Al Heeley

Where does the expression "Hard Lines" come from?

Rather outdated english meaning tough luck, hard cheese, tough titty, unlucky.

Do people that follow horoscopes in a regualr magazine or newspaper really believe that the orbits of the planets can affect the situations around them or their moods, or fate and prosperity? Or is it really taken with a loberal pinch of salt? Hopw much does the power of suggestion play a role for those who believe a bit more strongly?

why is it ok to eat raw beef (steak tartare) and raw fish as sushi and sashimi but not pork, lamb or chicken?

I'm not talking morals here, but from a food hygiene aspect.

I heard somewhere that airplane food was over-spiced with extra pepper and salt in order to compensate for taste buds losing some of their sensitivity at altitude (reduced pressure in the cabin).

If not, it would taste far too bland. Is this true and if so, why do taste buds lose some sensitivity at reduced pressure? (A plane cabin at 35,000 ft is equivalent pressure to about 9000ft up a mountain.)

Where did the expression "To curry favour" come from and what does it actually mean to you?

If we were to harness wave power on a massive global scale, would there be any side effects on climate or the eventual rotation rate of the earth?

This useless little artifact from thousands of years ago when our ancestors used to have a cellulose-rich diet has evolved over many gererations of neglect into a withered little part of the digestive tract no longer serving any useful function. For me this shows evolution at work in what is geologically a very short timescale, though biblically people would feel this is a very long timescale.

What is the creationist view on this? Would the great all-wise deity have included something so useless and redundant into the human metabolism if he had created us according to some great plan?

Whats the best way?

Supermarkets are stocking more and more good bottled beers, I want some opinions as to the best ones, and why :)

Do you think that a member who continually posts the same question time and time again, up to 12 times a day, day after day, asking exactly the same question about spontaneous human combustion, and receiving sufficient intelligent answers, but still keeps on posting the same question, deserves to have their account banned?

The turn of events and the speed of change in the Middle East is astonishing, having spread from one poor Tunisian street seller taking his own life to the overthrow of Tunisia and Egypt government, now Libya is looking very unstable and Bahrain as well as Jordan has issues to address. Question is, what is available to fill the power vacuums when these dictators have kept such a tight grip on power for the last 40 years? How many years of anarchy and unrest will follw, and will it eventually mean another younger dictator in power in a few years time to repeat the cycle? Will true democracy ever really take hold in these countries?

http://teslacoverup.com/27c.php?v=y

So where's the catch? Is it just too small voltage and current to be of any real practical use?

A recent newspaper report said that excessive junk food consumption led to lower IQ development in children.

Doy ou think it's something in the food that is suppressing the IQ, or is it just that the stats are representing the demographics of the consumers?

I need some novel or engaging ideas to raise money at local youth football team event, something a bit more imaginative than yet another raffle, but not needing too much resources or planning. Any ideas?