Just Wondering

What question to you always answer with a good solid yes?

What question to you always answer with a good resounding no?

If you could ask me anything, what would it be?

Good Morning

The Qualified Disaster

Firm linked to Gove and Cummings hired to work with Ofqual on A-levels

Gove and Cummings should be sacked, because a company run by long–term associates of Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings has been working behind the scenes with the exams agency Ofqual on its disastrous strategy for determining A-level results, the Guardian can reveal.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/aug/20/firm-linked-to-gove-and-cummings-hired-to-work-with-ofqual-on-a-levels?fbclid=IwAR11tLIi7h6bguvM060wu4FbUqcgZnzaNCCJD5txfS7Oaa7IEGWVqXMaP9Y

Hi Covid

Hi, it’s me COVID-19, I’m on annual leave till Monday.

After that, if there’s 6 of you in a house I’ll fuck you all up, 5 is fine though and not worth fighting for.

I’m going to stay away from pubs and schools, I find them quite intimidating, although I didn’t in April and that’s why we had to close everything.

Go to the cinema that’s fine, 100 of you in a single auditorium, I won’t bother you there, solely because I can’t afford cinema ticket prices!

I’m not going to pick a fight with a football team, you can get changed around each other in the locker rooms, but please don’t bring girls back to your hotel room, or I’ll get you all. If there’s “Come dine with me” on TV, there can’t be more than 6 of you in the couples series Nothing personal, I just think the programme is shit and will target you all.
I’ve decided to leave aeroplanes alone, I don’t like flying so all of you can stay snuggled in that tiny cabin.

Oh, and you can open brothels in Amsterdam again, I’m not into people that have sex - I’ll just watch, but if you’re in Asda less than 2 meters apart without a mask I’ll have you.
Kindest regards.
COVID xxxx

Words Of The Day

Today's wonderful word is -


ucalegon

Noun
(plural Ucalegons)

(dated) A neighbour whose house is on fire or has burned down.
Origin
From Latin Ucalegon, from Ancient Greek Οὐκαλέγων (Oukalegōn). He was one of the Elders of Troy, whose house was set on fire by the Achaeans when they sacked the city. He is one of Priam's friends in the Iliad (3.148) and the destruction of his house is referred to in the Aeneid (2.312).

And for a bonus as I missed doing this post one day -


pot-valiant


Adjective
Definition of pot-valiant
: bold or courageous under the influence of alcoholic drink

From My Profile Page

PLEASE NOTE - I DO NOT LIKE THE IMPORTED FACEBOOK LIKE BUTTON AND MUCH PREFER COMMENTS SO PLEASE DO NOT USE THE LIKE BUTTON THANK YOU.

This is to remind those who are still using it as comments here!!!

Slouching Around On Sunday

A really sunny 25 C in the garden today so i did some sunbathing in the afternoon listening to Radio 4 Xtra. They had a special documentary and some radio shows of the classic Rod Serling The Twilight Zone radio dramas.

Well, another geezer lobbed me off their friends list probably miffed by my "No Like Button" stance. Not that I posted comments much on theirs so no major loss really.

So, in a way, it is time for me to weed out the defunct friends from my own list. But right now, I am listening to some Bob Dylan so maybe later.

Another book finished so review to be posted later.

Daydreaming...

Riley enjoying a mild afternoon in the garden.

The Lady In The Van

Just watched on DVD The Lady In The Van based on a true story of this woman who lived in her van outside Alan Bennett's home in Camden, London.

A thoroughly enjoyable film adaption and quite poignant toward the end.

Book 69 - Melvyn Bragg "The Adventure Of English"

Melvyn Bragg "The Adventure Of English" (Hodder & Stoughton)




Billions of people, including myself, speak English every day but we never really think about where the language comes from. What influenced it? What changes did it go through? What challenges did English face throughout the ages? Who were its friends and its enemies? Melvyn Bragg covers all these areas and a whole lot more.

Bragg tells us how English is mainly made up of French, Latin, Dutch (Frisian), and even some Arabic. We begin with the years leading up to 1066AD, with the Vikings, the Celts, and other foreign invaders who attempted to impose their language upon the lands which are now the British Isles. We begin to see the first signs of English breaking through, despite the iron grip which Latin & French seems to have in everyday life. Latin is dominant in the Church and with educated intellectuals, while the French control the Monarchy and everyday government affairs. Then we start to see what would become "Old English" and throughout the centuries, a variety of influences would shape English into what it is today, thanks to contributions from stalwarts such as Shakespeare & Chaucer.

English then goes over the water into the "New World", the Pilgrims landing in America with their strict religious views and their determination to make English the dominant language in America, despite there being other nationalities in America - again the French, the Dutch, the Portuguese even. But eventually, English wins the day and takes its rightful place in the world.

After reading this book, you will develop a new appreciation for the English language and the battles it had to go through to get to where it is today. Complete with illustrations, this book is probably the best book available on the history of the English language. Easy to read, a joy to read, and a fountain of information and knowledge. Highly recommended.