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I think my cow-orkers think I'm strange

posted by [personal profile] emperor at 12:27pm on 22/05/2007
I'm standing in the technicians' office, waiting for the rather elderly kettle to boil, so I can have tea. A postdoc wanders in, and notices.

"It'll never boil if you stand there watching it, you know?"
"I think it's just a very slow kettle"
"A watched pot never boils", he says knowingly.

Shortly afterwards, the kettle boils, and I start making tea. The timing amuses me, so I remark, "I've just disproved your hypothesis"
"Pardon?"
"Well, I was watching this kettle, and it just boiled"
"..."
Mood:: 'amused' amused
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There are 11 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] ashfae.livejournal.com at 11:58am on 22/05/2007
I love doing that. I'll deliberately watch kettles and pots waiting for them to boil, just so I can be smug when it happens.
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ext_27570: Richard in tricorn hat (Default)

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] sigisgrim.livejournal.com at 12:15pm on 22/05/2007
Nice one! :-)

Anyway, you are srtagne. Stand proud!
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] phlebas.livejournal.com at 12:47pm on 22/05/2007
Maybe he just misapplied a pot-based hypothesis to the kettle.
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emperor: (Default)

(no subject)

posted by [personal profile] emperor at 12:51pm on 22/05/2007
Seems unlikely, given it was a white kettle ;-)
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] verlaine.livejournal.com at 01:49pm on 22/05/2007
You clearly just weren't watching it correctly.
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] aureo1e.livejournal.com at 02:17pm on 22/05/2007
Next you'll be saying that the cat-motor that powered the kettle doesn't work.
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] vyvyan.livejournal.com at 03:04pm on 22/05/2007
In my experience, it's more that a watched pot (of pasta or rice or whatever) never boils over. The moment I stop watching it, it boils over and puts out the gas :-)
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] the-local-echo.livejournal.com at 03:37pm on 22/05/2007
Next time you see him, wait around as before, listen out for the I'm-about-to-boil noises, and shut your eyes.

That will restore confidence in the universe, that such "rules" have worth.
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] plinthy.livejournal.com at 05:33pm on 22/05/2007
One sample is hardly enough to disprove a whole hypothesis.

All kinds of systematics could have crept in.
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pm215: (Default)

(no subject)

posted by [personal profile] pm215 at 06:51pm on 22/05/2007
I note that [livejournal.com profile] damerell's kettle has a little label on it reading "Watch me!"...
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] nassus.livejournal.com at 11:09pm on 22/05/2007
But we know you're strange ;-p That's why we all love you (-:
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