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Post by Verbivore on Apr 1, 2021 9:19:07 GMT
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 1, 2021 11:45:34 GMT
Here comes April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever. – Charles Lamb, English Critic (1775–1834)
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Post by Little Jack Horner on Apr 1, 2021 23:54:51 GMT
Come, come, Vv. Please see my starting thread for April 2015 when I managed to start the month while I was on holiday in Oz. I liked that quotation then — and still like it. Don’t worry, I find one’s memory fades with age! I often forget why have moved from one room to the next.
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 2, 2021 0:33:07 GMT
Come, come, Vv. Please see my starting thread for April 2015 when I managed to start the month while I was on holiday in Oz. I liked that quotation then — and still like it. Don’t worry, I find one’s memory fades with age! I often forget why have moved from one room to the next. Ah! Forgive my duplication, LJH. I didn't think to check six years back before I posted that quotation. Fading memory? Yup. Why did I go into the kitchen? Can't have been for a cup of tea, because that was already in my hand when I moved rooms. There are days when I don't even remember why I'm alive! Anyhow, may your Easter rabbit / bilby / favourite god-substitute bring you many colourful eggs of joy. I'm off to nail some local fools to crosses because they insist on being martyrs.
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 2, 2021 1:10:12 GMT
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 2, 2021 1:14:04 GMT
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 2, 2021 1:48:28 GMT
An understandable though unfortunate use of an expression usually associated with the evolution of humankind. I hope the nurse doesn’t cop too much ragging for being referred to as a 'missing link'.
Nurse diagnosed with COVID-19 described as Brisbane's 'missing link' case (ABC News Online).
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Post by Little Jack Horner on Apr 3, 2021 16:46:28 GMT
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 3, 2021 22:24:15 GMT
Thanks, LJH – I enjoyed that in my geeky way. At high school we had a "joke" textbook called Parlez-vous franglais. It would have us in stitches at least as often as our primer Madame Souris et sa famille. Mme Souris avait une fille et un fils. Sa fille s’appelait Marie. Son fils s’appelait Jacques. Marie avait une poupée. Jacques avait un fusil. Jacques a tiré sur la tête de la poupée de Marie avec son fusil. Jack a ri. Marie pleura. Mme Mouse réconforta Marie et punit Jacques. (No manby-pamby plumes de ma tante sur la table here …) Such a book would no doubt be considered un-PC today.
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Post by Dave on Apr 5, 2021 3:46:53 GMT
I've just read The Art of Spelling by Marilyn vos Savant, an easy-to-read book on (what else?) spelling of words of the English language. Part One was more interesting in that it included some history and how we got to where we are. Also mentioned some of the attempts at spelling reform.
Part Two was more on how to be a better speller, rules (?), tips (even a couple of pages regarding apostrophe use), diagnostics, etc. Not quite as interesting!
An extensive bibliography, considering the topic.
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 5, 2021 9:30:28 GMT
I've just read The Art of Spelling by Marilyn vos Savant […]. Thanks, Dave. Might be fun (for geeks such as … ) My interest was piqued by the reference to pneumonic devices in the third paragraph of this piece on, er, spelling. The above post by SmarterLilac is on this GoodReads site. *I was introduced to mnemonics at around age nine by my primary substitute father figure, the family doctor. "How would you remember the registration plate on my car?" (Said car was a 1953 Studebaker Champion. The only one within hundreds of miles, so remembering its plate struck me as unnecessary.) "Think of what the letters might stand for."The plate was ALN•089. With mentor egging me on, I ended up at A Lismore NO[umber] 89. (We lived in Lismore.) "How would you remember Ozzie's car's plate?" (Ozzie was my pater.) That plate was CV•750. Casino Vehicle 750. (I was born in Casino – a town, not a gambling den.) I've never had a memory issue with the numerical components – numbers form patterns for me, sometimes harmonious, sometimes jarring, usually memorable, and always interesting the way they can play games inside my head. I've lived most of my life in a state of chronic mnemonics, initialisms, acronyms, numbers, shapes, and patterns. A blessing or a curse? Probably. lol
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Post by Little Jack Horner on Apr 5, 2021 23:02:47 GMT
I often watch quiz programmes on television. A recent question on The Chase asked contestants whether the tales of Rumpelstiltskin, and Beauty and the Beast originated 40, 400 or 4,000 years ago. The contestant chose the correct answer — 4,000 years. I could scarcely believe that could be so, but the Wikipedia article I found when Googling Rumpelstiltskin provided a link to a BBC article that mentioned a study (which was also cited by Wikipedia) which came to that conclusion in respect of both stories. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35358487 I am still hardly able to credit it.
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 6, 2021 23:47:16 GMT
Some time ago I mentioned the unexpected ennui of retirement.
Perhaps Fate is intervening to break that state of mind.
Today I start proofing/subbing a small, regional, print-only, startup, weekly newspaper based in my birth town some 70 km from home.
The work is to be all remote, from home, so no travel is involved except to an informal fortnightly team coffee meeting at the editor's place (4 km from mine). The team is small: editor, sub, layout artists (2 sharing the job), manager/accountant, a reporter/journo – a former colleague of mine from previous paper (where he was an editor), and now Yours Truly.
The structure is Community Organisation Not For Profit, so it remains to be seen how viable it is in the longer term. The management committee has no involvement in content, so here's hoping the project doesn't succumb to committee-itis.
The paper is only 38 weeks/issues old, but already has a strong following; residents of the towns serviced by the paper are lining up outside the bulk drop-off points waiting for delivery. This publication is one of quite a few such reactions to the 2018 News Ltd purchase and subsequent killing-off of most local/regional newspapers in Oz. My previous paper – completely independent – remained the only printed news source for my region. If all I'm doing now is contributing – in any manner – to the grief of the English-speaking world's most evil, manipulative, self-appointed king-maker, media mogul who, I'm ashamed to admit, is a fellow native of Australia, then it just might be (or at least feel) worthwhile. The reality is that it's most unlikely that Murdoch will GAFF. But at least I shan't be bored.
It's likely to involve only about 10–12 hours per week (served in manageable bites/bytes), and not on either of the days I'm occasionally called in to my previous paper for relief work. We've all agreed to give it go for a month and see if it works out.
I first tried retirement at age 50. Failed miserably.
Tried next at 60. Ditto result.
Come 65 (AU standard retirement age), I knew I wouldn't cope with retirement, so I deferred it for another five years.
At 70 I decided it was time to ditch my blue pencil. But it seems that I have failed yet again.
Mayhap I just wasn't designed to retire. Truth is: I'd rather wear out than rust out.
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Post by Dave Miller on Apr 7, 2021 8:13:21 GMT
Sounds good, Vv. I must admit I’m happy to have retired, but feel no ennui as I’m far too busy!
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Post by Verbivore on Apr 7, 2021 8:28:34 GMT
Sounds good, Vv. I must admit I’m happy to have retired, but feel no ennui as I’m far too busy! Busy was my plan, but …
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