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189 replies

Fortune Cookie IV

M moryMember
I was visiting a friend at the New York hospital today and bought a "Coke" and it was $l.50 in the vending machine. I know I am showing my age but can easily remember when it was five cents.
On my trip to Rome a coke was $3.00 in the
Vatican which is higher than $2.50 in Alaska.
I am wondering what others are paying?
Won't be long and we can sell a can on
eBAY. I have a coke bottle with a straw inside from about 1951 I bought for $5. Maybe it's time to put that on EBAY.
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M moryMember
I had a salty dinner and forgot and had a Coke - now the " Caf" will have me up for hours - its past 2:15 in am and am still wired - just went outside its been drizzling rain for 3 days - I should be greatful its not snow. Still no edit button to be found.. I'm taking the Laptop to a repair shop still have some questions and will try again to get the wireless feature activated. I am voting my new IBM Laptop the most unfriendly product of the century.
They don't give you ANY manual - all instructions are stored inside. Well if I could find it I wouldn't need it...etc..
M moryMember
I am switching to Pepsi as they have a No Cal - No Caf its just brown ..also like the
no caf mug Root Beer. Last month I bought a Pepsi 3 Pak for $10 at the Hess
station - when I got home I realized -they shrunk the can from 16 to 12 OZ cans . No wonder it is on sale. Today the clerk said they made them to fit small refrigerators - carry cases and children. She should have added blind seniors who can't read 12OZ in half inch letters. Next they will put it in Baby bottles. Bet you didn't know that it is sold some places uncarbonated - Yuck.
bartelbybartelbyMember
quote:
I am wondering what others are paying?


Well, for a CAN of coke we pay between $1.20 and $2.00. For a 600ml Bottle (which is the going craze) we pay between $2.50 and $2.75.

Now - go to a sporting function or somewhere similar and you will pay approx $5!!

Fountain drinks arent very popular here, probably 5% of places have them. Those are Hungry Jacks (Burger King) and the Cinema etc.
M moryMember
High when the can costs more than the product -in the US they blame prices on the trucking.
We just had our local McDonalds renovated.
It's a 1950's retro complete with Soda Fountain -Ice Cream Bar. No more serve yourself - anything. You also have to ASK
for everything (catsup - mustard - relish) Only thing self serve is Napkins, straws and salt - pepper. On the counter is a large cooler of pre-packaged salads and deserts. I miss the free refills on coffee or soda. Gotta pay for all that new decor I guess.
rickrickMember
quote:
Notifications OFF I don't know what that is?
The only “notification” I’m aware of on this forum is the email notification when something is posted. Each member can select that for a given topic or for other members. Private topics also has that.

quote:
Still no correction feature came up after posting.
What about the “Reply With Quotes” and the “Report This Post” icons?
bartelbybartelbyMember
quote:
I was wondering if it was true that dipping copper coins (pennies) in Cocacola made them come out all nice and shiny, or was that yet another urban myth?


quote:
I think all you get is sticky pennies.

Nope - it works!! My Mum used to use it as scare tactics when we were little (no copper pennies anymore). She used to say "See what it does to these coins! Imagine what it does to your stomach".

Although, after *googling*, it appears Coca Cola have adjusted their recipe since those days.

Dunno about the rust though, all my bumpers are plastic Razz
falcongalfalcongalMember
I used to work with a guy who cleaned a lot of metal car parts by letting them sit in a container of Coke. He said that you have to rinse them off really well afterward, otherwise the Coke will keep eating away at them.

Gardengnome, I don't know if Coke would make copper coins shiny again, but somebody told me that baking shiny new coins in the oven will cause them to turn interesting colors. I tried it and it works! It gives them a sort of rainbow effect.

