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Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day
May. 3rd, 2019 08:46 pmThe other day I went to work wearing black skinny jeans and a black polo neck. I don't actually wear skinny jeans for preference, but the Gods of Fashion say that that is what there is for girls at the moment. On which note: bloody hell, where I can buy decent women's black combats this summer? That is decent combats, by the way, I'm not especially bothered about the moral status of the women. Apparently women don't want pockets this season.
But anyway. I went to work wearing black jeans and a black polo neck. My company's CEO wanted to know why I was dressed as a ninja. When I turned up for rapper practice later that day, someone wanted to know why I was dressed as a mime artist.
Worse, it was the second time in 48 hours I'd been accused of looking like a mime. Admittedly the first one was, I believe, due to some particularly stupid dance moves Elaine and I were pulling to the outro of 99 Luftballons at the 80s night in Whitby.
But really, since when is black jeans and polo neck commentworthy? Since when was me wearing all black commentworthy :)
But anyway. I went to work wearing black jeans and a black polo neck. My company's CEO wanted to know why I was dressed as a ninja. When I turned up for rapper practice later that day, someone wanted to know why I was dressed as a mime artist.
Worse, it was the second time in 48 hours I'd been accused of looking like a mime. Admittedly the first one was, I believe, due to some particularly stupid dance moves Elaine and I were pulling to the outro of 99 Luftballons at the 80s night in Whitby.
But really, since when is black jeans and polo neck commentworthy? Since when was me wearing all black commentworthy :)
I avoided all the BBC frothing about bad grammar the other day. Much as I like a well-placed apostrophe, the sort of people who say "I think you'll find you mean 'fewer'" are, largely, arses (up with whom one should not put).
However, a nice grammar quiz? oh yes, that sounds like fun. I can answer it and feel all smug. Except, of course, I disagreed with it.
Question 3: Read this sentence carefully. "I'd like to introduce you to my sister Clara, who lives in Madrid, to Benedict, my brother who doesn't, and to my only other sibling, Hilary." Which of the following is correct?
1. Hilary is male
2. Hilary is female
3. It's impossible to know from the context
Now, the BBC's answer is that Hilary is male, because there isn't a comma after 'brother'. Benedict is described as "my brother who doesn't [live in Madrid]", so there must also be another brother, and thus that brother must be only-other-sibling Hilary.
I claim the answer is morally 3: it's impossible to tell. Because I, for one, got so lost among the commas of that god-awful sentence that I was frankly quite bewildered enough by the end without worrying about whether Hilary was a boy or a girl. Good grammar aids clarity, it doesn't reduce English to a puzzle of whether you knew the rules well enough to divine the writer's intent correctly. If your reader has to count commas to understand your statement, you've already got it monumentally wrong.
Bah.
However, a nice grammar quiz? oh yes, that sounds like fun. I can answer it and feel all smug. Except, of course, I disagreed with it.
Question 3: Read this sentence carefully. "I'd like to introduce you to my sister Clara, who lives in Madrid, to Benedict, my brother who doesn't, and to my only other sibling, Hilary." Which of the following is correct?
1. Hilary is male
2. Hilary is female
3. It's impossible to know from the context
Now, the BBC's answer is that Hilary is male, because there isn't a comma after 'brother'. Benedict is described as "my brother who doesn't [live in Madrid]", so there must also be another brother, and thus that brother must be only-other-sibling Hilary.
I claim the answer is morally 3: it's impossible to tell. Because I, for one, got so lost among the commas of that god-awful sentence that I was frankly quite bewildered enough by the end without worrying about whether Hilary was a boy or a girl. Good grammar aids clarity, it doesn't reduce English to a puzzle of whether you knew the rules well enough to divine the writer's intent correctly. If your reader has to count commas to understand your statement, you've already got it monumentally wrong.
Bah.
Yesterday, I pottered along to the Barbican to see what was going on at their Brainwaves Weekender. Among other things, I parked myself on the floor to watch Helen Arney present the unappealingly-titled I'm a Neuroscientist, Get Me Out Of Here!.
I'd have titled it "Listen to five smart people, who are neuroscientists, talk entertainingly and informatively about their subject". Which isn't as snappy, but there you go. Anyway, they were entertaining and informative.
( But... I'm a mathematician, get me out of here )
I'd have titled it "Listen to five smart people, who are neuroscientists, talk entertainingly and informatively about their subject". Which isn't as snappy, but there you go. Anyway, they were entertaining and informative.
( But... I'm a mathematician, get me out of here )
For a number of years now - despite all my posts being public - you lot have been assiduously not crossposting them to Twitter, Facebook and similar sites.
I assume that this is because you don't want to and/or you think it's inappropriate, not that you've been confounded until now by the lack of an appropriate tickybox.
I assume that this is because you don't want to and/or you think it's inappropriate, not that you've been confounded until now by the lack of an appropriate tickybox.
The pedants are revolting...
Someone just sent me via email a list of "surprising facts".
( I'm surprised )
Someone just sent me via email a list of "surprising facts".
( I'm surprised )
I'm writing a letter, to whomever
Jun. 21st, 2010 02:40 pmSo, very shortly after the election I used the handy http://theyworkforyou.com mechanism to write to my MP.
She didn't answer, but I thought OK, fair enough, it's barely after the election, her mechanisms for these things probably aren't properly set up yet.
I wrote to her again today, asking her to sign EDM 210. The EDM is only relevant prior to the budget, and I realise I left it a bit late, but thought it was worth a shot - after all, she might get through her email to read mine in time to sign the EDM.
I've just received a reply from someone whom I infer to be a secretary, or similar, which has a twiddly graphic of the House of Commons portcullis and my MP's details on it, and says:
"If you are a constituent wishing to raise concerns or comments with me, please do so in writing (House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA). Please include your full postal address, telephone number and all relevant details."
So... er... my MP won't respond to email?
That's a bit rubbish.
Update I wrote to theyworkforyou, and they tell me that they were using a different email address for Angie Bray, and that they've updated their records now to use the one on her website.
She didn't answer, but I thought OK, fair enough, it's barely after the election, her mechanisms for these things probably aren't properly set up yet.
I wrote to her again today, asking her to sign EDM 210. The EDM is only relevant prior to the budget, and I realise I left it a bit late, but thought it was worth a shot - after all, she might get through her email to read mine in time to sign the EDM.
I've just received a reply from someone whom I infer to be a secretary, or similar, which has a twiddly graphic of the House of Commons portcullis and my MP's details on it, and says:
"If you are a constituent wishing to raise concerns or comments with me, please do so in writing (House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA). Please include your full postal address, telephone number and all relevant details."
So... er... my MP won't respond to email?
That's a bit rubbish.
Update I wrote to theyworkforyou, and they tell me that they were using a different email address for Angie Bray, and that they've updated their records now to use the one on her website.
Why does the sun go on shining?
Sep. 9th, 2008 05:22 pmOh for heaven's sake. It's raining again
At this rate, I feel we should all be much more worried about the need for an ark than about anything a bunch of whitecoats are getting up to in Cern.
At this rate, I feel we should all be much more worried about the need for an ark than about anything a bunch of whitecoats are getting up to in Cern.
