RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 175, 19 April 1940, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights On Current

Events

(By

Kickshaws.)

The British public, it is declared, are using less electricity. Nevertheless, current affairs are still demanding attention.

The Germans contend that in theory they no longer require a navy. Well, anyway, theory and practice have been in complete agreement' on the subject.

Chinese crews at Aotea Quay, it is stated, have been playing football in the spirit of cricket. Lots of folk have suggested that it was high time a kick was introduced into cricket. * * * A recent effort to assess the remaining working life of a man aged 67 years is said to have varied from one to five years. Possibly this sets an average limit to violent physical work. Nevertheless, Mr. Stephen Bain, Fifeshire, Scotland, was working at his smithy at the age of 80 years. He had been at the job for a mere 68 years, and hoped before he was 100 years that he would know the rudiments of his job. Anybody who has tried to make a horseshoe will realize that a blacksmith puts iu some solid elbow grease. Moreover, a French peasant was stated to be still working as a labourer in the fields at the age of 102 years. Mr. Charles A. Benedict, of New York, deserves an honourable mention if only for the fact that at the age of 94 years he was still working as an undertaker. There must have been occasions, however, when he must have felt that the time was coming when he would have to consider his status.

It will always be a matter of controversy as to when a man is too old, but experience seems to show that it depends on the man. Certainly, in the field of sport there have been some astonishing exceptiqns to prove the rule of three score years and ten. We hesitate to say how many grandmothers have swum the English Channel. At one time it seemed the thing for grandmothers to do. We would point out, however, that at the age of 78 years the previous Bishop of London played in a doubles match against Mrs. Helen Wills Moody, and won. This bishop, moreover, is stated to have scored three goals in a hockey match when he was 75 years old. According to experts, the ideal age for tennis players is 28 years; for footballers, 24 years; sprinters. 23 years: and boxers 22 years. Yet, Bob Fitzsimmons was 48 years old when be fought eight rounds against Jeffries, and four years later be took on Jack Johnson. Moreover, Mr. Folley, of Boston did not take up running seriously until he was in his fifties. At the age of 85 years be ran a marathon of 26 miles in four and a half hours.

If some folk had shut up and died when they ought to have done, the world would have been far poorer than it is. Titian gave the world many of his masterpieces after he was 80 years old. Indeed, one of his famous paintings was executed when be was 98 years old. Michael Angelo was painting at 70, and still painting when he was over 80 years. Tennyson was writing poetry when over 80. His “Crossing the Bar,” indeed, was composed when he was 83 years old. Goethe composed his Faust when he was SO, and Gladstone was in charge of the destinies of the British Empire at the age of S 3 vears. If some ruthless law had been enforced whereby people were eliminated at 50 years. 80 per cent, of the world’s greatest masterpieces would never have been created. Moreover, 35 per cent, of the geniuses of the world, are working well beyond 70 years ot age. and 22 per cent, are bard at it when they are in the eighties. * # ♦

Certain scientists iu Switzerland have been busy for some time trying to discover how long is life from the human point of view. They claim, curiously enough, that the sun greatly reduces the span of life. For that reason northern races live longer than southern European races. Mountain dwellers, they discovered, live longer than plain dweller.-;. Hygiene, it was found, plays an important part. Uncivilized communities live longest when their numbers are small and the villages or camps not unwieldy. The longest life spans were found, therefore, iu Switzerland, Norway and Sweden. The span was about 63 years. In middle Europe, however, the spau had fallen to 45 years. Another investigator, James Q. Hervard, claims that a man is immature, unripe, callow, vealy, verdant, sappy, bumptious, bat-blind, and grass-green until he is 40 years old. Unfortunately, each generation largely repeats the blunders of former generations. If only each generation could start with the knowledge and experience at which previous generations leit off. maybe there would be some progress. It is only in a crisis that the Churchills are listened to, despite the fact that 10 years ago this individual was warning us to avoid just what has

Just how long we ought to live is still open to controversy. Experts place the figure between 125 years and 180 years. They point out, moreover, that there is every reason to believe that the cells of which we are made are eternal. Certainly, a piece of chicken heart has been kept alive three times the lite of the chicken from which it was obtained. and it is still living. The greatest danger, it is claimed, comes from germs which claim their toll because it is impossible for the individual cells to get proper drainage. Gradual onslaughts of germs weaken the system, until it fails. There are however, other perils. Au investigator has shown that the nerve fibres which leave the spinal cord to run to various parts ot the body gradually lose their ‘“sulatiom Moreover, there is evidence that the nervous system gradually decays. Ibis, it is thought, sets the final limit to longevity. It is not the germ cell, theiefore. that is at fault. Ibe building bricks, it would seem, are eternal, but the mortar that holds and controls them is not of the same high standard.

Kickshaws has received so man, questions concerning the Queen 51a <7 it is quite impossible to reply to their all. Here are some pertinent facts on the subject which will answer most ot the questions. Certains aspects ot tinsubject tend to enter forbidden ground, and cannot be discussed during the war. The Queen Mary has a gross tonnage of 81,235 tons. She is 975.2 feet long, and 118.6 feet wide. She draws about 38 feet, fully loaded, has a speed of 3* knots, and was completed in 1936. She has quadruple screws, and turbine engines. It may interest readers to know that the deepest draught of a vessel so far to enter Wellington harbour is 36 feet.

At psychical research seance—Jimmy (to bis wife’s departed spirit ) : “Is that you, Liza?” “Yes. hits meself.” "Are you ’appy, Liza?” "Very ’appy. Jim." "’Appier than you wiv me?" ••Much ’appier.” “Where are you, Liza?” “In ’ell!”