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Author Topic: Useless Fact's Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-14-2007 05:34 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - Is it true that Twinkies never expire or go bad? It is definitely not true. Twinkies have a shelf life of 25 days -- which is actually a pretty long time for baked goods. The reason? They don't contain any dairy products. According to the official site Planet Twinkie, if you freeze them in a suitable plastic bag, they will keep for up to one month. If you'd like to learn more about America's favorite baked treat, check out these Twinkie facts of note: * About 500 million Twinkies are baked every year. * Twinkies originally had banana filling -- the current vanilla comes from a banana shortage during World War II. * Their name was inspired by an advertisement for Twinkle Toe Shoes. * You can make fake sushi with them. * According to Hostess, it takes approximately 45 seconds to explode a Twinkie in a microwave. (Please, just take their word on this.)  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-14-2007 05:53 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - What exactly are timeshares, and how do they work? A timeshare is a joint ownership or lease of vacation property by several people who take turns occupying the premises for fixed periods. Timeshares aren't deeded real estate, but are more akin to club membership. Timeshare "owners" lay claim to specific weeks during the year. The costs of these weeks vary with popularity. For instance, on Cape Cod, a sunny, summer week will cost you more than a brisk October respite. Timeshares work in a number of ways. They are often condominiums or apartments in popular vacation areas. Management companies maintain them and sell weekly lots. Timeshares aren't generally considered good real estate investments due primarily to their low resale value. They're usually billed as an alternative to future vacation costs. Those thinking about joining the club will want some advice on getting the most for their money and avoiding scams.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-15-2007 10:31 AM                        Rated G Useless fact - What happens to a person's debt when they die? Debts aren't automatically buried with the deceased. A person's debts must be repaid from funds or property owned in life. Generally, debts must be paid off before the inheritance can be distributed. The person executing the will may have to sell the deceased's property for funds to pay the debts. Of course, if the person dies broke and in debt, creditors don't get paid. Those left behind don't usually inherit debts. But if you bequeath property that is collateral for a debt, the new recipient gets the debt along with the property. For example, if your house mortgage isn't paid off and you leave the house to your sister, she's stuck with the mortgage, too. If you're married when you die, your spouse may be liable for your debts if you live in a community property state. In these states, the earnings and debts incurred during the marriage are equal property of the husband and wife. The remaining spouse could be liable for all debts of the deceased spouse. And it's true what they say about death and taxes. If you made enough money, the government will take its cut when you're gone. The state and federal estate tax laws are changing, but there's a chance your heirs will owe.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-15-2007 11:00 AM                        Rated G Useless fact - Can a pregnant woman drive in the carpool lane legally? As if the burden of sharing your body with another person isn't enough, it still does not even legally entitle you to use the carpool lane. With certain exceptions, carpool lanes are reserved for vehicles carrying multiple occupants. And according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, "An occupant is any person who occupies one seat in the vehicle. Pregnant mothers count as one occupant." That leaves little room for doubt for mommies-to-be in the Tarheel State. Although the laws governing use of carpool or HOV lanes vary by state, Georgia, Virginia, and California all concur that an unborn baby does not count as an occupant. This hasn't stopped many pregnant women from testing the limits and even going to court on the issue. Rumor has it that one pregnant woman, pulled over in California, took the case to court and won, but we wouldn't recommend trying it. And for the record, pets and cadavers don't count as occupants either.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-17-2007 10:06 AM                        Rated G Useless fact - What's the difference between a computer virus and a computer worm? As the security team at Symantec notes, viruses are nasty computer programs designed to travel from file to file within a single computer. Worms, on the other hand, are specifically engineered to travel between computers. This isn't to say that viruses can't travel between computers. Much like a burr on bear fur, viruses hop rides on email attachments sent by humans. Worms, however, are much nastier -- they don't need host programs to propagate. A really bad worm can infect thousands of passively networked computers in a matter of hours. Worms may not damage the individual computers, but they can definitely jam up a network. Fortunately, they afflict more network administrators than home users. Another variant of computer nasty is the Trojan horse. These pernicious programs are written to disguise their damage. Trojan horses can also carry hidden spyware, so watch out, file traders. It's a dangerous world out there -- safety pays in many ways.