The Internet's a Weird and Funny Place

Post by **MsMary** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 3:04 am

Yes, they are. Did you watch the video? It's cute.

Post by **sgt.null** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:09 am

MsMary wrote:Yes, they are. Did you watch the video? It's cute.

yes it was.

Ringo Starr and why he wrote Octopus' Garden ...

The idea for the song came about when Starr was on a boat belonging to comedian Peter Sellers in Sardinia in 1968. He ordered fish and chips for lunch, but instead of fish he got squid (it was the first time he'd eaten squid, and he said, "It was OK. A bit rubbery. Tasted like chicken.") The boat's captain then told Starr about how octopuses travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens. Starr's songwriting was further inspired by his desire to escape mounting hostility between the Beatles; he would later admit that he had "just wanted to be under the sea, too." Uncredited assistance in developing the song's chord changes was provided by Harrison, who can be seen helping Starr work the song out on piano in the Let It Be documentary.

The song, which contains the lyrics "Oh what joy for every girl and boy/Knowing they're happy and they're safe," is sometimes thought of as being a song for children, like "Yellow Submarine" or "All Together Now". It has also been performed by the Muppets several times in various episodes of their shows.

Post by **MsMary** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:36 pm

Interesting, sarge.

Post by **Sorus** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 7:33 pm

sgt.null wrote:
msmary - when I worked with the octopi at the zoo, we would place their food in a plastic jar with a screw on top. the would take the jar and open it. they also loved to work with blocks and such like things as well. very smart creatures.

I've heard stories of octopi in captivity actually leaving their own tanks and wandering about before returning. I can't find the article and can't recall how reputable the source was, but apparently the aquarium or whatever set up a camera to figure out why fish were disappearing from neighboring tanks. It's pretty impressive that the octopus was able to figure out all the logistics and somehow knew that a trip out of water wouldn't be harmful. Though I have also seen video of them wandering about on land, so I guess it was just the cephalopod equivalent of running to the store for a packet of crisps. (I'm going to assume that all octopi are British.)

Post by **sgt.null** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 6:46 am

sorus - it is true. with our octopi we had to put something heavy on top of their tank to keep the cover closed, or the could have gotten out and wandered over to the tropical fish exhibit.

Post by **Sorus** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:35 pm

Post by **ussusimiel** » Mon Nov 16, 2015 11:14 pm

Came across this website today, Visual Language Lab, thought it might be of interest to visual communication and comics lovers!

u.

Post by **MsMary** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 4:22 am

Well, sounds like an interesting subject matter. But that website makes my eyes cross.

Post by **MsMary** » Fri Feb 26, 2016 6:03 pm

I liked his how to use quotation marks flow chart:

www.arrantpedantry.com/2015/11/30/how-t ... ion-marks/

Post by **Sorus** » Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:22 pm

MsMary wrote:I liked his how to use quotation marks flow chart:

www.arrantpedantry.com/2015/11/30/how-t ... ion-marks/

There's a restaurant I walk by every day on my way to and from work. They have a sandwich board proclaiming:

"We"
Now
"Serve"
"Breakfast"

...one of these days I may have to buy a box of chalk. Or maybe just an eraser.

Post by **MsMary** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 1:48 am

Oh, geez. That's just the type of error that drives one crazy to look at.

Post by **Sorus** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:53 pm

"Breakfast" in particular is a bit on the ominous side. I don't think I'd touch it with a ten-foot pole. I don't think one could say it aloud without making sarcastic quotation marks with their fingers.

Post by **MsMary** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:17 pm

Yes, makes you wonder what they think "breakfast" is.

Post by **Sorus** » Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:52 pm

It's probably a perfectly safe and normal breakfast, and they're just treating punctuation like a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey (as Terry Pratchett would have said) - but it does ring a bit ominous.

Post by **Avatar** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 4:34 am

I suspect the Watch contains a higher than average proportion of Grammar Nazis.

--A

Post by **Sorus** » Sat Mar 05, 2016 10:21 pm

I prefer Grammar Tyrant. Especially when I'm deliberately botching things.

Post by **Avatar** » Mon Mar 07, 2016 4:32 am

Hmmm...pretty good. Botching or not, it's less cumbersome too.

--A

Post by **Sorus** » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:03 pm

I stole (borrowed?) it from Syl.

Post by **Avatar** » Tue Mar 08, 2016 4:26 am

Dislike of using the word Nazi online?

--A

Post by **aliantha** » Tue Mar 08, 2016 9:13 pm

Yeah, I've seen some folks get up-in-arms about the Nazi thing. Didn't someone here at the Watch once propose "Grammar Police"? I think I settled on "grammar nerd," myself...

Also, Sorus, that sign made me want to break out the fish.

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The Internet's a Weird and Funny Place