Balls, it's cold outside!

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At the obsessively metered location I call Moronica International State Park, two of the three outdoor gauges indicate that it's 15 F (-9 C). In recognition of this condition, I have decided to replicate (or, perhaps, perform for the first time ever) The Brass Monkey Experiment. I will report the results on this blog when the experiment is concluded.

Seriously, this is nothing out of the ordinary for central Illinois, and only a mere discomfort to a simple country editor raised in the lake-effect snow zone of southern Chicagoland. (Still, people around here behave as if it's not unlike the 38 parallel circa 1951; pussies!)

The death of Nelson Mandela, through no fault of his own, has pretty much displaced news coverage of this ridiculously insane storm that has been tearing up the UK and points east with tidal surges and hurricane-force winds. My blogging friend from across the deep blue sea, Marginalia, has not yet posted about this weather event, which the BBC reports to be the most extreme since January 1953 (back in my fetal days). I hope he and his friends are safe, warm, and poly-nonsaturated. I also hope that the citizens of that green and pleasant land make it clear to their doltish ruling coalition that they expect more than free-market solutions to storm damage and suffering.

Home-made applied research [updated]

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This evening, 1 September, I begin the first part of a two-phase experiment in which I test and compare the longevity of two different kinds of shaving razors. The objectives are to (1) see how long each razor can provide an acceptable shave and (2) determine whether the disposable give-aways that I steal from the gym are of higher quality than the replaceable cartridges I obtain in exchange for cash at the drug store.

First up: a disposable teal-colored Shick Xtreme3 ComfortPlus Xtra-Smooth "flexible" razor with "Vitamin E & Pre-shave Oil". Don't you agree that's quite a name for something what takes whiskers off your face? The performance period of Phase I is estimated to be approximately 2 months.

Update: I forgot to tell you my @#$%*#@^&! hypothesis! I wish to determine whether the promotional giveaways provide superior quality and performance to the blades you have to buy. If that is not the case, then it is difficult for me to figure out why the manufacturer would provide such largess. The object of the giveaway must be to persuade the gym rat to abandon an established brand preference in favor of the sampled brand. My experiment inaugurates a new topical area for this blog: brilliance in marketing. "Ask for yours today!"