Thursday, November 21, 2019

Thursday Miscellany


After some riveting impeachment testimony yesterday -- which I read about but didn't watch because I already feel certain the Republicans will do nothing, no matter what high crimes and misdemeanors are revealed -- let's have some miscellaneous iPhone pictures!

Allegedly this van smells amazing, but I'll take their word for it.


I'm not sure how the inside of this car smells, but it certainly is eye-catching!


Sidewalk refuse with plastic triceratops.


Grammatically, this sign on a council housing estate drives me crazy.

1. Why is 'Residents' in single quotation marks?
2. Why isn't "Childrens" possessive, with an apostrophe?
3. Why are the first four words capitalized?
4. Why is there a period after "Playground," but not after "use"?

Seems to me it should read "Residents' children's playground -- not for public use." Or better yet, "Playground for children of residents only."

(And honestly, why can't the public use this government-owned playground? For Pete's sake.)


This is an interesting holiday phenomenon that I've never seen before. I'm dubious, but who knows?


Sidewalk refuse with very bad painting.


The season for pumpkins is past, but I had to share these with you -- aren't they skillfully carved? I wonder if the carvers followed a template.


I liked these too.They look like they're having the time of their lives.


Here's a very autumnal looking vine on the Black Path, where I sometimes walk Olga.


And finally, the "fish & chips coming soon" shop has finally arrived!

18 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

What a delightful and interesting collection of pictures. That sign is indeed very irritating. I mean, it is not something that has just been scribbled on a piece of paper. It has been professionally printed on a sign. Surely, more than one council official would have overseen the wording. Perhaps the wag who created it simply wanted to wind up passing pedants like you... or me!

crafty cat corner said...

Three happy pumpkins on a bench. They have got to be the best of the bunch for me, made me smile.
By the way, you have me all of a jitter now over my punctuation, I know it's all over the place.
YP pulls me up sometimes.
Please forgive. lol
Briony
x

e said...

At least the pumpkins are smiling!

Ms. Moon said...

I do love your iPhone pictures as I have said before.
You're right about the sign. It's just so, so wrong.
Fish Bar? What? Is that what they're calling them these days? I want a report when they open!

Marty said...

Somebody should donate that dinosaur!
And welcome to the world of English teachers - forever doomed to cringe at professionally painted (and probably expensive) signs with glaring punctuation issues.

The Bug said...

That black & white checkered stoop with the pumpkins is so charming! I wonder what they might do at Christmas? And kudos for them for not already being decorated for Christmas - it's an epidemic over here!

Anonymous said...

That sign would drive me crazy. The editor in me would want to go back with a magic marker and edit it. Great collection of pics.

Edna B said...

The car is really quite unusual, at least for here. I don't know as I would enjoy my car being painted that way. Ah well, to each his own. I love the photo of the vine leaves, very colorful. I have to agree about the bad painting. I also agree about the bad punctuation on the sign. I think your revised interpretation sounds much better. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

Sharon said...

You find the most interesting things to share with us. That van sign is funny but, the paint job on that car is just crazy. I find that sign equally frustrating. How do things like that get past everyone involved in making it? As for the impeachment hearings. I've been watching when I can but have to admit that yesterday when the Republicans started questioning the witnesses, I had to take a break. I'm so frustrated by their continued support for someone who is so obviously corrupt. What good do think will come of that? They are tearing the country apart and they don't seem to care. It's mind boggling and sickening.

Red said...

The sign is a classic example of mistakes. They couldn't do much more that's wrong and you show a number of options to do the message correctly.

ellen abbott said...

I guess education is sneered at there too. if they made the donkey smaller and the word coffee bigger maybe they wouldn't have to assure everyone that it really smells great!. I agree the Republicans will not impeach. they know he is corrupt and they don't care as long as they can use him. what appals me is that the entire republican party is corrupt, bought, or someone has them by the balls.

Allison said...

Bad punctuation is like fingernails on a blackboard. Gratuitous apostrophes are just heinous. I have to restrain myself from correcting the frequent misuses of it's/its, your/you're and they're/their/there I see on twitter and facebook. There is so much bad grammar in the world, but I'm going to stop now before I become tedious.

Catalyst said...

Nice collection of photos.

jenny_o said...

My mom was an English teacher and corrected others' grammar, punctuation and spelling outside the classroom. Following her example, I did the same in early adulthood, but have found over the years that I would rather focus on what is communicated rather than the format of that communication.

That being said, I found the sign unclear and your second suggestion would have made it clearer.

Only you can make trash pictures so interesting!

Fresca said...

I'll say this for the sign:
its meaning is perfectly clear.
Signs perfumed with plumy verbiage are the ones that get me.

But hot gin?
Ohgod, no.

Fresca said...

P.S. Oh, I see Jenny above said the sign was unclear to her, so I have to take back my assessment.
Still, I do think it gets the [unfriendly] idea across:
Don't Live Here? Don't Play Here.

My life so far said...

There used to be a sign in my old neighborhood that read

Slow
Children
Playing

which always made me laugh.

The Padre said...

What A Fantastic Walk About - Thanx For Sharing

Cheers