I have lots of these. Mostly, they just pop into my head and then leak right out again. Some of them, though, stick with me...nagging, poking, demanding an answer that I cannot give for sure. If you can answer any of them, I will adore you for it for the rest of my life.
1. If I set my thermostat at 70 degrees in the summer, the air conditioning leaves me freezing all night long; but if I set it at 70 degrees in the winter, the heat leaves me roasting halfway through the night. WHY? This makes no sense. The blankets are exactly the same year-round. So are the jammies. So is the temperature, in theory any way. And yet, I have to keep the thermostat at about 65 in winter to avoid becoming overheated and about 75 in summer to avoid getting chilled by the air conditioning. Bizarre.
2. If I eat in one sitting 1/4 of a large bag of jelly beans, or 10 candybar minis, or an excess amount of whatever junk my kids have been given for whatever sugar-loaded holiday has most recently passed, is that less bad for me than eating a handful of candy every day for three weeks? Because getting it all over with in one setting feels better -- just one day of over-indulgence as opposed to 21 days -- even though technically it's the same amount of calories. Does your body somehow counteract it better if you just pig out once instead of doing so every day? And if not, why does it seem this way?
3. Who would win a marathon if the only runners were: a male world-class marathoner and a world-class Thoroughbred horse? To be fair, I'd be willing to stage the course on some turf equally amenable to both creatures. My money is on the human, and here's why. World-class marathon pace hovers around 5 minute miles for the whole 26.2 miles. That equals 2 hours and 5 or 6 minutes. Now, horses can sprint fast, but not for long distances. According to my limited research, the Pony Express--which ran its horses pretty hard--changed horses roughly every hour and/or every 10 miles. Which tells me that horses can't keep up a 6-minute mile pace for more than an hour, my friends. Hence, the human wins.
However, I have NOT done the math to figure out whether the horse could win by sprinting, say, 1.25 miles (which, in the Kentucky Derby, takes the winning horse just a hair over two minutes), then walking it out for a while, going another sprint, etc., etc. But the only reason I haven't done this math is that I don't know what horses are capable of in this regard. How long would the horse have to walk to recover before sprinting again? At what pace would this walking occur? Could this quick-slow-quick-slow continue for 26.2 miles? This question is driving me crazy. I have been pondering it for YEARS now, and I would like it settled once and for all. It's also, I'm sure, driving my friends crazy, as I bring it up occasionally--as if I've just thought of it--and toss it out there on the off chance some new person in the crowd knows enough about horses to answer. No one ever does. I would do the math -- if only I had a truly knowledgeable horsey person to tell me what math to do.
Are you listening, Universe? Can you throw me some answers here? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Questions for the Universe
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28 comments:
I know no answers to your questions. However, I DO know that this morning was the BEST MORNING SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME. EVER. Well, at least that's what the doggies would say if they could talk. It was the first walk of the season for the adult and the first real walk EVER for the puppy. We went about a mile. We sniffed every 4 feet and peed every 9 feet. It was PERFECTION.
I hope that the body reacts better if you pig out every day, because lately I have been a non-stop eating machine.
During halloween I read that is better to sit down and eat all the candy in a day or two rather than over weeks or months---but this was referring to the impact on your teeth, not your thighs.
Pig out on the candy - as long as you're not a diabetic - which you may become if you pig out on the candy.
I think I may need a nap after these questions.. and then I will wake up and pig out on the candy.. for like a month.
Deep thoughts...I am confused and my brain is fried (my money is on man too).
I am personally perplexed by my younger daughter's question 'why can't you tickle yourself?'
I just posted the horse vs human question to Mythbusters... mabye they can shed some light on the matter. If that fails, I'll see if SIL can take one of her horses out and find out......
1. Because in the winter, your internal thermostat is acclimated to the cold, and in the summer the heat. Same reason 50 feels like shorts weather in February and Ugg weather in July. The body is a great adapter.
2. Either way, they're both fine as long as you brush your teeth after.
3. I hate horses. A LOT. I bet on the guy.
Oh i made the mistake of piggy out on candy this weekend...and I never eat candy....well lets just say the next morning it didnt not agree with me very well. :)
1. The coldest I have ever been was at about 65 degrees, sitting on a bench waiting for the bus. It was in Hawaii, and I was acclimated to 80 degrees with about a 7-degree variance. I was wearing a big chunky cotton sweater and shaking so hard my teeth rattled.
2. 10 mini candy bars is not the worst binge I can imagine. I could do that every day, if I let myself.
3. Thoroughbreds have glass ankles. I'm betting on the man, even running backwards.
1. I have no idea - I'm English, for Heaven's sake. I do 'warm' and 'cool'. I live in the hellish climate of Quebec... -40C in the winter, +40C in summer.... I'm always freezing or boiling. What was I thinking?
2. All at once, the guilt doesn't last as long... but if you're having trouble devouring that mountain of chocolate, I can help. It's a service I'd be happy to provide.... maybe there's a business idea in that?
3. I'd go with the horse... I'm a former foxhunter and eventer... definitely the horse. Oh, but maybe not a thoroughbred - too pernickety. OK, the human, definitely the human. Just not this one!
