MUNDANE MYSTERIES: How Warm Is “Lukewarm”?
The term “lukewarm” is used commonly to mean “somewhere between hot & cold”. But, there are certain times that call for a more specific place on the thermometer, such as when you’re baking bread, bathing a baby, or having breakfast with Goldilocks. But, how warm is lukewarm really?
It depends, really. It was in the early 18th century that both Dutch physicist Daniel Fahrenheit & Swedish astronomer Andres Celsius each came up with their own respective temperature scales. At that time, “lukewarm” had already been in use for several centuries. And, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word derives from the Middle English word “lheuc”, which generally means “tepid”.
Basically, lukewarm wasn’t originally a scientific term (it still isn’t, either). Still, people do occasionally have a temperature range in mind when using it. Some consider lukewarm to be body temperature (98.6°F), while others characterize it to be closer to room temperature (around 70°F, give or take a few degrees). But, if you’re talking about bread or baths, lukewarm needs to be a bit warmer.
Pediatricians say that a baby’s bathwater should be right around 100°F; so, warm but not hot. Water to activate yeast for baking bread should be in that region, too, though it depends on what kind of yeast. Cake yeast (sometimes called “wet,” “fresh,” or “compressed” yeast) needs water between 90°F & 95°F, while dry yeast requires water between 110°F & 115°F. Instant yeast, on the other hand, usually needs even warmer water to activate, between 120°F & 130°F. And, it matters because, if your water’s too hot (140°F or higher) the fungi in the yeast won’t be able to grow at all & your dough won’t rise.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
Wake Up Crew- March 18, 2021
Mach Madness, Unwritten Rules, Justice League, Birthday’s and more!
Happy Hour for 2
Listen every Thursday for your chance to win a Happy Hour for 2 from Dragon Distillery!
Happy Hour includes
-2 Drinks (1 per person)
-20 Hatchet Throws (10 per person)
-20 Ninja Star Throws (10 per person)
Dragon Distillery is located at 1341 Hughes Ford Rd, Frederick MD 21701
Visit them here: DragonDistillery.com
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Pinch Non-Green-Wearers On St. Patrick’s Day?
You probably hear it all day the day before & likely see it happen on the day, itself: if you don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s day, you get pinched by your friends & family. But, have you ever actually questioned the whole St. Patrick’s Day pinching rule? Is it an ancient cultural practice passed down through generations? Or, was it just some stupid game an older brother invented to beat up on his younger siblings?
As folklore would have it, you actually get pinched on St. Patrick’s day for not wearing green because green makes you invisible to leprechauns, and leprechauns like to pinch people. Why do leprechauns like to pinch people? Because they can, that’s why! (I couldn’t track down any primary Irish source to certify this claim, however, so take it with a grain of salt.)
Apart from the superstitious aspect, why would we need to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? Well, wearing green actually symbolizes Irish Republicanism, which was a nonsectarian movement from the late 18th century that campaigned for Ireland to become an independent republic. The reason green became so deeply entwined with St. Patrick’s Day came a little bit later, in the 19th century, when Irish immigrants started landing in America & celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by wearing the symbolic color reflecting their heritage.
So, hopefully you’ve worn your finest green t-shirt or dress this St. Patty’s day. Because, while we don’t condone pinching those who don’t wear green, everyone’s entitled to celebrate as they must. So, better to be safe than sorry!
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
I have seen the Bob Ross MTN Dew Ad
A few people have asked me if I have seen the new Bob Ross MTN Ad. I have, and I am not a fan. It isn’t because of the cluster of ethical questions around deepfakes. I can thankfully ignore all that because the Bob Ross Company signed off on the idea.
The problem is that I think they could have done a better job!!!!
This video clocking in at over 40 minutes of content includes 26 minutes of an old episode. Instead of mixing and blending in the fake Bob Ross, they go full fake once they run out of original footage. It isn’t impressive, and I have no idea why they didn’t just lean into how bad it…I need to stop.
Here is some info on the ad:
- Who Plays Bob Ross In Mountain Dew’s ‘Refreshing Opportunity’ Commercial?
- Why Mtn Dew created a 40-minute Bob Ross ‘lost episode’ to bring joy by painting
Some of my Bob Ross nonsense:
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The Dimple On A Jug Of Milk
It doesn’t matter if you prefer whole milk, 2%, or skim, when it comes to the plastic containers that your milk comes in all share one thing in common: they’ve got an inverted circle built into one side of the jug. If you’re a milk drinker, you’ve probably seen this circle…but do you know the ingenious reason for it?
That concave circle on the side of your jug of milk actually provides structural integrity to the jug, itself. A full gallon of milk with rigid flat sides would be fine simply sitting on a shelf in your fridge; but if it were to drop onto the floor, it would most likely rupture. That concave circle is what helps prevent that from happening. When a jug hits the ground, the circle flips outward & gives the milk a place to go when it expands on impact. By working in some literal wiggle room into the design actually makes the container more flexible & durable.
The same feature comes in handy as the milk approaches its expiration date. Milk contains microbes that will expel gases over time. As those gases accumulate, pressure within the jug builds up, and it’s that flexible dimple that stops the jug from exploding. If you want to see a more extreme example of this process, just put a jug of milk in the freezer. See, liquids expand when frozen, which is why freezing a bottle or can of soda ultimately leaves you with a shattered container & a mess in your freezer. The milk jug’s inverted circle facilitates that expansion, though, so you could stick your milk directly in the freezer without it becoming a wet bomb.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Are “Brownie Points”?
“Brownie points” have become synonymous with currying favor with those in authority like teachers or bosses. But, where exactly did “brownie points” come from? And, what happens when you “earn” them?
One of the most popular explanations is that they originated with the Brownies, a subsect of the Girl Scouts. Often too young to be official Girl Scouts, Brownies were still encouraged to perform good deeds for their communities. So, instead of badges (like official Girl Scouts), they earned points.
But, the Brownies aren’t the only potential source for the phrase. In the 1930s, kids who delivered magazines like The Saturday Evening Post & Ladies’ Home Journal were eligible for “greenies” & “brownies”, vouchers redeemable for merchandise. They weren’t called “brownie points” outright, but it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine kids applying a points system to brownies earned.
The phrase could also have come out of wartime rationing in the 1940s, where red and brown ration points could be redeemed for meats.
The phrase didn’t really pick up steam until a 1951 Los Angeles Times article was published noting its recent uptick in usage. After that, married men began to believe brownie points could be collected by remembering birthdays & anniversaries, picking up dry cleaning, mailing letters, and not spending long nights in bars.
Later, students took the phrase to mean unnecessary devotion toward winning over teachers. Also called “apple polishing”, other students would shame their peers for being too teacher-friendly & sucking up (also called “brown-nosing”).
Since the late 1950s, though, “brownie points” became synonymous with any act where a favor could be expected in return, particularly if it’s from someone in a position to reward that act with good grades or a promotion. But, since we should all be nice & helpful to everyone else, “brownie points” should really be “pointless” at this point.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
Wake Up Crew- March 16, 2021
What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you? Bachelorette news, Pet of the Week, March Madness, and more!