I've been held up with the Flu since Friday. No, not Avian bird flu, just the regular boring Influenze. I haven't eaten a strange Middle Eastern brid in at least a month, but during my hours of suffering, I did really learn to love toast on a new level. Mostly because it's one of the few things my stomach can tolerate at the moment. I've become quite accustom to grabbing some bread, popping down the lever on the toaster and waiting for that same bread to come back up again, crispy and dry. Funny thing - people always tell you not to stick a fork in a toaster, right? I don't get it. They tell you not to do it because you'll be electrocuted, but the toaster certainly doesn't electrocute the bread - it cooks it. This begs the question: what happens when I stick the bread in an electrical socket? Hmm...anyway, toast. I like the smell. I like the texture. I can't say I'm too crazy about the shape though. It's just so plain - unlike my favorite shapely breakfast food: the muffin. What is the secret of the muffin? Or...muffiness if you will. The shape alone is just so unusual. That strange stump and that funny little top. I could just stare at those things all day, or at least all sick-day. Got nothing better to do - except maybe post on the SWAG.
I guess there is another element that adds to my love for toast: the magic. I'm sure you've all heard that toast always lands butter-side down. There are a lot of shady scientists out there that will try to explain this through gravity, and in fact, they're absolutely right in the real world. Thing is, I don't always live in the real world. It's a nice place to vacation, but I just don't think I have it in me to live there full-time. Anyway, most people just accept the fact that if they drop their toast, the game's over, but I say if your toast always lands butter side down, plan ahead and butter the other side instead. Hehe...now for the real solution: when you see your toast sliding off the edge of the table, give it a quick swipe to help it on its way. This boost will minimize the time the toast is exposed to the turning effect of gravity.
This principle is explained here (and please, only read the next few italicized lines if you've stumbled across this blog when researching for a Physics report, or if you're easily entertained by technical jargon):
- Your toast begins to rotate as soon as its center of gravity moves a distance (d) over the edge of the table.
- This spin (angular velocity w) is produced by a torque made up of the weight (mg), reaction at the table edge (R) and frictional force (F).
- When it has turned through a small angle (0) the toast lifts off from the table, continuing to turn at w as no force other than gravity is acting on it.
- In the time it takes to hit the floor (T), the toast spins wT degrees.
- If wT + 0 is less than 270 degrees, the toast lands butter-side down.
Oh, one more thing. During my bout with the Flu, I also stumbled across a great website that allows you to play classic games like Super Mario Bros. and Contra right in your browser. I've cleverly placed the link to the site off to the right under "games."
