Dan Halaburda, marketing manager for Panasonic, told us that the shape of nine-volt batteries goes back to when they were used to power communication devices in which space was at a premium. Today, the most common application for nine-volt batteries is in smoke detectors.
Submitted by Matt Garrett of Augusta, Missouri.
Why do most mailboxes say “Approved by the Postmaster General” on them? How do they differ from mailboxes without the approval?
We thought these were simple and innocent questions. But as grizzled veterans of researching postal Imponderables, we should have known better. For the saga of the U.S. mailbox is a long one; in fact, the household mailbox debuted in 1891, when Postmaster General John Wanamaker launched an experiment. Until then, it was the policy of postal carriers to knock on the door of households and hand-deliver mail. Just the seconds waiting for house occupants to come to the door wasted delivery time, so mailboxes were inevitable.
We may think of a mailbox as a rather simple object, but an earlier commission appointed by the postmaster general in 1890 examined 564 prototypes of mailboxes and found them all wanting. What the commission was looking for, as the 1891 annual report of the postmaster general stated, was a device
in which the letter carrier could deposit mail without delay and from which he could also, as he went his rounds upon the same trips, collect mail without delay. Not one of these devices exactly fitted the requirements; for the box must necessarily be inexpensive, neat, proof against the weather, proof against mischiefmakers or thieves, simple enough not to get out of order and not to require time to open, ornamental enough to please the household, big enough to receive papers, and ingenious enough to indicate the presence of mail matter to the passing collector.
The commission later examined another 1,031 designs, and found that “Not one of these was entirely acceptable.”
Originally, only rural delivery mailboxes had to be approved by the postmaster general. Imagine the problems of the rural postal carrier with farflung routes. Megaera Harris, research historian at the office of the postmaster general, explains:
Early rural carriers and the public they served were forced to create their own rules and regulations in the fledgling days of rural mail service. Farmers had been asked to put up their own mailboxes, “buggy high,” and within easy reach of the mail carriers, a request with which most of them complied. The resulting mailboxes under these general guidelines were a study in individuality and creativity.
Aware that minimum standards were necessary, the post office department established rules and regulations, effective October 1, 1902, mandating the size, shape, and accessibility of the box. Fourteen manufacturers were approved to build boxes. Each box was to be stenciled with the statement “Approved by the Postmaster General.”
In the following ninety years, only mailboxes served by rural carriers were required to have the postmaster’s approval, but manufacturers found it a good marketing device to include the approval on all their boxes.
In 1991, the postal regulations widened. Roy Preston, operations officer of the delivery management division, told Imponderables that “all new [curbside] boxes or replacement boxes must now have the ‘Approved’ inscription.” As old, “grandfathered” mailboxes deteriorate or are replaced for cosmetic reasons, the nonapproved boxes will be a thing of the past.
Preston was kind enough to pass along the rules and regulations to which approved mailboxes must conform, and they are truly scary in their specificity. Boxes are tested for everything from salt spray resistance to flammability to color shade.
Steve Korker, a communications spokesman for the United States Postal System, says that the USPS itself tests mailboxes for manufacturers. Tests include the dreaded “door and flag” test, in which each part is attached to a machine and opened and closed a minimum of 7,500 times. Boxes are dropped on hard surfaces to test their durability, tested for leakage, and exposed to water and high humidity.
So although the postmaster general cannot personally test the flag on each household’s mailbox, rest assured that if you have the “Approved by the Postmaster General” inscription, your mailbox is ready to withstand rain, sleet, snow, and the dark of night, and is less likely to complain about these weather conditions than your postal carrier.
Submitted by Scott Kovatch of Dublin, Ohio.
Why does a ball tend to veer toward the ocean when one putts on a golf course?
We were shocked when this truism of the links was denied by the golfing authorities we contacted. Typical was the response of Frank Thomas, technical director of the United States Golf Association:
I have no evidence that this is the case or that there are any strange forces that could possibly make this happen. If the natural shape of the land is down toward the ocean and the green has a similar grade, then the ball will tend to veer according to the slope.
We were stymied until we heard from Rand Jerris, at the USGA’s museum and library. He called the premise of this Imponderable “one of those great half-truths of life,” and indicated that although under certain conditions the ball does tend to veer toward the ocean, “just as often you will find a putt that breaks away from the water.” Jerris, however, was our only source to explain the conditions on the golf course that might cause the ball to move in mysterious ways:
1. Drainage. Most greens are constructed with subtle slopes to facilitate drainage in a specific direction. Economically, it makes sense to drain toward natural bodies of water, whether that be an ocean or a lake.
2. Grain of the green. Any golfer knows that putts will tend to break with, and not against, the natural grain of the grass. Jerris notes that grass found in the western United States, such as Bermuda grass, tends to be stronger and thicker than eastern varieties. Since blades of grass tend to grow toward the setting sun to maximize photosynthetic activity, the strong grains of western grass tend to steer putts toward the ocean. Even when the weaker, thinner, bent grass in the East bends toward the West Coast, the effect is imperceptible because the grass has weak grain or no grain at all.
