Today I Learned

[emceng]

TIL how to look forward to work and actually be cheerful walking in the door - don't do it at 7:30 AM, do it at 1 PM. Makes the whole day better.

I also had an awesome morning. Slept in a bit, played the piano, make french toast, played video games, paid the plumber $280, and the worked out.

[ArgonV]

MRI coils are only charged once. Their superconductivity is so large, the charge practically does not dissipate. I did not know that.

[Plasma Man]

TIL that some people that wish to promote breastfeeding style themselves as being "lactivitsts". I find this simultaneously terrible and awesome.

[shawnhcorey]

I learned that Mutual Aid, not fierce competition, is the most prevalent force in evolution.

[Armadillo Al]

Today I learned that typing '1000 miles' or some distance of about that order into WolframAlpha gives you "distance the Proclaimers would walk, just to be the man that walks a thousand miles to fall down at your door (1000 mi)"
I was very amused.

Today I learned that the line is apparently not "to be the man that walks a thousand miles before they'll latch the door".

[Torvaun]

Today I learned that typing '1000 miles' or some distance of about that order into WolframAlpha gives you "distance the Proclaimers would walk, just to be the man that walks a thousand miles to fall down at your door (1000 mi)"
I was very amused.

Today I learned that the line is apparently not "to be the man that walks a thousand miles before they'll latch the door".

I prefer the parody done by the Complainers. "I would walk 500 miles but that would make me too damn tired. So I'll break down and I'll buy a car so I can drive to the local bar."

[TimelordSimone]

TIL: Venoms and poisons are different things.

[Plasma Man]

Venomous things might be safe to eat. Poisonous things definitely aren't.

[TimelordSimone]

Venomous things might be safe to eat. Poisonous things definitely aren't.

Exactly! I totally thought they were basically synonyms.

[shawnhcorey]

Venomous things might be safe to eat. Poisonous things definitely aren't.

Exactly! I totally thought they were basically synonyms.

Still, I think I'll avoid both.

[Jave D]

Apparently there actually isn't an underwater basket weaving class at my city college.

Damnit!

[Panonadin]

Major in Journalism or something. Basically the same.

[Djehutynakht]

The official flag of Washington DC is the coat of arms for George Washington.

[Samik]

Yesterday I learned that I can comfortably house a 24 box of burgers from White Castle in under a half hour.*

Today I learned that there is a price for the above, to be paid by oneself and everyone around you.





(*We don't have them where I live, so I didn't really know what I was or wasn't getting in to. Wish I'd been bold and gotten the 30 box - I'm heading home soon, so likely won't get another chance. Also cannot find anyone to go toe to toe with me, so that takes a lot of the fun out of it.)

[DaBigCheez]

MRI coils are only charged once. Their superconductivity is so large, the charge practically does not dissipate. I did not know that.

Fun story: My father works as a medevac helicopter pilot for a hospital. This is in a fairly rural area, so they often have to go to other hospitals to pick up patients and bring them back to the hospital he works, which is in a more major city. One of the outlying hospitals was of steel-frame construction, and was not properly shielded, but they didn't realize this when they were installing the new MRI equipment.

Result: They have to fly by GPS/visual rather than compass when in the area of that hospital, as the building is now permanently magnetized and throws the compass completely out of whack while nearby.

[Garrett]

Today I learned that math is even more awesome than I thought and that you can use it in seemingly unrelated cases and get desired results. Like solution to the "Yet Another Hat Problem" (viewtopic.php?f=3&t=348). I was like "You can't be serious...*does some calculations for various cases*... oh god".

[nlduchno]

From http://www.randomfactcats.com :

[Kithplana]

Also from randomfactcats.com:

Also, Diet Coke floats in water, while regular Coca Cola sinks. This is probably because artificial sweeteners are less dense than sugar.

I knew someone once who drank a lot of Diet Coke, but he never got less dense...

[Giant Speck]

Today I learned that Lean Cuisine now has an entire line of vegetarian entrees.

[Soralin]

Also from randomfactcats.com:

Also, Diet Coke floats in water, while regular Coca Cola sinks. This is probably because artificial sweeteners are less dense than sugar.

I knew someone once who drank a lot of Diet Coke, but he never got less dense...

Are you sure about that? Fat is less dense than muscle or bone.

[e^iπ+1=0]

Also from randomfactcats.com:

Also, Diet Coke floats in water, while regular Coca Cola sinks. This is probably because artificial sweeteners are less dense than sugar.

I knew someone once who drank a lot of Diet Coke, and he got more massive, but less dense...

There. Funnier now, isn't it?

[SlyReaper]

From http://www.randomfactcats.com :

[userxp]

A male micro-USB connector fits quite well in a male USB-A connector.

[Panonadin]

TIL - That getting a job right now may actually be hard in the US.

I used to be a bit "blind" to "the current economy" because I have a secure job at a big company. Recently I tried though to get a second job for some extra income and came up completely empty handed. I didn't apply at anything "professional" just jobs I figured anyone could go out and get. I guess it's a good thing I have a job already otherwise I would be quite sad.

[The Scyphozoa]

A male micro-USB connector fits quite well in a male USB-A connector.

Related: a male USB-A connector fits quite well in some Ethernet ports.

