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Things that used to be common place in people’s homes

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GusB

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Now that image of the Caddymatic rings a few bells. I'm sure I've seen one somewhere before and if my memory serves me right, it was used to store teabags. I just can't remember who it was that had it.
 
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ta-toget

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It was found to be more efficient, as otherwise you are going against the Earth's rotation and the magnetic field can slow the spin down.
Do they turn the other way in the other (southern) hemisphere? Water goes down the drain the other way there, doesn't it?
 

Peter C

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Water goes down the drain the other way there, doesn't it?
I seem to remember Stephen Fry saying on QI that you could make it go either way - but whether that was true or not I don't know. Not a very interesting fact I know!

-Peter
 

Gloster

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If I remember correctly, the belief that water goes clockwise down the plug hole in the Northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Southern is theoretically true, but not in practice. There are far greater influences, such as the shape of the basin, very slight vibrations in the surrounding environment or the last movements of the water. It is the sort of thing that might, with great difficulty, be replicated in strict laboratory conditions, but not in real life. (I am no scientist: Grade E in Physics O-Level and U in Chemistry.)
 

takno

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It was found to be more efficient, as otherwise you are going against the Earth's rotation and the magnetic field can slow the spin down.
Wait, what? You could conceivably make that point about toploaders, although it's still subject to the observation that the moon has about as much chance of pulling a ride in your bath. For front-loading washing machines a north-facing clockwise spinner and a South-facing anti-clockwise spinner would be doing exactly the same thing
 

najaB

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Wait, what? You could conceivably make that point about toploaders, although it's still subject to the observation that the moon has about as much chance of pulling a ride in your bath. For front-loading washing machines a north-facing clockwise spinner and a South-facing anti-clockwise spinner would be doing exactly the same thing
Which is why south-facing washing machines rock more than north-facing ones.
 

Bevan Price

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If I remember correctly, the belief that water goes clockwise down the plug hole in the Northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Southern is theoretically true, but not in practice. There are far greater influences, such as the shape of the basin, very slight vibrations in the surrounding environment or the last movements of the water. It is the sort of thing that might, with great difficulty, be replicated in strict laboratory conditions, but not in real life. (I am no scientist: Grade E in Physics O-Level and U in Chemistry.)
Correct. Known as the Coriolis Force, it is tiny compared to other effects, and except under highly controlled conditions, the water rotates in random directions. Rather complicated & theoretical, but for anyone who wants to know more, see:

 

Mcr Warrior

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Didn't one of Michael Palin's travelogues (possibly "Pole to Pole") showcase some charlatan at the Equator who used to "demonstrate" the Coriolis effect with a draining pan; and with some almost imperceptible movement, he was able to make the water rotate one way on the North side of the Equator, and other way on the South side, some ten yards away. If memory serves, he got the water to rotate in the opposite direction to that which might have been expected!
 

Bald Rick

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Didn't one of Michael Palin's travelogues (possibly "Pole to Pole") showcase some charlatan at the Equator who used to "demonstrate" the Coriolis effect with a draining pan; and with some almost imperceptible movement, he was able to make the water rotate one way on the North side of the Equator, and other way on the South side, some ten yards away. If memory serves, he got the water to rotate in the opposite direction to that which might have been expected!

Yes, that was Pole to Pole (episode 5, “Crossing the Line”)
 

ta-toget

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I better keep any fridge magnets away from the washing machine then.
That reminds me: when I was small, I used to stick fridge magnets in all sorts of places I shouldn't have. One of these places was the detergent dispensing drawer of the washing machine, and when the washing machine had to be repaired/disassembled for some reason, loads of fridge magnets were found stuck to outside of the drum.
 

Busaholic

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Should it be domo? (I am a bit rusty after all these years and never was very good anyway.)
Ego sum ignarus. As I said, we didn't have one in my house, so I'm excused. Must say, top of the head though, domus sounds right to me but I failed Latin 'O' level twice.
 

Bungle158

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If I remember correctly, the belief that water goes clockwise down the plug hole in the Northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Southern is theoretically true, but not in practice. There are far greater influences, such as the shape of the basin, very slight vibrations in the surrounding environment or the last movements of the water. It is the sort of thing that might, with great difficulty, be replicated in strict laboratory conditions, but not in real life. (I am no scientist: Grade E in Physics O-Level and U in Chemistry.)
First thing l did on arriving in Joburg as a youngster was to run water in the bathroom sink and watch it drain; disappointingly, no different to the UK. However, l was intrigued to discover that water boils at around 95c at the city's 1780 mts altitude
 

MotCO

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'House' in Latin is 'Domus', when it is the subject of a sentence, both singular and plural. If it is the object of a sentence it is 'Domum' (singular) or 'Domos' (or alternatively 'Domus') (plural).

I think that 'not in my house' is an example of the ablative decelension, in which case it is 'Domo' (singular) or 'Domibus' (plural). I which case, the phrase 'not in my house' is 'non domo meo', although I am willing to be corrected.
 

Ediswan

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I still have no idea what that is! Unsurprisingly, it isn't covered in the modern education syllabus (unless, presumably, you study Latin).
No need to worry about the quality of your education, ablative does not exist in English.
 
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