# What's out there that it didn't occur to you even existed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 2, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183 "2013-10-02T15:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/61 "2013-10-04T06:41:55Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > We have reached the end of the internet. Nothing more to see; might as well just go back the way we came. [http://www.1112.net/lastpage.html](http://www.1112.net/lastpage.html) ---
**Author:** ![Molesworth\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Molesworth\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molesworth_2)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/62 "2013-10-04T12:26:42Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Lifelong baseball fan. Never knew that each clubhouse has a guy who dirties up baseballs before games until I read [this article](http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2013/07/mlb_baseballs_must_get_dirty_b.html) earlier this year. They’re rubbed with special dirt even. In a similar vein, every cricket venue has boxes of balls that have seen a particular amount of wear and tear. A cricket ball is normally used for at least 80 6-ball overs. And its condition is an important part of the strategy of the game. A days play usually consists of 90 overs. It’s up to the discretion of the captain of the fielding side if they want to replace it after those 480+ deliveries. The quicker bowlers will get more bounce, swing, and movement off the seam with a new ball, but the hardness of that new ball will also make it easier for the batting team to score quickly. But occasionally the ball will become misshapen before that time and need to be replaced. So at every cricket venue there are boxes of old used balls that have gone through 10, 15, 20 overs, etc, waiting around for that eventuality. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/63 "2013-10-04T12:54:53Z")
Balloon popping fetish/porn. It’s out there. It exists. It has fucking _pay sites_. And still I don’t grok it. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/64 "2013-10-04T18:25:43Z")
I found out on this board not too long ago that there was a guy whose job it is to tend to some Royal Swans on an English river. He’s called “The Queen’s Royal Swan Manager” or something. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/65 "2013-10-04T21:20:45Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Years back, I worked mineralogical drilling in Nevada. We used large amounts of Wyoming Bentonite. This was used along with water to keep the hole wet so the pipe didn’t generate too much heat and dry the hold (leading to stuck pipe string). Bentonite is also the main component of cat litter. I was amused to see a giant “Fresh Step” factory when I last visited Wyoming. ---
**Author:** ![agnesnitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d78d45/32.png) [@agnesnitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agnesnitt)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/66 "2013-10-05T00:38:35Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Bentonite is also the main component of cat litter. I was amused to see a giant “Fresh Step” factory when I last visited Wyoming. Are there tours? Maybe herds of cats running the quality control program? Or an R&D department churning out “[Weird uses for kitty litter](http://www.webvet.com/main/2012/08/05/13-alternative-uses-kitty-litter)” articles to expand the brand? Union busting dogs to keep the proletariat down? ---
**Author:** ![Gladys\_Overnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gladys\_Overnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gladys_Overnow)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/67 "2013-10-05T00:47:38Z")
I’m a bit freaked out by these new fangled green grapes that taste like cotton candy ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/68 "2013-10-05T01:18:41Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Balloon popping fetish/porn. It’s out there. It exists. It has fucking _pay sites_. And still I don’t grok it. That’s nothing. I made the mistake of looking for a picture of a tentacle for an assignment, and not turning my filters on. Brain Bleach Time. There is a sector of porn involving women being swallowed whole. Right next to this, there is a subsector involving giantesses chowing down on on tiny people. Connected to this is a subsubsector of giantesses stepping on people. And there are _recreations of that last involving high heels and green plastic army men._ The universe is not only weirder than we imagine; it’s weirder than we _can_ imagine. I’ve found that most of this stuff is too incomprehensible to be disliked. The reaction is not ‘ick’; it’s ‘bwuh?’. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/69 "2013-10-05T01:32:02Z")
[Grapples](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/01/meet-the-grapple-a-grape-infused-apple/). I thought my sister was pranking me when she offered me one. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/70 "2013-10-05T01:54:05Z")
> [@Gladys\_Overnow](#): > > I’m a bit freaked out by these new fangled green grapes that taste like cotton candy Is that for real? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/71 "2013-10-05T02:14:24Z")
[Breatharians,](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Breatharianism) or airatarians. I first saw it as a goofy punchline in a movie, but then I found out it’s real. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/72 "2013-10-05T02:15:25Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Is that for real? 😕 I should have used :eek: instead of 😕 since I don’t doubt the grapes are real. I want some! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/73 "2013-10-05T02:32:24Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Furries. What I came to post when I saw the title. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/74 "2013-10-05T02:47:49Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I should have used :eek: instead of 😕 since I don’t doubt the grapes are real. I want some! I’ve eaten them. They’re okay but I’m not seeing the cotton candy connection. They’re sweeter than average and have a mild grape flavor so I guess they taste like cotton candy to the extent that cotton candy is basically unflavored sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/75 "2013-10-05T05:41:27Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve eaten them. They’re okay but I’m not seeing the cotton candy connection. They’re sweeter than average and have a mild grape flavor so I guess they taste like cotton candy to the extent that cotton candy is basically unflavored sugar. Well, that’s disappointing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/76 "2013-10-05T06:04:51Z")
The [mantis shrimp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp). I did not know that this shrimp species has the finest color vision in the animal kingdom, and can accelerate its claws at 10,500 g! It is one of the most violent extremists in the animal kingdom. ---
**Author:** ![knel3030](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@knel3030](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knel3030)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/77 "2013-10-05T10:41:44Z")
Camouflage condoms. If you think about it really is the inevitable pinnacle of techno-societal evolution, but no one saw it coming. ---
**Author:** ![BrianJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/78 "2013-10-05T12:47:53Z")
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps\_unilateralis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis) Mind control fungus ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/79 "2013-10-05T13:27:36Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I found out on this board not too long ago that there was a guy whose job it is to tend to some Royal Swans on an English river. He’s called “The Queen’s Royal Swan Manager” or something. He’s Marker of the Swans, and he runs the annual [Swan Upping](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Upping) on the Thames. It’s a 12th century relic, that nowadays oversees the welfare of all swans in the UK. Kind of a cool job, I think 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183/80 "2013-10-05T13:50:00Z")
> [@knel3030](#): > > Camouflage condoms. > If you think about it really is the inevitable pinnacle of techno-societal evolution, but no one saw it coming. i really got off on this one! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-out-there-that-it-didnt-occur-to-you-even-existed/670183.md?page=5)