The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[ZaftigWife]

Why don't fortune cookies actually have "fortunes" in them anymore? All the ones I get now (and not just from one place - different places) have proverbs or little sayings instead of fortunes.

I HATE those!  I grumble every time I get a non-fortune "fortune."

I call those Aphorism Cookies.

[ClaireC79]

It's bad luck to see a single magpie and saluting it takes away the bad luck

I don't know how or why that's meant to work. You only salute magpies which are alone though - I think it's part of the one for sorrow rhyme

[RedDwarf]

An emu stole my Aunt's icecream when she was little.
Emus get VERY enthusiastic.

Oh yes, and ticks can be a problem. I went camping in Innes National Park. We didn't realise they were ticks at first but I suspected. Our tent was absolutely covered in ticks *shudder*. Also ran across a dangerous snake that was rearing up... we ran like hell then on our way back made LOTS of noise and stomped around. If we were bitten we'd have been screwed, there was no phone reception and we'd only seen two other cars of people all day and the nearest town was at least an hour away most likely more.

[blue2000]

My question-who decided that mint was the fresh breath signifier?  Why mint? Why not chocolate? or vanilla? or orange?  When, why and how was it established that mint should equal fresh? 

At a guess I'd say because mint leaves were readily available years ago and leave a nice taste in your mouth. Chocolate, vanilla, and oranges are good flavours, but they wouldn't have been an after-dinner snack in the middle ages!

[ScubaGirl]

Is it really so dangerous to live in Australia? I have friends from there who I'm sure are trying to scare me when they talk about spiders and snakes, crocodiles and sharks etc etc etc and that I shouldn't come over because so many people aren't prepared and die.

But it doesn't seem to be in the news that all these naive tourists are dying over there so I think they're making it up!

Yes, it is the national joke. Not very funny, but what the hey...

There are some very real dangers to tourists in Australia but as mentioned previously it's mostly due to ignorance. An example would be that our brilliant surf life savers pull many many tourists from the water each year to save them from drowning because they don't know to swim between the flags and head off to the part of the beach where there are no swimmers and the water looks smooth - straight into a rip. Even then, many Australians know to swim across a rip, not fight it, and tourists don't.

But I guess any country has its dangers that locals know how to minimise. I met US citizens who lived somewhere where bears used to get into their garbage bins. I was horrified that they so calmly talked about porential killers going through their bins!

DH and I loved our 2 week visit to Australia in 2005.  We visited Sydney, Cairns, and spent a week scuba diving off Heron Island.  The most dangerous thing for us was trying to cross the traffic circles.  We would practically give ourselves whiplash looking one way and the other for traffic. 

[tnpenguinbaby]

My question-who decided that mint was the fresh breath signifier?  Why mint? Why not chocolate? or vanilla? or orange?  When, why and how was it established that mint should equal fresh? 

Mint's major claim to fame is that it settles your tummy.  That's why desserts are so often decorated with mint leaves - you were supposed to eat them as the last bite.  Back in the days of yore when meats were often covered with sauces to disguise the fact they were more than a bit 'off', folks chewed mint leaves to help with the inevitable gastric revolt that followed.  The fact it made your breath smell better was a bonus.  After someone invented Mylanta, (that was probably Ayle too  ) mint was relegated to a breath freshener 
Actually a better breath freshener is parsley, but I don't think "New! Improved! Wrigley's Parsley Gum!" is an advertising slogan we'll hear anytime soon LOL

[rashea]

Mint also has the natural effect of cooling. Since we associate cool with fresh, it makes sense that mint became known as a breath freshener. And that's more a regional thing. In other cultures they used things like licorice to freshen breath.

ETA: Putting your own corset on is much easier if it has a busk (the metal piece that lets it split in the front). Without that, you have to almost completely unlace it to get it off. And to do it up yourself you need very long laces.

The ones that went further down didn't go all the way down to the bottom of the buttocks in the back. They were also generally a less confining material.

Steel is really what changed corsets into something that can be enjoyable to wear in my opinion. It means they last longer, shape better, and do more. As a corset enthusiast (I make my own so they fit right) I love the steel bones available now, and hate the plastic things!

[Bexx27]

I am thinking of applying for a job. The announcement asks for a "sample of work." What is that? Is it the same as a writing sample? I've applied for a lot of jobs and never seen that before. (I would call and ask, but the ad says no calls.)

[CakeBeret]

I am thinking of applying for a job. The announcement asks for a "sample of work." What is that? Is it the same as a writing sample? I've applied for a lot of jobs and never seen that before. (I would call and ask, but the ad says no calls.)

I would say a writing sample geared towards your field. If you are applying for a management position, send a sample annual employee review. An engineering position, a sample of *whatever engineers write*. If it's a marketing position, maybe an outline of a proposed marketing campaign.

If you want to tell us what kind of position I'm sure we could help you think of something.

[wyozozo]

Is it really so dangerous to live in Australia? I have friends from there who I'm sure are trying to scare me when they talk about spiders and snakes, crocodiles and sharks etc etc etc and that I shouldn't come over because so many people aren't prepared and die.

But it doesn't seem to be in the news that all these naive tourists are dying over there so I think they're making it up!

Wow!! I made it home safely. Maybe I won't be so lucky after this next trip! LOL Although myself and my Australian hosts did joke quite a bit about: dingos, koalas, and snakes.

[DottyG]

dingos, koalas, and snakes.

Oh my.

(No, that doesn't quite fit! )

[Eisa]

That's because you forgot the drop bears.

[Luci45]

dingos, koalas, and snakes.

Oh my.

(No, that doesn't quite fit! )

Close enough, and someone HAD to say it. Considering your passion, I'm glad it was you.

[DottyG]

When you're in a car and start to skid (by hydroplaning, driving on snow/ice, whatever), people say to "steer into the skid."  Could you explain that to me to where I can know how to do it if I need to?

Am I turning my steering wheel left or right?  I can't quite get the grasp of which way I'm supposed to turn the wheel to prevent me from flipping the car or something.

And, exactly why am I doing that?  It seems like the natural instinct would be to try to steer onto the road again, right?  Are you saying to do the opposite?  I'm confused.

[secretrebel]

I know this one!

Let's say the car skids to the right, the means the car is going right but the wheels are still angled the way you originally had them. If you steer left, you're forcing the wheels in the opposite direction to the momentum of the car so while you *might* be able to turn the front end left the back end will then swing round risking that you will spin in the road.

If you steer *into* the skid, turning the wheels right, your wheels are then pointing the same direction as the car and you can hopefully regain traction on the ground and steer it gently back to straight again.

I hope I got that right!