Trifling Facts

I'm ashamed....haha

2008-12-17T20:57:00.002+11:00

This blog is pretty much out of use for the moment.
I have too many blogs anyway, and I can never be bothered to think about what I've learned each day/week/month.
I shoudl get on top of that and stop being lazy.
But it's ridiculous to have three blogs, so for the moment: Out of Use. DOA. DNR

It Makes Life More Fun Too

2008-10-29T12:39:00.003+11:00

Everything has a personality, if you just have the imagination to see it.
-Cosine for example is a bit arrogant while the south pole is the more wild of the two magnetic poles.

Spring Is....

2008-10-27T19:06:00.004+11:00

You've got to love Spring; it's such a temperamental season.
-Well it is between the two major seasons of the year - some confusion's gotta come about.

Especially if that Neighbour is Mr. Collins

2008-10-26T13:47:00.001+11:00

Well well, and what do we live for but do make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn.
-Indeed Mr. Bennet, that may be one aspect of life . . . a very good one at that.

Metaphor Day

2008-10-23T22:17:00.002+11:00

Conscience is a dog that does not stop us from passing but that we cannot prevent from barking. -Nicolas de Chamfort, writer (1741-1794)
-How true, how true. If only that dog would bite us on the leg and not let go!

TODAY: is the second time in two days i have come across Chamfort. Really, i love the 'coincidences' that the world throws at us.

But Only Almost

2008-10-18T21:24:00.000+11:00

-Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we resort to to hide them. -Francois de La Rochefoucauld, writer (1613-1680)
-Think about this one. I think it's a very interesting point to discuss, but here is neither the time nore the place.

With Universal Editors

2008-10-16T22:17:00.003+11:00

Language is an anonymous, collective and unconscious art; the result of the creativity of thousands of generations. -Edward Sapir, anthropologist and linguist (1884-1939)

-I just really hope i haven't put one about a language or words recently because you'll start to hate me. Really hate me.

It Is So

2008-10-14T20:17:00.002+11:00

Many a long dispute among divines may be thus abridged: It is so. It is not so. It is so. It is not so. -Benjamin Franklin, statesman, author, and inventor (1706-1790)
-That is so true. No it's not. Yes it is. No it's not, - What on earth are you looking at?

Who uses whom?

2008-09-29T10:02:00.001+10:00

As far as I'm concerned, 'whom' is a word that was invented to make everyone sound like a butler. -Calvin Trillin, writer.
- This is so true. What's wrong with using who?

Oh Yes.

2008-09-22T17:01:00.003+10:00

There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all. -Robert Orben, magician (b. 1927)
-Hehe i just put this on here cz it makes me laugh. Hey, ya no, that's why they actually need such a large population in China. Hehe. Maybe it'd be easier to turn this into a quotes blog...

You Know, I Wouldn't Vote for Social Credit...

2008-09-13T09:13:00.001+10:00

Camil Samson, leader of the Quebec Social Credit Party campaigning against the governing Union Nationale in the 1970 provincial election:"Ladies and gentlemen, the Union Nationale has brought you to the edge of the abyss. With Social Credit, you will take one step forward."
- Gee I really hope not, 'cos that could get pretty messy.

Feeling Relaxed Today

2008-08-27T19:54:00.001+10:00

Having nothing pressing to do is a sweet feeling.
-I love holidays so much...

Alpha Beta Gamma...

2008-08-21T21:39:00.001+10:00

The Ancient Greeks seemed to like names staring with A. I wonder what it was about the letter that they loved so much.....
-Well think about it: Aristotle, Archimedes, Aristarchus, Anaxogoras, Anaximander, Apollonius, Anaximenes.....I'm not making these up either! I approve of this letter very much :D

Sorry for the Unexplained Absence

2008-08-20T21:00:00.000+10:00

War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums and smaller adrenal glands.
-H.L. Mencken, writer, editor, and critic (1880-1956)

The Great Speech Overhaul

2008-07-28T19:47:00.002+10:00

The Great Vowel Shift: Around the end of the 15th century, i think, the way we [English speakers] pronounce long vowels started to change.
No one knows why.......
-And that's why English speakers pronounce some vowels differently to like, all of Europe. Its a problem with us, not them ya arrogant....English speakers!

