farmdoc's blog post number 467

I’ve previously written of two principles I’ve invented (I think): the Bus Stop Principle and the Bucket Principle. Today’s post’s about another one. I haven’t finalised its name yet. I’m provisionally calling it the Spurlock Principle – after Morgan Spurlock (pictured) who wrote, directed and starred in the 2004 Academy Award nominated documentary Super Size Me. In a 30-day period (in February-March 2003), Spurlock ate only McDonalds food. But he also ‘super-sized’ his meal whenever he was asked to. Which is the essence of my theory – the Spurlock Principle – that if you buy a bigger container of something, you’re likely to use its contents faster than a smaller container’s. I haven’t tested this theory – at all let alone rigorously. And I probably won’t. Sweetheart Vivienne disagrees with it. I accept that Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. And I know that when Sweetheart Vivienne’s and my opinions on something differ, mostly she’s right. But to me it’s so logical. Basic human nature. Like the tendency to drive less economically if your tank’s full of fuel, than if it’s near empty. I’ve previously mentioned supermarket unit pricing. Obviously the larger the container, the lower the unit price. But buying a larger quantity may be false economy if it results in faster use. Ho hum.

farmdoc's blog post number 56

Camerons Road, 280 metres long, runs between the main road and our Mole Creek property’s gate. It is a dirt road. And two weeks ago the Meander Valley Council, whose responsibility it is, resurfaced it. This happens annually. Eventually it will be sealed, i.e. bituminised, after which it will need little or no maintenance. (Incidentally, why bituminised has an i after the m and bitumen an e, eludes me.) It is cost effective to seal the road ASAP, rather than repeatedly resurfacing it and finally sealing it. Sweetheart Vivienne and I call this the bus stop principle - because if you arrive at a bus stop and you want to walk to the next stop along, you should walk immediately. But if you wait at the first stop awhile and then walk, the bus is more likely to pass you between the stops, than if you had walked straightaway. The name bus stop principle is a world first; a Google search draws a blank. Perhaps it’s commonly known by another name. Anyway it applies to an activity that will definitely happen eventually. But exceptions exist, e.g. if your income tax return will result in you paying tax rather than getting a refund, then you should lodge your return as late – not early – as possible. Please tell farmdoc (by commenting below) if you know others.