.129.104/search?q=cache:9f ... =firefox-a dunno if that link works, I found it through the talk page of the wikipedia entry.

 

[sixpackshaker]

swallowing a packet of sugar (like they serve for coffee/tea at restaurants) without fluids will cure hiccups.

What?!? Why! Awesome.

I'm told it soothes the vagus nerve. It has always worked for me, and everyone I've ever told it to. Most sure-fire hiccup cure I've ever run across.

Holding your breath and swallowing 3 times works just about as well.

 

[Jay]

It's quite possible some fact are fake, still entertaining!

Coffee drinkers have sex more frequently than non-coffee drinkers.

 

[rac3r_x]

....that chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

TRUE : I tested this a few times (i recommended this to others) since I read this and it's completely true. Mind you, this doesn't mean you should be cutting them 6 inches from the eyes but still... very cool.

Wish I had known this 20 years ago, although it may not have helped, had a job for about 45minutes at a restaurant/bar, first day of work at 7am they wanted me to chopped up enough onions to fill 2 5 gallon buckets. I got through the first bucket, not just my eyes but my entire face felt like it was on fire. Walked up to the guy in charge for the shift and said sorry I can't do this, punched out and left the building, went home took a shower and about 5 hours later my eyes finally stopped tearing.

Everytime you sneeze your heart stops, also it is impossible to keep your eyes open when you sneeze.

 

Everytime you sneeze your heart stops, also it is impossible to keep your eyes open when you sneeze.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D5fJYHbK7k:3vf5z0ms][/youtube:3vf5z0ms]

 

Earth girls are easy.

 

[Jay]

Earth girls are easy.

Here's something for you dave,

By the age of 60, most people have lost 50% of their taste buds.

 

Earth girls are easy.

Here's something for you dave,

By the age of 60, most people have lost 50% of their taste buds.

Then I have to use what I have left. I have about 16 years.

Now I'm going to be going around looking for things to lick.

 

[Fun Size]

Earth girls are easy.

Here's something for you dave,

By the age of 60, most people have lost 50% of their taste buds.

And 90% of their hootie firmness.

 

47.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

 

[JCM]

....that chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

TRUE : I tested this a few times (i recommended this to others) since I read this and it's completely true. Mind you, this doesn't mean you should be cutting them 6 inches from the eyes but still... very cool.

I just cut onions with mouthful of water in my mouth, works the same way.

 

[Rob King]

Earth girls are easy.

Whatcha gonna do, little buckaroo?

 

[Gusto]

Apparently drinking coffee can stop an asthma attack, although I've never had the two at the same time myself.

 

[drawn_inward]

swallowing a packet of sugar (like they serve for coffee/tea at restaurants) without fluids will cure hiccups.

What?!? Why! Awesome.

I'm told it soothes the vagus nerve. It has always worked for me, and everyone I've ever told it to. Most sure-fire hiccup cure I've ever run across.

I put a paper towel over a glass of water and drink through the paper towel. That works every time for me. I'll try the sugar though.

 

[PatrThom]

I've kept my eyes open while sneezing.

Keeping a candle burning close by also helps cut down on the sulfur compounds that get released and cause eyes to burn. They burn because onion gas reacts with your tears to form sulfuric acid (H2O + H2S = H2SO4 + byproducts)! Ouch! I suppose using a platinum knife would help, too, but who has one of those?

The pointy 'princess hat' is actually called a 'hennin.'
The houppelande was the last unisex European costume until the modern age (pants!).

(Last two courtesy of Kati, who watches over the herd of stuff I never bothered to learn)

--Patrick

 

[Thread Necromancer]

The first coin operated machine ever designed was a holy-water dispenser that required a five-drachma piece to operate. It was the brainchild of the Greek scientist Hero in the first century AD.

 

[Dave]

NECRO!!!

 

[Hylian]

wise fwom your gwave

 

[Thread Necromancer]

NECRO!!!

Yes Dave?