evaniax

I'm seeing this more often recently, and I absolutely hate it!

"October 29th, 2008" is certainly the typical order of stating a date in English - although it's generally simplified to "October 29, 2008" or "Oct 29, 2008" in writing. Was there some change in guidelines that has brought about a large number of people writing "29 October, 2008?"

In particular, there has been a huge increase in using this date format in Wikipedia recently. I have edited a few pages back to the conventional order as a statement, but I would like to protest more formally. Does anyone know a link to a discussion board on this?

Thanks~.

Okay... these were from the movie Airplain (1980). Would anyone ever say anything like this, or are they totally bogus? Are they based on 80's slang?

Elaine : Would you gentleman care to order your dinners?

Jiveman1: Bet babe, slide a piece a da porter, drink si' run th'

java.

Subtitle: I WOULD LIKE THE STEAK PLEASE.

Jiveman2: Lookie here, I can dig grease and butter on some

draggin' fruit garden.

Subtitle: I'LL HAVE THE FISH.

Jiveman1: Sheeeet, man, that honkey mus' be messin' my old lady

got to be runnin' col' upsihd down his head!

Subtitle: GOLLY, THAT WHITE FELLOW SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE

OR I WILL PUNCH HIM.

Jiveman2: Hey Holm, I can dig it! You know he ain't gonna lay no

mo' big rap upon you man!

Subtitle: YES, HE IS WRONG FOR DOING THAT.

Jiveman1: I say hey sky, s'other say I won say I pray to J I get

the same ol' same ol.

Subtitle: I KNEW A MAN IN A SIMILAR PREDICAMENT, AND HE ENDED UP

BEING SORRY.

China continues to get more and more aggressive, and other countries continue to kowtow to its demands, even the US. Why do we let communist state known for media crackdowns, human rights abuses and unscrupulous business activities tell us that the sovereign and independent nation of Taiwan does not exist? Why do people longer care for the plight of the Tibetans who are under strict Chinese control and allowed minimal religious freedom? And why does no one fight for the independence of Xinjiang, a land of Turks who are close to their brothers in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan?

Why do we let a government that violates so many basic democratic rights dominate people who want to be free?

Is it for the cheap socks? The poisoned dog food? The false medicines?

If China will not have relations with us for acknowledging Taiwan's existence, let them be diplomatically isolated. The free world should no longer tolerate the demands of a tyrannous dragon.

Looking at the current conditions of former colonies and some of the aggressions committed by the colonizer, which country would you say was the worst?

At present, I believe that Britain was the best and Belgium was the worst. The main reason is the relative economic strength, peace and freedoms found in the former British colonies. The US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and, to a lesser degree, South Africa are among the most prosperous countries on earth. And even the conditions of countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe (up 'til recently), Nigeria etc. are much better than those of there French, Portuguese and Belgian counter parts.

As for the Belgians, their former colonies are the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Rwanda and Burundi. Each is among the most war torn, unstable and poorest countries on earth... not to mention the horrible exploitation under Leopold's rule.

(Note: Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi were German until WWI)

Thanks!

I am so sick of all of the restrictions and all of the misguided fear. I thought that we would've eventually gotten some of our rights back, but it seems they only ever decrease.

Why are we content to fly barefoot and thirsty? Because of two minor incidents that might have possibly taken out one plane, everyone has to take their shoes off and go without water.

Why are people so easily made scared by a few plane incidents? From the 60's on we were averaging perhaps one terrorist attack on airplanes per year. That's a very very low risk. We face a much more real threat from car accidents, muggings and guns than from any form of terrorism.

And isn't the point of terrorism to make us scared? So hasn't the post 9-11 reaction been the greatest victory they could ever hope to achieve?

And let's face it, another 9-11 could never ever happen. If someone even tried to take over a plane now, all of the passengers would attack.

So when can we please return to normal?

I've searched some... without too much success.

I'd apreciate any recommendations.

My other idea for a mother's day gift would be a eurypterid specimen.

Feel free to discuss ideas, inform me of anything etc...

Thanks again!

Okay - I want to see Victoria Falls this summer - I'll be coming down from Tanzania into Zambia to Victoria Falls.

Is it safe to go to Zimbabwe? I mean - they kicked all the white people out at gun point a few years ago.

Should I go through Namibia and then across South Africa? Is there anything worth seeing in South Africa?

It seems the best way to Madagascar is by air from Johannesburg or by boat from Durban...

Also - I was interested in seeing the gorillas up close - as you can do in Uganda and Rwanda. But it seems *really* expensive. Any advice?

Thank you~~!!!!

I was learning some Czech for my up-coming trip to Prague and I noticed "zahrady" - garden - really looked like it came from the Arabic word "zahra" meaning flower.

It makes sense - except I didn't think the Arabs and Slavs delt with each other very much.

If you can answer this etymological question - awesome.

If you can list other Arabic words in Czech - awesomer.

If you can be my Czech penpal - awesomest.... lol.

Thanks!

Using "data" as a plural word is getting more and more popular. Obviously, it's the plural version of the neuter past participle of the Latin verb dare. (Dare -> datum -> data). Actually - it could also be the fem. singular... lol.

That aside - I think "data are" sounds weird and does not work well with the concept. When I think of "data," it's an amorphous blob of information. *Not* datum 1, datum 2, etc.

Here are some examples that show how strange treating data as a plural is:

The data don't support this... Shucks, it don't?

There aren't enough data to support this... Wait! Here comes another one.

Did you see these data? Yes, I saw them.

Why can't we just treat the word as a singular < data sing. fem.? After all, that would match better information (which is fem!).

The people who treat data as plural don't know anything about Latin anyway - so why do we have to use this pretentious, awkward form?

I am going to end up in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) sometime July next summer. I want to know the cheapest/most interesting way to get back home (Phx., AZ). Should I take a train to Vladivostok or Beijing? Or could I travel down Xinjiang, go through Tibet and then leave through India?

I've been to Beijing before - it's kind of boring and artificial I think.

I look forward to your answer!!!

It's be proven!! It's a past participle!!

Or have you never *saw* it? Or have you never *gave* it any thought? See how horrible those sound? It's the same way for proven!!!