Lexie, do you think it could eat the paint off of those plastic bumpers? It might be worth a try if you plan to repaint one anyway, unless it eats through plastic.
J jabbergahMember
I may be mistaken, but the "active" ingredient of penny cleaning Coke is the mild acidic solution that Coke is since it is carbonated. Carbonation is when carbon dioxide is bubbled into an aqueous solution under pressure producing carboxylic acid. If it is the carbonation that makes the penny cleaner, then presumably ANY carbonated drink should produce similar cleaning qualities.
G gardengnomeMember
I purchase a lot of old partly painted models and keep a sealed bucket of caustic soda in the shed to strip the paint off them. After a coupla days they come out like new.

If all I've read here is true, maybe I should fill it with coke instead and drink the caustic soda!

I believe the recipe has been changed once or twice in the past - it used to be said that a glass of coke and a couple of pain-killers would get you high but I must admit I never tried it, even in the Sixties.

GG
G gardengnomeMember
quote:
As a guy, my preferred solution for cleaning is “spit’. It’s cheap. It’s readily available. It’s effective. It’s doesn’t have child resistant caps to take off. It’s biodegradable and environmentally friendly. And, it comes in both aerosol and liquid form.


Absolutely The Best cleaner for spectacles - forget all those little aerosol sprays and window cleaners.

GG
J jabbergahMember
quote:
If all I've read here is true, maybe I should fill it with coke instead and drink the caustic soda!
Yeow! Eek Not sure we should even joke about that! One MAY kill you slowly, but the other one I think kills you quicker! Or maybe just guarantees you'll never taste anything bad again -- because your tastebuds are gone and you're eating thru a stomach tube! Eek

It would be unlikely a mild acid like Coke could achieve the results you get from a strong base like caustic soda (sodium hydroxide).
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
Coke contains phosphoric acid, which is why it cleans metal and acts as a rust remover - most commercial rust converters are based on this substance that changes rust (ferrous oxide) to ferrous phosphate.
It is also an excellent reason not to drink the stuff. As for McDonalds, well..........
When us Brits visit Europe and talk to the natives, they cannot understand why we feed our kids on such crap instead of the same diet we have!
Cheaper way to clean copper or brass is to soak it in vinegar or lemon juice.
rickrickMember
M said:
quote:
I do question that! Wink
Allow me certain liberties with this salivary subject. There is a curious phenomenon that I have observed while driving. Any numbers of young males will open their door and bend their head towards the pavement. Fortunately I’ve only witnessed this behavior while said youths were stopped at traffic lights. I’m fairly convinced that they perform this ritual without wearing shoulder belts. Around high schools, colleges and universities this activity is very pronounced. I have even witnessed this occurring more than once with the same youth(s) at the same stop light. In the tradition of the question that I quoted at the beginning of my post, “I *do* question that!” Just what are said youths doing? Are their windows not functioning, thus making it necessary to open their doors? Perhaps they would be better served it they drove convertibles? What happens if they don’t encounter any red lights? Does this activity have anything to do with the volume of the music they are listening to? Should the auto manufactures provide some accessory to eliminate the requirement to open doors? I haven’t seen anyone on a motorcycle do this. Obviously there’s no door to contend with on a motorcycle, but I suspect that helmets might be the main deterrent. Maybe there should be helmet laws for those that open their door at intersections. That might not be an improvement in effectiveness, but it would increase safety.
bartelbybartelbyMember
quote:
Lexie, do you think it could eat the paint off of those plastic bumpers? It might be worth a try if you plan to repaint one anyway, unless it eats through plastic.

I am sure it would strip the paint off quite nicely and probably eat its way through the plastic Confused

quote:
As a guy, my preferred solution for cleaning is “spit’.

My Mother would appear to agree with you. Spit on a *hankie* was a staple cleaning agent for your complexion when I was growing up.

quote:
I will admit that coke doesn't seem to clear blocked drains very well - even though it gives me the trots!


