# Facts of Life. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 30, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980 "2005-03-30T18:40:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/21 "2005-03-31T14:39:22Z")
#9) In long numbered lists, one number is invariably left out. I never knew that about British swans, so are there roving gangs of arm-breaking swans over there or what? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/22 "2005-03-31T14:45:30Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > I never knew that about British swans, so are there roving gangs of arm-breaking swans over there or what? Well… No. That’s the point of the joke. Little white lie mothers tell children to keep them from meddling with swans. (or maybe the mothers actually believe it themselves now) ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/23 "2005-03-31T14:47:29Z")
I remember reading about how male ducks can break your arms. Or maybe it wasn’t reading, maybe it was a combination of watching “The Mighty Ducks” and something else. Possibly “The Trumpeter Swan.” I can’t say that anybody warned me about it though. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/24 "2005-03-31T14:52:15Z")
I’m pretty sure this list comes from Peter Kay. I am a full grown (rather too full grown) adult man and I could take a swan. Bring the feathery bastards on! Owl - who has (treasonously) eaten swan - it’s foul. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/25 "2005-03-31T17:11:53Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > I’m pretty sure this list comes from Peter Kay. The attribution at the end of the list in the OP agrees with you. And, oh, do I empathize with the list. I never knew why I luuurrve sharpening a pencil with a knife. But he’s right, it IS an inexplicably manly feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/26 "2005-03-31T17:20:54Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > I never knew that about British swans, so are there roving gangs of arm-breaking swans over there or what? Harumph! Damn lime-eaters should get some brass. Us 'murricans aren’t afraid of our waterfowl though that is mainly due to plentiful shotguns and we aren’t scared when stroking a horse. Still best to put a hay bale behind old Blue when you’re combing out his tail. We’re brave but not stupid. …I assume that #15 was referring to coat grooming. I _hope_ it was. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/27 "2005-03-31T17:44:19Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Everyone who grew up in the 80’s has entered the digits 55378008 into a calculator. Can someone 'splain this to me, please? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/28 "2005-03-31T17:46:35Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > Can someone 'splain this to me, please? See post #19 ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/29 "2005-03-31T17:51:35Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > Can someone 'splain this to me, please? It’s already been explained. Enter it in a calculator and turn it upside down. Or just read Flander’s spoiler post. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/30 "2005-03-31T18:03:43Z")
:o _slinks away_ ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/31 "2005-03-31T20:43:41Z")
Missing, Presumed Dead was the third discworld video game, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/32 "2005-03-31T20:56:37Z")
I always thought swans had the potential for extreme violence, especially after a female swan killed Donna Karan’s daughter’s dog in Central Park when it got too close to her nest. My father grew up in Wales, and he remembers being terrified of the swans that lived in the pond in the village common. > [@](#): > > 1. At the end of every party there is always a girl crying. This is fricking hilarious. And so true. I think it also applies to any bar near close. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/33 "2005-03-31T23:04:15Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > I am a full grown (rather too full grown) adult man and I could take a swan. Bring the feathery bastards on! Are you aware of just how painfully a swan can pinch you? It rips out chunks of meat and skin if it gets you at the right angle :eek: . I’ll put money on 10 swans over a full grown adult any day. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/34 "2005-04-01T01:25:43Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > _9) All love potions are trouble_ 🙂 From growing up in the 70s when calculators became more common I remember a long “joke” involving oil and the middle east where you entered numbers adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing (which was all calculators did back then) to spell out at the end 71077345. Does it ring a bell for anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/35 "2005-04-01T01:46:05Z")
> [@PastAllReason](#): > > From growing up in the 70s when calculators became more common I remember a long “joke” involving oil and the middle east where you entered numbers adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing (which was all calculators did back then) to spell out at the end 71077345. Does it ring a bell for anyone else? That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the list. it actually took me a minute to figure out what it really was. 'Course, I grew up (somewhat) in the '70s. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/36 "2005-04-01T02:00:44Z")
We would always try to talk to each other with our calculators. 07734 14 5318008 We would also substitute the 8 for an A as well and end up with 3704558 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/37 "2005-04-01T02:43:58Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Not sure where I got this list from originally but I just rediscovered it, so I thought I’d share. > > - > > 1. You can’t respect a man who carries a dog. > > Peter Kay\* (One of my favourite comedians) Depends on the dog. I’d sure as hell respect a man carrying around a St. Bernard… ---
**Author:** ![Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fromage_A_Trois)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/38 "2005-04-01T13:15:42Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Missing, presumed… er… _Gone_\* Reaper Man - when Death disappears, leaving Susan to pick up the pieces. He is described on the back cover as well, missing, presumed… er… _Gone_. ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/39 "2005-04-01T15:44:12Z")
If it was with Susan, it wouldn’t have been Reaper Man, as that was the one where he got “fired”. The one with Susan was Soul Music. What’s the deal with never running out of salt? I’ve done it lots of times. Is there some sort of Monthly Government Salt Giveaway in the British Empire or something? Lots of Salt Hoarding going on? Oh, and _Eau de Wet Dog_ is as impossible to describe as Wet Cat. The closest anyone’s ever gotten that I know of is a pronouncement loosely spelled, “EAAAGUGHGGGGGHHHHHYUUUUUUUUUUGHGGGGGGGGHHHHH.” It is, however, completely distinctive, and once you’ve smelled it once, you’ll never forget it. I gotta confess, I’m rather puzzled by this whole list. ---
**Author:** ![Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fromage_A_Trois)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980/40 "2005-04-01T16:32:36Z")
> [@DogMom](#): > > If it was with Susan, it wouldn’t have been Reaper Man, as that was the one where he got “fired”. > The one with Susan was Soul Music. Uh… yeah… I’m forever getting them mixed up. Oh yep, that’s right, people stop dying in Reaper Man, but in Soul Music Susan takes over (without knowing it at first) and people do die. (Note to non-Pratchett readers: This, believe it or not, is a good thing). But I think the quote is from Reaper Man, not Soul Music. I think. Must go and check… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-of-life/296980.md?page=3)