Today I Learned...

[Jackie]

I looked it up too. Not that I don't believe you, but you know...just one of those people that I hoped lived forever. :(

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Jackie wrote: "I looked it up too. Not that I don't believe you, but you know...just one of those people that I hoped lived forever. :("


Me too, when I first saw it. There have been so many false reports of various actors' deaths, ya gotta be skeptical, right?

And hopeful...

[Becky]

Very sad. :( He was such a great actor.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

This week is entirely too fucked up for me. And I think I'm getting sick. If ever there was a time I wanted to play Garfield and pull the covers back over my head, it's this week.

[HomeInMyShoes]

When's the lasagna?

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

I had some microwave lasagna the other day. Took a bit, and decided it wasn't what I wanted...

[Mike (the Paladin)]

yeah, I'm sort of in mourning over Rickman to.

[Brenda ╰☆╮]

:'(

[[deleted user]]

Today I learned that steelcapped boots are only effective against contact with medium weight objects, since the steelcaps might bend inward and cut your toes off if the weight is too heavy.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Depends on where the weight hits... I wore those to back in the day.

So what hit your foot?

[[deleted user]]

Nothing, I just had a conversation with a working colleague.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Ahh, got it.

[Nyssa]

This week I learned:

1. There are over 200 viruses that can cause the common cold (which is one of the reasons why scientists can not create a cure).
2. The only effective method of reducing one's risk to a cold, that has been found repeatedly during cold remedy experiments is keeping your hands clean (You decrease your chances of getting sick by 20% to 30%).
3. There is a correlation (not causation) linked to being more susceptible if you experience high levels of stress.

So keep calm and carry hand sanitizer or better yet soap (since there has been concern about sanitizers not really sanitizing anything, and/or being less effective due to overuse).

[HomeInMyShoes]

Yep. Cleanliness is the best defense. Not having germ carrying kids is also a good preventative measure.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

We should have set up a death watch pool in the group.

Glenn Frey died today.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

:(

[Nyssa]

Today I learned, that while it is sweet to tell someone that they are 1 in a million, we are all infact, 1 in 64 trillion! Those are the odds of our receiving our particular combination of chromosomes.
In other words, we are each one possibility out of the 64 trillion genetically different children our parents could have produced together.

Life & Science are truly fascinating.

[[deleted user]]

Nyssa wrote: "Today I learned, that while it is sweet to tell someone that they are 1 in a million, we are all infact, 1 in 64 trillion! Those are the odds of our receiving our particular combination of chromoso..."

These are the odds for one single pair of parents, right?

[Nyssa]

Ekel wrote: "These are the odds for one single pair of parents, right?"

Yes.

[[deleted user]]

If another pair of parents randomly procreates, the odds would be even lower then, but it wouldn't be completely impossible for them to spawn a child with the same genetical characteristics?

[Nyssa]

Ekel wrote: "If another pair of parents randomly procreates, the odds would be even lower then, but it wouldn't be completely impossible for them to spawn a child with the same genetical characteristics?"

Each set of parents has the potential to create 64 trillion genetically different children.

As for the possibility of another couple creating the same genetic characteristics, seeing as we're technically all related, I wouldn't say it was impossible, just highly, highly improbable - except, maybe, in the case of identical twins marrying another set of identical twins.

Thats a good question.

[[deleted user]]

I think the sheer possibility that one day a genetical non-relative copy of you might be born as a result of pure natural causes would be just as amazing. Or the fact that an identical copy of you might have already lived on this earth ages ago...

Today I remembered the fact that science often classifies things not as impossible, but only highly improbable.

[Nyssa]

Ekel wrote: "I think the sheer possibility that one day a genetical non-relative copy of you might be born as a result of pure natural causes would be just as amazing. Or the fact that an identical copy of you might have already lived on this earth ages ago...

Today I remembered the fact that science often classifies things not as impossible, but only highly improbable. "

Exactly. :)

You make a great point about time. It would most likely take generations for something like that to happen, as there would not be enough births for true dopplegangers to exist at the same time. Scientist would also have to be looking for it, and people would have to be willing to share that information.

[Nyssa]

Heh, today I learned why so many smart people wear glasses.

Some scientists have found a link between high IQ and severe near sightedness. It is possibly a variant of what is called a pleiotropic gene. Pleiotropy is when a gene influences several unrelated traits.

Another pleiotropic gene effect is a condition called Marfan Syndrome. People with this syndrome tend to be unusually tall, with long arms and fingers, who also experience vision problems and have heart defects.

[Becky]

Nyssa wrote: "Some scientists have found a link between high IQ and severe near sightedness. "

What's my excuse? O_o

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I knew I had to smarter than everyone thought!

[Zippergirl]

"There are over twenty-two languages and scores of dialects spoken across the Indian country."

The Bounce!: A Story of Love, Loss and the Life of a Global Indian

From Mohan K.

