Catching Up

My rate of posting here fell be about a half in 2014, the year I bought the present house and started to renovate it. Since then my blogging rate has gradually risen, and I've even started to pay more attention to my sadly neglected web site.

That may be a sign I'm catching up. I hope so. There may even be some pictures of the new place on my website soon.

Beware Emasculated Cough Mixtures

Numerous cough medicines are available. Many are just agreeable fruity syrups, that soothe the throat for at most a few minutes after we swallow them. One easily make such concoctions oneself; glycerine, lemon juice and honey works quite well.

If one is to pay for a cough mixture, one can do much better. Lasting relief  is provided by the medicines that contain dextromethorphan which suppresses coughing for several hours after consumption.

Seeking cough medicine yesterday, I found that several mixtures that used to contain dextromethorphan no longer do so, listing as active ingredients just sugar and glycerine. Yet they were packaged just as before, apart from the change in the list of ingredients.

To get the original mixture one has to ask at the dispensary counter in the chemist's shop. Were I not in the habit of checking labels carefully I might have missed the change and wasted my money on something ineffective. I suspect a great many people will be deceived and disappointed.

A Folk Story Vindicated

Tomatoes are usually disappointing these days.

I remember a time when eating a tomato was a treat, but these days they are usually insipid. That's partly the varieties that are grown commercially. Home grown tomatoes of varieties not on the official list are often better, but I think there's more to it than that.

I try to reduce my salt consumption these days and had stopped sprinkling salt on salads. When I did add a little one day, the flavour of the tomatoes was transformed.

That reminded me of a folk story about a man who stupidly asked his daughters how much they loved him. Feeling unable to compete with her sisters' superlatives, the last daughter to reply said, with the perverse obscurity with which people in folk stories often confuse each other, 'I love you as the fresh meat loves the salt'

She was banished from the house for that, and only reinstated after she somehow infiltrated her way into the kitchen and cooked a salt free meal, the consumption of which shocked her father into an appreciation of her wisdom.

I suspect that that story is no longer part of the primary school curriculum, though if I were a primary school teacher I'd consider reinstating it.

Boxing Day in a Small Towm

I was particularly glad to be in Market Harborough today, because I was able to get our and look round the shops.

In Leicester there were few shops in walking distance, and to get to the rest I relied on buses which, on Boxing Day were few and crowded. Here a short walk in the sunshine got me to the sales where I could buy next year's Christmas cards at half price.

Speculative Genetics

I recently hear someone interviewed on the radio claim to have been born with 'journalist DNA'

I don't believe that the individual in question actually thought they had made a remarkable discovery in genetics, and doubt if he or she actually knows what DNA is. I suspect that 'DNA' is a term perceived to be used by clever people, so people who want to be thought clever like to use it too, without bothering to find our what it means.

'DNA' is often misused in that way.

Invisible Button

I recently bought a new tower PC. In the old days the first thing one taught computer novices was how to switch the computer on. The switch was usually at the back of the computer. Wise, as I thought, to the ways of computer manufacturers, I switched on while plugging this and that into the back of the machine, but it still didn't some on.

Usually there's some sort of on/off button on the front of the case too, but however carefully I searched I couldn't find one. The only button I could find on the front was the one for the DVD bay.

I was on the point of taking the tower back to the shop where I'd bought it, when a kind friend offered to have a look. He eventually found a button. The button was black, matching the black case of the tower, and was flush with the case. Even though I now know where it is, I still can't see it, though I can detect it by touch.

I wonder who designed the case, and what, if anything, went through their minds when they made it like that.

Floriferous November

There are still quite a few flowers blooming in the garden, pansies, campanulas, hardy cyclamen, erigerons, and even antirrhinums that usually expire long before this, but the water lily is tantalising us. It's had a bud just below the water for months, but there's no sign of it opening.

Friday's Colour

Why is cheap Friday called Black ?

Black days are usually bad days, so I'd have expected a bright cheerful colour for the day of cheap cat food (we got a wonderful deal from one of the supermarkets)

I suggest Scarlet Friday, though vermilion, lime green or shocking pink might have their advocates.

Pernicious Regulation

I've long been puzzled by the frequency with which people seem to change energy supplier in the hope of reducing their bills, suspecting that many of the savings might be illusory.

I've just heard a discussion on BBC Radio 4 that confirms that suspicion, explaining that the 'projections' of savings usually exaggerate the likely savings of any change. Apparently that error is not the fault of the energy companies, but arises because the regulator 'Ofgem' compels companies to use  an unsound method of calculation that is almost certain to overestimate the savings. Ofgem introduced the relevant regulation in 2014, ignoring representations by people who pointed out the error.

see
https://www.theenergyshop.com/advice-guides-personal-projections-and-why-they-are-so-dangerous

I wonder what disciplinary action will be taken against the incompetents responsible. My guess is none.

Futile Disorder

I doubt the utility of public demonstrations, preferring a lucid, cogently argued complaining writing.

Demonstrations that involve damage to people or property I consider criminal, whatever the cause they are supposed to further.

The demonstrations in America, protesting at the result of the presidential election seem particularly absurd. The only valid ground for protesting at an election is that the election was not properly conducted. I understand that no such complaint is being made in America, but that the protests are just about the result.

There may well be some grounds for complaint once the president elect gets round to doing something, but so far all he's had time for has been to visit the White House to see the outgoing president.

The main effect of pointless, violent protests against the election result is likely to be to strengthen the resolve of the winners and convince them that their opponents are delinquents.

Who is Nick ?

Every few weeks we hear some news item about 'Nick' the false witness who persuaded over eager police officers to conduct an expensive witch hunt against innocent elderly and formerly prominent men.

The targets of Nick's accusations have suffered great hurt, and Harvey Proctor lost his job as a result of the fuss. They should at least have a chance to sue for damage sustained, but it is hard for them to do that if Nick''s identity is secret.

Police justify publishing the names of suspects by saying that it encourages other victims to come forward. It might similarly be argued that publishing the identities of alleged victims might encourage people who know some of those victims to be dishonest or untruthful to come forward with evidence of their mendacity.

In both cases there are also reasons for not publishing the names. A compromise might be to treat accusers and accused alike and either disclose all names, or keep all secret.

The Damage Done by Libel Damages

A retired police Superintendent was recently convicted of several cases of child abuse. When the abuse was reported in the press many years ago the abuser sued for libel and was awarded £370 000 damages.

Will he now have to pay it back?

An award of damages for libel does not injure just the person who has to pay; it also injures others who are restrained from discussing the matter.

Even a threat to sue for libel can be damaging. Rupert Murdoch prevented free discussion of the parlous state of his companies just by threatening to sue for libel. After he disappeared and was assumed dead it was discovered he had stolen about £400 000 000 from a pension fund.

Perhaps anyone suing, or threatening to sue, for libel could be required to take out an insurance policy to compensate any person suffering loss as a result of the suppression of free discussion.