Archive for the ‘misc’ Category
October 8th, 2009
It’s not often that a mere sign – even one displaying a frankly staggering ineptitude with the English language – leaves me speechless, but this particular example of apostrophe abuse came close.
Note the shotgun-like approach to grammar involved in this image, where every single S is preceded by an errant apostrophe – with the exception of “brows” and “extensions,” which I can only assume were missed by mistake.
The sign may declare that “Beauty Matterz,” but I posit that grammar ‘matterz’ more.
July 31st, 2009
Another day, another sad tale of apostrophe abuse.
It seems that the simple rule of “an apostrophe never pluralises” is too much for the shopkeepers of our great nation. While we’re already aware of the horrendous abuse piled upon the innocent possessive apostrophe by Asda, we could perhaps forgive the Septic owners – Mall-Wart – for their crimes, being as they are somewhat backward in the linguistic stakes as a consequence of their birth nation.
Sadly, there can be no such excuse for Sainsbury’s – and how ironic it is that the company name is correctly formatted with a possessive apostrophe of its own. If only it could have alerted its guardians as to their folly as they proceed to litter an aisle sign with not one, but two superfluous of its brethren. For shame.
July 31st, 2009
You know what it’s like… You fancy something new and exciting to listen to, but don’t fancy lining the pockets of industry fat cats by shelling out for yet more cookie-cutter mass-produced pap. While there are pretty snazzy online radio systems like Spotify out there, nothing quite beats having a DRM-free download to add to your collection.
Sure, there’s always the less legitimate method; but what if you could have a completely free download with no guilt and no midnight knocks from the copyright police?
With this thought in my mind, I Googled my little heart out and tracked down the rather neat Jamendo: a free MP3 download service that offers only Creative Commons licensed work. With some 22,000 albums to pick from, it’s a veritable horn of plenty – and there’s some pretty awesome stuff on there. I’m particularly fond of the French group Myl-n So.
It’s all DRM free MP3, completely legal, and you don’t even have to sign up. Neat-o!
Don’t say I never give you anything, wretches.
May 6th, 2009
Those poor apostrophes keep getting abused – left out in the cold in places they have no right being.
Take, for example, this woeful tale of a poor innocent apostrophe who found himself sandwiched between “DVD” and “s” at the Asda Living store in Forster Square, Bradford.
Clearly there was some twisted logic in the minds of his tormentors: after all, you use an apostrophe to indicate missing letters, right? The ultimate D in DVD stands for “Disc”, which means there are missing letters – ergo an apostrophe is required, right?
Sadly for our poor, misused apostrophe: wrong. An apostrophe, as I’m sure you are aware, never pluralises. Remember: no means no.
April 1st, 2009
Just a quick update to reassure people that not only am I not dead, I still haven’t given up on a life of pedantry.
The latest entry in the Hall of Apostrophe Abuse comes courtesy of Wickes in Bradford, which managed to forbid a trolley from taking something past the nicely laminated sign – although I’m at a loss as to what. Presumably a trolley bereft of belongings is welcome to proceed as far as it cares.
Hopefully I’ll have time for a more loquacious update this weekend.
It’s not often that a mere sign – even one displaying a frankly staggering ineptitude with the English language – leaves me speechless, but this particular example of apostrophe abuse came close.
