James

Member since: Jun 22nd, 2006

James's Latest Comments

Blog Activity

Blog	# of Comments
TUAW.com	1 Comment
Engadget	15 Comments
Download Squad	1 Comment
Asylum	8 Comments

Recent Comments:

Apple's new battery charger is deceptively cool (TUAW.com)

Jul 27th 2010 1:01PM Err. I bought a wireless keyboard and mouse 7 years ago that came with 6 rechargeable batteries and had a charger built into the PS/2 transmitter. Still works, as do the batteries. I believe it too cost £30. This is the biggest non-event since High School Musical 3

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 8:21AM I've remembered my personal favourite: Beg the question!

Questions can be raised by previous statements, but not begged in the same way:

"If you saw Billy playing in the park, it raises the question: Why didn't he come to school today?"

Begging the question means avoiding the reply by answering illogically, or without a full argument. You are leaving the question 'begging' to be answered:

A: "Why are you good at football?"
B: "Because I'm an amazing guy!"

B's answer, whether true or not, does not satisfy A's question. B has begged the question, or is begging the question.

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 8:16AM I was taught (around 15 years ago) that the thought behind "...s's" vs "...s'" was to do with whether the final "s" was pronounced.

So if you would say "JamesES shoe" you should write "James's shoe".
If you say "the cardS pictures" you should write "cards' pictures".

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 8:03AM "What it is, is..." usually leads me to reply with "Is is it really?" which, worryingly enough, often goes unnoticed.

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 8:01AM 26 and facing a rising tide of opposition, it seems.

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 8:00AM ...I'm playing X-box/Playstation/Wii... GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

"I was using my MP3 so I couldn't hear you" doesn't make any sense. It's worse than calling all generic music players iPods.

It's an MP3 _player_, just like it was a record player, a cassette player, a CD player, a minidisc player and a DVD player.

Oh, and don't get me started on PIN numbers and ATM machines.

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 7:55AM Momentarily: For a moment
Presently: In a moment

"I'll be there momentarily" means you'll be there for maybe 30 seconds, and then you'll go again. This is not what I look for in customer service!

Asylum Makes Grammar Fun -- Tips for the Grammatically Challenged (Asylum)

Jan 30th 2010 7:50AM Money: uncountable (think 'less money')
Monies: countable (think 'fewer monies')

Example:
As you are an international jet-setter, ready for currency-related emergencies all over the world, and I am a rich Englishman who stays in England, you have less money than me, but I work with fewer monies than you.

Monies seems synonymous with currencies in common parlance.