It's all science

Every now and then I think about science. I don't know why. I just do. So many scientific questions cross my mind so I go on the Internet and in the library to find the answers. And having found the answers, I share them here with you. It is part of the service I offer my readers on this Blog. 

Service - that is something that is not as it used to be. In the olden days people got good service generally and were welcomed by staff in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and so on. "Have a nice day!" was a lovely phrase to be told as you leave such an establishment. Today, if someone said that to you, and you had a rotten day, you'd probably sue them for it.

I was at a very posh hotel recently. Now before any of my readers think, or write in, asking why I go to such hotels when others are available and less expensive. Or why not just put up a tent in the local park and spend the night there. (Oh yes - I get such e-mails). Let me explain that I was there on business and the firm I work for booked it.

On the day I was leaving such posh hotel I had breakfast there, and at about lunchtime I rang room service and asked for a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich in a bun. My intention was to have it on the train instead of lunch together with a can of lemonade. I'd had such a repast before and I can vouch that this hotel makes a fantastic BLT. (See ... I know all the latest lingo! Street-wise or what?)

They delivered said BLT sandwich and a can of lemonade to my room. It wasn't until I was on the train speeding at the rate of whatever speed trains speed, and as we passed a field full of pigs grazing, (do pigs graze?) I remembered the BLT sandwich. I opened my briefcase and the BLT was not there. Neither was the lemonade. I had forgotten both in my hotel room. And I had paid for them when I settled my bill as I left the hotel.

I rang the hotel on my cell-phone and asked them to send me the sandwich at my home address. They refused. They said the room was cleaned after my departure and no doubt the sandwich was thrown away. I think that's a fib. No doubt the cleaner ate my BLT, and drank my lemonade. Either that, or re-sold it to someone else. The person on the phone asked whether this was a hoax phone-call and then hung up on me.

Now I can see you all thinking! What has that to do with science - the subject of this conversation? Monologue actually - not to be pedantic about it. It is not a conversation until some of you comment here below and I answer back.

So, as I was saying. What has this to do with science? Well, the train was speeding at a certain speed. And we know that light is faster than the speed of sound. But which one is heavier? Light or sound? If you had some light in one hand, and an equal amount of sound on another; which one would be heavier?

Speaking of which, did you know that if you weigh yourself in an elevator using a bathroom scales, you would weigh heavier as the elevator is going up, and lighter as it is going down? But you'll way the right weight if the elevator is going sideways. In which case you are probably in a train or a bus.

And did you know that most people in Europe weigh themselves in kilos. It is called kilograms. We also have kilometres to measure distance and kilolitres to measure volume.

Do you know how many bytes in a kilobyte? 

It depends on the size of your BLT sandwich. That is if you've not forgotten it in your hotel room.