Letter: Sunny side down

From Mr Leon Kreitzman

Sir: Not buttered toast again ("Scientist puts fresh spin on buttered toast riddle", 26 June). It was resolved empirically - in the original Yiddish - but the dispute between the optimist and the pessimist.

"Life is optimistic," says the

optimist.

"It is pessimistic," says the

pessimist.

"We'll do a test," says the optimist. "I'll butter a slice of toast and drop it. If it lands buttered side up, life is optimistic. Buttered side down and it is pessimistic."

They conducted the experiment and the toast landed buttered side up.

"See," says the optimist, "life is optimistic".

"What do you mean?" says the pessimist, "you buttered the wrong side".

Now that is what you call an explanation.

Yours sincerely,

Leon Kreitzman

London, SW4