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Imponderables
The Solution to the Mysteries
of Everyday Life
Did you ever wonder why you never see baby pigeons? Or why a thumbs-up gesture means "OK"? At last the solutions to some of life's most baffling questions are gathered here in one volume. Written in an informative and entertaining style and illustrated with drawings that are clearly to the point, Imponderables gets to the bottom of everyday life's mysteries, among them:
Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and almanacs don't have the answers —Imponderables does! And in answering such questions, it touches on an astonishing variety of subjects, including sports, science, history, politics, television, radio, and much more. No trivial pursuit, Imponderables takes a surprising, illuminating, and humorous look at ourselves and the world around us.
Presents entertaining and enlightening solutions to more than100 of everyday life's little mysteries among them.
The expression partly sunny was brought to you by the same folks who brought you comfort station and sanitary engineer. As a technical meteorological term, partly sunny doesn't exist. So while you might assume that a partly sunny sky should be clearer than a partly cloudy one, the two terms signify the same condition. You have merely encountered a weathercaster who prefers to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.
Actually, most of the meteorological terms that seem vague and arbitrary have precise meanings. The degree of cloudiness is measured by the National Weather Service and described according to the following scales:
| Percentage of Cloud Cover | Term |
|---|---|
| 0-30 | clear |
| 31-70 | partly cloudy |
| 71-99 | cloudy |
| 100 | overcast |
Where does "fair" weather fit into this spectrum? Fair weather generally refers to any day with less than a 50 percent cloud cover (thus even some "partly cloudy" days could also be "fair"). But even a cloudy day can be termed fair if the cover consists largely of transparent clouds. On days when a profusion of thin cirrus clouds hangs high in the sky but does not block the sun, it is more descriptive to call it a fair day than a partly cloudy one, since one thick cloud formation can screen more sunshine than many willowy cirrus formations.
You might also have heard the aviation descriptions of cloud cover used in weather forecasts. Here's what they mean:
| Percentage of CloudCover | Term |
|---|---|
| 0-9 | clear |
| 10-50 | scattered clouds |
| 51-89 | broken sky |
| 90-99 | cloudy |
| 100 | overcast |
Not many people know what the weather service means when it forecasts that there is a "chance" of rain. Precipitation probabilities expressed in vague adjectives also have precise meaning:
| Chance of Precipitation | National Weather Service Term |
|---|---|
| 0-20% | no mention of precipitation is made |
| 21-50% | "chance" of precipitation |
| 51-79% | precipitation "likely" |
| 80-100% | will not hedge with adjective:"snow," "rain," etc. |
The expression partly sunny was brought to you by the same folks who brought you comfort station and sanitary engineer. As a technical meteorological term, partly sunny doesn't exist. So while you might assume that a partly sunny sky should be clearer than a partly cloudy one, the two terms signify the same condition. You have merely encountered a weathercaster who prefers to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.
Actually, most of the meteorological terms that seem vague and arbitrary have precise meanings. The degree of cloudiness is measured by the National Weather Service and described according to the following scales:
| Percentage of Cloud Cover | Term |
|---|---|
| 0-30 | clear |
| 31-70 | partly cloudy |
| 71-99 | cloudy |
| 100 | overcast |
Where does "fair" weather fit into this spectrum? Fair weather generally refers to any day with less than a 50 percent cloud cover (thus even some "partly cloudy" days could also be "fair"). But even a cloudy day can be termed fair if the cover consists largely of transparent clouds. On days when a profusion of thin cirrus clouds hangs high in the sky but does not block the sun, it is more descriptive to call it a fair day than a partly cloudy one, since one thick cloud formation can screen more sunshine than many willowy cirrus formations.
You might also have heard the aviation descriptions of cloud cover used in weather forecasts. Here's what they mean:
| Percentage of Cloud Cover | Term |
|---|---|
| 0-9 | clear |
| 10-50 | scattered clouds |
| 51-89 | broken sky |
| 90-99 | cloudy |
| 100 | overcast |
Not many people know what the weather service means when it forecasts that there is a "chance" of rain. Precipitation probabilities expressed in vague adjectives also have precise meaning:
| Chance of Precipitation | National Weather Service Term |
|---|---|
| 0-20% | no mention of precipitation is made |
| 21-50% | "chance" of precipitation |
| 51-79% | precipitation "likely" |
| 80-100% | will not hedge with adjective:"snow," "rain," etc. |
Anonymous
Posted March 14, 2013
Not to burst ur bubble but he probraly doesnt have a nook. (I sure wish he did)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 5, 2013
Could anyone please tell me how long this book is? Thanks
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 20, 2012
Histarical questions then again sometimes i wonder wat goes on in his head when he writes these questions
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 12, 2012
I have a question , David Feldman . How are farts related to burps? Please respond with a review when you find out,please?
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 9, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted January 26, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 20, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted November 6, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Imponderables
The Solution to the Mysteries
of Everyday Life
Did you ever wonder why you never see baby pigeons? Or why a thumbs-up gesture means "OK"? At last the solutions to some of life's most ...