Read about the things that happen throughout the world

[venta]

Well, if the Metro can have a regular feature based on what some bloke saw on the telly last night, I don't see why I can't join in...

One of the many allegations thrown at Ashley Cole today is that he sent a model "explicit sex text pictures". Much as I love the idea of a footballer sitting around painstakingly hand-crafting ASCII porn to send to his extra-marital encounters, I fear that may not have been what they meant.

In an unrelated news item, we are warned that a form of malware known as a rootkit could turn "your iPhone into a spy-phone". Apparently such malware could "turn on tracking GPS, send confidential datta or even drain the battery without the owner's knowledge". Oh noes! Not only might it broadcast personal data everywhere, worse it might drain the battery!

Also, a question: can you still call a child-carer a nanny if it's a bloke? The front page teaser for the rather unpleasant story about the child crushed by falling lamppost in Chiswick describes him as being pushed in a pram by "his nanny". The story then refers to "a male carer" in charge of the child being uninjured.

I'm not criticising the Metro for that one, I'm just curious.

Comments

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Yes, nannies can be male, as can nurses and midwives and primary school teachers and... I think the only real benefit to specifying 'male nanny/nurse/midwife' is if the person about to meet them is clearly expecting a woman.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I'm used to the idea of male nurses, male midwives, etc. I'm perfectly happy with the idea of a guy doing the job of childcarer, I just don't think I expected them to be called "nannies".

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what else one could call them, though. Manny is, as said, hideously twee, and carer/childminder doesn't really describe the situation (and could lead to legal complications when it comes to pay, required training, etc.).

[ylla.livejournal.com]

A billy? ;)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Gets my goat vote!

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

I believe there is a vogue for calling male nannies 'mannies'.

I have no words for how vomitously twee and patronising I find this. Not as bad as 'yummy mummy', I guess.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Ewww.
Just ewww.

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Not as bad as 'yummy mummy', I guess.</>

Is MILF better....What about GILF !!!

[venta.livejournal.com]

I just had to go and look up MILF :)

... and the funniest part of the experience was the Wikipedia disambiguation statement:

"This article is about the slang term for sexually attractive older females. For the Filipino paramilitary organisation, see Moro Islamic Liberation Front."

Amused me, anyway.

[zotz]

That must make for some wonderful misunderstandings in the personal ads.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

I wanted 40 virgins, not a verging-on-40!

[zotz]

"You're younger than I expected, but that assault rifle's lovely."

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Oh....I'm so stealing the wrong wiki reference !

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

awesome.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

If a "manny" wears a female nanny's uniform, is he a "tranny"?

(Clearly, yes.)

[ylla.livejournal.com]

I quite like people who tell you in the papers what has been on TV, because it saves me the trouble of watching it for myself.

I have no problem with a male nanny - I'm not sure what else they would be called. A carer or childminder sounds like something a bit different.

[secondhand-rick.livejournal.com]

Any threat to reduce the already poor battery life on the iPhone is a very grave concern.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Hence it would be more newsworthy if malware could cause the iPhone to Do Stuff without draining the battery :)

[grahamb.livejournal.com]

The news media seems to have gone a bit Christian today. Big headline on the Metro this morning "Chancellor: No.10 unleashed forces of hell against me". Gordon Brown was on GMTV this morning, presumably to deny any links with SATAN, and I'm fully expecting his wife to be on Newsnight to tell us that Gordon goes to church every Sunday.

[stegzy.livejournal.com]

The quality of journalism in the Metro frequently shocks me...

[lathany.livejournal.com]

One of the many allegations thrown at Ashley Cole today is that he sent a model "explicit sex text pictures". Much as I love the idea of a footballer sitting around painstakingly hand-crafting ASCII porn to send to his extra-marital encounters, I fear that may not have been what they meant.

That made me laugh. I considered sending it to a work colleague who would similarly spot that mistake, but eventually decided against on context grounds.