NOTE: One could replace the word arrogant with ignorant there....it all depends of what you know about the English language. Apparently the GVS explains some of our wacko spelling too.

"Don't Worry, it's Cultural"

2008-07-24T13:51:00.001+10:00

'Cultural’ sort of solves problems by explaining that they aren’t really there. (Terry Pratchett - Thief of Time)
-Hahah i thought about this and realised it was actually true to an extent.

Dynamite it!

2008-07-23T15:38:00.002+10:00

Sudden inspiration has to be the best thing ever to a person with writer's block.
- This coming from a person who too fequently and inconveniently has it.

For Me, Anyway

2008-07-22T11:46:00.002+10:00

It can be a lot harder to follow through on your words when they included 'you' 'homework' and 'do' in the one sentence.
-At least in the holidays. stupid holidays....

This is a Footnote

2008-07-21T13:35:00.003+10:00

A chocolate you did not want to eat does not count as a chocolate. This discovery is from the same branch of culinary physics that determined that food eaten while walking contains no calories. (T. Pratchett, Thief of Time)
-Oh dear, Terry Pratchett's books are very funny.

Unofficial post - as in, not a fact, well actually....

2008-07-14T20:34:00.003+10:00

I had to tell someone this, although i have absolutely no idea why. Perhaps because i am in some bizzare way proud of my grammatical deficiencies. In any case i had to tell someone so I'm telling the world. I just discovered a most shameful error in the editing of a post on my blog; something i have publicaly condemned others for doing. Please forgive me and no I'm not telling you what it/they (gasp!) was/were.

I Think

2008-07-14T19:22:00.005+10:00

It is not true that we have only one life to live; if we read we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.
-S. I. Hayakawa i think you're on to something. Just like Stephen Fry was onto something i think but that's on an entirely different matter.

AS A MATTER OF INTEREST: I've borrowed this book of quotes from writers about books. It is so aesome i am seriously considering buying it for myself.

Anyone got 2B?

2008-07-12T12:51:00.002+10:00

If you don't know a Shakespeare play before you go and see it, it's nice just to watch the acting and not worry about what they're saying.
-That is, if its an awesome performance like Bell Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. I didn't know what they were saying most of the time.

Honestly...

2008-07-10T22:11:00.004+10:00

It should not be possible to roll your double-yous.
-No Terry Pratchett it should not, whatever you say about John Smith having achieved it.

=(

2008-07-08T11:01:00.003+10:00

The accumulative repetition of the words On Loan can make one very frustrated indeed. Even bordering on angry perhaps.
-My experience of 5 minutes ago. Yup...

Hit the Nail on the Head

2008-07-07T14:20:00.002+10:00

"In short, the beauty and poetry of many of the common things and daily events of life in its humblest aspect does not seem to me sufficiently appreciated."
-Elizabeth Gaskell . . . i like the way you thought as well as the way you wrote.

Ah Linguistics

2008-07-06T14:14:00.002+10:00

If a creation of yours were talked of as "Awful, pompous and artificial" a long time ago (don't press me for dates), it would have been a nice compliment indeed!
-The etymology of the terms accounts for the change in meanings from "awe-inspiring, magnificent/splendid and made with art/skill" [respectively] to what they are today.

I Should Look into That

2008-07-05T14:00:00.004+10:00

"Sturm und Drang" [Storm and stress] is the name of a fairly breif [approx. 1767-1786] but highly productive period in German literature.

-Harry Potter fans may connect this with Durmstrang wizarding school, but i have no idea if that connection exists.

There's a Clue...In the Tags

2008-07-03T19:43:00.003+10:00

ITYF that the GVS started around the late 15th century and continued into the 18th century - it's possibly still occuring today.
-Hate acronyms much? In the future i will tell you what GVS is, but a long time in the future.

PEOPLE I KNOW: Do NOT comment and say what GVS is, it ruins everyones fun (yeah no one but u guys reads this but...i have imaginary friends =->)

Always Remember:

2008-07-02T19:53:00.000+10:00

The depredation of a school folder is in everyway a beautiful thing.
-But don't you dare replace 'a school folder' with 'language'. I will harm you.

