Sunday, November 27, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
A Base Canard: Noun: An unfounded or baseless rumour or story, generally derogatory in nature. For instance: "A vampire? Me? That is but a base canard!" Not a phrase you run into very often, but it is fun, isnt it? *smug*
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Velocipede: Noun: A velocipede is any human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels. A bicycle is the most common velocipede nowadays, but unicycles, tricycles, quadricycles--most cycles in fact--are velocipedes, as well as scooters and monowheels. A possible sentance containing the word is "Shall I escort you to your velocipede?"
Friday, November 4, 2011
Going Postal
By Terry Pratchett
A Novel of Discworld
The Post Office of Ankh Morpork is in disrepair, no one uses it, and it's Post Master Generals keep dying. And don't ask about the New Pie. They don't like to talk about it. Bergholt Stuttley (Bloody Stupid) Johnson was involved, which if you know anything about Ankh Morpork, should tell you quite a bit. Anyway, things went very bad, until the Post Office was where you put letters if you never wanted to see them again. Lord Vetinari wished to restore it to its former glory, make it useful again. And so, he appointed the best sort of man for any government job. A convicted criminal.
Now, Moist Von Lipwig ( Yes, that is his name. It is pronounced Lip Vick, and Moist is a perfectly common name in Uberwald) has never killed anyone, or even physically hurt anyone. All he ever did was trick people who though they were tricking him, and forge a few papers. His motto is "Never look back, you never know who might be catching up." He was a very successful conman until the police caught him, and sentenced him to be hanged. Which he was. He then woke up with a choice between honest employment, and the option of actually having the execution be SUCCESSFUL, if a bit late. He ran for it and was dragged back by a golem (huge clay man, literally fiery eyes, NEVER stops, EVER). So now he is the Post Master. And between all that buisness with the clacks, and the men on the roof, and the letters talking to him, and the secret organisation of postmen, and Moist's runaway mouth, adrenaline addiction, and instinct for conning people... well, things could get interesting. Oh, and the girl.
Well, Terry Pratchett has done it again! Yet another book, yet another few hours straight of hysterical laughter, yet another set of fantastic characters and caricatured reality. This book goes straight to the top of my reread list again and again, and again and again I love it. The mad genius of humor has brought forth another fabulous creation, and if I don't wind up reading it until I have large sections memorized, it won't be for lack of trying.
A Novel of Discworld
The Post Office of Ankh Morpork is in disrepair, no one uses it, and it's Post Master Generals keep dying. And don't ask about the New Pie. They don't like to talk about it. Bergholt Stuttley (Bloody Stupid) Johnson was involved, which if you know anything about Ankh Morpork, should tell you quite a bit. Anyway, things went very bad, until the Post Office was where you put letters if you never wanted to see them again. Lord Vetinari wished to restore it to its former glory, make it useful again. And so, he appointed the best sort of man for any government job. A convicted criminal.
Now, Moist Von Lipwig ( Yes, that is his name. It is pronounced Lip Vick, and Moist is a perfectly common name in Uberwald) has never killed anyone, or even physically hurt anyone. All he ever did was trick people who though they were tricking him, and forge a few papers. His motto is "Never look back, you never know who might be catching up." He was a very successful conman until the police caught him, and sentenced him to be hanged. Which he was. He then woke up with a choice between honest employment, and the option of actually having the execution be SUCCESSFUL, if a bit late. He ran for it and was dragged back by a golem (huge clay man, literally fiery eyes, NEVER stops, EVER). So now he is the Post Master. And between all that buisness with the clacks, and the men on the roof, and the letters talking to him, and the secret organisation of postmen, and Moist's runaway mouth, adrenaline addiction, and instinct for conning people... well, things could get interesting. Oh, and the girl.
Well, Terry Pratchett has done it again! Yet another book, yet another few hours straight of hysterical laughter, yet another set of fantastic characters and caricatured reality. This book goes straight to the top of my reread list again and again, and again and again I love it. The mad genius of humor has brought forth another fabulous creation, and if I don't wind up reading it until I have large sections memorized, it won't be for lack of trying.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)