In the “I can’t believe anybody wasted time thinking about this or studying it when they could be using their brain for something useful” category we have this:
Anybody care to put it to the test? While we’re at it, why don’t we study another of life’s little mysteries: Why is it that when you’re in a hurry, you will ALWAYS pick the line in the grocery store that’s moving the slowest? And it doesn’t matter if you switch to a line that appears to be moving faster…that line will then automatically slow to a crawl.
I go to the grocery store early enough so that there is only one line. But picking the slowest lineup happens at the Canada-US border. I once got in a line with only one car ahead of me but the customs inspector took about 15 min talking to them. Then for some bizarre reason he asked me if I was with the people in the first car. That was the only time I’ve displayed any anger toward a customs agent. The biggest mystery of all, though, is where the socks that are missing from the dryer go. I doubt that one will ever be solved.
So, if you ever need to be measured and height is going to count as important, arrange to be measured right after a long nap??? (Unless you are trying to be shorter.)
No. Here’s the biggest mystery. Today I got my kid packed up for 2 weeks at camp. And I had to go buy a flashlight.
Why, with 4 kids, each of whom has been to camp 3 or 4 times, do I not have a camp-worthy flashlight somewhere around the house?
I can honestly say I’ve never lost a sock in the dryer. I did find a strange bra in my bed one day - it was in between two blankets…and no, it had no reason being there. I’m still not sure who it belonged to because I rarely have visitors, it wouldn’t fit either me or my daughter, and the only people who had visited in the previous few weeks claimed it didn’t belong to any of the female members of their party. I sent it to them anyway. It made me nervous having it around.
I believe most “lost” items are made that way. I mean, they are made by the manufacturer intentionally to evaporate or vaporize or something so you have to go buy more.
There’s at least one theory: There is a finite maximum number of socks in the universe. Any time someone makes or purchases a new pair, two socks have to disappear from dryers elsewhere. Sometimes, a third sock will get caught in the wake of a disappearing sock and get transported to someone else’s dryer, accounting for the occasional appearance of strange socks.
This sort of research isn’t obviously useful but it could have value. I think something like 7 out of every 10 males over the age of forty have back trouble. I bet the stats aren’t much better for women. As one of the 7, I welcome any back research.
One of the things politicians (and many of the general public) don’t understand about pure research is that there is no way of knowing which bits will have applications and which bits won’t. Conservative politicians in particular seem to find this built in wastefulness especially distasteful and mystifying, an attitude very strange in the light of the fact that they don’t seem bothered by the fact that failed businesses are inherently wasteful.
Actually, boring and pointless research is no more fun than doing any other mind-numbing job. The main reason I can see that somebody would apply for a grant to do it would be that they think the results might be important or they want the time to do research on the side that nobody will fund. I suppose someone with no interesting ideas at present might apply for a grant to keep a team together for a big venture later on, but usually those people will find a way to keep the work interesting. Some other professors apply for grants to do very boring work. They don’t do any of it themselves; they simply use the publications to help build careers in university management.
If your doctor ever does a height/weight check, make sure you get it done first thing in the morning, and it might save you having to lose a few pounds.
I made the mistake of having mine after doing a 24 hour route march carrying a 40lb pack. At least, I think that must be true, 'cos I can’t possibly THAT overweight.
That HAS to be it!
I can honestly say that I have found someone else’s weird sock in my dryer. I wear only cotton socks because I have a slight reaction to synthetics, and lo and behold, a men’s polyester sport sock turns up one day!
They might send a $300 million dollar probe over to my house to check!
They might try to use my actual washing machine as the next “Deep Impact” probe instead of a “washing machine sized” hunk 'o metal, y’know, save a buck or two. Think of the royalties…hmm. Aston Martin’s Vanquish would look great next to my '64 mini.
…but by the time that happens, Virgin Gallactic might get there first, eh?
Sara
