Apples vs. Oranges

"It's like comparing Apples to Oranges"

We have all heard this idiom and it's generally used when we are trying to compare things that we believe are incomparable. 

In fact, like many pioneers into studies that are obviously wastes of time and are done just for the sake of doing it, Scott A. Sandford of NASA Ames Research Center actually took the time to do a scientific comparison.  His research concluded:

"[...] the comparing apples and oranges defense should no longer be considered valid. This is a somewhat startling revelation. It can be anticipated to have a dramatic effect on the strategies used in arguments and discussions in the future." (quote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apples_and_oranges)

The truth of the matter seems to be that Apples and Oranges are compared on a regular basis.  Like many things they are more similar then different and the one thing that I found surprising while doing my crack research for this "Comparing Things" was that aside from people reveling in drawing pictures that depicted Apples and Oranges, it seemed as if we as a species really just enjoy pissing on the establishment and thumbing our noses at all sorts of idioms.

(image from http://shirts-by-eye.blogspot.com/2007/01/apples-oranges.html)