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Quotes
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Worm
Quotes
bloviate \BLOH-vee-ayt\ intransitive verb
To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner. Trivia: Bloviate is closely associated with U.S. President Warren G. Harding, who used it frequently and who was known for long, windy speeches. H.L. Mencken said of him, "He writes the worst English that I have ever encountered. It reminds me of a string of wet sponges; it reminds me of tattered washing on the line; it reminds me of stale bean soup, of college yells, of dogs barking idiotically through endless nights. It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it. It drags itself out of the dark abysm of pish, and crawls insanely up the topmost pinnacle of posh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and doodle. It is balder and dash."
To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner. Trivia: Bloviate is closely associated with U.S. President Warren G. Harding, who used it frequently and who was known for long, windy speeches. H.L. Mencken said of him, "He writes the worst English that I have ever encountered. It reminds me of a string of wet sponges; it reminds me of tattered washing on the line; it reminds me of stale bean soup, of college yells, of dogs barking idiotically through endless nights. It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it. It drags itself out of the dark abysm of pish, and crawls insanely up the topmost pinnacle of posh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and doodle. It is balder and dash."
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Moose
Anthem
The Beer Drinkers Anthem
DOUGH... the stuff, that buys me beer
RAY..... the guy that sells me beer
ME...... the one, who drinks the beer
FAR..... a long way to the beer
SO...... I'll have another beer
LA...... La la la la la beer
TEA...... no thanks, I'm drinking beer
That will leave me with no DOUGH....
DOUGH... the stuff, that buys me beer
RAY..... the guy that sells me beer
ME...... the one, who drinks the beer
FAR..... a long way to the beer
SO...... I'll have another beer
LA...... La la la la la beer
TEA...... no thanks, I'm drinking beer
That will leave me with no DOUGH....
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Worm
Unifying theory
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened." (Douglas Adams)
There is another theory which states that this has already happened." (Douglas Adams)
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SHOWWWY
FLABBERGASTED
Sometimes it seems that the best words in the English language are like a good stew: wonderful flavors, but often you can't quite figure out what's in there.
"Flabbergasted" is a marvelously vivid word, but it doesn't look like any other word we know in English, so its origins aren't easy to figure out.
By now I'm sure you've looked up "flabbergasted" in your dictionary and found that it says something like "Of unknown origin." That's true, strictly speaking, but we can trace "flabbergasted" at least part of the way back and make an educated guess as to the rest of the ingredients.
"Flabbergasted," by the way, is far from being a new word. It's been around since the late 1700's in its current form. The second part of the word, "gast," is probably from the Middle English word "gasten," meaning to terrify, which also gave us "aghast." "Gasten" itself comes from the Old English word "gast," or spirit, which also gives us "ghastly" and "ghost." So there we have the "surprise" part of "flabbergast."
The "flabber" part is the puzzle. Most likely, it's related to "flabby," which itself is a variant of "flappy." (Yes, to say someone is flabby is to say that they "flap" when they move, which is enough to send anyone to the gym.) But "flap" can also mean excitement or a disturbance ("The flap over the Royal Family"), so this is where the guesswork comes in. "Flabbergasted" may have originally meant being so surprised that one "flabbed" -- trembled like Jello. Or it could have referred to the cause of the uproar -- the "flap" at which one was "aghast," or "flabbergasted."
The British comedian Frankie Howerd used to say in mock astonishment:
“I’m flabbergasted—never has my flabber been so gasted!”.
"I smoked 3 joints and now I'm flabbergasted."
"I was completely flabbergasted when my boss told me I was fired."
"Life is a matter of a miracle that is collected over time by moments flabbergasted to be in each others presence. "
Sometimes it seems that the best words in the English language are like a good stew: wonderful flavors, but often you can't quite figure out what's in there.
"Flabbergasted" is a marvelously vivid word, but it doesn't look like any other word we know in English, so its origins aren't easy to figure out.
By now I'm sure you've looked up "flabbergasted" in your dictionary and found that it says something like "Of unknown origin." That's true, strictly speaking, but we can trace "flabbergasted" at least part of the way back and make an educated guess as to the rest of the ingredients.
"Flabbergasted," by the way, is far from being a new word. It's been around since the late 1700's in its current form. The second part of the word, "gast," is probably from the Middle English word "gasten," meaning to terrify, which also gave us "aghast." "Gasten" itself comes from the Old English word "gast," or spirit, which also gives us "ghastly" and "ghost." So there we have the "surprise" part of "flabbergast."