Thank you soooo very much for that visual
M moryMember
While SCUBA diving we were taught to spit in our goggles to make them fog free when deccending into colder water. I have done this under the Ice Cap and in tropic waters and it always works. A spray that works and is not toxic to your eyes has yet to be invented I guess.
I understand Urine will accomplish the same result - It's just harder to Pee in your goggles while in a Wet Suit and pounding waves. So I personally can't attest to that.
I don't have a box for reply with Quote or Report this post either.
I sent a query to AS but was advised
they don't control the Forum its a different tech group so maybe will hear
later.
At one time, a year ago I could delete
a thread I had started but no longer can do so or even make corrections after posting.
mrsmmrsmMember
Excuse me, R, what does Jake have to do with a 10 foot pole??!!? I fail to understand what you are refering to. I believe I was talking about a pole like the kind you might attach an electric line to. But then, perhaps you are much too young to have heard the expression of not touching it with a ten foot pole!
falcongalfalcongalMember
Mike, would you be willing to give me some advice since you know something about cleaning brass? My house was built in 1925 and uses the old brass hinges and skeleton key door plates. They have multiple layers of paint on one side and nothing on the other side. I've been having a really bad time trying to get the paint off without damaging the brass. Paint remover might damage the metal so I've been soaking and scraping them. It takes forever. Brass cleaner doesn't get the paint off. Would citric acid be a good choice for cleaning them?
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Falcon Gal:
Mike, would you be willing to give me some advice since you know something about cleaning brass? My house was built in 1925 and uses the old brass hinges and skeleton key door plates. They have multiple layers of paint on one side and nothing on the other side. I've been having a really bad time trying to get the paint off without damaging the brass. Paint remover might damage the metal so I've been soaking and scraping them. It takes forever. Brass cleaner doesn't get the paint off. Would citric acid be a good choice for cleaning them?

Hi FG
I would say that scraping is likely to cause more damage than paint stripper, as the latter is usually sodium hydroxide based and will not affect brass.
As GG suggests, heating them up would probably remove the paint safely, as will a soak in cheap cellulose thinners (gun wash) from an auto paint store.
When the paint is off, give them a soak in vinegar overnight, and then scrub with a nylon brush, or some 000 steel wool if scratched.
You can then polish them with metal polish, and lacquer them if you want.
HTH
M moryMember
I learned that with my first slice of
PIZZA - it was large and unwieldy
so I sat at a nearby bistro table to eat it. I was immediately brought a glass of water by a waiter with a new
check for sitting at the table. Pizza is done in a big kind of natual {ln Italy} square.You indicate with hands about the the size you want and then it is put on a scale and priced. This is great if you want a sample of several kinds. or a childs portion for a finicky child. The fillings change after breakfast as do the
drinks. In the morning it's coffee - Latte - Tea - Chocolate and by noon its soda. I
think the breakfast pizza with eggs sausage and cheese is fantastic but was told it was just made for tourists. Tastes are changing and we all are drinking much more water. Italians Eat while standing but not walking. In the US you can see someone Eating, smoking, talking on a cell and even driving at the same time - with many more accidents happening. I used to be bothered by
people smoking while eating now its everyone
talking on a cell and phones ringing - and everyone talking on a phone louder than
necessary. I have a cell but turn it off while dining or with a friend or in the
theater. Eating a Pizza & talking on a cell at the same time is --------(we need a new word for it)......
bartelbybartelbyMember
I loathe people who talk on the phone whilst driving, I must admit I can just about eat anything whilst driving though Smile

I am just the greatest at steering with my knees (although my gi-normous belly seems to get in the way at the moment).

Talking on your mobile (cell) here is very illegal, you can even get fined for eating certain items when driving.

On the news the other week, the local police got a call from a concerned driver about the lady that was breastfeeding her baby while negotiating peak hour traffic Confused
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Mory:
I used to be bothered by
people smoking while eating now its everyone
talking on a cell and phones ringing

I, too, have absolutely no desire to be forced to listen to others' private conversations, even if they are running commentaries on what they are doing.
Smoking should be banned where people eat; it already is in the Republic of Ireland, and in the UK fewer places are allowing it.
If the puff-and-cough brigade want all their food and clothes to smell of bonfires - fair enough, but I do not.
People who smoke while driving usually throw lit dimps out of the car window - cyclists must love them, and those who have to clean litter up and put out moorland fires. Don't they fit ashtrays in cars now?
rickrickMember
Ashtrays are usually next to the outlet(s) for the much needed driver-assisted electronic gadgets. It is more troubling to me that cars don’t come equipped with spittoons.

