[sic] [sic]
NO DOUBT YOU RECOGNIZE THE BRACKETED “[sic],” the citer stressing that the word, even though exactly as cited, is incorrect: “My county [sic], ’tis of thee.” It’s a good way … Continue reading
AS NOTEWORTHY AS “SEE ALSO”
I WAS RESEARCHING “AS THE BISHOP SAID to the actress” only to find that SimanaitisSays had already cited this thought-provoking phrase. However, one source for it was Brewer’s Dictionary of … Continue reading
WEALTHIEST COUNTRIES?
SO WHO’S GOT THE MOST DOUGH? In one simple answer, it depends. Wealthiest in Gross Domestic Product? In GDP/capita? In any other measure defined by something or other? This calls … Continue reading
HUMPTY DUMPTY—LINGUIST EXTRAORDINAIRE
EXPLAINING WORDS LIKE “SLITHY” AND “MIMSY” to Alice, Humpty Dumpty says, “You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.” And, of course, Alice would … Continue reading
CONTRASTING VIEWS THIRTY YEARS AGO
“AS ENGINEERING EDITOR,” I BEGAN, “I TAUGHT KIM REYNOLDS everything I knew about road testing. And, as Road Test Editor, he’s learned even more on his own.” This and the … Continue reading
CROWS COUNT
IN TEACHING MATH FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, I oft shared the tale of a farmer plagued by crows feasting on his crops. The corvids weren’t fooled by a scarecrow. And they’d … Continue reading
A PLEA FOR SCIENTOCRACY
IMAGINE GOVERNMENT ADOPTING SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES of observation, measurement, experiment, and refinement of hypotheses. Instead we have hypocritical jackasses following whatever conspiracy theories happen to come to what passes for mind. … Continue reading
THE BONAPARTE/WALEWSKA FLING (THE FLICK, NOT REAL LIFE)
IT’S GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT NAPOLEON BONAPARTE fooled around. Wikipedia notes in an extensively documented entry, “Napoleon acknowledged one illegitimate son: Charles Léon (1806–1881) by Eléonore Denuelle de La Plaigne. Alexandre Colonna-Walewski (1810–1868), the son of … Continue reading
TEMPORARY? NO WAY!
THE DAILYPASSPORT WEBSITE RECENTLY POSTED A TANTALIZINGLY TITLED “10 Iconic Structures That Were Supposed to be Temporary.” I could guess at several I’ve visited (The Eiffel Tower, The London Eye, … Continue reading
CELEBRATING RADIO CAROLINE—648 ON YOUR AM DIAL
“WHAT’S A ‘DIAL,’ GRANDPA?” And, for that matter, what’s “AM” besides time to get up for the day? Caroline logo on the ship’s starboard (its right side for us land-lubbers). … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 