Redundant scribbles in the air
OUR reports on the phenomenon of people 鈥渦sing words in a novel sense without knowing their original meaning鈥� (25 December 2010 and 22 January 2011) struck a chord with Anita Gait. She draws our attention to the parallel phenomenon of people using gestures that no longer represent the idea they are trying to convey. She gives the example of what she calls the 鈥渁ir scribble鈥� motion we all do when requesting the bill in a restaurant, despite the fact that we haven鈥檛 signed for anything in a restaurant in years.
鈥淭he joint boss of investment bank Barclays Capital is currently celebrating a 拢9.9 million cash bonus for 2010 plus 拢30 million worth of shares. His name is Rich Ricci鈥�
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She wonders if there is a name for this to complement readers鈥� coinages for the verbal equivalent that we published on 22 January. For our part, we would love to hear some more examples.
What colour is a purple finch?
MEANWHILE, the 快猫短视频 Letters pages have been discussing yet another related phenomenon. Correspondent Jamie Walker (5 March, p 33) suggests the word 鈥渉oovariation鈥� in response to Alan Chattaway鈥檚 call for a name for 鈥渟omething being known more widely by an erroneous name than by its correct one鈥� (29 January, p 25).
Now John Chen tells us about a quiz in an electronic newsletter circulated in Australia called Friday Humour (see ) which illustrates how widespread this is. The questions are:
1) How long did the Hundred Years War last?
2) Which country makes Panama hats?
3) From which animal do we get cat gut?
4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?
5) What is a camel鈥檚 hair brush made of?
6) The Canary Islands in the Atlantic are named after what animal?
7) What was King George VI鈥檚 first name?
8) What colour is a purple finch?
9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?
10) What is the colour of the black box in a commercial airplane?
And the answers are: 1) 116 years; 2) Ecuador; 3) Sheep and horses; 4) November; 5) Squirrel fur; 6) Dogs; 7) Albert; 8) Crimson; 9) New Zealand; 10) Orange.
Story of faster trains in winter
OUR piece about 鈥渃ryogenic鈥� amplifiers and the doubtful proposition that very cold wires are 鈥渧irtual superconductors鈥� (19 March) reminded Mike Collins of the time he worked in the civil engineering department of what was then called British Rail. He was often pestered by an enthusiastic young messenger who seemed to know more about railways than anyone, yet still asked lots of questions, such as: 鈥淲hy does the railway have summer and winter timetables?鈥�
Mike spun the yarn that it was a consequence of electrification. When the overhead wires were particularly cold in winter, he said, they moved towards becoming superconductors. That meant trains could run faster in winter than in summer, so both a summer (slower trains) and a winter (faster trains) timetable were needed.
鈥淭his hit a logic nerve in the lad,鈥� Mike recalls. 鈥淚 only had a week or two to wait before the story came back to me by way of another source.鈥�
IRISH media company UTV Internet has this puzzling claim on its website in answer to the question : 鈥淔reesat is a digital TV service from the BBC and ITV. It will entertain you with over 140 digital TV and radio channels, and treat you to free HD. There鈥檚 no subscription and no monthly bills to pay. Prices start from as little as 拢2.99 per month.鈥�
We are reminded of the T-Mobile adverts offering 鈥淔ree internet and texts for life鈥� if you 鈥渢op up 拢10 each month鈥� (19 December 2009).
FOLLOWING our comments on the emerging art form of the Amazon customer review (26 February), Erica Bower alerts us to 鈥渢his wonderfully geeky tome鈥� 鈥� a paperback entitled A Million Random Digits with 100,000 Normal Deviates, produced by the Rand corporation. It鈥檚 on sale at Amazon for $90 at .
Among the 227 customer reviews the book has generated so far, Erica says she particularly likes the comment by 鈥淎 Curious Reader鈥�: 鈥淪uch a terrific reference work! But with so many terrific random digits, it鈥檚 a shame they didn鈥檛 sort them, to make it easier to find the one you鈥檙e looking for.鈥�
THE 鈥�Expert Verdict鈥� shopping catalogue that Alan Russell was looking at advertises 鈥渁 special treatment formulated to protect your car engine by creating a cushion between its moving metal parts, allowing them to operate more freely and efficiently鈥�.
鈥淗as somebody just discovered oil?鈥� Alan asks.
FINALLY, several readers have told us about in London鈥檚 free newspaper, Metro: 鈥淔allout from Japan鈥檚 damaged nuclear plant is expected to reach Europe this week 鈥� but experts say the particles will be minuscule.鈥�
Responses range from 鈥淕osh鈥�, 鈥淲ho would have thought it?鈥� and 鈥淣o, really?鈥� to 鈥淚鈥檒l only start to worry when they are the size of cricket balls.鈥