Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 2]

[marshalla]

wildone63 said:

Why do so many magazine articles begin with the first letter of the first word being in a much larger font than the rest?

It's a hangover from the days of illuminated manuscripts. Monks used to do it, so everybody does.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscrip...

[goldblum]

marshalla said:

wildone63 said:

Why do so many magazine articles begin with the first letter of the first word being in a much larger font than the rest?

It's a hangover from the days of illuminated manuscripts. Monks used to do it, so everybody does.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscrip...

Hmm, not so sure, but it's a possibility. Monks used to do a lot of others things in their manuscripts that aren't copied. Some first chapters in books start with the same kind of enlarged font.

[lord trumpton]

Why do prescription tablets come in packs of 28? We only have 1 month that has 28 days.

I had to have a 6 month course of tablets once. The prescription could only be renewed each month and each month the pack contained 28. Grrrr

Stupid I say!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

lord trumpton said:

Why do prescription tablets come in packs of 28? We only have 1 month that has 28 days.

I had to have a 6 month course of tablets once. The prescription could only be renewed each month and each month the pack contained 28. Grrrr

Stupid I say!

So you don't overdoes in February?

[ATTAK Z]

lord trumpton said:

Why do prescription tablets come in packs of 28? We only have 1 month that has 28 days.

I had to have a 6 month course of tablets once. The prescription could only be renewed each month and each month the pack contained 28. Grrrr

Stupid I say!

They come in 4 sets of 7 tablets marked Mon Tue etc. ... this helps people to check if they've taken their daily tablet

[iva cosworth]

Anyone know why there's lots of 20 something's walking about central London in onesies and other silly outfits.

I didn't know what to search .......

[goldblum]

goldblum said:

marshalla said:

wildone63 said:

Why do so many magazine articles begin with the first letter of the first word being in a much larger font than the rest?

It's a hangover from the days of illuminated manuscripts. Monks used to do it, so everybody does.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscrip...

Hmm, not so sure, but it's a possibility. Monks used to do a lot of others things in their manuscripts that aren't copied. Some first chapters in books start with the same kind of enlarged font.

The question intrigued me so I've done a bit of scouting around. It appears that a mix of marshalla's and my own observations seem to give a semi-worthy explanation. Simply put, the style (i.e. periodical, weekly, pictorial, article, fully illustrated) of the magazine or book determines the font size or illustration. It used to be the case that the more illustrated the content, the more the font might copy the medieval manuscript style. However when a non-illustrated magazine, book, paper etc displays larger fonts it seems it's simply a matter of style. For some types of magazines there are rules, for others not.

[H22observer]

iva cosworth said:

Anyone know why there's lots of 20 something's walking about central London in onesies and other silly outfits.

I didn't know what to search .......

Dragons, dinosaurs and Minions?

[Dr Jekyll]

Does Clive James still sound Australian to Australians or does he sound English?

Similarly does Sir Terry Wogan still sound Irish to the Irish?

[bazza white]

goldblum said:

Shaolin said:

gwm said:

Follow up questions if I may...

Can an insect fly through heavy rain? I mean, are insects water proof to something that is relatively as big as they are?

I vaguely recall reading that they are mainly small enough to get pushed out of the way by the air in front of the raindrop. So they get a very rough ride and don't have an easy time, but generally survive rather than being splatted down by the drops.

These aren't bothered by raindrops:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-206...

There was a cricket not far off that size in mexico. The local told us they are scared of nothing, it didn't even flinch when we were dumping stuff next to it. I don't mind insects but even I kept my distance.

[Halb]

goldblum said:

Halb said:

goldblum said:

These aren't bothered by raindrops:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-206...

The ones in King Kong were bigger.

The remake or the original?

Remake. I thought it was one of the best things in the film.

[goldblum]

Halb said:

goldblum said:

Halb said:

goldblum said:

These aren't bothered by raindrops:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-206...

The ones in King Kong were bigger.

The remake or the original?

Remake. I thought it was one of the best things in the film.

Yeah I agree. In that gulley with the centipedes.

[enjo]

enjo said:

rohrl said:

1. Who are GLS?
2. Where is Neuenstein?
3. What are you having delivered?
4. Tomorrow afternoon between 4 and 6pm.

1. Delivery company
2. Germany
3. 3D printer
4. I'll let you know...

Arrived this morning.

[monthefish]

wildone63 said:

Why do so many magazine articles begin with the first letter of the first word being in a much larger font than the rest?

To enable James May to write hidden messages?

[GTIR]

Dr Jekyll said:

Does Clive James still sound Australian to Australians or does he sound English?

Similarly does Sir Terry Wogan still sound Irish to the Irish?

Probably not to both.

I lived in Oz for four years and when I came back to UK for a wedding people thought I was Australian. Ex pat Brits in Oz are pomy bds (even if they've been there 30 years) and are equally not thought as British in the UK!

I find that New Zealanders who've been here (UK) for some time sound Australian. Maybe they need to realise that A, E, I, O and U are used the correct way and they try and change their stupid pronunciation so it sounds intelligible.

[Asterix]

GTIR said:

Dr Jekyll said:

Does Clive James still sound Australian to Australians or does he sound English?

Similarly does Sir Terry Wogan still sound Irish to the Irish?

Probably not to both.

I lived in Oz for four years and when I came back to UK for a wedding people thought I was Australian. Ex pat Brits in Oz are pomy bds (even if they've been there 30 years) and are equally not thought as British in the UK!

I find that New Zealanders who've been here (UK) for some time sound Australian. Maybe they need to realise that A, E, I, O and U are used the correct way and they try and change their stupid pronunciation so it sounds intelligible.

There seems to be a trend, sorry, trind of radio stations here in Dubai to hire Kiwi presenters - has me shouting at the wireless every time they substitute a 'I' instead of an 'E' - which means I shout rather a lot...

Drives me nuts!

[AW111]

Dr Jekyll said:

Does Clive James still sound Australian to Australians or does he sound English?

Similarly does Sir Terry Wogan still sound Irish to the Irish?

Clive james doesn't sound Australian, but to my Australian ears he's definitely not English either.

[lord trumpton]

Why are so many women going down the flabby route?

Took the children to the swimming baths over easter - kinell! Ive never seen so much whale flab on display.

[MikeOxlong]

Because now they've got a babby they don't care whether or not their boyfriend/husband can't bring themself to bang them anymore.

[goldblum]

Because they carry on eating for two and don't start exercising again after having the child.