Archive for the 'notes and queries' Category
2009 Crystal Ball
No, I’m not going to be predicting events of 2009, just pointing out some notable anniversaries which will be commemorated, celebrated, and discussed this year.
For example, if Fidel Castro happens to die this year, and/or if President Obama happens to relax US sanctions against Cuba, it will be coincident with the 50th anniversary of Castro’s [...]
Filed under: notes and queries | 2 Comments
Under Scrutiny
As an Americanist, I am of course qualified to comment on the US elections, unlike the guest on Gaby Logan’s show on BBC 5Live, who expressed the opinion that he did not believe Americans would be able to bring themselves to vote for a black candidate.
I texted in to ask when it was that the [...]
Filed under: BBC, Character, Culture, anxiety, being chippy, notes and queries, weasels | 1 Comment
Tags: mccain, obama, politics, press, us election
Strait Dope
While I commend The Guardian for their series on learning to play the guitar (and I’m sure guitar shops up and down the country are thanking them), I wish they’d done a bit of fact-checking (or common sense checking) before they printed their mini-songbooks.
I haven’t really looked closely at any of them, except for today’s, [...]
Filed under: Entertainment, Music, Songs, arts, notes and queries | 8 Comments
Tags: dire straits, lyrics, misheard lyrics
For font bores strictly
I’ve never gone for sans serif fonts in the way that designboys and girls do, which is probably why I’m a teacher and not a graphic designer. I used to work with graphic designers, and had fierce arguments with them about my deep hatred for Helvetica.
Still, there’s no getting away from the fact that nine [...]
Filed under: Culture, Education, Perception, Technology, arts, media studies, notes and queries, presentations | 6 Comments
Tags: fonts, type, typography
Let’s Get it Over With
I’m already tired of hearing “Make it great in 2008″ or whatever shit the marketing monkeys are coming up with. Plant a tree in ‘73, y’all.
The BBC and the nations of Britain and Germany recently went over top in commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Munich air so-called disaster. Frankly there have been worse events, [...]
Filed under: BBC, Baby Boomers, Culture, Nostalgia, being chippy, notes and queries, omens and portents | 1 Comment
The Policy
Regular commenter Mike is rightly concerned that I seem to write a lot about music, but that I tend to define it by what I don’t like.
Problem is, there’s always been more to dislike than to like. For me, that’s the whole point.
I’m a refiner, I like to boil things down. I’m a firm believer [...]
Filed under: Beatles, Bob Dylan, Culture, Entertainment, Music, arts, being chippy, notes and queries | 2 Comments
R-Rated
Yes, this blog is Restricted, and here’s why:
Yeah, the top three are fairly standard fare around here, but that fourth search boggles the mind.
Filed under: notes and queries, searches | 2 Comments
Out of control
Read ‘em and weep.
This is a little blog: a low-key, under-the-radar, backwater of blogging. I’m happy with my level of traffic: a few friendly comments, bubbling under 300 hits per day. Close to 300 is a big day. Today we’re close to 500: above, you can see why.
Now, I inwardly applaud the fact that someone [...]
Filed under: Apple, Arrested Development, Middle Age, TV, Technology, anxiety, notes and queries, searches, secret girlfriends | 6 Comments
Seven
A selection of search terms is shown above. I am tantalised by the ones that get cut off at the end… “Girl blowing her pink bub” for example. I know what it’s referring to, of course, but it’s what else it could be referring to.
Today, I have been trying to spell referring with four Rs.
Talking [...]
Filed under: Arrested Development, Education, anxiety, being chippy, notes and queries, searches, teaching and learning | Leave a Comment
Short Attention Spam
I’ve been moderating comments for a while now, and never regretted the decision to start doing so. I also edit what appear to be legitimate comments (i.e. they have something to do with the post they’re on) if I suspect someone is just after a free link/ad. I just remove the link. If offence is [...]
Filed under: Conspiracy Theories, Luvvies, being chippy, hypochondria, notes and queries, omens and portents, searches | 4 Comments
Tags: comments, idiots, spam