Friday, June 24, 2011

Clip of the Day

An intimate tour of Earth's most impressive landscapes as captured by astronauts with their digital cameras. Dr. Justin Wilkinson from NASA's astronaut team shows us the special places that spacemen focus on whenever they get a moment.




Famous Quotations

"If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be - a Christian." Mark Twain

LAUGHTER’S THE BEST MEDICINE


Logic

The researcher interviews a grumpy old guy:

- Do you like theater?
- Nope. I went once and did not like.

- Cinema?
- Nope. I went once and did not like.

- Dance?
- Nope. I went once and did not like.

- Pubs?
- Nope. I went once and did not like.

Precisely at this instant a little boy enters the room. He explains:

- My son.

The interviewer then concludes:

- Your only child, I presume!


Beautiful and Cute

My husband was just coming out of anesthesia after a series of tests in the hospital, and I was sitting at his bedside. His eyes fluttered open, and he murmured, "You`re beautiful."

Flattered, I continued my vigil while he drifted back to sleep. Later he woke up and said, "You`re cute."

"What happened to `beautiful`?" I asked hi
m.

"The drugs are wearing off," he replied.



Word Origins


People have been saying "handicapped" for years. Since 1504, in fact.

In 1504, after a brutal war in England, King Henry VII had an idea. King Henry knew that the war had left his country with a great number of disabled veterans. And King Henry, who unfortunately had skipped his REELife Solutions [not a trademark, thank God] training session that morning, could not envision disabled veterans being able to hold a job, or contribute to society (sic).

So King Henry VII passed some landmark legislation. He proclaimed that begging in the streets be legal for people with disabilities. So into the streets, with their "cap in hand", went King Henry's disabled veterans, to beg for money.

And so originated the term "handicap".

"hand-in-cap"

Famous Last Words

"Am I dying or is this my birthday?"
When she woke briefly during her last illness and found all her family around her bedside. Lady Nancy Astor

RULES OF THUMB


First, Second, and Third.

Whether to use first or firstly, second or secondly.

Traditional usage had first, secondly, thirdly, but this is too inconsistent for modern usage.

Most guides prefer just plain old first, second, third, and so forth, without the -ly ending.

Intensive or intense?

The New Fowler's Modern English Usage is a classical book for learners of this language. And Winston Churchill knew that very well, as he wrote to the Director of Military Intelligence about the plans for the invasion of Normandy:

- "Why must you write INTENSIVE here? INTENSE is the right word. You should read Fowler's Modern English Usage on the use of the two words".(Supplied by Breno Grisi).

Word of The Day


A Pat On The Back

Function: idiom

Status: informal

Meaning:

A show of praise or approval

e.g.: You all deserve a pat on the back (you all deserve to be praised) for making this possible.

You did a great job, so give yourself a pat on the back.