Silly questions you've always wanted to ask, but never have! - Page 3

kchess79 · 5 Jan 2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chipper
In a somewhat related vein, I'm trying to remember what I did when my post count reached 666. I can't recally if I posted twice just to get to 667 or if I deliberately kept it at 666 just to see what people might say.

I think I hovered around 666 for awhile, too, just for the heck of it

But I do remember that when I hit 11 posts, I waited until I found three threads to comment on, so I could go up to 14.

robert@fm · 14 Jan 2006, 04:52 AM

Is there any truth to the story I once heard, that Brazil got its name from the Irish legend of a land "far to the west" called Huy Braseal(sp?)?

Malc 44 · 9 Feb 2006, 06:54 PM

Why do moths come out at night and hang around lights?

_Malc

DrStrabismus · 10 Feb 2006, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by robert@fm
Is there any truth to the story I once heard, that Brazil got its name from the Irish legend of a land "far to the west" called Huy Braseal(sp?)?

The COED and Wikipedia both say it's named after the brazil tree that grew there, and was use for making red-dye. The word is Portuguese for ember.

robert@fm · 11 Apr 2006, 02:07 AM

Having recently watched my DVD of Educating Rita, I wonder:  Does Michael Caine's lines in the movies he does always include his catchphrase, "Not many people know that"?  I think this line was in Batman Begins as well...

Chipper · 26 May 2006, 05:28 AM

Two questions: The phrase "phone it in"
1) Does this mean "to give a half hearted effort"?
2) Where does this phrase originate from?

***Edwin*** · 26 May 2006, 04:42 PM

Why do blatantly obvious things like packets of peanuts or walnuts often say "contains nuts" or (worse) "may contain nuts" on their packaging?

And a bonus: why does it seem that many, many more people have nut allergies these days? When I was a kid (not THAT long ago), I'd never even heard of anyone having problems eating nuts, now you hear horror stories all the time.

robert@fm · 26 May 2006, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Edwin
And a bonus: why does it seem that many, many more people have nut allergies these days? When I was a kid (not THAT long ago), I'd never even heard of anyone having problems eating nuts, now you hear horror stories all the time.

One hypothesis I've come across is that the incidence of young children being given nuts, and nut products such as peanut butter, is vastly increased from what it was only two or three decades ago; nuts contain some pretty complicated proteins, and if a child is young enough that its immune system is still in the learning stage, said immune system could mistake the nut protein for a virus and sensitise the body against it.

To add plausibility to this, it's said that only in Western cultures (where young children are allowed nut products) is there widespread incidence of nut allergy.

DrStrabismus · 28 May 2006, 05:41 AM

It's also curious that peanuts trigger a "nut allergy" when they are actually a form of pea, and their only connection with nuts is the name. Is this some form of Nominative determinism?

What makes it odder is that you never hear of pea allergies.

Rip Slagcheek · 28 May 2006, 09:58 AM

my only food allergies (not serious) are peas and peanuts - both are legumes. the roasting process in the US has been discussed as a possible reason for the high incidence of peanut allergies.

The Storm · 28 May 2006, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Edwin
Why do blatantly obvious things like packets of peanuts or walnuts often say "contains nuts" or (worse) "may contain nuts" on their packaging?

I reckon!! There was an ad on tv for the new Subway sub with peanut subway dressing - and at the bottom of the screen - may contain nuts!?

You'd reckon it'd be obvious huh!

**JeffK** · 28 May 2006, 02:50 PM

As The Storm would know, it's pretty bad if you've got a peanut allergy where I live.

Jeff

The Storm · 28 May 2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JeffK
As The Storm would know, it's pretty bad if you've got a peanut allergy where I live.

Jeff

Hehe true, I went thru kingaroy on route to the tropics bout ten years ago when I was 12. And I can still remember the massive peanut farms on the outskirts of town. And for some reason massive corn/cotton?? storage sheds/silo's as well.

xbot · 6 Jun 2006, 02:38 PM

Why is it that on this Dasani water bottle it says "Non-Carbonated". Show me a water bottle company that makes carbonated water O_O.

I also wonder - why does said water bottle have nutrition facts? Not only that, but the number of servings is 2, and there's 0 grams of everything there. Why would you number the servings to 2 in a water bottle? That's like slicing a nut in half and then giving someone both halves of the nut. Why do it?

It's like they exceeded federal regulations.

robert@fm · 24 Jun 2006, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Edwin
And a bonus: why does it seem that many, many more people have nut allergies these days?

The current issue (24 June 2006) of New Scientist has an interesting article on this very subject, though sadly reading the entire article requires a subscription...

14 Jan 2006, 04:52 AM	#32
robert@fm The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 4,681	Is there any truth to the story I once heard, that Brazil got its name from the Irish legend of a land "far to the west" called Huy Braseal(sp?)?

9 Feb 2006, 06:54 PM	#33
Malc 44 Essential Contributor Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 365	Why do moths come out at night and hang around lights? _Malc

11 Apr 2006, 02:07 AM	#35
robert@fm The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 4,681	Having recently watched my DVD of Educating Rita, I wonder:  Does Michael Caine's lines in the movies he does always include his catchphrase, "Not many people know that"?  I think this line was in Batman Begins as well...

26 May 2006, 05:28 AM	#36
Chipper Master of the @ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Greenbelt, MD (USA) Posts: 1,278	Two questions: The phrase "phone it in" 1) Does this mean "to give a half hearted effort"? 2) Where does this phrase originate from?

26 May 2006, 04:42 PM	#37
*Edwin* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: UK Posts: 3,118	Why do blatantly obvious things like packets of peanuts or walnuts often say "contains nuts" or (worse) "may contain nuts" on their packaging? And a bonus: why does it seem that many, many more people have nut allergies these days? When I was a kid (not THAT long ago), I'd never even heard of anyone having problems eating nuts, now you hear horror stories all the time.

28 May 2006, 05:41 AM	#39
DrStrabismus The "e" in e-mail Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 2,804	It's also curious that peanuts trigger a "nut allergy" when they are actually a form of pea, and their only connection with nuts is the name. Is this some form of Nominative determinism? What makes it odder is that you never hear of pea allergies.

28 May 2006, 09:58 AM	#40
Rip Slagcheek Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NYC // Texas Posts: 72	my only food allergies (not serious) are peas and peanuts - both are legumes. the roasting process in the US has been discussed as a possible reason for the high incidence of peanut allergies.

28 May 2006, 02:50 PM	#42
JeffK Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Kingaroy, AU Posts: 3,177	As The Storm would know, it's pretty bad if you've got a peanut allergy where I live. Jeff

6 Jun 2006, 02:38 PM	#44
xbot Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 922 Representative of: xxos.us	Why is it that on this Dasani water bottle it says "Non-Carbonated". Show me a water bottle company that makes carbonated water O_O. I also wonder - why does said water bottle have nutrition facts? Not only that, but the number of servings is 2, and there's 0 grams of everything there. Why would you number the servings to 2 in a water bottle? That's like slicing a nut in half and then giving someone both halves of the nut. Why do it? It's like they exceeded federal regulations.