- Why is it that when we drive by roadworks that may even necessitate the use of temporary traffic lights, nobody appears to be actually working there? Go past two days later and there's still nobody working there. In fact when does the work get done? It's a mystery.
- When washing up a few things in the sink, why is it that when you drain away the soapy water there's always one item of cutlery left behind - normally a teaspoon?
- Why do 43% of British adults believe in ghosts without any evidence to back up that claim and when it's clear to the rest of us that there are no such things as ghosts?
- Why do governments print lurid health warnings on packets of cigarettes while simultaneously raking in taxes connected with tobacco products? It's another mystery.
- In relation to reducing the world's carbon footprint, why does nobody in power seem to give a damn about the excessive use of mobile phones that require regular re-charging and contain rare metal components? And why must these phones be replaced so frequently? Ignoring the environmental impact of personal phones seems de rigueur. Shh! Don't say anything about them.
- Why is it that when you are a child time goes slowly but as you grow older time speeds up? When you are a child your birthdays seem to be many miles apart but as you grow older they flicker by like pages in a day calendar blown by a stiff breeze.
- How do migratory birds travel thousands of miles without navigational aids - and this applies also to young birds that have never made the journey before - how do they do that?
- What happens to all the plastic we gather and take to the collection point at our local "Tesco" supermarket every month or so? Is it actually recycled or is it shipped to some third world country for "processing" (i.e. burning and polluting rivers). Why won't anybody tell us?
There are numerous other "mysteries" that gnaw away inside of me but perhaps you have got one or two of your own you would like to share with us in the comments...
Why do cats make a beeline for the one person in the room who hates cats?
ReplyDeletePerhaps because that person wears perfume that is similar to tom cat spray.
DeleteI'm with you on the roadworks why. No one wants to endanger workers but it becomes a case of 'the boy who cried wolf'.
ReplyDeleteBirds are quite fascinating and there are so many puzzles about them. How do moths know to fly in a certain direction once they can?
I often pass "roadworks" where not only is there no one there, there's absolutely nothing to see. No holes, no materials, no diggers, nothing - just barriers.
DeleteWhy are stupid people allowed to drive?
ReplyDeleteWhy am I exhausted in the evening but when I go to bed, it takes such a long time to fall asleep?
Why do people where pyjamas out and about?
Why do people wear pyjamas at all? Mind you - I can understand this in hospitals!
DeleteLOL -- I read that as, "Why are stupid people allowed to live?"
DeleteAs far as I know, Pixie is not a neo-Nazi.
DeleteI believe that the ghost is the culprit responsible for that lone piece of cutlery--and yes, it's almost always a spoon--left in the sink!
ReplyDeleteAre you saying my sink is haunted? Gulp!
DeleteAll good questions here to make us think. I know the answers to the last two but the others are debatable.
ReplyDeleteJust to trick you I have added another one Red.
DeletePossibly some of the roadworks get done at night by the roadwork fairies? I agree with time speeding up with age and really wish it wouldn't. I don't upgrade my phones until absolutely necessary. Ditto TVs and laptops. One has to die before another is purchased.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good eco-friendly habit Elsie. More should follow your example.
DeleteI am sure there are explanatory answers in Google/Wikipedia, except of course for ghosts. Ghosts give a delicious frisson of fright, which we don't want to lose, even if they are not real.
ReplyDeleteI get my "frisson of fright" from Sue-Ellen Braverman and Jacob Rees-Mogg. I don't need ghosts.
DeleteWhy does toast always land jam side down if dropped onto the floor?
ReplyDeleteBecause you put jam on both sides of the toast?
DeleteYou only have to know these things when you're a king.
ReplyDeleteAre you Joe King?
DeleteWhy does everyone have missing socks?
ReplyDeleteBecause their wives get distracted when dealing with the laundry. Probably watching daytime TV.
DeleteWhy does everyone expect to live to 100?
ReplyDeleteBecause they are keen to experience decades of arthritis and dementia.
DeleteSo many questions. I could hazard some answers but the questions themselves are more fun. :)
ReplyDeleteMy questions do not anticipate answers.
DeleteWhat about the butterflies who migrate thousands of miles? How and WHY?
ReplyDeleteIn reality, I do not want all of Nature's beautiful mysteries to be explained.
DeleteWhy does the line (British: queue) I choose in the store when checking out always end up being the slowest one?
ReplyDeleteSnap! That always happens to me too!
DeleteWhy is that people (well at least one) ask questions that do not anticipate answers? As in this one.
ReplyDeleteClever!
DeleteTime speeding up: it just does!
ReplyDeleteRecycling. The cynical Wicked Leaks says "these schemes are not all they’re cracked up to be. Recent investigations have showed some of the waste being exported or burned. And now, research by Wicked Leeks and Ends Report can also reveal that only a tiny fraction is recycled back into food packaging, with most ending up as bin bags, buckets or in building materials." My question is "Does this matter so long as they are re-used?"
I wish "they" could try harder to find use for the waste plastic. Perhaps insulating material for homes?
DeleteWe in Australia have been told to no longer recycle soft plastics at the supermarket collection bins since many giant warehouses stuffed full of those plastics were discovered around the country and none of it was being used for anyhting because no one knew what to to do with it, so now it all just goes into our landfill bins and I suspect much of the supposedly recycled plastic does too. Some of our supermarkets now have trolleys made from recycled bottles and many of the children's playground items and safety matting are also made from recycled plastics, but I'm betting that's only a fraction of what gets thrown away.
ReplyDeleteAs Graham Edwards says, even if it all becomes binbags etc, that is still a good use of it, even though those bin bags will end up in landfill too.
It would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic.
DeleteI think you've covered the most important, irritating mysteries pretty comprehensively Y.P.
ReplyDeleteYou must have one or two extras Carol! Come on lass!
Delete