Yahoo! Answers

If you’re a Starbucks customer, you’ve probably noticed the column of check boxes down the side of your cup. The boxes are labeled: Decaf, Shots, Syrup, Milk, Custom and Drink.

It’s pretty obvious these boxes are used to record your drink order. Sometimes I look at the writing in these boxes and try to match the secret codes with the options I requested. Most are pretty self explanatory, but some of the codes are not.

In fact, I didn’t even know what the entire “custom” box was for.

Today I found out. You see, I got a special delivery today. It started last week during my regular search for secrets, I had an idea. I wanted to know how easily I could get a Starbucks employee training manual. About ten minutes later I had purchased one from the used book section of Amazon. There was only one copy available.

I got it, and I’m going to share its secrets with you.

Just from flipping through it today, I think I could do a whole year worth of secrets from this book alone. For now, I’m just going to break down what all the drink id codes mean. Even if you don’t care what the codes mean, you’ll probably discover some options you didn’t know you had.

If it’s empty, then your drink is probably caffeinated (unless it’s naturally decaffeinated like some of the Tea options).

A Starbucks grande coffee has 330mg of caffeine. If you want to spike it, each additional shot of espresso adds 75mg of caffeine. Yes, espresso has less caffeine than coffee beans.

If it’s empty then you don’t get any shots (or you get the default shot for you drink).

If it’s empty, you get 2% milk. The only exception is a Frappucino, in which case you get whole milk by default.

Empty box means no custom selection.

If this is empty then they probably didn’t bother filling out any of the boxes.

If this is empty then they probably didn’t bother filling out any of the boxes.

If this is empty then they probably didn’t bother filling out any of the boxes.

If you have any to add, let me know.

Chad Upton is the editor-in-chief of Broken Secrets and an official Yahoo Answers contributor.

Thanks for reading,

Source: Starbucks Employee Training Manual

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Hey Guys,

Wanna know the secret to avoiding torturous small talk? Always have a random fact ready. That way, instead of being the boring person who asks people what they think of the weather, you’ll be the interesting person who knows a surprising amount of information on [insert non-creepy topic here].

Here are a few examples…

Cows are far more dangerous than sharks. In an average year, around 20 people die due to cattle-related deaths (cows have a tendency to accidentally trample). Sharks, meanwhile, only account for about one death per year, according to WiseGeek.

In a standard deck of cards, the king of hearts is the only king without a moustache. Why? I have no idea, but he’s apparently quite upset about it. Note that he’s stabbing himself in the head.

You know the nonsensical mwa-mwa-mwa noises that adults make in “Charlie Brown” cartoons? Those sounds were made via trombone. A Peanuts fansite explains that the composer “directed his trombonist to ‘enunciate’ the teacher’s dialog as though it were a trombone riff.”

If you were a male born in Russia in 1923, you had only a 20% chance of surviving World War II, according to the folks at Random History. The numbers are truly sobering. Overall, around 21 million Russians died in World War II. American casualties, by contrast, numbered about 500,000.

Researchers for a 2009 study from Queens University Belfast watched cats attempt to free a bit of tuna from narrow-mouthed jars (nice work if you can get it). Female cats tended to use their right paw, while male cats were more likely to use their left.

There are five factoids to get you started. Got some of your own? Please leave a comment (and the source) below.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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**Secret Revealed**

Labor Day is a popular holiday in the United States and Canada, observed on the first Monday of September.

According to the US Department of labor, it’s “a creation of the labor movement.” Therefore, it only seems fitting that we celebrate by not going to work — it is a Federal holiday in both the US and Canada.

Labor Day also marks the last day people should wear white (until Memorial Day in May). About 10 years ago, I was schooled on this manner of etiquette.

I was walking downtown by myself and it was pretty late. As I turned the corner onto another street I saw two tough guys walking toward me. I noticed that one guy got visibly angry when he saw me. I didn’t know the guy and I didn’t know what problem he could possibly have with me.

I held my ground and I kept walking toward them, trying not to look at them. But, just as we were passing I looked up, either to say “hey” in a friendly way or just to block a punch if that was the case. The one guy yelled at me, “Don’t wear white after labor day.”

I was really surprised. Based on the his outfit, I would not have guessed he was the fashion police, but maybe he was undercover.

That’s a completely true story and I laugh about it now, but at the time I was pretty scared when I saw his reaction to me.

In my defense, I was wearing khaki.

Historically, the rule only applied to white dress shoes and high heels. In the 50s and 60s, the middle class extrapolated this rule to include other clothing.

Some believe it was practical advise, since white clothing would be tough to keep clean in the winter. Others say that white clothing was typical dress for members of high society during summer holidays and was too casual for getting back to serious business when summer had finished. In the 1950s, the middle class was growing and they were given simplified rules of high society to help them fit in, including the rule about white after labor day.

In the latest edition of Emily Post’s Etiquette, the ban was lifted on wearing white after labor day. In fact, some now consider it very fashion forward to do so.

If you’re old fashioned and are shy about trading in this tradition, you should know that cream colored wool has always been exempt. So, go ahead and wear cream (at your own risk).

Chad Upton is the editor-in-chief of Broken Secrets and an official Yahoo Answers contributor.

Thanks for reading,

Sources: Dept of Labor, Wikipedia, Wise Geek, Time, Yahoo

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