my sometimes-skeptical social commentary

Archive for the ‘language and grammar’ Category

At my day job, I occasionally come across things that I want to remember to do at home, but by the time I get home, I forget…does that ever happen to you?

So today, I’m marking a couple To Do list items down on this blog, so that, when I get home, I’ll remember the web addresses of the programs I want to try out at home.

1. The first is a free application for syncing the files between computers.
   • Dropbox

I use use three computers at home (an Apple notebook, a Linux desktop, and a Windows desktop), and there are times when I have to stop and think, on which computer is the file I need? (Okay, I admit that often, when I think of such questions, I don’t use proper grammar, so what I really think at those moments when I need a certain file is more like “where’s that file at?”)

And the beauty part is that it works with Linux, Windows, and Mac computers! It’s perfect for my needs.

2. This next program I came across is going to help me get rid of a different free application that I haven’t been able to uninstall from my Mac. It was only free for a trial period, and it wasn’t that great, so I didn’t purchase the program when the trial period ended.
   • Apptrap

   Even though I dragged that application into the trash on my notebook, the program still gives me pop-ups when I start Firefox. It’s annoying, but as far as I know, it doesn’t cause any problems with my system or with Firefox’ I just have to click Quit every time.

Let me know, if you have tried either of these programs, how they have worked for you. Or, if you use other programs to accomplish the same thing, let me know what they are, and how well they work. FREE is preferred, but if you know of a low-cost file-syncing program that works on Mac, Windows, and Linux, let me know, in case Dropbox doesn’t work.

Today a woman came to our office looking for help finding a class she’s taking. She said there was a note on the classroom door directing her to “the room by the registrar’s” office, which made no sense to us.

Here is an excerpt of what was on the classroom door:

Normally, a class that meets only in a computer classroom, e.g. CSC-110, is scheduled into the room by the registrar’s office. For classes that need to use computers for a one-time lecture or presentation, our office will fill in the gaps left over, after the registar’s office fills in the classes that require computer classrooms. Computer-based courses have priority over other uses of the computer classrooms. We also schedule the computer classrooms for meetings and computer-based exams.

I put the confusing passive-tense in italics. If you read it literally, it does seem to direct you to “the room by the registrar’s office”, doesn’t it?

I re-wrote that sentence, and I now am actively seeking out all passive writing.

I don’t watch much TV. Most of what’s on is just not interesting. I try to enjoy the cop shows, but they are just so poorly written and stiffly acted. I used to watch E.R. almost every week, but somewhere along the way I lost interest. I tried to watch all the new episodes of Lost, but I haven’t seen that show in a long time, and I’m told that new episodes won’t be aired until February of next year.

Anyway, when I do turn on the TV, I try to find interesting things to watch. I caught part of a lecture by Steven Pinker on Book TV. It is the only powerpoint-type presentation I’ve ever seen with lots and lots of profanity. Steven Pinker is one of those smarty pants types (he taught at MIT and now he teaches at Harvard) who can talk intelligently about how the words we use have come to have meaning. According to the blurb on Book TV:

Steven Pinker talks about the relationship between language and the way we think. During this discussion hosted by the Smithsonian Associates, Professor Pinker looks specifically at our use of profanity and what it says about us. This program contains language that some viewers may find offensive.

If you are not offended by strong language, I recommend watching the lecture on Book TV. It is not just an excuse to have swear words on TV.

The original remote control for our TV is long gone, and we have no way of turning off close captioning now.

I hope that it help the kids learn to read better.

I can’t stop reading the text. I don’t watch the TV at all, I just read the text at the bottom of the screen. And catch typos. And occasionally catch instances when the person typing the text didn’t pay close attention to the words the character is speaking, something that happens with alarming regularity during the show Arthur on PBS. Usually, the captioning conveys the same meaning in fewer words.

By way of Erin, I took a quiz on Eats Shoots and Leaves and was told that I am a 100% stickler.

If you take the quiz, leave me a comment and let me know your score.