Questions you've always wanted answered

[Callum Todd]

https://www.audiolinks.com/blog/mike-vs-mic/

As I suspected, mike is the preferred grammatically, particularly when used as a verb, but the shift to mic is likely due to abbreviations on actual equipment, where the extra letter takes more space and adds no clarity.

By the way, if I see "mic" I read it in my head as "mick".

It's probably as as simple as on a cassette player there is only enough space for 3 letters next to the microphone jack but apart from using it as a word in Scrabble I wouldn't use it as an abbreviarltion unless I have limited characters left on a form or message

What does the label say on the slot on a cassette player where you plug your bicycle in?

[Marc Meakin]

Are you taking the mic ?

[Philip A]

Why is a golf score of 3 strokes under par known as a double eagle across the Atlantic? Surely a double eagle would be 4 stokes under par (2 strokes times 2).

[Marc Meakin]

Why is a golf score of 3 strokes under par known as a double eagle across the Atlantic? Surely a double eagle would be 4 stokes under par (2 strokes times 2).

Maybe missing a 3 foot par put should be called a Rory

[Mark James]

Saw this on twitter but it was a good question and I have thought about it before. You know how, sometimes, you miss your exit on a roundabout and have to go around again? How long can you keep driving around a roundabout, not taking any exits before some sort of law enforcement would intervene? Presumably, everyone else is driving off the roundabout so would anyone really notice that you've been on it an inordinate amount of time?

[Fiona T]

Saw this on twitter but it was a good question and I have thought about it before. You know how, sometimes, you miss your exit on a roundabout and have to go around again? How long can you keep driving around a roundabout, not taking any exits before some sort of law enforcement would intervene? Presumably, everyone else is driving off the roundabout so would anyone really notice that you've been on it an inordinate amount of time?

Still vaguely amused by Tom Carey doing 2.5 bike laps of a roundabout outside Michelstown in Ireland cos he couldn't work out how he was supposed to get across the traffic to get off Thought I was gonna have to go rescue him!

https://www.strava.com/activities/7313536476

[Marc Meakin]

Saw this on twitter but it was a good question and I have thought about it before. You know how, sometimes, you miss your exit on a roundabout and have to go around again? How long can you keep driving around a roundabout, not taking any exits before some sort of law enforcement would intervene? Presumably, everyone else is driving off the roundabout so would anyone really notice that you've been on it an inordinate amount of time?

I would have thought if it was a "bird dropping" type roundabout you might get a bit dizzy

[Callum Todd]

Saw this on twitter but it was a good question and I have thought about it before. You know how, sometimes, you miss your exit on a roundabout and have to go around again? How long can you keep driving around a roundabout, not taking any exits before some sort of law enforcement would intervene? Presumably, everyone else is driving off the roundabout so would anyone really notice that you've been on it an inordinate amount of time?

A related one: let's say you're approaching a roundabout but the left turn lane is queueing a lot, while the right lane (for straight on or turn right) is empty. Is it dodgy to take the right lane, go all the way around the about (about 450 degrees) and then come off at the 'first' exit on your second pass of it, effectively overtaking most of the queue you would have been in if you had taken the left lane to take first exit normally?

I confess I have done this a few times before and consider it a life hack. As far as I know it's perfectly legal but I may be mistaken. You are the (road) ref.

[Fiona T]

Saw this on twitter but it was a good question and I have thought about it before. You know how, sometimes, you miss your exit on a roundabout and have to go around again? How long can you keep driving around a roundabout, not taking any exits before some sort of law enforcement would intervene? Presumably, everyone else is driving off the roundabout so would anyone really notice that you've been on it an inordinate amount of time?

A related one: let's say you're approaching a roundabout but the left turn lane is queueing a lot, while the right lane (for straight on or turn right) is empty. Is it dodgy to take the right lane, go all the way around the about (about 450 degrees) and then come off at the 'first' exit on your second pass of it, effectively overtaking most of the queue you would have been in if you had taken the left lane to take first exit normally?

I confess I have done this a few times before and consider it a life hack. As far as I know it's perfectly legal but I may be mistaken. You are the (road) ref.

I have done it, but generally tut at people who do it! When I do do it, I always let someone out the queue

[Marc Meakin]

The Origins of ID.
I as in I and D as in Dentification (Norm McDonald in case anyone accuses me of plagiarism).

[Gavin Chipper]

The dentification bit must be because they often have to identify people from their dental records if their body is too far gone. I think it's I, Dentification like I, Robot. We got there in the end.

