The Forum Icon Has Changed And So Has Daddy

[Brian Kevin]

Speaking of Manatees, I seen my first one at my first Spring, Blue Spring National Park in Central Florida! Whoo Hoo! I got to see about 5 and tons of crazy fish I've never seen in my life. Fucking garrs are scurry! And so are scary spiders the size of baseballs.

[sincitymix]

And so are scary spiders the size of baseballs.

 

:eek: saw a picture of some huge camel spiders my brother in law took when he was in Iraq.. :eek: kill it now! kill it kill it!!

[bigvalboy]

Not to create a detour here, but I would be interested to know about being the provenance of BVB's latest avatar. Is that something derived from some ancient manuscript or possibly something of primordial, primeval, or prehistoric?

 

Lord...I honestly thought it was pic of two manatees. Honestly, that's what it looks like in my device.

 

I thought it was a turtle.

 

@bigvalboy ...sweet man, please enlighten us. What is depicted in your avatar?

 

It's a Rorschach test!

 

Seriously, BVB, please enlighten us.

 

They're are Manatees. They are also fiercely protected here in FTL, and are very shy creatures, and as such are rarely seen in their natural habitat. They surfaced at my dock, and surprisingly just hung out on the surface for several hours. I took it as a sign of good luck.

[Brian Kevin]

They're are Manatees. They are also fiercely protected here in FTL, and are very shy creatures, and as such are rarely seen in their natural habitat. They surfaced at my dock, and surprisingly just hung out on the surface for several hours. I took it as a sign of good luck.

 

Aren't they incredibly peaceful and beautiful?! There were researchers fallowing them around when I went Tuesday at Blue Springs, which should properly be named, Green Springs.

[AdamSmith]

Where's Adam Smith when you need him most!!! Help us please!!!! Set us straight! Well you know what I mean!

Terribly sorry to be AWOL in this crisis! Was distracted by the tornadoes touching down north, south and east of us here (Raleigh) over the past couple of hours. (Literally!)

 

In any event. My preference is to omit the serial comma, unless you need it for clarity. That common-sense approach of course seems anathema to the style guides.

 

With the exception of the immortal H.W. Fowler, whose always sensible pronunciamenta on such things I consider Divine Writ. I was delighted the other night to find in his book The King's English the following observation about people who insist the serial comma must be used not only when needed for clarity, but all the time:

 

"No one would write this who was not suffering from bad hypertrophy of the grammatical conscience."

 

A series of recent posts on this burning topic:

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1061722

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1061751

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1062307

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1062331

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-85#post-1062560

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-85#post-1062572

 

You must keep up with these things!

[AdamSmith]

meh, my literature prof's in college mentioned that writers don't use proper English and grammar.. but until you publish a novel...

There is a story like that about Beethoven, probably apocryphal but anyway.

 

Beethoven to composition student: "I've told you before -- you can't have all these dissonances and unresolved chords."

 

Student: "But you do it all the time!"

 

Beethoven: "Yes, but I know how!"

[MiamiLooker]

I'm pretty sure Filipino Josh is straight, but I was surprised to find out White Josh is gay.

[Irtwo]

Welcome back jjkirkwood!

[bigvalboy]

Aren't they incredibly peaceful and beautiful?! .

 

They are very peaceful and beautiful, but as an endangered species, feeding or touching them is prohibited, something that was unknown to one of my neighbors...he was quickly admonished. Every now and again, nature allows us a look into the delicate world of nature, and grants us a moment to see the wonder of it all.

[jackjackjack]

Terribly sorry to be AWOL in this crisis! Was distracted by the tornadoes touching down north, south and east of us here (Raleigh) over the past couple of hours. (Literally!)

 

In any event. My preference is to omit the serial comma, unless you need it for clarity. That common-sense approach of course seems anathema to the style guides.

 

With the exception of the immortal H.W. Fowler, whose always sensible pronunciamenta on such things I consider Divine Writ. I was delighted the other night to find in his book The King's English the following observation about people who insist that the serial comma must be used not only when needed for clarity, but all the time:

 

"No one would write this who was not suffering from bad hypertrophy of the grammatical conscience."

 

A series of recent posts on this burning topic:

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1061722

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1061751

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1062307

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-84#post-1062331

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-85#post-1062560

 

http://m4m-forum.org/threads/friday-funnies.76067/page-85#post-1062572

 

You must keep up with these things!

Thank you, dear sir, for again providing clarity in these stressing times.

[whipped guy]

Now that we have beaten the Oxford comma to death, was it not you the esteemed Mr. @AdamSmith who said that it is also acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition? For better or worse that is something for which I don't have an affinity! I was always told that when writing that it was something to always be avoided. And while we are at it what about splitting an infinitive or beginning a sentence with a preposition?

[AdamSmith]

Thank you, dear sir, for again providing clarity in these stressing times.

One day when we need to vent, we can have a seminar on that leaden, lumpen, graceless artifact The Chicago Manual of Style, of which latter quality it is utterly devoid.

 

[jackjackjack]

Could you step a little closer and repeat that, please? I couldn't quite make (it) out, get it 'make out'!!!

 

I slay me sometimes!!

 

But really all kissing, I mean kidding aside, do come closer and repeat it.