Ever see anyone smoking while riding a motorcycle (helmet laws applicable)? Too bad there aren’t more pipe smokers.

Don’t know if they still run it, but Trigger Happy had/has a very funny bit about loud conversations on cell phones.
M moryMember
OLD FASHIONED PUMPKIN PIE.
This is the Pillsbury style with all the perfect smells and flavors and creamy texture like Grandma never made
Roll out your best one crust pastry or buy a frozen one, Heat Oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl - mix 2 large or 3 medium eggs - Add a 12 oz can of evaporated milk - 3/4 cup of sugar - 1/2 tsp salt -leave out the salt if your controling your salt.

1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice - then wisk in one large 16 OZ can of Pumpkin.
Now that is simple - tip if your spice is old - use a bit more AND let the mix sit for an hour. Bake this 425 for fifteen minutes then lower to 350 for another 40 - until a knife stuck in the center comes out clean. If you want a country Maple Pie add 1/2 cup real Maple syrup and cut back the Evap Milk and In a Southern version of this after 10 minutes sprinkle on top a cruimb mix made with 1/4 cup of brown sugar - 2 tab lespoons flour -1/4 cup of butter and half cup of pecans. This Praline top is great. Let the pie cool... Real whipped cream is mandatory on top for Thanksgiving.

For those using Cool whip - mix in one small 3 oz cream cheese - 2 tsp whole milk and a tsp of grated orange peel. Thats using the small 8 Oz tub of topping.
Refrigerate-- also good with a fine
vanilla Ice Cream. If you bake in a glass dish you have to protect the pastry edge with foil during baking - but thats a good idea anyway..
Enjoy - Mory
bartelbybartelbyMember
Yep Mrs M - she was driving at the time.

Australia has the strictest safety standards in the world for baby related products, so she will be paying off this fine for a very long time.

Is oleo butter kinda like "I cant believe its not butter" butter?

I dont like people...was going to say guys, but sometimes I see females (wont use the term ladies)...who spit out windows or on footpaths. Disgusting. I also hate seeing the front of shops littered with cigarette butts.

2 states here have just introduced that Smoking will be banned in Niteclubs and Pubs in the next 2 years.

YAY!! I say. Nothing worse than going home stinking of cigarette smoke from a nite on the town.

When that law comes in - there wont be any places indoors (or too many public outdoor areas) where you can smoke. Big Grin
mrsmmrsmMember
Many states have smoking bans in all public places, including bars. It was a little bit of a culture shock to move to NC where it is not yet so.

Spitting, I have never quite understood. Must be a nervous habit because I don't feel the need while driving down the street or walking down the sidewalk. Maybe women loose the urge to spit when as infants, they are potty trained??!! Razz
M moryMember
Montana has been a you decide state -with narrow 2 lane roads and unlimited speeds. Few laws and fewer police - But the sheriff and his posse are just around the bend. Tourists really get a surprise when they decide to speed across a bridge only to realize its only one lane and a car is coming at them. New York is almost all two lanes except when the road passes under a train crossing its only one. When transporting a child anything distracting the driver should be ilegal. They haven't been able to widen roads going under tracks as the railroads usually own the right of way These are local county roads and they don't have the money to fight the railroads. The state condemns property in the public interest all the time to widen state roads - even bypass whole towns.
If you have ever seen a seat air- bag deployed you would never let a child sit in front.
falcongalfalcongalMember
I think the safety experts recommend putting young children in a child car seat and putting them in the back seat to avoid the air bag problem.

Child car seats are required here by law for children under a certain size, age, and weight. Unfortunately (in my opinion) this law can't be enforced on the Indian reservations and I see a lot of kids riding in the backs of pickup trucks. Many times there is no adult back there with them. Pickup trucks are the most common type of vehicle on the reservations and more than once I've been behind a pickup with a young child leaning over the side. This scares me to death!!! Frown
mrsmmrsmMember
"If you have ever seen a seat air- bag deployed you would never let a child sit in front. "

When I was in Biloxi a couple of years ago, a lady had her grandchild, about 5 years old, in front. She hit a curb while parking and the passenger airbag deployed, killing him!

