|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Another one of those "Get the Greatest Body You Could Ever Imagine in One Short Week" commercials. This particular piece of machinery is advertised as "Doing twice the work in one effortless movement." This strikes me as being impossible in terms of exercise. How can you perform any body-building exercise that accomplishes twice the work, but is still defined as 'effortless'? Is this hype or am I missing something here?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
P.T. Barnum said there's one born every minute, and two to catch him. If the whole thing is a scam, why worry about a bit of logic? I'm feeling so mellow, I won't discuss the "V" drugs guaranteed to make a man look as though he had a six D cell flashlight in his pocket. Actually I knew a guy who was equipped like that, but got no pleasure from the fact. The real tough babes that worked in the McLean Hospital in the Depression used to gang up on him, to show his developement to new employees. But none of them wanted a test drive. I once posted about the student nurse who told me about the finger in the ear. She also said she'd rather be tickled to death than clubbed to death. Again, no offer of a test. I learned a lot at the McLean. While on the switchboard at night, I could borrow books from the medical library. My mind was a webbing of Freud und Krafft-Ebing. But none of the rest of the limerick applied. Incidentally one morning just before dawn in early April, I looked out the front window, and saw thousands of Lumbaricus terrestris copulating. Never have seen that since. A real Rite of Spring. Grotesque music, please, Maestro Stravinsky.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
If I saw a pair of Lumbaricus terrestris copulating, I sure as heck wouldn't know that I was watching a pair of Lumbaricus terrestris copulating. I might recognize the copulation part of the equation.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Google asked me if I meant lumbricus, and then returned sites about earthworms, which was what I thought when I read Bill's post.
TEd
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear TEd: Oh, my aching lumbaricus! I had a terrible time finding the Latin taxonomic term, starting for human parasite Ascaris lumbricoides. Sorry to have l3e you astray. Speaking of earth worms. When I was living in Virginia, rainsorms would leave hundreds of worms dying in the road, because their burrows had filled with water, and they had possible lost so much electrolyte that they died. But I never saw any bird eat them I wonder whay.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
Now that you bring that up Bill, it's true. I've seen the same thing happen and it dawns on me that you right, there has never been a slew of birds eating up the slew of worms.
I wonder why.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
I don't think that they like 'em all cleaned up. worms are better with a bit 'o dirt on 'em....
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
never been a slew of birds eating up the slew of worms.several possible explanations spring to mind: a.You would agree that a big slew of worms is a rare event in itself. Let's say probability 0.001. If the probability of a slew of birds is the same, the joint probability is 1 millionths, i.e. rather unlikely. b.The buildup of a large accumulation of worms was only possible because birds were absent at the moment. c.As far as I am concerned, my appetite is not stimulated by a plate filled to the brim .
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 180
member
|
member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 180 |
"How can you perform any body-building exercise that accomplishes twice the work, but is still defined as 'effortless'?"
You can't, of course. Work is work. You can make something easier to accomplish, but it will never be less work in reality. Walking up stairs is easier than jumping that high, but the distance you travel is greater. Having a gigantic steering wheel would mean you wouldn't crank it as far to turn a corner, but it's harder to turn than a tiny little one, which you would, however, have to turn and turn and turn to get the same effect.
Want to know more? CALL this toll free number NOW and get a free ginsu knife (1-800-WISE-ASS). Or a party ring, with six interchangeable simulated stones, depending on which operator is standing by.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661 |
You can't, of course. Work is work. You can make something easier to accomplish, but it will never be less work in reality. Walking up stairs is easier than jumping that high, but the distance you travel is greater.
Although not commonly *conceived as such, isn't work a formulae; weight*height*distance='foot lbs.'?
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,397
Members9,182
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
579
guests, and
1
robot. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|