Etymology. Uhuh

2008-07-01T16:42:00.002+10:00

Time changes all things: there is no reason why language should escape this universal law.
-Ferdinand de Saussure, i wish i could say i came up with this .... but that would just be lying.

R.I.P Boney

2008-06-22T12:52:00.004+10:00

Napoleon was a brilliant strategist and tactician, but not really a nice guy.
-As far as i can work out anyway . . .

Want a List?

2008-06-20T21:55:00.004+10:00

It's a well established fact that British crime shows are better than American ones.
-Really, it has to be because its just so obvious

ACTUALLY: Maybe i should change 'better' to 'much more intelligent'. Ha ha America, Ha ha.

It, it is??

2008-06-16T16:29:00.004+10:00

Reserve is quite another thing to shyness.
-Ah thank you Jane Austen for revealing the intricacies of life.

Oh Just Look at the Time!

2008-06-14T15:09:00.001+10:00

Procrastination is just so easy.
-Even when you know you'll really regret it later.

And a Bayonet's Pretty Scary

2008-06-11T22:06:00.000+10:00

Three hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.
-You, French Minister of Police in 1800, are yet another who believes in the power of words. I salute you.

[Sad Absence of Moderately Clever Heading]

2008-06-09T17:18:00.005+10:00

The warmest feeling is that of friendship.
-Sorry to get all sentimental on you guys, but its better than being superficial.

TODAY: On our lovely Queen's birthday I'd just like to thank the Australian Government for remaining a Commonwealth of Britain, so we get Australia day, ANZAC day AND the Queen's Birthday off.

God, for Instance, is Omnipotent

2008-06-08T14:35:00.003+10:00

Nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world.
-I think we'll have to meet halfway here Amos Lee, beauty in a wicked world....yeah but i think there are more powerful things/beings.

Elmo Wants to Play!

2008-06-05T17:02:00.000+10:00

Illeism is the act of referring to oneself in the thrid person. Scrubs fans for instance would know that Todd calls himself "The Todd" - illeist!
-Yeah, my maths teacher did it the other day and i looked it up . . . .

Deary Me, Four Days Since Last Post?

2008-06-04T16:49:00.003+10:00

A hapax legomenon is a word that occurs only once in the written history of a language, the works of an author or a single text. If the word occurs twice it's a dis legomenon or three times, tris legomenon.
-For instance did you knwo that Gvina (גבינה-cheese) is a hapax legomenon of Biblical Hebrew, appearing in Job 10:10 (i havn't checked that, taking reference.com at its word)

My Goodness, Thank You Australia

2008-06-01T14:20:00.001+10:00

America has no public recycling system. So you have to pay a private company so you cansave the world!
-Yet another thing to add to my list of "anti-socialist things that make me want to never live in the USA"

Don't Shells Obey the Golden Ratio?

2008-05-31T14:00:00.004+10:00

Trees abide to Fibonacci's pattern. You know, 1,1,2,3,5,8,11 . . . apparently.
-Yeah those 10 sheets we did on it in yr 8? Didn't really help much.

Rudyard Kipling is so Awesome

2008-05-28T20:44:00.004+10:00

If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.
-Rudyard Kipling the board of studies should so adopt this policy.

TODAY: A tribute to to my brother's 'historical interest'

Get Your Quotes Out

2008-05-24T22:48:00.003+10:00

Words fascinate me. They always have. For me, browsing in a dictionary is like being turned loose in a bank.
-Haha, I'd just like to say, 'pretty much Eddie Cantor, pretty much.'

TODAY: Nothing special, I just realised I dont have an 'awesome' tag. WHO DOESN"T HAVE AN AWESOME TAG?? Specially if they love the word so much and use it all the time.....

Water is Special...Fellow Chemists, Unite!

2008-05-22T20:11:00.005+10:00

Water never tastes as good as it does after a game of soccer. Never.
-It's true. Or else, it depends on what you've been eating/what you're drinking it out of. e.g out a glass vs drinkbottle and the drink bottle will always come out superior.

