ODDS, ENDS & INSPIRATION

z It was Danish scholar and critic Georg Brandes who made the following sage observation: “Poor is the power of the lead that becomes bullets compared to the power of the hot metal that becomes types.” z You doubtless know who Thomas Edison was – the American attributed as being the inventor of such things as the light bulb, the phonograph and the motion-picture camera. A much lesser known fact is, even though he could see, historians say that when he was reading, he preferred Braille to printed text. z Have you ever heard of a lipogram? It’s a work of writing that deliberately leaves out one or more letters of the alphabet. For instance, in 1939 a man named Ernest Vincent Wright published a 50,000-word novel titled “Gadsby”, in which the letter e was not used once – the longest lipogram in English.

z Those who study such things say that the trunk of an African elephant has more than 60,000 muscles.

z You might be surprised to learn that the U.S. White House had a telephone installed before indoor plumbing was.

z I have some bad news for lovers of the snooze button: Experts say that you’re better off not using it. Researchers have found that the last few minutes of sleep are more beneficial if they’re uninterrupted, so it’s better to go ahead and set your alarm for 10 minutes later to begin with.

z A study of prison inmates’ medical files revealed this interesting tidbit: The higher the levels of testosterone in a male inmate, the younger that inmate was when he was first arrested.

NOW HERE’S A TIP Q:

z “The dishwasher in my new flat smells bad. What should I do?” – P.K. A: Check the bottom of the dishwasher for stuck food pieces and remove them if present, then add two cups of white vinegar to unit and run. When that cycle’s done, quickscrub any gunky spots on the inside with baking soda, and then add a cup to the bottom; re-run dishwasher once more. z Is your place a mess? Here’s a no-fail cure to get it gussied up: Invite friends over, and ask them to bring their significant other or people you mostly know. You’ll be motivated to clean up rather than have them see your place a mess. z If you hate bending over to scrub the tub, use a broom as a scrub brush. (Just make sure it’s clean, or you’ll end up with MORE dirt!) And while we’re on the subject of brooms, clean yours regularly with soap and water, and trim off stray or fraying bristles to ensure a clean sweep. z Too-tight flats? Put on a thick pair of socks and grab your hair dryer. Run the hot air over the tight spots while wearing the socks and shoes. Keep them on until they’re cool and remove the socks. Problem solved! z “An open bowl of rolled oats can absorb strong odours from other foods in your fridge. My roommate always puts a small bowl in there when she brings home funky leftovers. It works for us.” – contributed by R.E. z Send your tips to now-heresa-tip@dubbophotonews.com.au