[Ptolom]

A male micro-USB connector fits quite well in a male USB-A connector.

Related: a male USB-A connector fits quite well in some Ethernet ports.

Hmm, to make the obvious dirty joke or not...

[pseudoidiot]

Always

[Ptolom]

You can fit a penis in a computer port. If it's one of those very old fashioned DIN ones. I don't think it's compatible though.

[Kithplana]

Also, Diet Coke floats in water, while regular Coca Cola sinks. This is probably because artificial sweeteners are less dense than sugar.

I knew someone once who drank a lot of Diet Coke, but he never got less dense...

Are you sure about that? Fat is less dense than muscle or bone.

I knew someone once who drank a lot of Diet Coke, and he got more massive, but less dense...

There. Funnier now, isn't it?

I knew someone once who drank a lot of Diet Coke, but he never got any smarter. </explainingthejoke>

[roband]

You can fit a penis in a computer port. If it's one of those very old fashioned DIN ones. I don't think it's compatible though.

Not mine.

[Samik]

Today I learned that eating 4 full racks of ribs (48 bones) in an hour is, on the whole, not a good call.

The restaurant record was 72 (6 racks), so I didn't even have a respectable near miss* to show for what is sure to be several days of misery.



I think I'm retiring from this sort of thing. Guh.




*Though, to be fair, I had no idea, when I went to the restaurant, that today was all you can eat night, and that there was a record to be had. I'd eaten well today anyway, and had already put a beer in my stomach before starting. I wonder if I'd known about it in advance if I could have managed it better and done some damage to a fifth rack.

[Woopate]

TIL: how often I edit out the word "basically" from everything I write. It's a bizarre patten, but almost everything I write that isn't a report has a LOT of "basically" thrown in. And I've been good at taking it out while editing without noticing. Sometimes slips through, though.

It's like I have two opposing subconcious habits that cancel out. Wierd.

[Panonadin]

TIL: how often I edit out the word "basically" from everything I write. It's a bizarre patten, but almost everything I write that isn't a report has a LOT of "basically" thrown in. And I've been good at taking it out while editing without noticing. Sometimes slips through, though.

It's like I have two opposing subconcious habits that cancel out. Wierd.

I always edit out "Anyways" when trying to move on to a different thought or sentence. I don't know I just think it sounds stupid.

Anyways, onto other things.

[lucrezaborgia]

Recently I tried though to get a second job for some extra income and came up completely empty handed. I didn't apply at anything "professional" just jobs I figured anyone could go out and get. I guess it's a good thing I have a job already otherwise I would be quite sad.

I get badgered quite often by people who worked 3 jobs and did school full time. Somehow I'm lazy compared to them. Never mind that I'm disabled and I know people with degrees who can't find better jobs than delivering pizza right now.

[Panonadin]

I never badgered anyone, but I do understand now. I honestly thought in my head they just werent trying hard enough. That still will be the case for some I guess. I only put in about 10 online applications to places so it's not like I went door to door asking for managers but I "tried".

Sucks.

[lucrezaborgia]

I honestly thoght in my head they just werent trying hard enough.

A friend of mine is paying off a huge legal bill because of his psycho ex-wife. He's a teacher and he got a part-time job at Wal-Mart. The manager outright told him that they don't usually hire people with degrees because they are 'too smart' for the job and cause problems otherwise. My husband has been out of work for 3 years now and he finally gave up and went back to school about a year and a half ago. If you have been out of work for a while, it's the kiss of death. No one will consider your job application around here if you have been out of work for more than a few months.

My friend who is delivering pizza applied to one of the many customer service call centers around here and they all turned her down because she was 'too qualified' even though that type of job is a revolving door and they are practically always hiring. She went and got a degree and did everything she was told to do to be successful and all it's gotten her is a mountain of debt.

[SlyReaper]

"Remember kids, if you don't want to be serving burgers at McDonalds, you'd better get a degree."

"What do you mean you can't find a job after graduating? Just go serve burgers at McDonalds!"

[Panonadin]

The problem is though I tried McDonalds. I treid Burger King, and PIzza Hut and Family Dollar and 10 other "Anyone can get a job here" places. You know what I got? Exactly the things lucrezaborgia was talking about and/or not an answer at all. Some of the places even told me when I called to talk to HR that they have literally 164 applications to go through and they will call me back when they get to mine.

I am jacks eyes wide open. Job market sucks, yo.

[lucrezaborgia]

Some of the places even told me when I called to talk to HR that they have literally 164 applications to go through and they will call me back when they get to mine.

My husband was told something around 500+ applications for each open position whenever he tried calling to talk to someone.

[JBJ]

Tip - If you are applying to a franchise or fast food restaurant, do not go through corporate HR. Apply in person at the restaurant. Dress nice to at least business casual. Go on a weekday, preferably during a "slow" time, and ask for an application then ask if there is a general or regional manager available. If they aren't in or there, find out where they are at or when they will be in.

You're not going to stand out on paper more than anyone else for a fast food position. The store or regional manager is going to be the one making the hiring decision anyway. Better to have them size you up in person rather than pick a random application out of a stack of 200. Of the 3 jobs I had in high school/college for some part time money, I was hired within 10 minutes for each one as soon as I got it in front of the manager. For all the ones where I just put the application in the stack with everyone else, I never heard back.