[Zippergirl]

"However, try as they might, people manage to kill each other at only half the rate of mosquitoes. Perhaps in time, with sufficient diligence and ingenuity, humans can scratch and claw their way to the top of the list."

From Plagued, with Guilt

[[deleted user]]

Today I learnend that....

In Japan, there are places called animal cafes where adults who cannot own pets of their own can go to play and cuddle with animals. Here is footage from a rabbit cafe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3oVA...

[Dawn, Dawnerys, Mother of Modding]

They have cat versions of those in the US, a few near me in Michigan :-)

http://thecatsmeowcatcafe.com/

[Zippergirl]

"One recent study at the University of Oxford suggested a one in five chance of human extinction in the next century."

Plagued, With Guilt



"The Smithsonian explained that none of The Book of Mormon claimed Hebraic origins, foodstuffs, animals, metallurgy and claimed Egyptian-type language are consistent with new world archeological findings."

An American Fraud. One Lawyer's Case against Mormonism by Kay Burningham

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Uber has "Uber Kittens" and "Uber Puppies" I've heard. On specific days (times/seasons??) you can have kittens or puppies brought to your office to play with for about 30 mins, I think. Fee, of course.

I don't use Uber so I'm not sure of the particulars.

[Becky]

Uber... as in the pseudo-taxi service? O_O

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "Uber... as in the pseudo-taxi service? O_O"

Yup

[Becky]

Well ok then. Does the Uber driver have to supply their own puppy or kitten for the service?

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

I always say I should be able to bring in a cat for Bring Your Brat Child to Work Day.

Except my cats would go spastic, and it wouldn't end well for anyone, so probably best not...

[Mike (the Paladin)]

It could hard on the cats.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "Well ok then. Does the Uber driver have to supply their own puppy or kitten for the service?"

I...don't know. But that's a great question.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

colleen the fabulous fabulaphile wrote: "I always say I should be able to bring in a cat for Bring Your Brat Child to Work Day.

Except my cats would go spastic, and it wouldn't end well for anyone, so probably best not..."

I agree! My co-workers bring their pets kids to work all the time, why can't I bring my dog? My dog is quieter and better behaved (most of the time). As long as there are no kids to harass him (he hides from very young kids).

[Jackie]

colleen the fabulous fabulaphile wrote: "I always say I should be able to bring in a cat for Bring Your Brat Child to Work Day.

Except my cats would go spastic, and it wouldn't end well for anyone, so probably best not..."

Do people at your job actually bring their kids in for Work Day? Our office doesn't condone it. People bring in their kids or grandkids to show off every once in awhile, but it's a rare occurrence around here.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Today I learned that Overdrive renewals are annoying. I can renew and receive an email that tells me to take the book out again? So sad. So lame. So unbelievably poor from a user experience model.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Most books I get from Overdrive are on hold by other people when the return time comes so I have to get back in line.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Thankfully I'm a good 8-10 years behind the popular readin curve so that's not usually a problem. :)

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I'm in line for 3 books right now... Of course I usually have so many library books going I never get to my own books.

And that's literally not figuratively.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Jackie wrote: "Do people at your job actually bring their kids in for Work Day? Our office doesn't condone it. People bring in their kids or grandkids to show off every once in awhile, but it's a rare occurrence around here. "


Yes. But it's weird, because they don't do it on the national day, they do it on some day in the summer.

The company used to have events and things for the kids, so they weren't just stuck at their parents' desks the whole time, but they've dropped most of that.

Fewer people have been bringing their kids, because they're mostly bored all day.

That said, one of my coworkers did tell me that before she brought her sons last year she warned them that they weren't allowed to touch my toys. ^_^

[[deleted user]]

Becky wrote: "Well ok then. Does the Uber driver have to supply their own puppy or kitten for the service?"

I wonder if the kittens and puppies will be killed when they aren't cute anymore?

The things I've read about Uber so far seemed to hint at a Weyland-Yutani type of corporation...

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Ekel wrote: "Becky wrote: "Well ok then. Does the Uber driver have to supply their own puppy or kitten for the service?"

I wonder if the kittens and puppies will be killed when they aren't cute anymore?

The ..."

OMG. I pray not! I'm *hoping* the kittens & puppies are adoptable.

[Jackie]

colleen the fabulous fabulaphile wrote: "That said, one of my coworkers did tell me that before she brought her sons last year she warned them that they weren't allowed to touch my toys. ^_^ "

Ha! Well, I'm sure she wanted her kids intact by the end of the day. >:)

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Jackie wrote: "Ha! Well, I'm sure she wanted her kids intact by the end of the day. >:) "

I guess parents do try to keep their children in one piece, generally.

[Becky]

Yeah... I hear that they are like worms - if you cut them in half, you just end up with twice the worm. That's terrifying for some parents. That's why they hover to make sure that no injury comes to their kids. I'm sure of it.