Falcon, many states have no law against riding in the bed of a pickup! Unconscionable!
M moryMember
Spitting is really encouraged by chewing a chaw of tobacco. I had to buy a spitoon for near my pool table. Since few people
hit it I potted it with cactus. Now they spit on the cactus or in the ash trays. One chrome ashtray has had the finish completly eatin off - toxic stuff...

I dump all the ash trays in a crock and pour it in soil when planting spring
bulbs -the moles and squirels hate it and
have even used it on plants for aphids slugs and white fly.
My newest find is bounce dryer sheets -
bugs and small animals hate it. I am planting strips of it with bulbs and tying strips inside branches of my small pine trees - to keep the deer from munching them bare. This winter I am doing a test with the bounce sheets wrapped around the small fruit trees.
The dryer sheets are expensive but have found a generic brand at Aldee and it seems to have the same chemical. I planted used dryer sheets with my Dahlias this year and got two plants six feet tall with blooms ten inches across. When I dug tubers they were clean and double in size. So the tobacco juice is history.
Sorry still no correction icon. or word from Infopop as to where they went.
M moryMember
It's hard to imagine but Oleo created in 1877 is still around. The new butter substitutes are mostly spreads with yogurt
whipped into them which gives the butter flavor - but they still run about 5% fat. I had the Brummel product on fresh corn this fall it was fantastic. But my VA dietician ask me to go back to butter.
So I am using butter again - just less..
rickrickMember
Driving a car requires a person to past a test – not true for parenting and voting. Perhaps parenting and voting are considered harmless activities.

On the other hand, it somehow seems a pity that there’s so many “unqualified” parents which require that there be laws to protect these parents’ children from their parents. Maybe another urban myth, but it seems like I’ve heard that child can sue their parents. Gives a new meaning to Planned Parenthood. Perhaps some day parents will be able to sue their kids because of the stress the children put their parents through. Perhaps children should come with a money-back guarantee, or even a 90 day trial.
puppyraiserpuppyraiserMember
Instead of all the laws to protect us from morons, and morons from themselves, they should just make it against the law to be a moron.

When issued a drivers license, they should also issue a paintball gun. If you see someone doing something stupid, take aim and fire. Of course it would have to operate on the honor system, so that may be a bit of a snag, but to many colors on a car or the person... they get a ticket for being stupid.

To bad that what should be, and what could be are so different.
rickrickMember
quote:
No amount of legislation will ever replace common sense.
It’s possible that the fashionable wisdom of the day reverses the position of “common sense” and “legislation” in that statement.



quote:
and morons from themselves, they should just make it against the law to be a moron.
It would be nice if there were a constitutional amendment protecting the right of a person to be a stupid. But, it’s a good thing that none of us on this forum would need that kind of protection (any one disagree?). I hate to keep picking on old Chris, but with today’s beliefs, Columbus wouldn’t have been allowed to sail, due to his having been thought not particularly knowledgeable on flat-planets (aka – stupid Chris). And, OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) would definitely have prevented him from sailing with any crew (aka – stupid crew).

I can understand, and even appreciate, that in a more complicated society with extensive gadgets and a specialized labor force, that there are many more ways to unknowingly “buy the farm” than in a horse-and-buggy, agrarian society. On the other hand, I struggle with child-resistant packages that only the smarter children will be able to open. I’m not suggesting a “level-playing field”, as that would imply some kind of stupid/smart quota for maintaining a fair distribution of harm.



quote:
When issued a drivers license, they should also issue a paintball gun. If you see someone doing something stupid, take aim and fire. Of course it would have to operate on the honor system, so that may be a bit of a snag
Have often thought of the same thing, but no honor system is needed. Only give out one paintball a year to each driver, causing them to use it more wisely. Anyone needing more would be given a ticket.

