Month: November 2007
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Beginner’s Guide to Aerodynamics
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Table of Condiments
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Start Meaningful Conversations
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Triple Play
Jesse James once sought shelter at a lonely farmhouse. The widow there apologized for her poor hospitality. She said she had very little money and despaired of paying the debt collector, who was coming imminently to demand $1,400.
James gave her $1,400 and told her to get a receipt. Then he hid outside and watched the road.
The debt collector arrived, looking grim, and entered the house. A few minutes later he emerged, looking pleased.
James accosted him, took back the $1,400, and rode off.
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ARPANET 10 (circa 1982)
ARPANET 10 (circa 1982) via www.cs.columbia.edu
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Logic and the English language
Logic and the English language
Have you ever wondered why foreigners have trouble with the English Language?
Let’s face it, English is a stupid language.
There is no egg in the eggplant, no ham in the hamburger and neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England, french fries were not invented in France.
We sometimes take English for granted but if we examine its paradoxes we find that quicksand takes you down slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If writers write, how come fingers don’t fing?
If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of phone booth be phone beeth?
If the teacher taught, why didn’t the preacher praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what the heck does a humanitarian eat!?
Why do people recite at a play, yet play at a recital?
Park on driveways and drive on parkways.
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language where a house can burn up as it burns down and in which you fill in a form by filling it out.
And a bell is only heard once it goes!
English was invented by people, not computers and it reflects the creativity of the human race (Which of course isn’t a race at all)
That is why when the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible and why it is that when I wind up my watch it starts, but when I wind up this observation
It ends.
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