Category: Dumbasses

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Essential Requirement for Modern “Tech” Writers

To be a “tech” writer for websites nowadays, it seems a requirement that English orthography be disregarded. One example of many:

“From retail stores to residential homes LEDs hold the promise of better durability and a longer lasting light but more important they use less energy than a standard incandescent bulb.”

Two written syntax errors and one grammar error in one sentence. And the writer got paid for doing that. *sigh* I’ll not link the source, but this sentence is just one example of many in one short blurb that is much, much more literate than most.

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The Real Problem? I Discovered the OED at an Early Age

Seriously. As a child I enjoyed little more than reading dictionaries and encyclopedias, and when I discovered the OED (and in my tender young manhood, Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament and its exhaustive treatment of Koine Greek *sigh*), well, I was in hog heaven.

So, understand that when I read some illiterate blurb in an email come-on to an online article such as the sentence below, I am a bit disturbed:

“It’s not the cheapest set out there, but it’s chalk full of features.”

It’s not that the author of the blurb is necessarily functionally illiterate (he did, after all, manage to spell his misused word correctly *heh*), but that he apparently has no idea that “chalk full” is nonsense reveals that he’s actually read very little. Any even passably semi-literate person such as myself knows full well that the phrase is “chock-full” or a close variant, and dictionary addicts such as I know why (hint *cough*: the majority opinion leans toward the first word in the term deriving from the Middle English “chokken“–meaning to cram or pack tightly, and NO opinion of any literate person even considers “chalk” to be in the same room as “chock” for the expression :-)).

Then blurb was written, more than likely, by some subliterate college graduate who’s heard the expression but never read it… and never even considered that looking up an expression he’s heard but not read might be a Good Thing before putting it in print.

Dumbass.

And, as my Wonder Woman pointed out to me, the writer of that excrescence is apparently an illiterate, uncultured savage whose only exposure to coffee has been limited to the crap sold by Starbucks and other boutique gathering places of the illiterati. Otherwise, he might have heard of, seen or even imbibed some of this:

(OK, OK, my Wonder Woman was too kind to characterize this savage as what he–oh! dread! it could be a “she”! *heh*–obviously is. I added the “illiterate, uncultured savage” and the comment on the crap that’s sold as coffee by Starbucks. Doesn’t make my editorializing incorrect, though.)

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Devolution

Its seems, given evidence from D.C., that the Republic has devolved from republic to democracy to kleptocratic kakistocracy.

No. No links. I’d have had to do one per letter in each sentence in this post. Just read the “news” and weep.

(Of course, such a devolution was assured once our “feddle gummint” started down the road into a more and more democratic reality. See this blogs header for but one of the reasons… )

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What Do You Have Planned for Earth Day?

In honor of this enviro-weenie day I propose that folks who’ve not entirely submitted their minds to daily Progressive Lobotomies by the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind

1. Turn AC on full blast
2. Pour 2-cycle oil in your 4-cycle mowers and spew smoke
3. Turn on ALL electronics
4. Turn on–and leave on–all the incandescent lights in your houses.
5. Moon at least one greenie.

OK, maybe not the last, but I want to.

I cannot express how disgusted I am with what has become of what was once conservation, and so I advocate that this day be given over to conspicuous over-consumption and ridicule of all that contemporary enviro-nazis stand for (yes, I use the word “nazi” to refer to them for very sound reasons. Examine the German Socialist Democrat Party and draw the parallels for yourself; you can do your own googling).

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“There Will Always Be An Island Off the Coast of France”

It used to be that it was said, “There will always be an England,” but it ain’t necessarily so anymore.

Caravanner, 61, prosecuted for having Swiss Army knife in his glove box… to cut up fruit on picnics

A disabled caravanner who kept a penknife in his glove compartment to use on picnics has blasted the authorities after being dragged through court for possessing an offensive weapon.

Rodney Knowles, 61, walks with the aid of a stick and had used the Swiss Army knife to cut up fruit on picnics with his wife.

That’s right, folks” a 2.5-inch bladed Swiss Army Knife. Evidence of obvious intent to commit mayhem.

*sigh* And here in the USA, more of the same, as the TSA will confiscate any lil teen-eintsy bladed “weapon” from once-free citizens, when they’re not going full court press to fine and imprison folks for whatever strikes the Thousands Standing Around as an appropriate expression of their goonery.

This in a land where my grandfather and his brothers once took their Model 1895 Winchesters to school–talk about school safety! Imagine some idiot trying to hold up a school where the teacher and students were all armed to the teeth! Ah, but those were different times, you say. Yes, they were, more’s the pity.

As for that “island off the coast of France” thing, well, that may not even be “always” if the Calip-hate has its way… With a completely disarmed populace, how long until Londonistan is added as “the chief city of an island in the Calip-hate just off the coast of Francistan”?

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Energy Star Award: Gasoline-Powered Alarm Clock

Seriously.

As Jerry Pournelle says (at the link),

“Now the government that approves an Energy Star Certificate for a gasoline powered alarm clock will now in essence take over administering the Health Care System in the United States. Good luck, America.”

Be sure to follow the link to the NYT article from the comments at Pournelle’s site.

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Muslim Man, Obama Donor, Arrested for Death Threat on Eric Cantor

Those peaceful Muslims again. Combine “peaceful Muslim” with “Obama donor” and you have the perfect Leftard:

Man arrested for threatening Cantor is an Obama donor, also threatened Holder and family

More typical as a Muslim than a Leftard, though, as he threatened not only a Repugnican’t congresscritter but an Attorney General *spit* who has done everything within his power to advance the cause of jihadis.

On second thought, Leftards aren’t well-known for avoiding such stupidities as threatening those with their aims at heart…

Now, although the guy was an Obama donor and is a Muslim, he’ll undoubtedly be characterized by the few Mass MEdia Podpeople who give the story more than two sentences as a “rigfht-wing extremist tea bagger”–anyone want to lay odds?

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Human Achievement Hour

Instead of the fatuous (and dangerous!*) “Earth Hour” last Saturday, A Place to Stand suggested Human Achievement Hour, quite similar to Woody’s protest.

The lights were on here at twc central, but I must confess I had no thought of protesting Earth Hour. Everything was running because

1. I never shut down my Big Hawg (computer)
2. Some of my Wonder Woman’s family had come by after the wedding and reception and we spent the time visiting about important things (like our firecracker lil niece who charmed everyone in sight and was continuing to do so as we visited), instead of observing some wacko “Earth Hour” balderdash.

*Note: the linked “article” is a fable.