The "flabber" part is the puzzle. Most likely, it's related to "flabby," which itself is a variant of "flappy." (Yes, to say someone is flabby is to say that they "flap" when they move, which is enough to send anyone to the gym.) But "flap" can also mean excitement or a disturbance ("The flap over the Royal Family"), so this is where the guesswork comes in. "Flabbergasted" may have originally meant being so surprised that one "flabbed" -- trembled like Jello. Or it could have referred to the cause of the uproar -- the "flap" at which one was "aghast," or "flabbergasted."
The British comedian Frankie Howerd used to say in mock astonishment:
“I’m flabbergasted—never has my flabber been so gasted!”.
"I smoked 3 joints and now I'm flabbergasted."
"I was completely flabbergasted when my boss told me I was fired."
"Life is a matter of a miracle that is collected over time by moments flabbergasted to be in each others presence. "
.......Douglas Adams again....
"He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it" [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]
......and here's something lifted from todays skynews.....
George Bush has added another verbal gaffe to his long list of blunders.
The latest addition to the catalogue of Bushisms came as he addressed Pentagon chiefs during the signing ceremony of a defence spending bill.
The US President said: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.
"They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
No one in Bush's audience of military brass or Pentagon chiefs reacted to the mistake.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush's error "just shows even the most straightforward and plain-spoken people misspeak."
"But the American people know this president speaks with clarity and conviction, and the terrorists know by his actions he means it," he said.
"He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it" [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]
......and here's something lifted from todays skynews.....
George Bush has added another verbal gaffe to his long list of blunders.
The latest addition to the catalogue of Bushisms came as he addressed Pentagon chiefs during the signing ceremony of a defence spending bill.
The US President said: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.
"They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
No one in Bush's audience of military brass or Pentagon chiefs reacted to the mistake.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush's error "just shows even the most straightforward and plain-spoken people misspeak."
"But the American people know this president speaks with clarity and conviction, and the terrorists know by his actions he means it," he said.
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petermeachem
- CVO Senior
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:32 am
Palaver
PALAVER (an adaptation of Port. palavra, a word or speech; Ital. parola; Fr. parole, from the Low Lat. parabola, a parable, story, talk; Gr. irapaf3oXi~, literally comparison; the Low Lat. parabolare, to talk, gives Fr. parler, to speak, whence parley, parliament, &c.), the name used by the Portuguese traders on the African coast for their conversations and bargaining with the natives. It was introduced into English in the 18th century through English sailors frequenting the Guinea coast. It has now passed into general use among the negroes of West and West Central Africa for any conference, either among themselves or with foreigners. From the amount of unnecessary talk characteristic of such meetings with natives, the word is used of any idle or cajoling talk.
This also has connections to Lingua Franca which was used by sailors around the Med, and (possibly directly) to Polari http://www.uwm.edu/~corre/franca/edition3/polari.3.html which older readers will recognise from Round the Horne.
This also has connections to Lingua Franca which was used by sailors around the Med, and (possibly directly) to Polari http://www.uwm.edu/~corre/franca/edition3/polari.3.html which older readers will recognise from Round the Horne.
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Moose
Bear Bits
In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear encounters, the Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, backpackers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears.
We advise outdoorsmen to wear noisy little bells on their clothing so that the bears are not startled unexpectedly by a human's presence. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.
It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it.
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice
We advise outdoorsmen to wear noisy little bells on their clothing so that the bears are not startled unexpectedly by a human's presence. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.
It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it.
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice
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Worm
A challenging concept
superposition
noun: the placement of one thing on top of another
Superposition is a principle of quantum theory that describes a challenging concept about the nature and behavior of matter and forces at the atomic level. The principle of superposition claims that while we do not know what the state of any object is, it is actually in all possible states simultaneously, as long as we don't look to check. It is the measurement itself that causes the object to be limited to a single possibility.
In 1935, Erwin Schrodinger proposed an analogy to show how superposition would operate in the every day world: the somewhat cruel analogy of Schrodinger's cat. First, we have a living cat and place it in a thick lead box. At this stage, there is no question that the cat is alive. We then throw in a vial of cyanide and seal the box. We do not know if the cat is alive or if it has broken the cyanide capsule and died. Since we do not know, the cat is both dead and alive, according to quantum law - in a superposition of states. It is only when we break open the box and see what condition the cat is that the superposition is lost, and the cat must be either alive or dead.