[Mark James]

The Origins of ID.
I as in I and D as in Dentification (Norm McDonald in case anyone accuses me of plagiarism).

As much as I love Norm and that joke in particular, where else could you make the cut-off? IT, IF, IC, IA?

[Marc Meakin]

The Origins of ID.
I as in I and D as in Dentification (Norm McDonald in case anyone accuses me of plagiarism).

As much as I love Norm and that joke in particular, where else could you make the cut-off? IT, IF, IC, IA?

Another very funny joke/story is when they gave each state a 2 letter code starting with AL for Alabama then you get Alaska .....don't think that was Norm though

[Mark James]

The Origins of ID.
I as in I and D as in Dentification (Norm McDonald in case anyone accuses me of plagiarism).

As much as I love Norm and that joke in particular, where else could you make the cut-off? IT, IF, IC, IA?

Another very funny joke/story is when they gave each state a 2 letter code starting with AL for Alabama then you get Alaska .....don't think that was Norm though

https://youtu.be/dLECCmKnrys?si=hhbQygGHwRsct9ex

Amazing. They brought in a contractor.

Also, the Norm bit features in possibly my favourite 6 minute comedy set of all time.

https://youtu.be/OwlxYYtqHfc?si=b_H-Zg7xu2cBVAdS

[Marc Meakin]

I didn't even know or remember that Norm died in 2021 it must have been around the time my mum died

[Gavin Chipper]

Is Duo Lingo actually a good way to learn a language? I've never used it, but I know loads of people who have been using it for ages and I'm not convinced any of them can do anything more than ask for bread or the way to the station.

[Callum Todd]

Is Duo Lingo actually a good way to learn a language? I've never used it, but I know loads of people who have been using it for ages and I'm not convinced any of them can do anything more than ask for bread or the way to the station.

I haven't used it too intensively but the impression I get is that by using Duolingo regularly you can indeed get very good at... Duolingo. I think the returns of that skill in real-world conversation are very low.

[Matt Rutherford]

Is Duo Lingo actually a good way to learn a language? I've never used it, but I know loads of people who have been using it for ages and I'm not convinced any of them can do anything more than ask for bread or the way to the station.

I haven't used it too intensively but the impression I get is that by using Duolingo regularly you can indeed get very good at... Duolingo. I think the returns of that skill in real-world conversation are very low.

Flashcard vocab in the same way you flashcard anagrams. Learn the vocab, then find a way to use it. If you have a convo partner, that can help.

Think about kids. They learn words first, then how to string them together with grammar by usage. Know the vocab, then go far Grammar. And Duolingo has all the usefulness of Rishi Sunak in a food bank

[Marc Meakin]

Is Duo Lingo actually a good way to learn a language? I've never used it, but I know loads of people who have been using it for ages and I'm not convinced any of them can do anything more than ask for bread or the way to the station.

I haven't used it too intensively but the impression I get is that by using Duolingo regularly you can indeed get very good at... Duolingo. I think the returns of that skill in real-world conversation are very low.

Flashcard vocab in the same way you flashcard anagrams. Learn the vocab, then find a way to use it. If you have a convo partner, that can help.

Think about kids. They learn words first, then how to string them together with grammar by usage. Know the vocab, then go far Grammar. And Duolingo has all the usefulness of Rishi Sunak in a food bank

I'm too old to learn a language.
I would have more luck with Dua Lipa than Duo Lingo.
Thank god for Google translate

[Adam Gillard]

Think about kids. They learn words first, then how to string them together with grammar by usage. Know the vocab, then go far Grammar.

Not quite - if I recall correctly from my studies, the grammar comes pretty early on around the babbling and single word stage. By the time the child has enough vocab to string together into sentences, the grammar is already pretty well embedded.

As for Duolingo, I agree with what you and others have said - it's good for vocab but I see it as a supplement to conversational language learning, e.g. in a class or other social context. It won't help you learn a language by itself, although it could help you beat your Greek PB on apterous.

[Mark Deeks]

Who paid cowboys?

[Tal Lessner]

Who paid cowboys?

I assume cow owners?

[Marc Meakin]

I've seen baby snails but has anyone seen a snail being born ?

[Marc Meakin]

Who paid cowboys?

Is a cowboy even a job.
I mean rancher I get but cowboy is just an all encompassing name for those that fought the Indians (indigenous people )

[Mark Deeks]

So, that day last year when it got to like 42 degrees - how? It's not like the sun got any nearer. I don't understand weather.

[Gavin Chipper]

It's to do with air currents and stuff. The air temperature is not purely down to the sun's radiation - not directly anyway. Wind can blow from different directions and some places are hotter than others etc.

