The really random question, (and answers) thread.

why is a phone keypad different layout to a calculator?

I’ve just been looking into this, because I thought I knew at one point and had forgotten.  It seems that <QI Klaxon>nobody knows!</QI Klaxon>

A common theory is that the phone keypad was intentionally reversed to slow down people adept at operating calculators and adding machines so as to prevent misdialling as the phone system couldn’t keep up.  Plausible, given that we still have QWERTY keyboards originally designed to prevent mechanical jams.  Or it could just be that people whose job didn’t involve data entry just found it easier.

Why is there a d in fridge

More to the point, how do you then get the door closed?

Why is there a d in fridge but not in refrigerator?

What’s the alternative? Frige would be a long I as in, uh, I. Frigg would be a hard g. Frijj would just be weird. The added D makes the I short and the E keeps the G soft.

It’s not required in refrigerator because the E is part of the “er” sound.

That seems accurate to me, someone who knows proper English like can translate it into the correct terms!

Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?

More specifically – vultures.

Blade Runner 2049 gives a fairly definitive answer though, no?

Indeed it does.

I thought qwerty was to put the most used letters in close reach under fingers for touch types. Lessers used letters slightly further out of finger proximity.

Ah well, according to wiki the letter pair theory is questionable as is the “reduces internal mechanical clashes”.

Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?

They long to be close to you

If you have an accident on a solo ride and need an ambulance, what happens to your bike?

Police will sort it out if they’re called to the collision. A cyclist exceeding their ability with no other parties involved isn’t generally a police matter though

What does an occasional table do the rest of the time?

Why don’t we have anyone saying Make England Great Again, it would be MEGA!

What does an occasional table do the rest of the time?

Depends on it’s previous form.

What does an occasional table do the rest of the time?

This is the sort of question that keeps me awake at night.  I’m reassured by the bottle in the fridge which tells me it’s still orange.