The Imponderable Thread

[soulgeezer]

Do you know what an "imponderable" is? It's one of those questions that just seems to defy logic and that you can't even begin to conceive of what the answer might be.

For example, where does all the rubber go that wears off tires on the highway? Doesn't it seem like there should be mountains of rubber dust along every interstate in the US? Where does all that rubber go?

In this thread, post your "imponderables." If you know the answer to someone's question, feel free to post that, as well.

I'll start: Why do people talk louder when they talk on cell phones than on regular phones?

 

[Sonic_Death]

Why do people talk louder when they talk on cell phones than on regular phones?

Well I can think of a couple of reasons right off the bat.

Firstly, the reception on cell phones is typically a lot worse, thus people may try to talk louder to counteract it. With a landline telephone, the signal is fairly clear and there isn't that need to speak loudly so the other person can hear you.

Another possibility is that typically cell phones are used outside. Outside places being typically a noiser environment compared to inside a house or somewhere when you'd use a landline phone. So if I am outside in a possibly noiser environment, it is natural for me to try to talk louder.

 

[Atoz]

What would chairs look like if our knees bent the other way?

 

[soulgeezer]

What would chairs look like if our knees bent the other way?

If our knees bent the other way, our legs would fold under our butts and we wouldn't need chairs!

 

[Atoz]

If our knees bent the other way, our legs would fold under our butts and we wouldn't need chairs!

Well... that does it for me. I've got nothing.

 

[KeithBMI]

If a plane was trying to take off from a conveyer belt that was moving in the opposite direction...

Would it go anywhere?

 

[Atoz]

Before they had drawing boards, what did they go back to?

 

[Hawaii Islander]

Before they had drawing boards, what did they go back to?

Cave walls.

 

[soulgeezer]

Would a thousand monkeys sitting in front of a thousand typewriters for a thousand years really produce the complete works of William Shakespeare?

 

[Atoz]

Cave walls.

I gotta come up with something more difficult!

 

[soulgeezer]

Why are CD and DVD packages sealed on three sides, with the world's stickiest adhesive, *under* the shrink wrap? Shouldn't one side be enough?

 

[bassteban]

Didn't read much of this thread, but I do find this:

imponderable. I mean, the hair..?

 

[soulgeezer]

Didn't read much of this thread, but I do find this:

imponderable. I mean, the hair..?

Before yours, there are *11* posts. You couldn't take the time to read 11 one or two sentence posts?

Now, that's imponderable!

 

[bassteban]

Before yours, there are *11* posts. You couldn't take the time to read 11 one or two sentence posts?

Now, that's imponderable!

I skimmed.

 

[soulgeezer]

I skimmed.

 

[iamlowsound]

Would a thousand monkeys sitting in front of a thousand typewriters for a thousand years really produce the complete works of William Shakespeare?

No, there was a study done where a computer was put into a room with monkeys and after a month there were only a few letters on the screen, mainly the letter S.

lowsound

 

[Deathblade Eric]

If it's non-stick, how do they get it to stick to frying pans?

 

[Hawaii Islander]

No, there was a study done where a computer was put into a room with monkeys and after a month there were only a few letters on the screen, mainly the letter S.

lowsound

They were saying Ssh! Ssh! Telepathically they were saying that the stupid computer was listening to them.

 

[Atoz]

Why do people turn down the car radio when they're looking for an address?

 

[NamelessOne]

If a plane was trying to take off from a conveyer belt that was moving in the opposite direction...

Would it go anywhere?

It would take off just as fast as it would on a conveyor belt going the other way, or flat ground. It's air speed that matters. That's why airports are set up so they've got a runway facing directly into the prevailing wind.


and the rubber probably denatures into CO2, SO2, H2O, and all those other oxides. It isn't dust, it's part of the air.


The DVD cases are just a redundant example of misanthropic redundancy. The DVD sticker-applier union wants to make sure that they'll have work in the future, as downloading reduces the number of DVDs sold. So, if they force production to triple, they get more job security.


I can think of a reasonable answer to almost anything, so bring it...