I Though You Should Learn Something Again Today

2008-05-21T20:08:00.004+10:00

East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic, was a state from 1949-1990, governed on the communist Soviet model, with the Berlin wall built to stop the great numbers of immigrants to West Germany. People DIED.
-Who else finds Germany interesting??

We Call it "Newton's Second Law"

2008-05-20T18:38:00.003+10:00

The longer the time interval, the smaller the force.
-who's been studying physics??

Ah Yes, Well In Theory

2008-05-19T20:41:00.003+10:00

The nice thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from.
-Haha if only our teachers would adopt this philosphy Andrew Tannenbaum

TODAY: A tribute to my dad, who has a high standard for explaining things :)

And Don't They Always Say it in Books?

2008-05-16T21:33:00.004+10:00

Disappointment in you is worse than anger at you. Where anger seems irrational and hence may be blown off as 'passion-of-the-moment', disappointment is entirely rational and means you've failed a person's expectations.
-I was thinking deep today. Just thinking randomly, not from experience . . .

Passive Resistence Is . . .

2008-05-13T16:41:00.003+10:00

Spinning your own cotton is what brings peace and makes the world go round.
-Mahatma Gandhi has taught me so much

DSICLAIMER: Not to patronise huim, i'm just jesting one aspect of his 'nationalistic agenda', as MT put it. Hey i'm all for nations' independence!!

"!"

2008-05-11T20:39:00.000+10:00

To use bitter words when kind words are at hand is like picking unripe fruit when the ripe fruit is there.
-Oh Thiruvalluvar, you are so philosophic and so right.

Elizabeth Taylor, You Make Me Laugh

2008-05-10T17:36:00.005+10:00

1940's movies are hilarious.
-They just are, watch one, possibly Little Women??

Simple Writing Hurts My Heart

2008-05-09T20:38:00.002+10:00

Stories with a good plot, but written badly, are so frustrating!!
-Um sorry Carole Wilkinson, I just really think ....

I Hate Going Backwards

2008-05-08T20:30:00.000+10:00

Don't ever stop playing your instrument or your talent will sink depressingly low.
-Yeah something that makes me sad.

I'm a Plain Eater Too

2008-05-07T20:26:00.004+10:00

Too often i go to some lunch party and am presented with an exquisite froufrou creation when what i long for is the pasta the three-year-old sitting next to me is given.
-Nigella Lawson, i can so relate.

Steam Oh Wonderful Steam

2008-05-05T17:32:00.005+10:00

Steam power is efficient, cost effective, great for the environment and a driving force of the economy!
-My Modern teacher has opened my eyes to many fascinating things.

NFFMR: Yes it was rather inevitable i put this on here, fellow Modern kiddies, wasn't it?

Huzzah!

2008-04-28T17:18:00.006+10:00

Hey, in a random, non-fact-filled post, I'm here to inform you that on the 28th of April - i.e. the post date of the last post - my latest blog, 'Trifling Facts' collected as many posts as my first blog! (At least I'm pretty sure it was my first blog). But anyway, if you wish to read my first ever blog just click here.

NB: 'Trifling Facts' no longer contains the same number of posts as my first ever blog . . . juts in case you can't read and/or do maths.

Mood: Apathetic, Bordering on Destructive Hatred

2008-04-28T13:00:00.002+10:00

One of the most horrible things is being forced to do or read something in which you hold not even the most remote interest.
-1984 and last years geography exam gave me a fairly good idea.

Hung or Hanged? Its Obvious

2008-04-26T11:22:00.001+10:00

Strong vowels in verbs will always be superor to their weaker brethren.
-I read a book once, it . . .

Dear Me, the Weakened Form

2008-04-25T11:14:00.004+10:00

A word's meaning wil lose its strength slowly over time.
-Well you know, just think about it.

Not Like Bored of the Rings . . .

2008-04-24T20:11:00.001+10:00

Spoofs are funny.
But only if you've seen the original.

Ah! There's Mountains of It!