3. Winds. In some shore regions, the dominant winds tend to blow from land toward the sea. According to Jerris, “These winds may also add to the effects of grain, forcing the blades of grass to orient in the direction of the ocean.”
So don’t blame the tides for your next errant putt. Chances are, your victimizer is the grass beneath your feet, paying you back for all those divots you’ve dug.
Submitted by John R. Green of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Why do dishwashers have two compartments for detergent? And why does only one compartment close?
Our ever cheerful appliance expert, Whirlpool’s Carolyn Verweyst, replied to this Imponderable with uncharacteristic testiness: “Consumers frequently ask these questions but never think to consult their use and care manuals supplied with the appliance.” Ah, c’mon, Carolyn. Force us to hand-wash our dishes. Refuse to answer our question. But don’t condemn us to actually having to read the user’s manuals!
An informal survey of moderately intelligent individuals (i.e., we asked a bunch of our friends) indicates that the average dishwasher owner doesn’t have the slightest idea how much detergent to put in the dispensers, nor the significance of loading one or both cups.
To save you the agony of user manual ocular bleariness and brain rot, we’re here to help. Although there are differences among the dishwashers of different companies, and even among different models from the same manufacturer, a few truisms emerge. Perhaps the most important principle is that you need fill both sections of the dispenser only if you are cleaning heavily soiled dishes or pots and pans—cycles that require two different wash periods. The “pots and pans” cycle typically consists of these phases: light wash (using the soap in the uncovered section of the dispenser); rinse-wash (using the covered section); rinse-rinse-dry-off.
In most dishwashers, the “normal” cycle consists of rinse-wash-rinse-rinse-dry-off. Ordinarily, you need fill only one
of the two sections with detergent. But make sure you put the detergent in the correct slot. Fill up the covered cup, close it, and a timer within the dishwasher will pop it open automatically at the proper time (after the first rinse cycle). If you put detergent in the uncovered section in a cycle that begins with a rinse, not only are you wasting detergent by washing away the detergent during the first rinse cycle, but you won’t have any detergent left to use during the main wash.
A few dishwashers begin their normal cycles with a “light wash” rather than a rinse and do require both sections of the dispenser to be filled with detergent. The only way to be sure, and we say this with deep regret, is to consult your use and care manual.
Submitted by Bethany Marcus of Parma, Ohio.
Is it true that horses cannot vomit?
WARNING: If you have eaten within the last hour, or contemplate eating within the next hour, we do not recommend perusal of this chapter at the current time.
Equine vomiting is highly unusual but not unheard of. Vomiting is almost impossible because of the acute angle at which a horse’s esophagus enters the stomach. In most cases, what might seem to be vomiting is actually regurgitation—the coughing up of food still in the esophagus. A horse’s regurgitated food is much more likely to exit through the nose than the mouth (we did warn you!) because the pharynx—the tube connecting the mouth and esophagus—works as a safety valve to prevent exit through the mouth.
Guarding the entrance from the esophagus to the stomach is a strong set of sphincter muscles that allow food to enter the stomach but prevent food from returning back into the esophagus. These muscles remain closed even after the death of a horse.
Although humans might not look forward to retching, vomiting allows us to purge substances from our body that might make us far sicker. Horses aren’t so lucky. Dr. Cindy Jackson, of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Clinic, told Imponderables that horses would be better off if they could vomit. Horses commonly die from colic.
Submitted by L. Love of San Antonio, Texas.
Why does the tax stamp on a pack of cigarettes say “20 CLASS A CIGARETTES”?
The grade refers not to the quality of the cigarettes but to their size. Class A cigarettes are the smallest grade—those that weigh not more than three pounds per thousand—and therefore, the class with the smallest excise tax bite.
Submitted by John C. White of El Paso, Texas. Thanks also to Donald Marti, Jr., of New York, New York.
What are the small, light-colored spots on a brown cigarette filter? Do they have any function?
Those spots have one of the most important imaginable functions—to look pretty. Most American cigarettes have either white or brown filter papers. According to Mary Ann Usrey, of R.J. Reynolds, most women prefer white filters. But most men, evidently, find the brown color more macho.
Cigarette companies print the dots with nontoxic ink to simulate the look of cork (in fact, this style is known as a “cork tip”). Winston, Camel, and Marlboro are just three of the brands that feature cork tips, and include them solely because of the delicate aesthetic preferences of their customers.
Submitted by Leroy Thompson II of Leesburg, Virginia.
In movies and television dramas, what is the purpose of boiling water when babies are delivered at home?
Considering the urgency with which characters in movies bark orders to boil water as soon as it becomes evident a woman is going to give birth at home, we assumed there was a better reason for the command than to rustle up some tea. But we’ve never seen the boiled water actually being used on-screen.
