Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.
Liberal Democracy is in Danger
From Dan Gardner.
Research the origins and distribution of your surname
Canadians made three million fewer trips to the U.S. during summer: The Canadian travel backlash has hurt key U.S. tourism destinations, notably Las Vegas.
On Working with Wizards
The latest from Ethan Mollick
Ancestry adds Australian Police Gazettes.
New South Wales, Australia, Police Gazettes,1862-1938
Victoria, Australia, Police Gazettes, 1925-1933
Queensland, Australia, Police Gazettes, 1864-1945
Nearly 3 million records in total with fascinating details you never knew before, or maybe wanted to know! How else would I know my distant cousin of 137 Hoddle Street, Richmond, had a gent’s black Holland bicycle stolen from Lygon-street on 22nd September, 1932!
Pedents
Foot soldiers in the War on Error,
they’re here to save us from ourselves,
with Fowler’s Modern English Usage
(first edition, nineteen twelve).
They scrutinise each word we write
for typos, gaffes, et cetera,
correcting all our dumb mistakes
to make our grammar betterer.
They sigh and tut and tell us off
for the rules we have forsaken
and chart this nation’s steep decline
by the care we should of taken.
Custodians of the King’s English,
they merely serve to keep it pure
and restrict, they hope, the ignorant
to three mistakes or less.
In doing so, they hold no fear
they will deprive a thing of life:
for it’s not important what is said,
what matters is that its right.
Brian Bilston
Thanks to the following for comments and tips: Anonymous, Barbara May Di Mambro, Brenda Turner, Gail, Patti M., Teresa, and Unknown.
