Obscure Box
-ise vs -ize in a formal name
What to do when writing about an organisation that has a z in its spelling where you would normally use an s if following the correct spelling adopted buy your country or news organisation?
The ING orangutan doesn’t do it for me
ING Direct’s decision to dump comedian Billy Connolly for an orangutan in its new marketing campaign is a puzzle. Connolly is instantly recognisable. He’s world famous, he’s very funny, he also admits to being well off and is Scottish so comes from a nation with a reputation for looking after the money. A perfect ambassador [...]
A gruesome feed
Sometimes a news feed offers too much. Take this offering today from ninemsn.com.au. A gruesome story with an equally gruesome offer of “Photos Video Watch live” if the feed is followed. Thankfully the full story “Teen rushed to hospital after tongue piercing” (Tuesday 4 May 2010) doesn’t contain any video or ability to watch live [...]
The Gates’ Breath meets the Hourglass Syndrome
It was back in August 2008 when I first mentioned my frustration at what I called the Gates’ Breath, in Just wait a Gates’ breath. Now the brainy people at chip manufacturer Intel have revealed figures on a similar condition that’s called Hourglass Syndrome. The Reuters story Stressed by slow computers? You are not alone [...]
Not the drumming gorilla we're used to
When the drumming gorilla first hit the web he was a big hit. I recall sitting in one office where the e-mail went from desk to desk, on each occasion the tune was the same. Phil Collins – he of Genesis and solo career fame – was heard singing the opening lines of his classic [...]