Critics of the Tea? thread!!!

[Landslide]

You were right all along! New research (by my mate Tom) has proved that we're no different to a bunch of crackheads!

"Where ever there is drug use then rituals will always develop."

 

[gavintc]

It won't last

 

[Arch]

Having just read Bad Science...

How did they test? Was it a blind tasting? In which case, the person doesn't know it's their favourite mug, and the very phenomena shouldn't apply....

<sups tea from favourite work mug>

 

[TheDoctor]

Except...
If you apply homeopathic principles, there'll be a few Tea? molecules from your favourite mug stuck to your mouth, so any Tea? from another mug will be influenced by the molecular memory from your own mug anyway.
<may not fully understand homeopathy here...>

 

[rich p]

Having just read Bad Science...

How did they test? Was it a blind tasting? In which case, the person doesn't know it's their favourite mug, and the very phenomena shouldn't apply....

<sups tea from favourite work mug>

I think the point is that it's a pschological thing, so one does have to know that it's your special cup. It doesn't actually taste any different.

 

[Arch]

No, I think you've got homeopathy sussed there. (Bad Science really is a great book!).

No disrespect to the researcher, but I have to say this falls under stating the bleeding obvious to me.... (please say hi from us all on Tea?, Landers.) Humans (and animals and maybe even plants, I reckon) have an amazing capacity to be comforted by apparently non-existent factors....

 

[Arch]

I think the point is that it's a pschological thing, so one does have to know that it's your special cup. It doesn't actually taste any different.

That's what I mean. You can't do a true blind test, because the subject has to know. And knowing, they are more likely to conform to the result, I reckon.

I suppose you could brew tea in the normal mug, and a control mug, and then decant into testing vessels, to see if there was any actual taste difference. Or do the test blindfold, with the normal mug and a control mug of identical shape/weight etc to see how much the subject could be fooled.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

or you could just drink the tea and sod the research…

 

[TheDoctor]

That's what I mean. You can't do a true blind test, because the subject has to know. And knowing, they are more likely to conform to the result, I reckon.

I suppose you could brew tea in the normal mug, and a control mug, and then decant into testing vessels, to see if there was any actual taste difference. Or do the test blindfold, with the normal mug and a control mug of identical shape/weight etc to see how much the subject could be fooled.

Heresy! It should be brewed in a pot!
(I know it often isn't, but it should be.)

 

[ianrauk]

Ianrauk's work tea mug has been in said possesion for 20 years this year....
Woebetide anyone who uses it by accident, even worse - horror of horrors uses it for coffee.

Having just read Bad Science...

How did they test? Was it a blind tasting? In which case, the person doesn't know it's their favourite mug, and the very phenomena shouldn't apply....

<sups tea from favourite work mug>

 

[Landslide]

No disrespect to the researcher, but I have to say this falls under stating the bleeding obvious to me...

In which case I shall heartily congratulate him on his ability to get funding for it!

 

[Arch]

Heresy! It should be brewed in a pot!
(I know it often isn't, but it should be.)

<counts times TheDoctor brewed tea in a pot at his place>

<fails due to not being able to represent zero on fingers....>



Actually, I may be wrong, I just don't remember extensive pot use...

 

[Arch]

Erm, Arch, from A level hard sums, I think we used to hold up a hand with all our fingers down for zero. The syllabus may have changed since though

Ah, you see, I failed A level Hard Sums, so that's probably why....

 

[Landslide]

Erm, Arch, from A level hard sums, I think we used to hold up a hand with all our fingers down for zero. The syllabus may have changed since though

I seem to remember the black power movement using the same approach during PE classes...

 

[summerdays]

I think the weight/thickness of the mug will be part of the equation. I do prefer certain mugs for my (whispers) coffee - I mean how can you have a great cup from a polystrene cup.... (though its still better than nothing and if I'm freezing cold is definitely appreciated.