[Marc Meakin]

It's to do with air currents and stuff. The air temperature is not purely down to the sun's radiation - not directly anyway. Wind can blow from different directions and some places are hotter than others etc.

There's definitely a noticeable difference in the city versus in the country,.
The is a lot of heat generated from shops , homes , offices etc.
Also by the coast it's generally cooler
Having lived in all 3 areas , I prefer to live near the coast

[Mark James]

Why is the football, an actual good sport at the Olympics, never on the telly yet they'll show shite like Rugby 7s and synchronised swimming?

[Mark James]

Actually, I feel bad saying Rugby 7s. That's not too bad. Dressage, however, is on at the moment when we could be watching Argentina vs Ukraine.

[Gavin Chipper]

So, that day last year when it got to like 42 degrees - how? It's not like the sun got any nearer. I don't understand weather.

I find the difference in UV ratings from day to day for equally sunny days stranger.

[Marc Meakin]

How do Eels reproduce ?
They don't appear to have any sexual organs.
Surely there is footage somewhere ?

[Mark Deeks]

Does anyone else regularly do just one hiccup, on its own? And if so, do you also find that your mouth seems to open especially for the occasion, no matter how shut it was before?

[Marc Meakin]

Does anyone else regularly do just one hiccup, on its own? And if so, do you also find that your mouth seems to open especially for the occasion, no matter how shut it was before?

I'm assuming that it's alcohol related given the time of your post and I'm such a lightweight I seldom drink enough for it to happen.

This is the part you tell me your teetotal and I'm talking out of my arse (more than normal )

[Mark Deeks]

I'm teettoal and you're talking out of your arse. (Sorry, but, I actually am.)

[Marc Meakin]

I'm teettoal and you're talking out of your arse. (Sorry, but, I actually am.)

I'm blaming Occams razor.
Random post at 1am it must be alcohol related.
As an insomniac and also virtually tea total I should have realised

[Ian Volante]

Does anyone else regularly do just one hiccup, on its own? And if so, do you also find that your mouth seems to open especially for the occasion, no matter how shut it was before?

Yep, I like to think I've learnt to make sure it's only one. And yes, it's often loud. And I don't drink much at all, nothing to do with that.

[Mark Deeks]

Of all the human behaviours I don't understand, not putting the shopping trolley back is one of the most baffling. Why wouldn't you put the trolley back? Not only is it the right thing to do, since you made the mess in the first place, but also, you get to do that thing where you put one trolley in another trolley, and then maybe another trolley, and then gather them all up like some sort of trolley snake shepherd train. Choo choo, you bastards.

[Andres Sanchez]

Of all the human behaviours I don't understand, not putting the shopping trolley back is one of the most baffling. Why wouldn't you put the trolley back? Not only is it the right thing to do, since you made the mess in the first place, but also, you get to do that thing where you put one trolley in another trolley, and then maybe another trolley, and then gather them all up like some sort of trolley snake shepherd train. Choo choo, you bastards.

As someone that works AT a grocery store, I have so many fucking peeves as a cashier. This is one of them, and not only that but I've seen people leave the cart IN THE CASHIER AISLE, leaving such an obstruction. We have a corral for carts in about 3 different spots and I love the people that use them correctly.

[Fiona T]

Of all the human behaviours I don't understand, not putting the shopping trolley back is one of the most baffling. Why wouldn't you put the trolley back? Not only is it the right thing to do, since you made the mess in the first place, but also, you get to do that thing where you put one trolley in another trolley, and then maybe another trolley, and then gather them all up like some sort of trolley snake shepherd train. Choo choo, you bastards.

Well for people with kids especially, at the point you've unloaded the shopping into the car, you've probably also got your kids strapped in, so abandoning them to return the trolley is a problem. The solution would be to make sure they have return bays right by the parent parking bit.

[Marc Meakin]

Of all the human behaviours I don't understand, not putting the shopping trolley back is one of the most baffling. Why wouldn't you put the trolley back? Not only is it the right thing to do, since you made the mess in the first place, but also, you get to do that thing where you put one trolley in another trolley, and then maybe another trolley, and then gather them all up like some sort of trolley snake shepherd train. Choo choo, you bastards.

As someone that works AT a grocery store, I have so many fucking peeves as a cashier. This is one of them, and not only that but I've seen people leave the cart IN THE CASHIER AISLE, leaving such an obstruction. We have a corral for carts in about 3 different spots and I love the people that use them correctly.

