Bigger isn't always better

Why does the Region of Durham leave 15-litre water bottles, such as those sold by Fernbrook Springs at major retailers in the region, advertised as 100-per cent recyclable, behind at the curb?

    Katherine Ross-Perron, a waste technician for the Region of Durham, said currently the Region does not accept or collect any plastic bottles over 10 litres.
    There are several processing concerns.
    “Because they’re so large and they’re so light, they tend to take up a lot of space in the collection trucks,” said Ms. Ross-Perron. Accepting them may mean additional costs since that might require more trucks on the road.
    As well, the Region’s processing facilities are designed to handle regular sized containers only.
    However, that may change as the Region is currently transitioning to a new Materials Recovery Facility.
    “Once we’re in our new facility, it’s something we’re going to look at,” said Ms. Ross-Perron.
    She adds that the problem has only come up in the last five years since the vendors selling the water moved from a deposit/return system to the current recyclable material. When they made the switch, they didn’t consider the impact over-sized products would have on municipal recycling.
    “If you’re buying that product, return it to the place you bought it and let them deal with the space,” advises Ms. Ross-Perron.

Don't try this at home

Why does a person's tongue stick to metal in cold weather?

Yikes! That is one frosty experiment you don't want to try.

According to straightdope.com, flesh sticks to metal because the moisture on the skin freezes on contact, bonding it to the metal. Whereas ice on your tongue will warm up fast, metal is an efficient conductor of heat and can easily disperse the warmth.

While the best advice is not to get your tongue onto cold metal in the first place, if you do, do not try to pull it off. The course of action suggested by factmonster.com is to move gloved hands over the metal near your tongue to warm up the metal enough to allow you to slowly pull your tongue off. If warm water is nearby, splash it over your tongue to thaw it. Don't put cool water or your saliva over the area; they will both freeze, making the situation stickier.

Why don't school buses have seat belts?

According to the Ministry of Transportation, information from all types of school bus collisions demonstrates that the current school bus design provides a high level of protection to occupants and that seat belts may actually adversely affect the safety of children on school buses (Transport Canada).

Instead of requiring seat belts, school buses are designed and constructed differently from passenger cars. School buses protect passengers through "compartmentalization", a design that includes:

• Seats with high backs;
• Seats filled with energy-absorbing material;
• Seats placed close together to form compartments;
• Strong seat anchorages.

Studies have shown that adding seat belts to the current seating configuration of a school bus can increase the chance of head and neck injuries. For a seat belt to be effective, it must be worn correctly, snug and on the upper thighs. Because school vehicles carry passengers from the very young to high school students, if seat belts were used, they would need to be readjusted and their use monitored. A seat belt not worn correctly may cause serious injuries.

-- Source: mto.gov.on.ca

Proceed with caution

Why is it that people will sit at an intersection and wait for a pedestrian to cross five lanes of roadway and hold up two or three other cars? Cars could have easily been through the intersection without interfering with said pedestrian. Some people might think waiting is being courteous. No, it is inconsiderate to other drivers as well as the pedestrian who is made feel they need to rush across the street.

According to the Ontario Driver's Handbook, drivers, including cyclists, must stop and let all pedestrians cross. Once people have cleared your side of the road you can go with caution. Do not pass any vehicle within 30 metres of a pedestrian crossing.

It's a piece of cake

Why do we say things that are easy are a cakewalk?

The Cakewalk was a dance. Its origins in slavery and the plantation south, the Cakewalk was the sole organized and even condoned forum for servants to mock their masters. A send-up of the rich folks in the "Big House," the Cakewalk mocked the aristocratic and grandiose mannerisms of southern high-society. Much bowing and bending were characteristic of the dance, which was more a performance than anything else. Couples lined up to form an aisle, down which each pair would take a turn at a high-stepping promenade through the others. In many instances the Cakewalk was performance, and even competition. The dance would be held at the master’s house on the plantation and he would serve as judge. The dance’s name comes from the cake that would be awarded to the winning couple.

See source, more information and a video clip of a Cakewalk here.

They've got your number

Why do sports teams 'retire' players' numbers?