Most of the medical authorities we contacted echoed the sentiments of Dr. Steven P. Shelov, professor of pediatrics at the Montefiore Medical Center:
This is an attempt to make as sterile an environment as possible, though clearly it is far short of inducing any sterility whatsoever. There might be some ability with hotter water to allow for a cleaner, more efficient cleansing of the baby and of the mother postpartum.
Obviously, it can’t hurt to sterilize equipment that comes in contact with the mother or baby, such as scissors, cord clamps, white shoelaces (used in lieu of cord clamps), syringes, and tongs (used to lift the other sterile items), or even more importantly, to sterilize other household implements commandeered to act as sterilized medical equipment.
But boiling water isn’t confined to emergency deliveries. Midwives have been boiling water for years for planned home deliveries. Most attempt to boil sterile equipment for thirty minutes and then place instruments in a covered dish (syringes are usually wrapped in a sterile cloth).
Dr. William Berman, of the Society for Pediatric Research, indicated that it couldn’t hurt to sterilize water for washrags used to cleanse mother and baby, whether they are washcloths or ripped-up bed sheets. Actually, it could hurt—if they forget to let the boiled water cool down.
Submitted by Scott Morwitz of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thanks also to Jil McIntosh of Oshawa, Ontario; and Dr. John Hardin of Greenfield, Indiana.
Why do frogs close their eyes when swallowing?
There is a downside to those big, beautiful frog eyes. While they may attract the admiration of their beady-eyed human counterparts, frog eyes bulge not only on the outside but on the inside of their faces. The underside of their eyeball is covered by a sheet of tissue and protrudes into the mouth cavity. Frogs literally cannot swallow unless they use their eyes to push the food down their stomach. Richard Landesman, zoologist at the University of Vermont, amplifies:
In order for frogs to swallow, they must be able to push material in the mouth backwards into the esophagus. Humans use their tongue to accomplish this task; however, frogs use their eyes. By depressing their eyes, food can be pushed posteriorly in the mouth. Frogs also use this same mechanism to breathe, since they lack a diaphragm.
Actually, if we ate what frogs eat, we might close our eyes when swallowing, too.
Submitted by Scott McNeff of Wells, Maine.
Why do the paper bags/sacks in supermarkets have jagged edges where you open them?
Not an earth-shatteringly important Imponderable, perhaps, but we were startled by how little paper bag manufacturers knew about the subject. They couldn’t even agree on what to call these edges; depending upon to whom we spoke, the edges were referred to as “serrated,” “pinked,” “jagged,” and “chain cut.”
But Brent Dixon, president of the Paper Bag Institute (and, in a naked lust for power, also the majordomo of the Paper Shipping Sack Manufacturers Association), referred us to the only person who knows the real story—George Stahl, who works in sales for Potdevin Machine Company, a large manufacturer of machines that produce paper bags, and has been in the business longer than most of our sources have been alive.
Stahl explains that sack machines are run at a high speed; they produce from four hundred to five hundred sacks per minute. The individual bags are cut from long strips of paper by an anvil-type blade. For technical reasons, if straight edges were desired for the sack’s opening, two blades would be necessary, dramatically slowing down the production process.
Although serrated edges might help you open the paper sack faster and more safely, don’t for a second presume that your welfare was the reason for the design. The accountants, not the designers, dictate the form of the finished product.
Submitted by Diane Cormier of Bath, Maine.
How and why do hotel amenities (such as turndown service and bathrobes) spread so quickly among different hotel chains?
One of the stranger aspects of our job is the “publicity tour,” when we are sent to eleven different cities in eleven days, to flog unremittingly our latest tome upon an innocent public. When we are on our own dime, we tend to stay at motels where the size of the complimentary bath soap slightly exceeds the circumference of a commemorative postage stamp, and the “bath mat” has the texture and width of the paper place mat at Denny’s. But for whatever reason, our esteemed publisher sends us t
o the type of hotels that charge as much for one night’s lodging as Motel 6 does for a week’s. And since we are pliant, malleable types, we don’t complain about being forced to alter our bohemian lifestyle.
On these tours, we have noticed a curious fact. Every year, it seems there is a new “hot” amenity. Two years ago, for example, we noticed that virtually all the hotels we visited now had alarm clocks. In the past, you called the hotel operator if you wanted a wake-up call. We thought perhaps the hotel was saving money by having guests reduce their dependency on operator-assisted wake-up calls. But then last year, those clocks were replaced by clock radios. And when we went up to our room for the first time, the radio, invariably, was on, and tuned to classical music. If the city didn’t have a classical music station, the radio played classy elevator music.
We could understand how an individual hotel, or single hotel chain, might decide that the “musical introduction” to the new guest was an elegant touch, but how did many different chains all adopt the practice so quickly? How and why did they all decide simultaneously that guests could not enter their rooms without being greeted by Chopin?
Are Lobsters Ambidextrous? Page 10
