Dawn

Dawn

Tuesday, May 15, 2012


A month or two ago, my daughter bought a Kodak printer. It came with no user guide, no software disk and no computer cable. Today, after giving up on its wi-fi capability, we finally got it to work using software downloaded from the web and a cable we'd bought to connect it to her laptop. I can't help wondering whether experiences like this didn't contribute significantly to the company's recent demise.

Being close to Leeds' two universities, it wasn't difficult to set up intercambios - or language exchanges - with two Spaniards. Well, one Spaniard and one Spanish couple. And our first meetings took place this week. Or, rather, they didn't, as they were both postponed not long before the due time. But that's OK; this is life in Iberia. Or Liberia, even. (L for Leeds plus Iberia. Geddit?)

I noticed today that, whereas words for all religious denominations are capitalised in English - Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian, etc. - this isn't true of 'atheist'. Surely Richard Dawkins should be getting a bit militant about this blatantly unequal treatment.

The other thing I noticed today was that I'd seen the word barista yesterday while waiting for an old friend who's an eminent barrister. So, barista and barrister; both developed from the word bar. But a world apart. Unless, of course, the barista is an out-of-work barrister. Anyway, this was in a Caffe Nero and I'm now seeking my friend's legal opinion on whether or not I've broken my vow never to enter Starbucks or anything similar. Hope it doesn't cost me more than a cup of coffee. Which is not exactly a small sum of money.

The EU: Never mind what will happen to Greece, is the euro worth saving for anyone? It's a good question and the answer is here.

But, if you're still interested in Greece and how it might leave the eurozone, click here for the five difficult steps.

A couple of aphorisms that might amuse, both stolen:-
- Mathematicians only die when their number's up.
- Doctors only retire when they run out of patients.

Which reminds me - Thanks to readers who supplied additional neologisms to go with Grexit. See the Comments to yesterday's post for these.

Which sort of reminds me that I learned today the nickname we Brits nowadays accord the French - i. e. Frogs - was first used for the Dutch, on account of their living in lowland swamps.

Finally . . . Here's a belated link to Alfie Mittington's last culinary post.

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