Not to mention the teenagers and younger that like to sit in them in the car park.
I said to a group of the recently , I hope you haven't been slitting in THAT trolley as a tramp died in it earlier.
They never moved so fast

[Gavin Chipper]

How did "Banksy" - aka Robin Gunningham - become a thing? The media just decided that he was and started reporting on him. This didn't come from the general public appreciating his work. There was no public consultation about this and no questioning about the quality of his work. I can only imagine that he had a friend that worked for The Guardian or something and it all went from there.

On the Banksy thing then - you will probably have noticed that he's been quite active recently and therefore in the news. And one of his pieces of graffiti was defaced! I mean, he's a graffiti artist. Everything he does is "defacing".

Graffiti is supposed to be transient and if you remove it from its context to "save" it, it's lost a lot of its point. Just like when people make elaborate ice sculptures or sand castles, they're not there to last.

Plus as graffiti, it's just as illegal as any other. But it's been decided for us (by e.g. the BBC and the Guardian) that he's the guy we should be revering. He has no more right than anyone to graffiti places, including people who decide to "enhance" his work. Whether he likes it or not, he's firmly part of the establishment now, protected by society's powers that be. I think it's slightly sinister and I can quite understand those small acts of rebellion against it.

[Fiona T]

How did "Banksy" - aka Robin Gunningham - become a thing? The media just decided that he was and started reporting on him. This didn't come from the general public appreciating his work. There was no public consultation about this and no questioning about the quality of his work. I can only imagine that he had a friend that worked for The Guardian or something and it all went from there.

On the Banksy thing then - you will probably have noticed that he's been quite active recently and therefore in the news. And one of his pieces of graffiti was defaced! I mean, he's a graffiti artist. Everything he does is "defacing".

Graffiti is supposed to be transient and if you remove it from its context to "save" it, it's lost a lot of its point. Just like when people make elaborate ice sculptures or sand castles, they're not there to last.

Plus as graffiti, it's just as illegal as any other. But it's been decided for us (by e.g. the BBC and the Guardian) that he's the guy we should be revering. He has no more right than anyone to graffiti places, including people who decide to "enhance" his work. Whether he likes it or not, he's firmly part of the establishment now, protected by society's powers that be. I think it's slightly sinister and I can quite understand those small acts of rebellion against it.

I think that's kinda the point. Throughout the history of art, artists have been questioning what art is, from impressionists to cubists, to modern artists. Why is a pile of bricks in the tate modern any different to me arranging bricks in my garden?

There is fantastic graffiti in the Leake Street tunnels by waterloo station - well worth a visit if you're in the area, which you might be for Co:Lon in a couple of weeks!

[Gavin Chipper]

I think that's kinda the point. Throughout the history of art, artists have been questioning what art is, from impressionists to cubists, to modern artists. Why is a pile of bricks in the tate modern any different to me arranging bricks in my garden?

There is fantastic graffiti in the Leake Street tunnels by waterloo station - well worth a visit if you're in the area, which you might be for Co:Lon in a couple of weeks!

Maybe I will have a look.

But anyway, with art, I think the problem is that what gets decided to be good or great art is decided by this small shadowy elite. With e.g. modern music, although radio stations and Spotify can push certain songs, ultimately what is good music is decided by the masses who choose to listen to it or not. It's much more democratic. I've said previously that if you didn't already know that the Mona Lisa was this great piece of art, you probably wouldn't decide that it was. Why don't people have copies of the Mona Lisa on their wall like they listen to The Beatles?

[Marc Meakin]

I think that's kinda the point. Throughout the history of art, artists have been questioning what art is, from impressionists to cubists, to modern artists. Why is a pile of bricks in the tate modern any different to me arranging bricks in my garden?

There is fantastic graffiti in the Leake Street tunnels by waterloo station - well worth a visit if you're in the area, which you might be for Co:Lon in a couple of weeks!

Maybe I will have a look.

But anyway, with art, I think the problem is that what gets decided to be good or great art is decided by this small shadowy elite. With e.g. modern music, although radio stations and Spotify can push certain songs, ultimately what is good music is decided by the masses who choose to listen to it or not. It's much more democratic. I've said previously that if you didn't already know that the Mona Lisa was this great piece of art, you probably wouldn't decide that it was. Why don't people have copies of the Mona Lisa on their wall like they listen to The Beatles?

