Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 3]

[MartG]

Ructions said:

When was the last time the Edge played a gig hat less?

When he had hair ?

[Ali2202]

Why am I not really happy when I really should be? It's not like I live in London....

[BigBen]

Rostfritt said:

talksthetorque said:

Can I throw my SCART leads away yet?

Haven't thought about the ever useful SCART lead in a long time. Quite a handy standard which I don't believe ever really got used outside Europe. You can probably throw them out if you have no plans on getting a new VCR any time soon.

IIRC SCART was a standard pushed by European television manufacturers to attempt to stave off Japanese competition, until they very quickly adopted the standard. Much more convenient than the alternatives used elsewhere in the world.

[FiF]

Does anyone want old prerecorded VHS video cassettes? Even charity shops aren't interested. We ended up dumping ours in the skip , even some box sets.

[GroundEffect]

FiF said:

GroundEffect said:

SpeckledJim said:

StevieBee said:

Costa have just opened Europe's biggest roasters in Basildon where they roast raw coffee beans

Why would they not roast the beans where they are picked where energy and labour costs are likely to be a lot cheaper?

Because Basildon is the place to go for a roasting. Everyone knows that.

I was wondering what that was for - I drive past it every day.

On topic: Coffee has a very short shelf-life after roasting - needs to be consumed within 2 weeks of roasting or it turns to st (I don't like coffee so it's all st to me...I just know odd things).

Does that still apply to the vacuum packed stuff? Just wondering, we hardly drink it now, but when we did, and lived in Sheffield, the packed stuff was never as good as the freshly roasted beans from Pollard's old shop on Charles Street.

Apparently yes same issue.

[Halmyre]

BigBen said:

Rostfritt said:

talksthetorque said:

Can I throw my SCART leads away yet?

Haven't thought about the ever useful SCART lead in a long time. Quite a handy standard which I don't believe ever really got used outside Europe. You can probably throw them out if you have no plans on getting a new VCR any time soon.

IIRC SCART was a standard pushed by European television manufacturers to attempt to stave off Japanese competition, until they very quickly adopted the standard. Much more convenient than the alternatives used elsewhere in the world.

I hate SCART plugs. Big bulky lumps cleverly designed to fall out of the socket at the slightest provocation.

[gazzarose]

I'm currently sat by a pool in Tenerife and have a topical question.

If I'm reading a magazine before putting sun tan lotion on all of fine, but after putting lotion on my magazine gets covered in finger prints and my belly gets covered in ink.

Is there something in the lotion that causes the ink to run?

[dci]

When passenger aircraft have an issue shortly after takeoff and have to dump fuel before landing again, what happens to the fuel?

Does it gradually rain down to the ground/ surface of the sea or does it stay suspended at altitude and evaporate?

What happens when they dump fuel at low altitude? Are they allowed?

[Dr Jekyll]

When TGI Friday's insist on singing 'Happy Birthday to you' to some obnoxious brat, how much does it cost in royalties/ Do they pay per event or just get some kind of licence?

[Ructions]

Dr Jekyll said:

When TGI Friday's insist on singing 'Happy Birthday to you' to some obnoxious brat, how much does it cost in royalties/ Do they pay per event or just get some kind of licence?

In the European Union, copyright lasts for the life of the author(s) plus 70 years; since Patty Hill (the last surviving author) died in 1946, the copyright in these countries expired on January 1, 2017.

[Slashmb]

Why does it always rain on a bank holiday weekend?

[Nimby]

Ructions said:

Dr Jekyll said:

When TGI Friday's insist on singing 'Happy Birthday to you' to some obnoxious brat, how much does it cost in royalties/ Do they pay per event or just get some kind of licence?

In the European Union, copyright lasts for the life of the author(s) plus 70 years; since Patty Hill (the last surviving author) died in 1946, the copyright in these countries expired on January 1, 2017.

It's been legally "public domain" since September 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Birthday_to_Yo...

[Smeeeeeg]

dci said:

When passenger aircraft have an issue shortly after takeoff and have to dump fuel before landing again, what happens to the fuel?

Does it gradually rain down to the ground/ surface of the sea or does it stay suspended at altitude and evaporate?

What happens when they dump fuel at low altitude? Are they allowed?

I'm sure one of the aviation experts can give you a better answer, but I believe the preferred protocol is to try and dump fuel at a high enough altitude that it dissipates before reaching the ground. Don't know what happens if this is not possible though.

