We all thought that self-checkouts would make our lives a little easier. However, what we didn’t take into account is that by eliminating the human aspect of checking out, the self-checkout counters would become extremely picky and very particular about how they would like things to be done. While they are incredibly handy, they can get quite annoying at times.
Yes, we know we’re putting our items in the bagging area, there is nowhere else to put them! What you probably didn’t know is that most self-checkout stalls come with the possibility of turning off that annoying mumble. Forever. Just search for the mute button the next time you’re at your local grocery store.
Hole in a Pen’s Cap
If you've ever bought writing utensils in bulk, particularly the standard blue-capped pens there are in every office, then you may have noticed this next one. Usually, these pens have a hole in the lid.
The story behind pen caps is kind of like the sign in the zoo "don't feed the animals". If you fed them well, it probably wouldn't be an issue, but someone must have thrown in a lollypop at some point and ended up choking some poor animal. Similarly, the tips of pen lids didn't always have holes in them, but once nearly 100 people died from choking on their pen tops, the air hole was put in as a safety measure.
Gasoline
This one is a little weird. While gasoline is a known substance used primarily for powering cars, it can do much more than that. Besides that, gasoline can also unstick duct tape, and in some countries, like Germany and Sweden, it is even used for medicinal purposes.
As duct tape was created for use by the USA army, it only makes sense that it would require a poisonous toxin, such as gasoline, to strip the tape’s adhesive. However, we wouldn't try this at home for obvious reasons. Not everything that is good for the Germans or Swedish people works in the United States, and we it comes to gasoline, we have our limits.
That Baby Strawberry
If you’ve ever picked up a needle and thread, then you've undoubtedly seen that tiny, strawberry baby pincushion that hangs from its larger, strawberry momma pincushion. But here's something you probably didn't know: strawberries were not always the tasty fruit and fresh desert component that we now know them as.
In ancient times, strawberries we even used to treat depression. The shape of the pincushion dates back to an era when strawberries were used for polishing metals, as they can also get rid of rust and polish everyday objects. Today, it is merely there as an emergency tool for holding your needles.
Perforation on Your Aluminum Wrap Box
If you also used to open the aluminum foil box from the outside, grab a piece and watch helplessly as the entire roll rolls onto the floor and unravels like a sad, less-than-majestic, aluminum carpet, then this one will be your lifesaver. Did you know there were arrows at the sides of your aluminum foil box?
They're there to indicate that you must push your finger down on them, and by doing so, the outer piece of the box clutches onto the inside of the foil roll and prevents it from slipping out of the box. They function as end locks, keeping the aluminum roll locked in tight.