The flip side of this - some of the people on this forum might run out of paintballs no matter how many they got, and their cars could get very colorful (any one disagree?).



quote:
but to many colors on a car or the person... they get a ticket for being stupid.
They might not be stupid, just kind of slow causing them to be an easier target.



It’s my understanding that “ignorant” was derived from “ignore”.
J jabbergahMember
quote:
...they get a ticket for being stupid
Sorry, I have to disagree. There already are too many laws. I believe the authorities' goal is to have enough laws on the books so that they can arrest anyone at anytime for SOMETHING if they are so inclined! The vast majority of laws should have expiration dates -- say maybe 5 years out -- so that as the expiration approaches, lawmakers need to re-examine laws to see if they still make sense and should be renewed.

BTW, stupidity is it's own punishment, isn't it?!
rickrickMember
quote:
Good point. I'll have to think on it some more.
Sounds non-committal.



quote:
I believe the authorities' goal is to have enough laws on the books so that they can arrest anyone at anytime for SOMETHING if they are so inclined!
The authorities are exempted?



quote:
BTW, stupidity is it's own punishment, isn't it?!
That’s the problem.
rickrickMember
quote:
I think we underestimate people in those times. Did they really believe the Earth was flat?
I’m not sure. Did they? Perhaps it’s another myth, but it seems to be a universal one if it is.

I have wondered how they would come up with a flat-planet theory when the two celestial bodies visible to the unassisted eye were round. Perhaps they thought it was luck, or some fluke of gravitation.
G gardengnomeMember
The Greeks, Egyptians, Maya, Chinese and many older civilizations were perfectly aware that the Earth was spherical, so I wonder if the 15th century Europeans just get a bad press.

I just picked up a great kit of Chris's boat. I seem to recall that there were several ships with him - does anyone know how many and whether they wer of similar size/shape?

GG
rickrickMember
quote:
so I wonder if the 15th century Europeans just get a bad press.
It shouldn’t be ruled out. It was known that when a sailboat was seen from a distance, the sails (software) would be spotted before the actual boat (hardware), thus suggesting a curved Earth-surface. It was also known that the North Star was higher in the horizon the further north one went, and was below the horizon at some point in the Southern Hemisphere. Of course the Southern Hemisphere was being primarily used by penguins and prisoners. Considering the treatment Galileo (Italian) got, perhaps some of the bad press for Europeans is justified.

Being born in England, you must have a certain loyalty to the Atlantic route for the discovery of the Americas. Even the Vikings’ part would lend nicely to that, although I don’t think the Vikings were much sought after at the time for their social skills. Someone said that once the Vikings found America, they had the good sense to lose it.

On the other hand, with you living in Australia, the Pacific route for the discovery of the Americas would have some appeal. I could be talked into believing that the Chinese *were* the original discovers.

There’s also the pesky theory that The Discovery was not accomplished by water, but by land over the Bering Strait during some ice age, or something like that. Those that made *that* discovery (if true) probably didn’t realize that later on *they* would be discovered. When the Europeans finally did show up, it must have been as much of a “discovery” to the locals as to the tourist. If it was a land-invasion, it seems like a roundabout way for some Siberians to be introduced to some Europeans.

*If* the flat-Earth myth was indeed believed, makes me wonder which of today’s beliefs will become tomorrow’s myths.

Back to Chris baby – curious that his journey got so much Italian press. The Spaniards were the producers of that mini-series. Perhaps it’s because the director of such productions usually gets the credit.

Regarding the number of Chris’ boats – I’m pretty sure there were five, but two of them ended up sailing off the edge.
M moryMember
Three Ships - four Voyages and in 1492 the first voyage landed him first not in America but Plana Cays Island in the Bahamas.
Shucks - there goes Columbus Day.....
I got an A plus on my Columbus Thesis but since the Internet almost every theory in US History books has been proven false.
The Columbus Daily ship log entries have almost all been posted on the Internet.
One thing we can't dispute he was a genius in celestial navigation. So Venus - here we come..
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