What Is Spell Check for, Anyway?
Recently I Googled the name of a person I’d never heard of before, and found an interesting comment, not the least bit enlightening. The researched name appeared in the dedication of a book, but in a rather mysterious way. I just wanted to know why. The comment I located accused this author, whom I was reading, of “plazerising” someone else’s work, possibly in a memoir. The least one can do in accusing another of plagiarizing is to spell the word right.
The name I looked up had only one notation of its use. That was in the dedication in the book I was reading. More mysterious than ever. Life stories can be complicated.
♥
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Black Friday
Black Friday seems well-named. Sixty million people reportedly went shopping, stood in long lines, some even trampled other shoppers, bought the bargains they planned to buy, and then bought higher-priced items they hadn’t planned to buy. The stores had planned that. Perhaps the most foolish aspect was a remark by one buyer, “The recession is over.” The lame-duck Congress has not yet voted on the Bush tax cuts. That shopper may have a big surprise in his first pay check of 2011. No one could have paid me enough money to send me shopping today.
♥
Black Friday seems well-named. Sixty million people reportedly went shopping, stood in long lines, some even trampled other shoppers, bought the bargains they planned to buy, and then bought higher-priced items they hadn’t planned to buy. The stores had planned that. Perhaps the most foolish aspect was a remark by one buyer, “The recession is over.” The lame-duck Congress has not yet voted on the Bush tax cuts. That shopper may have a big surprise in his first pay check of 2011. No one could have paid me enough money to send me shopping today.
♥
Only Your Hairdresser Knows
At the supermarket last Wednesday to buy my weekly list of items, I was in line behind a short, white-haired lady, when I saw the cashier give the woman her receipt, saying to her, “Now stay warm!” (Our temp registered in the twenties.) I wondered if she would tell me to stay warm. When she handed me my receipt, she said, “Happy Thanksgiving!” So I decided I wasn’t old. The customer ahead of me could have been ten or more years younger than I, but I’d just had my hair done, and my stylist keeps it blond as it used to be. I hope you had a memory-making Thanksgiving too.
♥
At the supermarket last Wednesday to buy my weekly list of items, I was in line behind a short, white-haired lady, when I saw the cashier give the woman her receipt, saying to her, “Now stay warm!” (Our temp registered in the twenties.) I wondered if she would tell me to stay warm. When she handed me my receipt, she said, “Happy Thanksgiving!” So I decided I wasn’t old. The customer ahead of me could have been ten or more years younger than I, but I’d just had my hair done, and my stylist keeps it blond as it used to be. I hope you had a memory-making Thanksgiving too.
♥
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Almost Unbelievable
Today I heard something on television that astounded me. Perhaps everyone else knew but me—again. I try my best not to keep up with everything, just 95% of it.
I do not know what country the newsman was talking about, but one of those “over there,” perhaps Afghanistan. The gist was the citizens of the country mentioned do not even know about our twin towers being hit by terrorists. I wonder why they think our troops are there.
George W. Bush’s Decision Points reveals what a primitive society Afghanistan is. So, I can readily believe they never heard about our plight. I might add, in this Age of Information too. So long as there is a country with such lack of information, we should not brag about our own stroke of privilege.
♥
Today I heard something on television that astounded me. Perhaps everyone else knew but me—again. I try my best not to keep up with everything, just 95% of it.
I do not know what country the newsman was talking about, but one of those “over there,” perhaps Afghanistan. The gist was the citizens of the country mentioned do not even know about our twin towers being hit by terrorists. I wonder why they think our troops are there.
George W. Bush’s Decision Points reveals what a primitive society Afghanistan is. So, I can readily believe they never heard about our plight. I might add, in this Age of Information too. So long as there is a country with such lack of information, we should not brag about our own stroke of privilege.
♥
Another Threat
Two duffel bags this time, with a Nigerian identification, at Logan Airport, Boston. At the moment, being checked out. The hero was a dog trained to sniff for potential weapons. This Thanksgiving Day we should remember these canines and their handlers, and give thanks for them. And further thanks for the human beings trained to open those duffel bags. They are all heroes in my book.
♥
Two duffel bags this time, with a Nigerian identification, at Logan Airport, Boston. At the moment, being checked out. The hero was a dog trained to sniff for potential weapons. This Thanksgiving Day we should remember these canines and their handlers, and give thanks for them. And further thanks for the human beings trained to open those duffel bags. They are all heroes in my book.
♥
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Royal Wedding
With the British economy the way it currently is, wouldn’t it be wise if the cost of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s April wedding were trimmed a bit? The press’s quoted sum of $20 to $40 million for the event perhaps does not seem so much when we daily hear about trillions, but for the average British subject it must seem excessive. Fewer seed pearls on Kate’s gown wouldn’t be missed. Their cost is only a drop in the bucket, but they do have to be sewn on by hand, which means hours of paid work. Her engagement ring didn’t cost anything, for it was Princess Diana’s gorgeous sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Now, if they could just cut out the expense of all those big hats Kate has already begun to wear, that might save a bundle. If she must wear the hats (each only once perhaps?), how about some designs that suit her personality? Five months older than William, she is nevertheless still quite young. All she needs on her pretty head is a tiara.
Cutting the cost of this wedding just might endear the new princess to the whole world’s people sooner than anything else she might do.
♥
With the British economy the way it currently is, wouldn’t it be wise if the cost of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s April wedding were trimmed a bit? The press’s quoted sum of $20 to $40 million for the event perhaps does not seem so much when we daily hear about trillions, but for the average British subject it must seem excessive. Fewer seed pearls on Kate’s gown wouldn’t be missed. Their cost is only a drop in the bucket, but they do have to be sewn on by hand, which means hours of paid work. Her engagement ring didn’t cost anything, for it was Princess Diana’s gorgeous sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Now, if they could just cut out the expense of all those big hats Kate has already begun to wear, that might save a bundle. If she must wear the hats (each only once perhaps?), how about some designs that suit her personality? Five months older than William, she is nevertheless still quite young. All she needs on her pretty head is a tiara.
Cutting the cost of this wedding just might endear the new princess to the whole world’s people sooner than anything else she might do.
♥
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