Thursday, March 15, 2007

Shooting Marbles at 16,000 mph


This is how I want my tax dollars spent, along with bike paths.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/14mar_marbles.htm?list27315

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

You sir: kindly be a proper gentleman, and take your feet off the sofa.

Kindly.

Personally I do enjoy thoroughly using the word, but only in the context of replacing the prevailing "very much" when giving thanks. Which apparently puts me in the company of Jed from The Beverly Hillbillies.

I found the following observation, and the thread about usage of kindly it comes from, very entertaining. (link at bottom) The "Speech Is Getting Shorter" theory also explains why the Civil War love letters in K. Burns' film seem so deeply foreign: its because we're on our way back to monosyllabic grunts!

It seems like most of the people in the thread think of kindly in the sense of prefacing a demand for something. In the quote below [numbers added] I love #5, as it sounds like a black-and-white detective movie to me, and #8 is totally something to shoot for (after I get my monocle.)
Based on the speech-is-getting-shorter theory I'd say 'please' will prevail because it's one syllable but in descending order of likelihood you'll hear:
  1. Take your feet off the sofa.
  2. Please take your feet off the sofa.
  3. Take your feet of the sofa, thanks.
  4. Kindly take your feet off the sofa.
  5. I'll thank you to take your feet off the sofa.
  6. Thanks in advance for taking your feet off the sofa.
  7. I would appreciate it if you would take your feet off the sofa.
  8. You sir: kindly be a proper gentleman, and take your feet off the sofa.
http://ask.metafilter.com/29934/Kindly-answer-my-question-about-the-word-kindly