Day 61 - Shouting at the radio

So yesterday in the car, and perhaps you saw on the news here in the UK one of our leading research organisations in Scotland proudly announced the arrival of 'Smart fabric'. They've impregnated the smell of whisky into a fabric. Yes really. A collaboration between  a very posh tweed manufacturer and a whisky company. If I'd not have been driving I'd have had to lay down and scream. So I shouted at the silly radio. 'You've done what?' 

Smart technology has been used to impregnate fabric  'the cloth smells of "rich malt, golden vanilla, red fruit and dark chocolate tones". Link here.here

Yes you read that right. Now I'm sure this smart technology has some other actual helpful applications and maybe this is just the headline snatcher. As a researcher I bloody hope so. But, I know that a bit of good PR can be essential to promote collaboration between manufacturers and research institutes. I guess how companies spend their R&D budgets is up to them and quite often institutes quite frankly, need cash. But what a bloody waste of decent academic brain power. What about food poverty, reducing energy consumption, how about tackling those. The next breath the radio man ran an advert for the change in drink driving laws here in Scotland from tomorrow.

Some giggles about your jacket getting breathalised if you're wearing this new fabric smart technology, or if you live near the border as the limits are different depending on which country you live in and therefore which way you drive home. Interesting article here on what folks think in the UK about the changes in Scotland here some thinking we should have the same laws throughout the UK. What do you think?

Anyway, I had a wee rant at Mr Me, over supper about 'smart fabric', bloody joke I said, waste of research money I said. He rather looked quite smugly at me and asked how many research projects I'd been involved in that were for alcohol companies.

Stoney silence. As one of 'those silly researchers', I have been involved in working with a fair few research contracts, in the food and drinks industries, including several Gin and Whisky products.

I was helping highland crofters diversify their income I told him. 

Pots and Kettles he told me.

His most annoying feature is that he's often right. Silly man. I'm proud of the research work I've done,  especially with Gin, but maybe in future, I'll be more choosey if I can. But, beggars as they say........maybe I shouldn't be so quick to judge smart fabric inventors after all and be mindful of their feelings, they are after all, only trying to forward science. Bah. Mindfullness-smindfullness.

I'm off to see of my son at the airport today, he's heading away for the holidays to his dads. Usually I drown myself in drink, the loneliness of single-parenthood can be crippling around holiday times. He leaves today, my daughter in a couple weeks. Usually I medicate this loss with booze, like I do everything else. Not this year. Nor will I be asking for 'smart fabric' or booze for xmas. Small steps.

Shouting at the radio helps, I implore you to try it.