Descalators and descenders?
I’ve often had a problem with the fact that the words escalator and elevator only convey half of their function. They don’t refer to the fact that they bring you down as well. Given that downbound (?) escalators are actually different from their upbound cousins (or should I say that they can’t do the same function at the same time), maybe each should get its own name.
When you travel up an escalator, you have two options available to you. You either stand (to the right in New York) or you walk (on the left). (I forget whether the reverse is true in London.) If you walk, let’s assume that you take one step at a time.
If you’re lazy and opt to stand, then you take 0 steps between the bottom and top. If you’re slightly less lazy and amble up the stairs at a leisurely pace, they you’ll take a certain number of steps. If you choose to pelt up the stairs at a rate of knots, then you’ll take more steps. I’m not sure why, but it troubles me slightly that the more effort you put into each step, the more steps you have to make, the limit being the number of steps visible when the escalator is stationary.
I don’t have the time (or the inclination) at the moment, but it would be nice to know the formula for the number of steps you have to make if X is the number of steps you take per minute, Y is the number of steps disappearing per minute and Z is the number of steps visible at any one time. I think those are the only three variables you need.
Back of a fag-packet calculation suggests it’s Z/(X+Y), but it needs checking.
On a separate note, the BBC’s picture diary on the name change from Pretoria to Tschane highlights the continuing racial problems faced by South Africa. Pictures 4 and 7 are particularly troubling.
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When a new majority changes the established name of a place back to a name it had sometime in the past then you should question why. If the motivation for the change is for a new start then choose a new name. If the motivation is settling a political score then accept it for what it is and don’t be surprised that the new minority object and feel oppressed – two wrongs don’t make a right.