If you happen to have a UK mobile number, then you can ask ANY question by text message to 63336 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. IssueBits, set up by Colly Myers, former CEO of Symbian and MD of Psion PLC, with Bill Batchelor and Paul Cockerton, launched the AQA (Any Question Answered) service back in April 2004, and has since then become so popular that some have asked over 300 questions and several others over 30 questions in one day! At one quid a pop, that’s £300 and £30 respectively…
Incredibly enough, the most popular question is: “Why do men have nipples?” and for the curious the answer given by AQA is: “Initially an embryo is female and develops to male after about 7 weeks. Nipples have already been formed at this stage and there is no reverse process.”. A close runner up is: “What is the meaning of life?” which, according to Douglas Adams, is 42 of course! Other obsessive subjects include:
- Which celebrities are ticklish
- Sexual aids positions & techniques
- What to do on a first date
- How to chat up women in the office
Every question asked gets passed to AQA’s growing band of researchers, students, housewives, retirees, from different time zones, who scurry for facts. Some of my favourites include:
Where will I meet my future wife? You will meet your future wife perusing the personal hygiene aisle in the Slough branch of Tesco, Wellington Street, SL1 1XW
What colour boxer shorts am I wearing? You are wearing green and purple polka dot boxer shorts, with the words “LOVE GOD” embroidered across the front in golden thread
Dude, where’s my car? You’ve obviously partied too much last night. Beware of angry girlfriends, street gangs, transexual strippers and alien cults today. It’s at your mum’s.
Student exams and pub quizzes shall never be the same again indeed.