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Post by ironhold on Feb 14, 2015 19:21:22 GMT
Another crinkle in the newspaper bit -
I've had two of my customers request that I flat-fold their papers instead of rolling them because they say that a rolled paper is too hard to flatten back out.
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Post by the light works on Feb 14, 2015 21:04:16 GMT
Another crinkle in the newspaper bit - I've had two of my customers request that I flat-fold their papers instead of rolling them because they say that a rolled paper is too hard to flatten back out. I have the opposite result from mine. of course, you might roll yours tighter.
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Post by ironhold on Feb 22, 2015 0:41:13 GMT
Summary Write-Up:
There are, so far as is known to this forum, two methods of compressing broadsheet newspapers so that they can be thrown, with both methods requiring that the paper first be folded width-wise alongside the middle (as is standard for such newspapers).
The first method is to simply fold it in half width-wise one more time, at which point it is placed inside the plastic bag. The second method involves gripping the newspaper by the width-wise fold and rolling it up into a tight spiral.
Personal observation suggests that it takes more time and effort to roll a newspaper than to fold it. Additionally, rolled newspapers have an unfortunate tendency to bounce or roll after landing unless they land on a surface (such as plush, reasonably flat grass) that can absorb any force from the impact and arrest further movement; in contrast, they can flip end-over-end if they impact a sufficiently hard surface. Rolled newspapers also have an unfortunate habit of partially unrolling if the bag is not properly tied off or if the bag punctures, which can affect their ease of stowage and throwing.
However, flat newspapers represent a significant aerodynamic challenge. By virtue of being a broad, flat surface, flat-folded papers are far more vulnerable to being caught up in the wind because of the increased surface area on the top and bottom. As such, flat-folded newspapers can only be thrown like a discus or Frisbee (c) unless one wants to risk air currents causing them to flop about; in contrast, rolled newspapers can be thrown over one's head or dagger-style without issue, something critical when throwing to tight spaces, over obstacles, or zig-zagging along a street (versus doing laps). Flat-folded papers have also, on at least two occasions, been observed to slide upon impacting a slope, although this may have been aided by slick plastic bags.
Thus, it is proposed that a series of tests be conducted to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of each fold under varying circumstances. For greater thoroughness, three thicknesses of newspaper are suggested to reflect varying newspaper sizes and advertising inserts. One paper should be thin (10 pages, give or take, with minimal to no inserts), one paper should be medium-sized (20 to 40 pages, give or take, with up to 10 pages' thickness in inserts), and one should be thick (40+ pages of newspaper and/or inserts), with the thickness derived from the average sizes used by the Copperas Cove Leader-Press newspaper (other local papers may vary).
All throwing tests must either be conducted while seated on a stationary bike or while standing so as to minimize interference from attempting to throw while in motion (which a good courier shouldn't need to do unless under a significant time crunch).
At least one test must cover distance from the seated position using each throw style (discus, over-the-head, dagger). Another must cover accuracy from the seated position. Both sets must take place using no wind (as a control) and with some sort of wind as a variable. Timing is not necessary, but it should be noted how often the testers need to leave the seated position in order to recover newspapers that have fallen aside.
Another set of tests must cover the ability to clear obstacles and distances. These tests should include such issues as garden fences, property fences, and security fences, all of which have been encountered by the person proposing the myth. Tests on the smaller two fences can be done from the seated position, but the security fencing will likely need to be done standing. Distance testing should include such hypothetical scenarios as "deep in a person's yard" (from the seated position) and "across the street" (likely standing). Testers may need to switch to an under-hand or over-hand throw.
If at all possible, tests should be conducted on a variety of surfaces (such as grass, pavement, blacktop, and dirt), with at least some of them sloped to represent the reality of sloped driveways and yards.
A test may also be conducted to determine the time needed to prepare each paper via each method and how much force is required.
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Post by silverdragon on Feb 23, 2015 7:56:45 GMT
I think you just about have it there.
Can someone else proof read it as well, as I cant say anything abut speloing mustakes?... I am sure Ironhold is plenty happy we proof read it as well as him to eliminate mistakes?...
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Post by OziRiS on Feb 23, 2015 22:07:01 GMT
Just did. Seems fine.
