I used to freelance journo/feature write before the dayjob paid enough that I didn't have to.
One of the things I managed to wangle was the poison chalice of the 'Q and A' section of T3 magazine back in the early days (we're talking issue 14 to 25 ish and it's currently on 200+, some time in 1996 or so I think).

The idea was, people could write in and ask for a demystification of the new wave of technologies, in essence 'How does it work?' and the commissioning editor (Russel D, for it was he), would send me a list of questions that people sent in, with the understanding that I would research and read up on the matter and then make a concise reply of a few of them that would fit into a double page spread.

'What is the difference between PAL and NTSC' was a common one, as games consoles only worked with the composite video (or even worse, RF modulated) signals, and there were different ones for US/Japan as for Europe. Fair enough.

'How do thermal vision cameras work?'. OK. A bit more involved but...

'Why doesn't electricity fall out of wall sockets? There's nothing to keep it in'. Ahem.

And of course the classic- 'Where do they get the silicon from to make the Silicon Graphics workstations? Is it out of a special secret quarry? How do they plug a hunk of silicon into a screen?'
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Fri 31 Aug 2012, 20:52, 2 replies)

Electrical sockets
If the switch next to them is on, and someone is with me, I make a point of switching it off "to stop the electricity leaking out."

As I'm a physics teacher, it's fun to see the reactions. (Usually I'm pretty sure that's wrong but I don't want to contradict him.)
(North Utsira South Utsira, Fri 31 Aug 2012, 21:42, closed)

I think I might know you in real life.
Sorry, this sounds like a clever reply to your post, but no - it's the job thing/timing you mentioned.

If I do, alright mate?
(judgetheobscure used to sweep in butchers' shops., Mon 3 Sep 2012, 15:56, closed)