Wikipedia says it best. Retiring a player's number is an honor bestowed on a successful player, usually after the player has left the team or quit the game. It honors a player who has meant so much to his team that he has "given it the shirt off his back." Their club or franchise will retire the shirt number that the player wore during their time there, meaning no other player is permitted to use that number in the future.

Number retirement policies will vary by team. Some teams (especially after franchise shifts) have revoked or suspended retired numbers. Other times, numbers are retired across an entire league; for example, in 1999 Wayne Gretzky's number 99 was retired league-wide by the National Hockey League on his retirement from the game (in this case, no other NHL player had worn  number 99 at the time).

Hurricane season

How do hurricanes form?

Nature's recipe for a hurricane is precise.

According to howstuffworks.com, it can take anywhere from hours to several days for a thunderstorm to develop into a hurricane. Although the whole process of hurricane formation is not entirely understood, three events must happen for hurricanes to form:
    •     A continuing evaporation-condensation cycle of warm, humid ocean air
    •     Patterns of wind characterized by converging winds at the surface and strong, uniform-speed winds at higher altitudes
    •     A difference in air pressure (pressure gradient) between the surface and high altitude

Warm, moist air from the ocean surface begins to rise rapidly. As this warm air rises, its water vapor condenses to form storm clouds and droplets of rain. The condensation releases heat called latent heat of condensation. This latent heat warms the cool air aloft, thereby causing it to rise. This rising air is replaced by more warm, humid air from the ocean below. This cycle continues, drawing more warm, moist air into the developing storm and continuously moving heat from the surface to the atmosphere. This exchange of heat from the surface creates a pattern of wind that circulates around a center. This circulation is similar to that of water going down a drain.

Hung out to dry

How can a new subdivision ban a clothesline if it is not an actual municipal bylaw?

According to Derek Hannan, manager of bylaw services for the Town of Ajax, there isn't a bylaw outlawing clotheslines.

"It's a covenant in deed of the property. It's an agreement with the developer" that clotheslines can't be put up, he says. This doesn't apply to umbrella-style clotheslines, only those clotheslines that stretch across a property.

"If you get a good gust of win, clothes will be flapping in your neighbour's yard."

It has to do with "sightlines and enjoying your backyard," Mr. Hannan said.

Downtown Oshawa

An article appeared in Oshawa This Week regarding ICC Global's request for $1 million and a 10-year tax deferral to refurbish the Genosha Hotel. ICC Global specializes in city revitalization.  I was wondering if they had an agreement with the City to help them with the revitalization of downtown Oshawa?

We turned to the expertise of This Week reporter Jillian Follert. She replies:

The City of Oshawa does not have an agreement with ICC Global to help with downtown revitalization; the company simply owns property downtown. ICC purchased the Genosha in 2005 for $1.8 million and asked the City to support its efforts to renovate the property, by providing things like parking spaces and a tax deferral. The City received multiple hotel proposals this year, and decided to put its support
behind another party, prompting ICC to pull the plug on its project.

Wish on a star Sunday

What's the best way to watch this weekend's meteor showers?

The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to be terrific this year, due to a new moon on Aug. 12, which will mean dark skies. The height of the shooting star activity is expected after midnight Sunday, Aug. 12, through dawn on Monday. According to space.com, 90 to 100 meteors could streak across the sky per hour, although they'll be harder to see in urban areas due to light pollution.

The site offers advice on how to enjoy the show, from Bill Cooke of NASA:

Find a comfortable spot with a clear view of the northeast horizon, away from local lights. A dark rural location is best. Lie back on a blanket or lounge chair and scan the entire sky. In the late evening, after dark, sharp-eyed observers might see "earthgrazing" meteors that skim the northeast horizon.

"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful," Cooke said. "They are among the most beautiful of meteors." But don't expect more than a handful in an hour, he said.

Later and during the overnight hours, the shooting stars will be higher in the sky as Perseus rises. Some skywatchers enjoy counting the number of meteors they see per minute, per hour or during a 15-minute interval and comparing notes.

Telescopes and binoculars are no help, as the meteors move too swiftly and are best observed with the naked eye.