A Challenge to Relativistic Orthodoxy, or Just a Statement of the Obvious?

Several times recently I've heard it asserted in television programmes that:

"It takes five years to grow a five year old oyster"

The only circumstances in which I can imagine someone making an even slightly plausible case for denying that, is in some involved relativistic time paradox, but why oysters rather than clocks, physicists, or cats?

A Homemade Mint Infusion.

Since I revived it by changing its soil, my mint has grown with astounding vigor so I decided to find a use for it.

I took about five stems, stripped off the leaves, washed them, put then in a small teapot and poured boiling water over them. the result was an excellent infusion.

I wonder why I've never done that before.

Strange Devices

Yesterday I visited the National Gas Museum in Leicester. It was awarded the title 'National' because it is the only gas museum in Britain.

There was a remarkable collection of gas powered devices. Most people would expect to see gas lights, gas fires and gas cookers, but there was much else as well.

There were gas refrigerators, one of which still had the label explaining how it works - roughly speaking applying a gas flame to  a solution of ammonia in water drives off ammonia, starting a circulation of ammonia through various tubes and chambers.

There were also gas powered irons, gas hair curlers, a gas waffle iron, and a device that looked like a cooker with an eye level grill, but behind what one took to be the oven door was a refrigerator.

Quite sinister in appearance was the gas hair dryer. It looked like a black helmet on a tall stand. I gathered that the brave individual whose hair was to be dried placed his or her head in the helmet, where there was also some sort of miniature gas fire.

Most exciting for me was the gas powered radio made in 1938, though I gather that did not sell well, so I guess there has never been a gas television set, or a gas computer!

Journalist's Arithmetic

37 - 19 = 20

That was affirmed several times by a BBC announcer reporting on the recent selection of candidates for the post of Conservative leader. One candidate's vote increased from 19 in the first round to 37 in the second and was reported to have increased by 20.

 After giving the figure the announcer paused for thought, repeated the figures 37 and 19 and said. 'that's right 20' so the error was not a momentary aberration.

Shivering in June

Today it was so chilly that I put on gloves when I went out. I don't recall ever before wearing gloves in June.