possibility of learning something

Something is better than nothing right? 
Well in most circumstances it is. Now I’m not suggesting the something that you learn from the Lisleman’s Institute for Better Postings will be of any use to you or your descendants. (actually if you happen to discover any use for anything you learn here, I would love to know)

It’s been many a post ago that I mentioned learning something from my favorite radio show, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me (here's an old post mentioning the show). She-who-lets-me-tag-along and I have even attended a live taping of this NPR show.

On their last show I learned about an index that uses one of my favorite stops when I’m on a road trip, Waffle House. This odd index came up during the interview of the show’s guest, Craig Fugate, current head of FEMA. (you can play the show over the internet - amazing huh?)

What does Waffle House and FEMA have to do with each other?

The Waffle House Index

Basically if the local Waffle House is open and offering a full menu then the disaster is over or they didn’t find the area that was hit the worst. Closed Waffle House equals a terrible disaster. Now some in my family would say an open Waffle House is a disaster but not me. FEMA will not be able to apply their Waffle House index for any disaster in my hometown. The nearest Waffle House to me is about 4-5 hours south on the expressway. I have looked.

Good coffee and food for a reasonable price. Their scattered smothered and peppered hash brown dish is my favorite. I seldom order their waffles.

good to get pic before you eat

This next story from the same show has a few items of possible knowledge. A lesson on bees and a few British terms.

from Telegraph website

A grandmother had a swarm of thousands of bees clinging to the boot of her car. (first possible new item of knowledge - boot - many Americans know this one. We call it the trunk of the car. Extra points what’s the bonnet?) Apparently while (whilst?) she was shopping a beekeeper was called and collected the bees. She arrived and drove off thinking the problem was over. However the next day she found her car again covered with bees. She had to request help from beekeepers again.

One of the beekeepers involved theorizes that the queen got into the car perhaps more than once.

A line from the story at the U.K. website:

As I drove past I noticed this big brown splodge on the back of a car.

I suspect “splodge” is a British term. I might say splotch or one big freaking pile of bees. Splodge is new term for me.

Another possible lesson - it’s good to know a beekeeper and don’t pickup any queens.

Telegraph story

(Sad disclosure - NO items, not even a cup of coffee were provided by Waffle House for this post. However, if by some chance Waffle House staff would like to offer something I could easily do another post for them. Oh also, I have no first hand knowledge of British bees.)