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Post by the light works on Mar 21, 2015 18:39:26 GMT
I was driving home this morning after a cloudburst, and noticed rainbows in the trail of spray from my truck - which reminded me of the pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow legend. then I recalled having fun with rainbows as a kid.
so we have a well known myth: pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow. we have something that can be tested with simple equipment: water hose and spray nozzles. we have something with a manageable level of risk: drownings and hypothermia are the biggest risk factors, and those are pretty slim.
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Post by ironhold on Jun 23, 2015 22:49:47 GMT
Update -
The senior editor has asked me to do 100% flat-folds. He claims that people have been complaining about their papers being so tightly spiraled that they have issues unfolding them again. He's also wanting me to speed up my schedule (they're saying I'm taking too long getting my route done each night), and so he was thinking that the flat folds would get me out the door faster.
As I noted earlier, when you're throwing a flat-fold paper you're supposed to get your shoulder and elbow involved as if you're throwing a Frisbee or discus. That's proper technique, and it will give you power and distance.
I can hang part of my left arm out of my window, meaning that I have plenty of room for the proper "whip" action when I'm throwing left-handed.
But the interior of my car is so small that I have no room to do a full "whip" action with my right arm. I've got just enough room to flick my wrist around, thereby giving me only a fraction of the power. What time I saved by doing all flat-folds I lost, in part, because I had to stop and ensure that the newspapers had even successfully landed on the customer's property in the first place. I also lost more time because one of the houses I normally do a rolled throw to wants the paper thrown over their fence and into their yard; this is going to mean either stopping the car and getting out or completely redoing a big chunk of my route so that I can throw that house left-handed instead of right-handed now.
As such, this may be a factor to add to the test: how well kids can throw both flat-folds and spirals if they only have a limited amount of room to move their arms around.
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Post by the light works on Jun 24, 2015 0:20:15 GMT
then they need to build a paper gun...
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Post by ironhold on Jun 24, 2015 2:10:12 GMT
I think at this point, my only other alternative is to find someone willing to ride shotgun.
...And a vehicle enough to carry both all of my nightly newspapers along with a passenger.
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Post by silverdragon on Jun 25, 2015 6:50:38 GMT
I think at this point, my only other alternative is to find someone willing to ride shotgun. ...And a vehicle enough to carry both all of my nightly newspapers along with a passenger. Which of course you will be paying for, whilst you boss is paying you LESS for cutting your hours. Hmmm... Tight fisted but wad is he?...
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Post by Cybermortis on Jun 25, 2015 12:52:39 GMT
Maybe get the kids to come up with newspaper throwing devices? Something similar to the way they got ideas for the Deadliest Toys show they did a while back?
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Post by ironhold on Jun 25, 2015 15:04:28 GMT
I think at this point, my only other alternative is to find someone willing to ride shotgun. ...And a vehicle enough to carry both all of my nightly newspapers along with a passenger. Which of course you will be paying for, whilst you boss is paying you LESS for cutting your hours. Hmmm... Tight fisted but wad is he?... The previous senior editor was an incompetent fool who may or may not have had an alcohol problem. He did a lot of damage to the paper through his actions, damage that we're still trying to repair. For example, he apparently somehow succeeded in making an enemy of the people in charge of a critically-positioned convenience store in town; that store is right in the middle of a residential area we've been trying to boost subscriptions in, but the store itself won't stock our papers because they're still mad at him. He's also a very large part of the reason why up until just recently we had such a shockingly high employee turn-over rate. It's gonna be a while longer yet before things get straightened out.
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Post by ironhold on Jan 23, 2016 6:49:17 GMT
Remember what I was saying about how poor the aerodynamics of the flat-folded papers are?
We had a heavy wind blowing through the area this morning when I went to do the route. The papers were about average-sized for a Friday edition, but even then they were getting whipped around by the wind. As soon as the wind caught that large, flat surface, all bets were off.
Well, I went to throw a paper to a customer on the left-hand side of the road. As such, I pulled the car over and used my left arm to throw.
The paper literally did not make it two feet before the wind caught it and blew it right back to me. It bounced off the car door and just barely landed on the customer's driveway.
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Post by ironhold on Oct 20, 2016 1:07:14 GMT
STIVE video I did talking about it, albeit with my cat trying to walk into the shot again and leading to a bit of distraction.
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