A Good Idea Reborn: Year-End Special Issue
December 26, 2021
Back in the last century, when I was working for CMP Publications, I noticed that there was very little technology news available between Christmas and New Years. Weekly publications always struggled to fill that year-end issue. Plus, as far back as college, I realized that “real” professionals don’t work that week.
At Information Systems News, I came up with the idea of a year-end double issue that consisted of an index of all 50 previous issues. Since full-text search wasn’t yet a thing, it was both useful and gave the staff a year-end break.
The idea is back, in a way. I keep a file that journalists call “evergreens,” items that can run any time. I call it what columnist Herb Caen used to call it; pieces of string. Well, the section on humorous memes has become prodigious. So, in addition to the regular features this week, I am running multiple humor memes in what is going to become an annual tradition: THE HUMOR ISSUE.
Paul’s Poetry Corner: Reciprocation
December 26, 2021
Link to: Reciprocation
Which begins:
In our affair it’s great,
The way the way that we reciprocate.
Reciprocation ain’t precise,
But I have to say it’s really nice
Right Column Redux: Groundhog Day
December 26, 2021
The column to the right on this blog contains permanent content, most of which has appeared at one time or another in the main body. I’ve decided to include a reminder of said content each week.
Humor: Cats Vs. Dogs
December 26, 2021
Humor: Cheesy
December 26, 2021
This is Fine Meme
December 26, 2021
In a recent issue of Private Eye (see description above), the whacky public school boy authors had Boris Johnson (who probably can’t turn on a computer) reference a meme with which I wasn’t previously familiar. I looked it up. It is great! The meme comes from K.C. Green's Gunshow comic #648, actually titled The Pills Are Working" or On Fire, originally posted January 9th, 2013. This indicates I am a little late to the party.
Humor: Sitcom Translation Scenes
December 26, 2021
I have set myself the task of watching all of Frasier. When I got to the second season episode, An Affair to Forget (1995). I enjoyed the scene in which Niles speaks in English to Frazier who translates in Spanish to Marta who translates in German to Gunnar. Then I realized I’d seen it before, done better. Clearly I don’t remember seeing it when I was four, but I have seen at least a half-dozen reruns of I Love Lucy: Paris at Last (1956). The words of a French police lieutenant are translated into German by a detective, from German into Spanish by a civilian in the police station, and lastly from Spanish into English by Ricky.
In fact, as one of my readers will recall, I lived through this. I spoke English to Beth, who spoke French to Neddie, who translated to German for Annie, enabling me to communicate with both my Swiss second-cousins. It’s not as funny in person as it is on TV.