Freaky Friday: For the love of good vertical ribbing
What do you think of when we say the word, "corduroy?" We instantly see images of pipe-smoking professors wearing jackets with leather patches.
Whatever images the word conjures up for you, celebrate it today, because it is Corduroy Appreciation Day. This year's celebration apparently has corduroy fans coming, well, unstitched because when you write out Nov. 11 as 11/11, it looks like corduroy. Really. Seriously. They are ecstatic about that.
There will apparently be celebrations all over the world in honor of this special fabric, in places like New York, Washington, London and in South Africa. Because, you know, the african people are famous for their love of corduroy.
Each city will celebrate in its own way, but the New York " 'roy ragers" will require that those attending the celebration wear at least three items made of corduroy. Oh, you mad fools.
Corduroy enthusiasts do admit, however, that the noise corduroys make when a person walks is not exactly one of its best features. But there are some who consider it a mating call to other corduroy fans.
Science has even taken on the problem, as one scientist has invented "Cordarounds," a brand of cords where the wales – or ribs – run horizontally. Oh, the sacrilege.
But the inventor, Chris Lindland, says the horizontal cords are more aerodynamic. "You can get somewhere three nanoseconds faster in our cords than the traditional kind," he said.
So here's some Freaky Friday fun for you: Imagine a room full of scientists, some wearing horizontally-ribbed corduroys, others wearing the traditional cords, racing against each other to test Lindland's theory. Wait for it…think on it…ponder it…
You're welcome.