2008-04-21T19:30:00.003+10:00

One will never know how many things they possess until they have to move rooms/houses.
-Discovered through the bitter-sweet experience of movign rooms.

The Sentence Just Never Seems Complete!

2008-04-17T16:38:00.004+10:00

Writer's of the 16th, 17th century had peculiarly-difficult-to-understand syntax.
-Oh I read that stuff a lot.

Blimey I Never Knew That!

2008-04-16T16:06:00.002+10:00

Adult rabbits have an average weight.
-Thanks for enlightening us all Stephen Fry

No Need

2008-04-16T15:52:00.003+10:00

Don't do more than you need to, it just makes your life complicated! I said don't do it!
-The wise words of my maths teacher. Take heed *cough* Stephen*cough*

Tis a Sad Business

2008-04-15T19:33:00.001+10:00

Film adaptations of books are more often than not disappointing.
-Years of experience.

When it Screws With Your Head Too Much

2008-04-13T15:35:00.001+10:00

Time wasn't made to be messed with.
-My opinion, formed after reading harry potter 3 and seeing the Lake House.

School Minus the Teachers + Classrooms Now is it?

2008-04-11T20:59:00.005+10:00

Holidays are for spending the same amount of time working as you would on a normal school day - just at home.
-Inferred, my physics teacher, after he suggested we do 6 hours of work a day in our holidays. Um no!

In all fairness that was for one week of the holidays after you'd been away a week, so really it was half the time you work at school (i.e 3 hours a day) but still puh-lease.

I Swear it was a Banana . . .

2008-04-10T16:55:00.004+10:00

The fruit that adam and Eve ate was a pomegranate.
-My Modern History teacher, expressing her view on the events in the Garden of Eden.

Disclaimer: As mentioned, this is only a view, a subjectieve opinion, I am by no means suggesting certain knowledge on facts undisclosed in the Bible.

Ah Those Rascally Electrons

2008-04-09T19:44:00.005+10:00

There is always an exception to the rule. ALWAYS.
I don't care what you say.
-What the beautiful subject chemistry has taught me.

One of it's Many Aspects...

2008-04-08T16:40:00.004+10:00

Change is Inevitable
-Discovered by the unanimous agreement of my class

Freemantle? Nah

2008-04-07T18:01:00.003+10:00

Besides Perth, there's no other important cities in WA.
-Myself, in response to my sister's question during the weather report: "Why is there only one [symbol] in Western Australia?"

Absolute Drivel

2008-04-07T16:40:00.002+10:00

Someone talking or writing about absolutely nothing and annoyance go hand in hand - action and reaction.
-First Hand Experience: me being the person who writes about nothing.

I Don't Know!!!

2008-04-06T10:42:00.005+10:00

Once you hit sixteen, everyone wants to know what you'r egoing to do witht the rest of your life.
-Discovered by a year's worth of experience (Year ten BAM career's, university, career's, work experience!)

I Dunno About the Rain . . .

2008-04-05T16:19:00.009+11:00

All they do in Pride and Prejudice (and, implied, all such books) is kiss in the rain. They are ALL the same.
-Paraphrased: My friend who has, coincidentally, never seen or read Pride and prejudice or any other such books.

Disclaimer: The above opinions are those of a third party and do not represent those of Alyssa Engel and all affiliated blogs.

Physics as Pinnacle

2008-04-05T13:41:00.003+11:00

All subjects at school are learnt solely for the purpose of helping us do physics.
-My very punny physics teacher, when discussing the essay form of many physics questions.

Disclaimer: The term "fact" is applied very loosely to this post. However much my physics teacher may deem it a fact, it may be more appropriate to label it an opinion, or "joke".

However . . .

2008-04-04T22:38:00.002+11:00

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER use however in the middle of a sentence when meaning: but, though, on the other hand etc.
-Paraphrased: My Extension English Teacher, about a week ago.

What is this Trifling Business?

2008-04-04T22:34:00.000+11:00

As the title may suggest, this is a blog solely dedicated to the purpose of enlightening my readers with trivial, inconsequential, minor, trifling facts I pick up in my everyday life. I stress, though, that the word 'fact' may sometimes be loosely applied. Enjoy!