Posts tagged ‘carpet’
The Five Second Rule Works Best on Carpet
The “five second rule” is an unofficial pass to eat food dropped on the floor—provided only a few seconds have elapsed. The general wisdom is that it takes several seconds for bacteria to transfer to the food item, making it safe to eat if picked up quickly. In one survey, 87% of people admitted to eating dropped food at least once. The five second rule was never backed up by science but some researchers have decided to test the idea.
In the first major study, researchers tracked the transfer of common bacteria, including E.coli, to food after it had been dropped. They found that carpet was less likely to transfer bacteria than smooth surfaces. While moist foods could become colonized within seconds, most foods were declared safe. For dry snacks, such as cookies, it could take 30 seconds or longer for bacteria to show up. The researchers decided that the five second rule works—in specific cases. (more…)
Casino Carpets Are Ugly So You Gamble More
The same goes for the ceilings. Look at the carpet and ceiling in the photo below.
The carpet is so busy and obnoxious, it’s actually hard to stare at — so you look up. The ceiling does the same thing with bright lights and focusing shapes, so you look down. What do you see? People gambling. That’s the only thing they want you to think about.
There is even a professor at the University of Nevada who wants casino carpet hermeneutics as a legitimate academic discourse.
Fitting a bland or unsightly carpet, along with bright, sterile lighting allows the player to focus on any number of games, whether it is a bit of Texas hold’em or even a spot of Omaha Hi. Garish flooring designs of this kind have also been proven to offer players something of a ‘wake-up’ effect without the need for coffee or other less natural stimulants.
It all adds to the bright lights and big inviting noises that make casinos such a great place for poker games, slots and familiar games like roulette and blackjack. This assault on the senses not only ensures that players remain alert, engaged and enthralled but that they also keep coming back for more.
The effect of this combination of lighting and carpet is further enhanced by the lack of windows within the majority of casinos – with proprietors eager to confuse players into not knowing what time it is and how long they have been gambling.
The busy carpet has another advantage, it camouflages stains. Casino carpets get vacuumed once a day, usually between 3am and 6am so they need to hide dirt the rest of the time. In fact, anytime you see really busy fabrics in high traffic areas (office buildings, hotels, malls, theaters, etc.), they’re often selected for their stain hiding abilities.
Big thanks to Todd M for submitting this secret!
Photo: Old Shoe Woman (CC) | Sources: AC, SFGate, MeetingsNet
Broken Secrets 