Category Archives: humanities

Mr Lincoln’s war

Posted on Wednesday, 2002 February 27 by Anton

What made 1861 such a hot topic in the blogs of late? Douglas Turnbull wrote: So yes, there may be a Constitutional case for a state’s right to secede from the Union, but the Southern states did not secede just … Continue reading →

Posted in history, politics | Leave a comment

the uvular fricative is written Z in English

Posted on Wednesday, 2002 February 27 by Anton

My housemate was talking to a physician this morning (didn’t say why) and mentioned my snoring. The physician imitated the sound of sleep apnea, and it sounded (I’m told) exactly like a noise that I make. She suggested I have … Continue reading →

Posted in language, me!me!me! | 1 Comment

there’s always been a lottery

Posted on Wednesday, 2002 February 27 by Anton

Office lottery in ancient Athens. In short, the lottery – and the great Iron Age pachinko machine that was its finest expression and most powerful tool – made the first democracy what it was. Together, the system and its technology … Continue reading →

Posted in constitution, history | Leave a comment

nothing new under the sun

Posted on Tuesday, 2002 February 26 by Anton

I thought the “. . . Not!” construction was new when Wayne & Garth used it, but here it is in the mouth of Archie Goodwin: “We know she didn’t kill her husband. Either you thought she had and probably still do, or … Continue reading →

Posted in language, prose | Leave a comment

less geeky than thou

Posted on Monday, 2002 February 25 by Anton

The Geek Hierarchy. Referred orally(!) by John Grigsby.

Posted in fandom | Leave a comment

disclaimer

Posted on Friday, 2002 February 22 by Anton

Last night I mentioned linguists and misguided egalitarians in the same breath, and it occurs to me that some might take that somehow as a swipe at a certain public figure. Let me assure both my readers that I was … Continue reading →

Posted in language, politics | Leave a comment

you have three last chances

Posted on Friday, 2002 February 22 by Anton

Several blogs today have mentioned a certain former president of Megaserbia Jugoslavija; and that reminded me of Private Eye’s log of the twenty-two last chances in 1991-99.

Posted in history | Leave a comment