You can't get more subjective than art in all it's forms.
Many people hate the Beatles.
Millions love Taylor Swift and I can't see this appeal.
I would rather look at Eschers or Gigers work than Van Gough or Picasso

[Marc Meakin]

Apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere but what is the fastest swimmer with limbs.
Someone said a Platypus but I'm not convinced

[Callum Todd]

Apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere but what is the fastest swimmer with limbs.
Someone said a Platypus but I'm not convinced

My money would be on a turtle

[Fiona T]

Apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere but what is the fastest swimmer with limbs.
Someone said a Platypus but I'm not convinced

I think you first need to define a limb.

Is a flipper a limb?

I suspect that if platypuses do swim fast, it's more their tails than limbs.

What about beavers? (in the context of this question, not inviting more general musings...)

[Gavin Chipper]

There seems to be some suggestion that the fastest swimmer that lives on land is the Countdown appropriate gentoo penguin. Living on land could work as a proxy for having limbs.

[Callum Todd]

Oh yeah didn't even think of penguins, good shout.

[Callum Todd]

Doesn't answer your question but about 20 years ago the BBC aired a show called the Animal Games and it was fucking brilliant

[Marc Meakin]

Apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere but what is the fastest swimmer with limbs.
Someone said a Platypus but I'm not convinced

I think you first need to define a limb.

Is a flipper a limb?

I suspect that if platypuses do swim fast, it's more their tails than limbs.

What about beavers? (in the context of this question, not inviting more general musings...)

I think the definition I was looking for is a land animal with limbs

[Mark Deeks]

Those of you that drive - do you also have recurring dreams about speed cameras going off even when you weren't speeding, or cars that never stand completely still no matter how hard you moosh the brakes, or is it just me?

[Gavin Chipper]

Those of you that drive - do you also have recurring dreams about speed cameras going off even when you weren't speeding, or cars that never stand completely still no matter how hard you moosh the brakes, or is it just me?

I don't. I sometimes get dreams when I'm driving but I'm outside the car and my vision is obscured.

[Fiona T]

Those of you that drive - do you also have recurring dreams about speed cameras going off even when you weren't speeding, or cars that never stand completely still no matter how hard you moosh the brakes, or is it just me?

I have lots of horrible driving dreams. Sometimes I'm driving but I'm in the back seat (the front seats are missing) and have to lie down to reach the pedals and can't see out. Other times I'm hurtling down a winding hill steering wildly and unable to slow the car down, bumping into stuff all round me. Basically in all of them it's fair to say I'm not in control of the vehicle!

[Marc Meakin]

I think it's probably as result of a lot of driving.
I dream about shelf stacking and train related dreams as I do a lot of both

[Mark Deeks]

Those of you that drive - do you also have recurring dreams about speed cameras going off even when you weren't speeding, or cars that never stand completely still no matter how hard you moosh the brakes, or is it just me?

I have lots of horrible driving dreams. Sometimes I'm driving but I'm in the back seat (the front seats are missing) and have to lie down to reach the pedals and can't see out. Other times I'm hurtling down a winding hill steering wildly and unable to slow the car down, bumping into stuff all round me. Basically in all of them it's fair to say I'm not in control of the vehicle!

I have those, especially the driving-from-the-back one! Bloody irritating. But none more irritating where no matter how hard I press the pedal, the car won't stop. Not in a careen-down-a-hill since, but it juuuuuuuuuuust won't stay completely still. Always rolling one mile an hour in some direction. Fucking infuritating. And happens a lot.

[Mark Deeks]

Why do car boots take place so bloody early? Just passed a sign for one that said 7am to 12pm. Well then I'm not bloody going to your bloody thing, am I? Why can't they be like 9-3?

[Marc Meakin]

Why do car boots take place so bloody early? Just passed a sign for one that said 7am to 12pm. Well then I'm not bloody g down in the morning its easier to canceloing to your bloody thing, am I? Why can't they be like 9-3?

I've been going to them for 30 years (though not for a few years.
I've set up stalls too so you have to go even earlier to set up.
I've always put it down to a traffic thing as they are mostly on a Sunday you kinda wanna get in and out and home in time for your Sunday lunch.
Also I guess the weather is important too so if it's pissing it down it can be cancelled before the customers come.
Plus who wants to walk around the field in blazing sunshine with no shade.

Though I've been to indoor boot sales and they are still open at the crack

[Jon O'Neill]

Why do car boots take place so bloody early? Just passed a sign for one that said 7am to 12pm. Well then I'm not bloody going to your bloody thing, am I? Why can't they be like 9-3?

I've always assumed it was because of two things:

1. Buyers want first dibs
2. Sellers want the best spots

So both have a self-perpetuating requirement to get there earlier and earlier.

[Gavin Chipper]

What happened to those buskers on the London underground? There used to be set spots for them. I don't think I've seen one for ages.