Possumblog

Fun with Referrer Logs!

Hooray!

For some reason, the overnight hours were filled with some wonderful things to examine and pontificate about. SO, let’s get started, shall we? Please? ::sigh:: Okay, but if we wait for you to get back from the toilet, you might as well wait on me to get back from going downstairs and buying a refreshing, sugar-free caffeinated cola beverage! HMPH!

Okay, now then, if EVERYONE is ready, we’ll start.

First someone wanting to know about the best pocketknives. Not really an off-the-wall sort of question like I usually get, and surprisingly it has nothing to do with various female celebrity body parts.

SO, I prefer older-style pocketknives with at least two blades. And I like them in carbon steel. Stainless is a bear to sharpen, and can be brittle. I've mentioned before that I'm not particularly fond of Swiss army knives, either Victorinox or Wenger, because they seem to be very prone to tip breakage. I know you aren't supposed to pry on things with them, but a bent tip is still much more useful than one that breaks completely off. I carry an old Uncle Henry 885 that I've had for years and it's still quite sharp, although in need of a tune-up from going pocket-dull. I also carry a Smith & Wesson thumb opener--yes, I know, it goes against what all I've just said, but it's very handy to be able to open with one hand, and stainless DOES have the nice quality of staying sharp a lot longer.

Next up, something sure to be helpful for everyone! topics of conversation for the office christmas party. Knowing what a gifted raconteur I am, it is no surprise someone would make their way here to find out what to say! SO,

BEST TOPICS FOR CHRISTMAS PARTY CONVERSATIONS--

1) The superiority of Muslim culture to all others.
2) Do you think I should shave this?
3) I don't really hate you-hate you.
4) Looks like Don has his gay apparel on again!
5) Gosh, this bow is getting pretty tight!
6) When I drink eggnog, I vomit. A lot.
7) Peace on earth? Gimme a B-52 and I'll see what I can do.
8) Halliburton!

Happy Holidays!

Next, someone looking for information about that most extraordinary person, Irish Rap Mogul sean paddy combs making the band. It's manly yes, but I like it, too!

Speaking of lunch, we have someone wanting some Kung Pao Fists of Fury. I tell you what, those peppers can make your insides feel like someone has some fists of fury in there.

Next up, a kind, searching soul wants to know what does free refills mean with escorts. Oh, that was a program Ford had back around 1986 or so where they would give you a coupon for a free tank of gas for your new Escort.

On, then, to this person, who for some reason came to Possumblog because
I keep hearing civil sirens. Well, surely that's much better than hearing rude ones.

And then we have this one: baggy clothes to hide curvy lusty figure. I must confess that I do tend to wear looser clothing than is absolutely required, but, well, you know.

Okay, finally, here's one that's actually something worthwhile. Every so often, someone will trip in here and want me to define yankee dime. As any good Southerner will attest, that's a quick peck on the cheek, usually doled out to unsuspecting children who want some money.

HOWEVER, when I looked at the returned results, I found a definition from a wonderful resource I'd not heard of before, and one that goes into my Big List of Reference Websites. It is the aptly named Double-Tongued Word Wrester, compiled and written by one Grant Barrett, who says:

Double-Tongued Word Wrester records undocumented or under-documented words from the fringes of English. It focuses upon slang, jargon, and other niche categories which include new, foreign, hybrid, archaic, obsolete, and rare words. Special attention is paid to the lending and borrowing of words between the various Englishes and other languages, even where a word is not a fully naturalized citizen in its new language.

I am an American lexicographer for Oxford University Press in New York City. This site is not sponsored by, affiliated with, nor otherwise related to Oxford University Press, which does not necessarily endorse, validate, nor approve its contents. In my work for OUP, I am project editor for the Historical Dictionary of American Slang and editor of the Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang (2004). Outside of OUP, I am also editor of The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English (April 2006, McGraw-Hill) and vice president for communications and technology for the American Dialect Society. [...]

Wow.

Of course, he's not quite up there with Possumblog as a source of information, mainly because he refuses to make stuff up.

ANYway, off to lunch now!

Posted by Terry Oglesby at December 9, 2005 12:18 PM