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-17-2007 02:34 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - How did they figure that there are seven dog years to one human year? The old rule of thumb that dogs age seven times as fast as humans comes from dividing the average human life span by the average canine life span. But it's not very accurate. As one link points out, most dogs reach adulthood in roughly 18 months, which would be the equivalent of a 10-year-old child. Also, while a 15-year-old dog would be considered the equivalent of a 105-year-old person, many more dogs live to be 15 than humans live to be 105. The handy Online Conversion site suggests that a more accurate formula would be: 10 and 1/2 dog years for the first two years, then four dog years per year. Maxie Beagle offers a scaled chart that distinguishes between small and large dogs (smaller breeds tend to live longer). DogAge measures your dog's biological age in human years according to factors such as breed, weight, lifestyle, and behavior. You'll find another handy lifespan chart at (where else?) DogYears.com.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-18-2007 08:49 AM                        Rated G Useless fact - Is it really dangerous to put metal in the microwave? Who among us hasn't had the impulse to stick a can of SpaghettiOs in the microwave and see if the whole thing will, maybe like, you know... blow up? Or at least black out every household in the neighborhood? Well, while the occasional spoon left in your microwaving coffee cup won't necessarily win you a Darwin Award, this little rogue science experiment is still not without consequence. The problem has to do with a phenomenon called "arcing." Without getting all Mr. Science on you, it seems microwaves electrically charge the air between a metallic object and the metal contained in the oven walls. This ionized air produces an electric current like a small bolt of lightning that can spark. Sparking in the microwave is more likely when metal with sharp edges, such as forks or even crinkled aluminum foil, is left inside. And the arcing effect can actually melt or burn thin metal layers like those found in mugs with metal trim. Thus, the FDA recommends that you don't use metal and aluminum foil in a microwave, as they can damage the oven and also cause your food to cook unevenly. And while you're exercising caution, don't forget that just boiling water in a microwave can be dangerous as well.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-18-2007 12:08 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - Is 0% unemployment possible? Not only is 0% unemployment impossible, it's not recommended. A healthy economy will always include some percentage of unemployment. There are four broad types of unemployment: * Frictional unemployment: This is simply the time it takes a company to match a qualified job applicant with the right position. It also includes people who are between jobs. * Seasonal unemployment: Certain industries are more affected by the weather than others. Construction and agriculture, for instance, reduce workforces in the winter. * Structural unemployment: This is unemployment that results from fluctuating consumer taste and/or technological innovation. If a worker has the opportunity to learn new skill sets, or move to a new employer, that's OK. If not, it can be problematic -- witness the recent debate over outsourcing. * Cyclical unemployment: This is joblessness that arises from changes in production volumes. Companies increase or reduce their production according to how much the economy can handle. Repeated cyclical unemployment is a bad thing -- it means the economy is weak and consumers aren't buying. Unnaturally low unemployment can actually hurt the economy by pressuring wages, which can lead to higher production costs and prices.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-18-2007 01:45 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - Are you more likely to go bald if you often wear a hat? According to the Y chromosome sages at AskMen.com, the answer is no. It's important, however, to let your scalp "breathe" for at least seven hours each day. The column goes on to shoot down several other balding myths. Hair products, trauma, playing with your hair, and sunbathing won't cause hair loss. In the case of trauma, there have been reported incidents of hair growing back white, but not falling out. We found some details on the causes of hair loss at familydoctor.org. Contrary to popular belief, hair loss in men is often a result of an overproduction of male hormones. Of course, a healthy diet is important, and extreme stress is never good. The late Roger Maris, who lost his famous crewcut while pursuing Babe Ruth's home run record, is a prime example of stress-related balding. Head hair grows at an average rate of half an inch per month. Hairs grow for an average of two to six years, then "rest" before falling out.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-20-2007 01:54 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - How do car companies name their new models? From the Accord to the Zephyr, car manufacturers have come up with some pretty interesting names for their models. But finding a compelling name for a new car requires ingenuity, intensive research, and a little luck. Some car companies hire a brand consulting firm to suggest model monikers. The consultants may come up with as many as 1,000 names, which they winnow down to a few to present to the client. Other times, the name is developed by employees of the car company. Sometimes, the code name for a model under development becomes the final name, as in the case of the Chrysler Crossfire. Over at Honda, a product planner came up with the name Insight for Honda's first hybrid vehicle. At Chrysler Canada Ltd., all members of the team developing a new model take part in naming it. Other manufacturers use the results of focus groups and consumer research, which can indicate names car buyers feel more favorable toward. Car makers that want to emphasize the name of the make rather than the model (such as Lexus and BMW) may choose simple alphanumerics for names -- some combination of letters and numbers or just letters.