For those who are drawn to science, Einstein is most profitably seen as a superposition. Quantum physics tells us that an object can be in all possible states simultaneously - superposition - until it is observed. Einstein is like that. To observe and describe him is to limit him. . . (Brad Lemley)
...
A classical computer uses strings of 0s and 1s. It can do calculations on only one set of numbers at once. A quantum computer uses quantum states which can be in a superposition of many different numbers at once. A classical computer is made up of bits while a quantum computer is made up of quantum bits, or qubits. A quantum computer can do an arbitrary reversible classical computation on all the numbers simultaneously.
...
The principle of superposition may be applied to waves whenever two (or more) waves travelling through the same medium at the same time. The waves pass through each other without being disturbed. The net displacement of the medium at any point in space or time, is simply the sum of the individual wave dispacements. This is true of waves which are finite in length (wave pulses) or which are continuous sine waves.
...
One of the most fundamental principles of archaeology is the Law of Superposition. The law states that strata that are younger will be deposited on top of strata that are older, given normal conditions of deposition. This law is the guiding principle of stratigraphy, or the study of geological or soil layers. Stratigraphy is still the single best method that archaeologists have for determining the relative ages of archaeological materials.
...
The superposition theorem is a method of solving circuits, often used in circuits with more than one emf source. It uses Kirchhoff's Voltage Law.
.....
Einstein was inflamed by great passions. "As a young man, he was so eager," says biographer Denis Brian. "Once he was walking the street carrying his violin and he heard a woman playing the piano. He rushes into her house, stomps up the stairs, startles her, and shouts, 'Don't stop! Don't stop!' He pulls out his violin and accompanies her. He had a wonderful spontaneity."
noun: the placement of one thing on top of another
Superposition is a principle of quantum theory that describes a challenging concept about the nature and behavior of matter and forces at the atomic level. The principle of superposition claims that while we do not know what the state of any object is, it is actually in all possible states simultaneously, as long as we don't look to check. It is the measurement itself that causes the object to be limited to a single possibility.
In 1935, Erwin Schrodinger proposed an analogy to show how superposition would operate in the every day world: the somewhat cruel analogy of Schrodinger's cat. First, we have a living cat and place it in a thick lead box. At this stage, there is no question that the cat is alive. We then throw in a vial of cyanide and seal the box. We do not know if the cat is alive or if it has broken the cyanide capsule and died. Since we do not know, the cat is both dead and alive, according to quantum law - in a superposition of states. It is only when we break open the box and see what condition the cat is that the superposition is lost, and the cat must be either alive or dead.
For those who are drawn to science, Einstein is most profitably seen as a superposition. Quantum physics tells us that an object can be in all possible states simultaneously - superposition - until it is observed. Einstein is like that. To observe and describe him is to limit him. . . (Brad Lemley)
...
A classical computer uses strings of 0s and 1s. It can do calculations on only one set of numbers at once. A quantum computer uses quantum states which can be in a superposition of many different numbers at once. A classical computer is made up of bits while a quantum computer is made up of quantum bits, or qubits. A quantum computer can do an arbitrary reversible classical computation on all the numbers simultaneously.
...
The principle of superposition may be applied to waves whenever two (or more) waves travelling through the same medium at the same time. The waves pass through each other without being disturbed. The net displacement of the medium at any point in space or time, is simply the sum of the individual wave dispacements. This is true of waves which are finite in length (wave pulses) or which are continuous sine waves.
...
One of the most fundamental principles of archaeology is the Law of Superposition. The law states that strata that are younger will be deposited on top of strata that are older, given normal conditions of deposition. This law is the guiding principle of stratigraphy, or the study of geological or soil layers. Stratigraphy is still the single best method that archaeologists have for determining the relative ages of archaeological materials.
...
The superposition theorem is a method of solving circuits, often used in circuits with more than one emf source. It uses Kirchhoff's Voltage Law.
.....
Einstein was inflamed by great passions. "As a young man, he was so eager," says biographer Denis Brian. "Once he was walking the street carrying his violin and he heard a woman playing the piano. He rushes into her house, stomps up the stairs, startles her, and shouts, 'Don't stop! Don't stop!' He pulls out his violin and accompanies her. He had a wonderful spontaneity."