Number 1 has baffeled me for awhile I am glad I am not the only one who thinks like this.
ding-ding-ding, I think Mr. Lady and Foolery have the most plausible answer for #1 so far. At least, it's one I'm willing to believe as right. Hooray! and many thanks.
On #2, we have many votes for just eating it till you can't stand it anymore, which was, in fact, my standard M.O. in grad school while writing papers. So perhaps that will continue. But I would love it if a nutritionist could give me the real answer. Anyone?
(As for the binging, I can eat way more than that; that was just an *example*!)
And as for #3, MIQ -- I love that you had such a great morning. AND that you sent my horse question to someone who might be able to research a verrrry definitive answer. Thank you.
And, Mrs. F: tell me more about horse paces. What do you think -- how fast could a horse cover 26 miles? (Also, I envy you. I love riding sooo much, even though I've done very little of it. How about a deal -- I'll come deliver a giant basket of chocolate to your door, and you take me for a really long ride somewhere? :)
Kelly -- non-stop eating is me too. Must be something about the end of winter...
Ang, yes I remember that about the teeth, now that you mention it. But I'm less worried about them, somehow. :)
And Foolery, "glass ankles"...ha ha ha ha ha...
Just wanted to send you a cyber hug and huge thanks for being so lovely and supportive!
I'm just glad I'm not the only person debating these questions. I down more candy than fruit! NOT GOOD!
I agree with Mr Lady's theory on body temps adjusting well to the environment. But roasting in the middle of the night with blankets may have to do with your body temp. Bodies tend to be lowest in the morning, from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., when the body is resting. It tends to be warmest in the late afternoon, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Not sure why.
I say pig out!
I see your theory...I'll bet on the human :)
So wait, 10 mini candy bars is an excess? Crap.
Oh, I like the way you think.... when I was younger I always wondered why there was no naturally blue food, or if we switched brains/eyes, would we see the same color, or would your green be my red.... hhmmmm
Sandy C - our bodies fluctuate a couple degrees every day according to our circadian rhythms. The warmer body temp is when we're awake - and cooler when we sleep. When our body temp rises, it acts as a signal to wake up. Then there are people like me - who have chronic insomnia because our circadian rhythms are messed up. I have like a 25 hour day according to my body. So daily, my body wants to shift by an hour the waking and sleeping times. Thus, often my warmest (temp wise) time of day is in the middle of the night. Which is why I wake up then and then cannot fall back asleep. Like today. I actually try to “short circuit” my body and have a programmable thermostat – the temp in the house rises a few degrees when I’m supposed to get up. I get warmer and wake up. Voila.
Tara - there are naturally blue foods - blueberries come to mind. Of course, there aren't many... since nothing else comes to mind. :)
Tara - I too have spent many an hour wondering about the brain/eye switching. I have to think that this happens (some people interpret colors differently) when I see what some people wear. To me the colors totally clash - I wonder what they saw when they created the outfit.
OK, a quick cyber-chat with my learned friend in the UK, who competes in endurance racing with her horses. In a 120km (75 mile) race, she would average at about 17.5 kph (11mph) (gulp!). The minimum speed allowed is 10kph (6mph) for a novice, and the maximum for an advanced horse, around 18kph (just over 11mph). There are rest stops ever 30-40km (18-25 miles), but these are included in the time, reducing the average speed.
Well, who would've thunk it?
And Mommytime, thanks for the offer of more chocolate....I'm still 'helping' the children eat their Easter chocolate. I'm willing to sacrifice my hips for their teeth *sigh*. The things a mother will do for her children. A question of my own - how long can you claim 'just had a baby' as justification for having more flaps than a jumbo jet?
Oh, Mrs F, I am DELIGHTED with the horse information because now I know that my pondering this apparently silly question is not thoroughly pointless, as it would in fact be a real race. Those long-distance endurance horses are going almost exactly the same pace as the marathon man at 11mph. And if rest stops come sometimes every 25 miles, then surely one could train the horse up to 26 -- and then we'd have a real contest on our hands. Thanks so much for finding this out for me! I can sleep better tonight. :)
As an aside, if you think it's fast to ride a horse at that speed, you should watch a guy running that fast. I saw the leaders in the San Francisco race once, and as the camera crew (mounted on a car-ish vehicle) that was panning alongside them whizzed by it struck me that the people were keeping pace with that car (technically, the reverse, I suppose). It's crazy to imagine running that fast. I can't run ONE 5-minute mile, let alone 26 of them!
As for the chocolate hips, first of all: your children's dentist thanks you very very much. Second, you switch from "just had a baby" to "baby is into EVERYTHING and can't be left alone for a second, so I had to give up my gym membership" to "baby is in so many sports that I spend half my life driving carpool" ... and so on... and then there's no need ever to agonize again. :)
MIQ and Tara, I wonder about that color thing too! Like maybe what I think is blue you see as pink, but it doesn't matter because we've got the names all sorted. Isn't that funny...
Can't help you out with these. But they are very deep and profound questions ;-)
Very interesting questions. I have no answers...I'll leave that to Mr. Lady-she's a smart one!
"Ummm...he's sick. My best friend's sister's boyfriend's cousin heard from this guy who knows the kid who was with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 flavors last night.
I guess it's pretty serious."
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