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-20-2007 08:26 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - Can I copyright my own word? We've often wondered if the unique word we utter after stubbing our toe was copyrightable. Certainly, we wouldn't want others using it -- at least not without attribution. We went right to the source of all things copyrightable, the U.S. Copyright Office, for guidance. According to the Copyright Office, "titles, names, short phrases, and slogans" are "generally not eligible for federal copyright protections." We're not legal experts, but we assume that your word qualifies as a "short phrase." Copyright laws were developed to encourage creativity and stifle plagiarism. WhatIsCopyright.org tells us that copyrights can protect literary, scientific, and artistic work --"provided such works are fixed in a tangible or material form." That generally means that it has to be recorded in some way: written on paper, preserved on tape or film, or saved on your computer. Copyright offers protection for authors of original works, whether or not the works are published. If you want to string some words together to create a song, poem, or story and write them down, then you'd potentially have material protected by copyright laws.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-20-2007 09:14 PM                        Rated G Is it harmful to play really loud music in a car? Yes, in more ways than one! Prolonged listening to music over 85 decibels loud -- about the sound level of busy city traffic -- can cause permanent noise-induced hearing loss. Though it takes about 8 hours to harm your ears at 85 decibels, crank the tunes up to 110 decibels, and it only takes a minute and a half to endanger your hearing. You might be surprised to know that normal speaking is around 60 decibels, a baby crying is about 110, and an airplane taking off is around 140. Car stereos can blast music at levels of 140 decibels and above. Human ears adjust to sound over time, so you may not realize that the music you are playing is loud enough to be harmful. Besides the damage you're doing to your ears, a university study found that listening to loud sound in cars decreases reaction time and decision-making ability, cutting off the vital fraction of a second it takes to avoid an accident. So booming music while cruising in your car increases your chances of getting into a wreck. Some concerned citizens want to prevent people from playing loud thumpin' music in their cars. But there are those who love listening to car-shaking music. The most extreme bass-lovers participate in decibel drag-racing.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-21-2007 10:36 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - Were Post-it Notes really created by accident? Post-it Notes are one of the all-time greatest " now why didn't I think of that?" inventions. The pads of stick-able paper have been an office essential for years, but were they really an accidental creation? Our answer: kinda yes, but mostly no. It's true the adhesive wasn't originally intended to be used on pieces of paper. Spencer Silver had created the substance with the hopes it would be much stickier. In fact, his find was pretty much forgotten until years later when a second man named Art Fry remembered Silver's not-so-sticky substance. Fry was sitting in church, seeking a way to easily access the various hymns in his hymnal. He had a brainstorm that Silver's creation applied to the back of paper could make it easier to flip back and forth to different pages. The two mad scientists got together, 3M (their employer) made a lot of money, and one of the most recognized brands in the world was born. Today the two are equally credited with inventing Post-its -- one came up with the adhesive, and the other found a practical use for it. Goes to show it pays to get a second opinion before tossing anything, accidental or not, out the window.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-22-2007 05:24 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - Who should I tip for the holidays? We know what you're thinking. "Sheesh, even the deli has a tip jar, now I gotta tip the mailman just because it's Christmas?" Well, yes. While completely optional, giving a little something extra to those who provide services throughout the year is customary. The good news is you needn't go into hock. An excellent article from CNN Money suggests appropriate holiday tips for babysitters, hairstylists, and mail carriers, keeping in mind that cash isn't always the way to go. In fact, give your mailman an envelope full of greenbacks in excess of $20, and you're breaking the law, buster. The Original Tipping Page also offers a helpful checklist of people you may want to show a little love to this holiday season. Garbage collectors, parking attendants, and newspaper delivery people should all be on your list, provided you're not mortal enemies with any of them. How much (or what) to tip is obviously up to you. In short, it's a good idea to tip those people who made your life easier over the course of the year.  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-23-2007 07:49 PM                        Rated G Useless fact - How does the legend of Santa Claus vary throughout the world? The legend of Santa Claus has been around longer than the jolly old fellow himself. The story begins with Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor (what is now Turkey). He died and was buried there in 340 A.D., leaving behind a legacy of incomparable kindness and generosity. During the Medieval Crusades (1095-1270 A.D.), Italian soldiers found his remains and took them to Italy. A church in the city of Bari was built in his honor, and soon, Christian pilgrims all over the world came to visit. These pilgrims took the legend of St. Nicholas back and spread it throughout their native lands. Germany, France, and Holland celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on December 6 In Holland, Sinterklaas sails in on a ship on December 5. He carries a big book with the names of good children. Those who've been bad are taken away by his assistant, Black Peter. German children wait for Christkindl ("Christ child") to bring them gifts on Christmas Eve. In Italy, La Befana, a kind old witch, brings presents on January 6. Children in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden believe in a lively elf called Jultomten who delivers presents with the help of his Yule goat, Julblock. So although the specifics of Santa Claus change from place to place, the legend's giving spirit is universal.  |  IP: Logged

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