Not all planes can dump fuel either, some of the larger twin jets and four engine planes can, but smaller planes like the 737 and A320 series don't have the facility. If they need to lose weight before landing they circle to burn off fuel, or just dump the aircraft down on the runway regardless if the situation is dire enough.

[xjay1337]

How do they put lids on bottles of fizzy pop with the "seal" (the 2 piece plastic lid) on?

[droopsnoot]

Nimby said:

Ructions said:

Dr Jekyll said:

When TGI Friday's insist on singing 'Happy Birthday to you' to some obnoxious brat, how much does it cost in royalties/ Do they pay per event or just get some kind of licence?

In the European Union, copyright lasts for the life of the author(s) plus 70 years; since Patty Hill (the last surviving author) died in 1946, the copyright in these countries expired on January 1, 2017.

It's been legally "public domain" since September 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Birthday_to_Yo...

Interesting, listening to someone on the radio the other day and the subject came up, she said she'd sung "happy birthday" to a contestant on a programme she was presenting ("Robot Wars", I think) and they'd had to cut it all out so they didn't have to pay. Presumably either the news hasn't filtered through, or it was before the above happened.

[handpaper]

xjay1337 said:

How do they put lids on bottles of fizzy pop with the "seal" (the 2 piece plastic lid) on?

They're just screwed on.
The vanes on the lower part fold out against it, letting it pass over the threads and the bulge below them. When the cap is in place they unfold, holding the lower part down so that the upper must be broken free to unscrew it.

[Willy Nilly]

I don't want to start another Brexit thread, so will arsk here:

The UK becoming a tax haven if the EU doesn't play ball is an option, but some say this will be a bad thing. Why so?

[227bhp]

Slashmb said:

Why does it always rain on a bank holiday weekend?

It's the Law, just like the first working day of the week always has clear blue skies.
I always go out on the weekends either side of a BH, stay in or work on the BH itself.

[MissChief]

Halmyre said:

BigBen said:

Rostfritt said:

talksthetorque said:

Can I throw my SCART leads away yet?

Haven't thought about the ever useful SCART lead in a long time. Quite a handy standard which I don't believe ever really got used outside Europe. You can probably throw them out if you have no plans on getting a new VCR any time soon.

IIRC SCART was a standard pushed by European television manufacturers to attempt to stave off Japanese competition, until they very quickly adopted the standard. Much more convenient than the alternatives used elsewhere in the world.

I hate SCART plugs. Big bulky lumps cleverly designed to fall out of the socket at the slightest provocation.

SCART is actually an Acronym. SCART
'Syndicat Français des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radio et Télévision' (standard audio video TV connector) or 'Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs' (connector used in Europe to connect many kinds of audiovisual equipment)

SCART is a French-originated standard and associated 21-pin connector for connecting audio-visual equipment. It is also known as Péritel, 21-pin EuroSCART, Euroconnector or EuroAV. In America, another name is EIA Multiport. In Europe, SCART used to be the most common method of connecting AV equipment, and was a standard connector for such devices; it was far less common elsewhere.

[talksthetorque]

Willy Nilly said:

I don't want to start another Brexit thread, so will arsk here:

The UK becoming a tax haven if the EU doesn't play ball is an option, but some say this will be a bad thing. Why so?

Rather than not paying taxes here by diverting profits to other countries which currently are tax havens, they will not pay much tax here completely legitimately.

This may or may not involve many mid and high level jobs being created in this country, such as those required to manage a global head office. This is seen as a good thing, as we are in Global competition for GDP per head and the personal tax it brings.
The company may even choose to be listed on the stock exchange here, thus garnering more profit for people who are already rich in this country.This is also seen to be a good thing as it makes the city look good on the world stage encouraging more such moves and it brings in some tax revenue ( once every penny has been negotiated down to a peppercorn rent type amount)

Some of these high level jobs such as non-exec directors roles will have been filled by former politicians for their insider knowledge.
Their old chums - that they are owed a few favours by as they helped them up off the first rung of the ladder - the current politicians will be negotiating these deals between them.

The companies, once established with large amounts of employees will then blackmail the government for big handouts, threatening to move out of the UK and get rid of all the jobs unless they get redevelopment grants, training grants, technical innovation grants, lower local council rates or even more favourable tax terms.
This will go straight to their profit coffers, and be handed out to shareholders.