[rollei_list] OT: Miscellany
- From: Marc James Small <marcsmall@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,<rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:21:13 -0400
At 11:41 PM 9/8/2007, Richard Knoppow wrote:
> What, another Latakia smoker? Of course I haven't smoked
>any since I quite smoking some 40 years ago but it was my
>choice then. I used Galahers (SP?). As far as Jersey Pork
>Roll I thought this was what several N.J. politicians have
>recently been jailed for being on. (I think I just ended a
>sentence with a preposition).
Hysterion Proteron.
There is no grammatical rule dictating that a
sentence ought not end with a preposition. This
is a rule purely of style and was fully developed
as late as Trollope. Churchill, who disliked
Victorian UK writers, had never read him and when
someone pointed that his ending a sentence in a
preposition violated this "rule", Churchill
replied famously, "this is a rule with which I
will not put", an example at the same time of his
immensely quick wit, his command of the English language, and his obstinance.
There are rules of style. I tend to try to
observe these. I generally will not end a
sentence in a preposition out of respect for
Trollope's, as I find him an estimable author --
he is nowhere as dismal as Dickens even when the
English knicks are hauling off the honest
Irishman for a quick drop on a short pier, and
his political novels are truly works of art. I
understand that we "are grduated" from our
schools -- "John Smith graduated from Richard
Knoppow Penal High School last year" is wrong,
wrong, wrong: it should be, "John Smith was
graduated from the Richard Knoppow Penal High
School last year". "Battleshps" and "tanks" are
VERY specific terms: a decrepit 50-year old M113
Amored Personnel Carrier which can barely run is
only a "tank" in the eyes of some idiot National
Public Radio reporter. An armored rowboat is not
a "battleship". I hope that you get my drift.
Precision in language is vital. Say what you
mean and mean what you say. Do not muck about
with exaggerations and misuses. I ought to be
teaching a course in this, shouldn't I? Speech and dress. These define us.
I smoke mainly Milan Brothers Latakia blends but
do an occasional Dunhill or Peterson. I used to
have a blend registered at Dunhill in New York
but I suspect that they have forgotten this over
the past thirty years -- Richard, it seems I
started smoking bout the time you gave it up.
"Jersey Pork Roll" is a sort of SPAM equivalent
produced for the past century and more. When I
was writing THE ZEISS COMPENDIUM, I often
travelled to southern New Jersey to meet with my
co-author. On the return, I always gassed up at
a store which sold "Jersey Pork Rol
Sandwiches". This is also known, to the likes of
Jerry Lerhrer, as a "TEH", for Taylor Ham, Egg,
and Cheese. Now, thanks to Bruce Williams,
Jersey Pork Roll is available from <http://www.jerseyboy.cm>
It is ham. It is processed. And it tastes
good. It brings back a lot of memories, as well.
Marc
msmall@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!
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