Stepping closer...........Face to face, young man.......I love you. How could I not, when your determination to use a comma is because it's prettier.

[AdamSmith]

Now that we have beaten the Oxford comma to death, was it not you the esteemed Mr. @AdamSmith who said that it is also acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition? For better or worse that is something for which I don't have an affinity! I was always told that when writing that it was something to always be avoided. And while we are at it what about splitting an infinitive or beginning a sentence with a preposition?

Yes! English writers from Chaucer (and before) on down have done all those things. Because English grammar is Germanic, not Romance. Those rules were dragged from Latin, entirely irrelevantly, into English by 18th- and 19th-century pedants grasping for some rules, any rules, while having no notion whatever of the philological principles that might have let them adduce relevant rules for English from its Germanic grammatical roots.

 

PS Here is where we last discussed this: http://www.companyofmen.org/threads/em-dashes.104678/page-2#post-964084

[jackjackjack]

One day when we need to vent, we can have a seminar on that leaden, lumpen, graceless artifact The Chicago Manual of Style, of which latter quality it is utterly devoid.

 

Ok. Now I am intimidated. My writing style is, well, let's say unconventional. I can use all the help you are willing to give us/me. Sadly, I still write like I did in the 2nd grade...haven't progressed from that.

[jackjackjack]

Yes! English writers from Chaucer (and before) on down have done all those things. Because English grammar is Germanic, not Romance. Those rules were dragged from Latin, entirely irrelevantly, into English by 18th- and 19th-century pedants grasping for some rules, any rules, while having no notion whatever of the philological principles that might have let them adduce relevant rules for English from its Germanic grammatical roots.

 

PS Here is where we last discussed this: http://www.companyofmen.org/threads/em-dashes.104678/page-2#post-964084

Say what?????????

[seaboy4hire]

Is this what the forum is turning into, chatting about commas? Smh. I want pizza!

 

Hugs,

Greg

[jackjackjack]

Is this what the forum is turning into, chatting about commas? Smh. I want pizza!

 

Hugs,

Greg

Here, here. Pizza for the young man. And bring it quickly.....with extra meat.

[AdamSmith]

Ok. Now I am intimidated. My writing style is, well, let's say unconventional. I can use all the help you are willing to give us/me. Sadly, I still write like I did in the 2nd grade...haven't progressed from that.

Hardly a fault!

 

Really I think the only useful help is: read a lot. Find writers you like and soak them up. Then write a lot. Here, elsewhere, anywhere. Reading what you write, listening to yourself as you write, and keeping on doing it is the way to "progress" -- to discover and develop your voice, or what you want to be your voice.

[jackjackjack]

Hardly a fault!

 

Really I think the only useful help is: read a lot. Find writers you like and soak them up. Then write a lot. Here, elsewhere, anywhere. Reading what you write, listening to yourself as you write, and keeping on doing it is the way to "progress" -- to discover and develop your voice, or what you want to be your voice.

My only excuse...and not to make excuses, even though I am, my degrees are in mathematics. Hence English/grammar was never my strong point. But I envy/respect intellectual people like you.

[AdamSmith]

My only excuse...and not to make excuses, even though I am, my degrees are in mathematics. Hence English/grammar was never my strong point. But I envy/respect intellectual people like you.

Well, your degrees intimidate me! So it all levels out.

[+ Truereview]

Ok. Now I am intimidated. My writing style is, well, let's say unconventional. I can use all the help you are willing to give us/me. Sadly, I still write like I did in the 2nd grade...haven't progressed from that.

 

 

http://www.oxbridgeediting.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/tweet-in-proper-grammar-funny-grammar-fail-comics.jpg

[jjkrkwood]

Is this what the forum is turning into, chatting about commas? Smh. I want pizza!

 

Hugs,

Greg

Thank you Seaboy, I wholeheartedly agree, even if you said it tongue in cheek.... This is another thing I always had issue with, people hijacking threads to deflect from topics THEY dont want to discuss. If a thread is one which you have no interest in, move on, or start a thread of your own, but leave the original thread, and its intention in tact. Have some respect for the OP

[+ Keith30309]

Yes! English writers from Chaucer (and before) on down have done all those things. Because English grammar is Germanic, not Romance. Those rules were dragged from Latin, entirely irrelevantly, into English by 18th- and 19th-century pedants grasping for some rules, any rules, while having no notion whatever of the philological principles that might have let them adduce relevant rules for English from its Germanic grammatical roots.

 

PS Here is where we last discussed this: http://www.companyofmen.org/threads/em-dashes.104678/page-2#post-964084

 

Found in a dusty, oak box hidden within the walls of Westminster Abbey - a collection of Chaucer's letters including a draft of the Tale of Brian of Vegas, the story of the young pilgrim travelling to Daytonashire:

Roses are red

Nuts are brown

Skirts go up

Pants go down

Body to body Skin to skin

When its stiff

Stick it in

The Longer its in

The Stronger it gets

It goes in dry And comes out wet

It comes out dripping And starts to sag

Its not what you think......

Its a Teabag

[+ Charlie]

I have arrived late at the discussion of the Oxford comma, Guy Fawkes and other topics. So I will only say that I do not use the final serial comma except for clarity, such as when commenting on the greatest Presidents, George W. Bush, and Herbert Hoover.