January 2009
13 posts
Britain bans apostrophe rather than offer grammar...
LONDON (AP) — On the streets of Birmingham, the queen’s English is now the queens English.
England’s second-largest city has decided to drop apostrophes from all its street signs, saying they’re confusing and old-fashioned.
But some purists are downright possessive about the punctuation mark.
It seems that Birmingham officials have been taking a hammer to grammar for years,...
Blossom's back!
Now you can watch everyone’s favorite large-hat wearing teen tackle “very special” issues with her dysfunctional single-parent family and her drug-addicted brother! And, Joey Lawrence! Remember the controversial condom episode in which Blossom and Six pass out condoms at school, and, oh my god, parents were pissed off.
The 90s show was just released on DVD today, and I just...
What the fuck, Citibank?
The Detroit News
WASHINGTON — Under pressure from the Obama Administration and Congress, Citigroup abruptly reversed course and agreed not to take delivery of a new $50 million French-made corporate jet.
The bank, which has received $45 billion in government loans, came under criticism, despite the company’s explanation Monday it would be selling two of its four corporate aircraft to pay for the...
The little movie that could.
I’ve been meaning to write on “Slumdog Millionaire” for some time now. I saw it a while ago, early December, and now it’s gotten big to the point of backlash, which was inevitable. Everything that becomes sort of an overnight sensation generates backlash. It seems Slumdog is this year’s “Little Miss Sunshine” or “Juno,” i.e. the little movie...
Inappropriately humorous
So we did a story about a school “celebrating” Disability Awareness Day. OK, cutesy story about kids doing good things/learning how to be accepting of all people, etc, etc, right?
Uhh, why does this cutline just keep reminding me of that “Diversity Day” episode of “The Office?”
The first part says the kids maneuver a wheelchair obstacle course to see what...
Spain 2010
So I spent my entire Saturday watching a marathon of “Spain… On the Road Again” on PBS. And when I say marathon, I mean at least seven hours worth; I fell asleep around 1 a.m. while it was still on. This is an amazing show with Mark Bittman of the New York Times, Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow and their friend Claudia, who I think is a Spain native (I have no clue who she is...
Mindy Kaling and I are clearly soulmates.
Mindy Kaling, comedian/writer/Kelly on The Office, has a great blog on stuff she buys that she loves. It’s hilarious. And I discovered we have very similar taste in things like clothes and bright colored, loud-patterned items.
https://thingsiboughtthatilove.com
Mindy on a post touting the benefits of owning a bright yellow coat:
“A caveat. The temptation when you wear a bold color...
There is hope yet for Americans.
From the NYT:
“Fiction Reading Increases for Adults
By MOTOKO RICH
Published: January 12, 2009
The National Endowment for the Arts says in a report that it believes a quarter-century of precipitous decline in fiction reading has reversed.
Among its chief findings is that for the first time since 1982, when the bureau began collecting such data, the proportion of adults 18 and older who...
I would like a Snuggie, please.
or its QVC cousin: the Slanket.
It was even referenced in a story in tomorrow’s paper about high heating costs! Everyone wants a Snuggie!
“Gloria Nichols of Ypsilanti Township paid more than $250 last month to heat her three-bedroom ranch. This week, she plans to layer on the sweats, slippers and socks. She’s even contemplating a Snuggie, a fleece blanket with sleeves, to resist...