A few of us were chatting in the newsroom recently, and we touched on the topic of table manners. In particular, we compared the Asian tradition of slurping noodle soup with the Western acceptance of nose-blowing at the dinner table.

Slurping has something of a childlike innocence to it. It also signals the slurper's appreciation of the dish. That said, a slurp can seem interminably long and irritating, and when numerous diners are slurping, the cacophony can be disquieting.

Still, I have to say that, growing up, I never understood what made nose-blowing acceptable at the table.