Sneaking Commodore in...

[RobertB]

     While here in Los Angeles, I attended the Hollywood Collectors Show today, and for Sunday I'll be at the E For All Expo -- http://www.eforallexpo.com   Let's see I can peak the interest of a few when I walk around with a C64 DTV package. 

                          Truly,
                          Robert Bernardo
                          Fresno Commodore User Group
                          http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                          The Other Group of Amigoids
                          http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[airship]

peak = pique

Damned Normans and their invasion.

P.S. Sorry, Robert, it's the editor in me. Gets me in trouble all the time. I hope this doesn't qualify me as a 'grammar troll'. ;(

[RobertB]

P.S. Sorry, Robert, it's the editor in me.

No problem, Mark.  I double-checked on http://www.dictionary.com but could find no evidence not to use "peak".  However, I will stand by your editorial judgement. 

                     Leaving for the show in an hour,
                     Robert Bernardo
                     Fresno Commodore User Group
                     http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                     The Other Group of Amigoids
                     http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Golan Klinger]

peak = pique

That's an irritating one. I'm also fond of "baited breath", "mute point" and the cherry on the sundae of ignorance, "walla". Would you believe that there are English teachers out there who don't know the difference between it's and its? I weep for the future.

[airship]

I don't fault Robert or anyone else who is multi-lingual. I'm amazed by that skill. My wife could speak French. I took a couple of semesters of Latin in high school, but it didn't stick, and I had to drop first quarter French FOUR times in college! 

Since I only speak one language, I try to be as accurate as I can be.

Good list, Golan.

More common misuse: insure = ensure; utilize = use; effect = affect; compliment = complement;

A bad substitution that has been misused so much it's actually considered correct is floundered = foundered. I still flinch at that one.

Wrong form: their/there/they're, "She gave it to him and I.", etc.

Then there's acronym abuse: LCD display, PIN number, etc.

A great reference site for common English errors is: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html

So I've successfully hijacked another thread. I feel good now.

P.S. Golan, Parley vous Francais?

[gsteemso]

Gah. "Parlez", please. Et oui, je peux le parler, mais pas trop bien.

[airship]

Gah. "Parlez", please. Et oui, je peux le parler, mais pas trop bien.

See? I TOLD you I only speak English!

[Golan Klinger]

Then there's acronym abuse: LCD display, PIN number, etc.

This might not be a good time to tell you that LCD isn't an acronym; it's an initialism. An acronym is when the initial letters form a pronounceable word (NATO, SCUBA, PIN etc.) It's a subtle and obscure difference that is as much overlooked as misunderstood.

Hrm, what else? I'm amazed by how often I see the word loose being used where the word lose is called for (I guess that's what's they call a loose-loose situation). I'm bothered that "unsatisfied" is gaining a foothold given that the correct word, dissatisfied, is readily available and then there is "irregardless". The moment I hear that come out of someone's mouth I stop listening because they're clearly an idiot.

As long as we're talking, have you noticed how common it has become for people to drop the ly from spoken words? It's an epidemic.

P.S. Golan, Parley vous Francais?

That's either cleverly amusing or really sad.

[airship]

This might not be a good time to tell you that LCD isn't an acronym; it's an initialism. An acronym is when the initial letters form a pronounceable word (NATO, SCUBA, PIN etc.) It's a subtle and obscure difference that is as much overlooked as misunderstood.

A subtle difference, but language is all about subtleties. I consider myself schooled.
But it's still redundant to say 'LCD Display'.

P.S. Golan, Parley vous Francais?

That's either cleverly amusing or really sad.

The latter, I'm afraid.

[Andrew Wiskow]

Then there's acronym abuse: LCD display, PIN number, etc.

Ooo!  You've stumbled on one of my biggest pet peeves!  I think "ATM machine" is the most often misused.  "VIN number" is another one.  And then there's a big one in the navy:  We have to do regularly scheduled maintenance on equipment, and when we do, we have to follow a step-by-step procedure on a card.  This card is called a "Maintenance Requirement Card", or "MRC".  Everyone calls it an "MRC card".  grrr...

This might not be a good time to tell you that LCD isn't an acronym; it's an initialism. An acronym is when the initial letters form a pronounceable word (NATO, SCUBA, PIN etc.) It's a subtle and obscure difference that is as much overlooked as misunderstood.

I learned something today.  Thanks, Golan! 

[hydrophilic]

Unfortunately, we're stuck with those redundant acronyms/initialisms.  If you ask somebody about a PI number or a LC display, they get hopelessly confused. If you ask for PIN they're likely to hand you a pen.  Everyone seems to know what I mean if I say VIN number, but about 50% don't get VIN by itself.  I've never even tried asking for a VI number

As far as mispellings or improper use, it really doesn't bother me because English has such a long history and so many influences, it's hopelessly fouled up.

I do like having fun with words that confuse people from time to time.  Like inflammable.  It seems 95% of the people think it's the opposite of flammable while they actually both mean easily set on fire.  Then there's those prefixes intra- and inter- that always cause trouble.

I remember watching a show on PBS or something about how they tought a Gorilla to communicate in English.  At first I about fell out of my chair laughing and then thought about reporting them to the ASPCA.  I mean couldn't they give the animal a simpler language to learn?  Poor thing.

Parley vous Francais?

:lol: :lol: :lol:
I think you mis-misspelled that.  A better misspelling would be:
Parlay voo Fransay?

(Is there a real word instead of mis-misspelled?)

[RobertB]

I think "ATM machine" is the most often misused.

Heh, my British friends totally ignore the term, "ATM", and just use the words, "cash dispenser".

                      Back from the E For All Expo,
                      Robert Bernardo
                      Fresno Commodore User Group
                      http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                      The Other Group of Amigoids
                      http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

     Back to topic.  I went to the E For All Expo, expecting to see thousands of attendees there but only seeing hundreds.  I came in during the last two hours of the show, walking around with my PAL C64 DTV in its hexagonal packaging and my PAL VIC-20 with PET-style keys.
     Success!  Several attendees noticed either machine or both.  Some said that they still have their VICs/C64s.  Some thought the VIC-20 was a C64; I corrected them.  Some had never seen the C64 DTV and were intrigued.  It was a chance to talk about Commodore history and current events, to promote our user group, to inform that Commodore aficionados are still around in the world, and to describe the DTV and its capabilities.  As usual, I did not have a business card to hand out but wrote my contact info on scraps of paper.  In the middle of all the modern gaming was the semi-retro All Games Radio ( http://www.allgames.com ) area, which was broadcasting live and had a good audience of attendees seated in front of the 4 hosts.  Surrounding the AGR area were cool, classic arcade machines, like Berzerk, Defender, Donkey Kong, Spy Hunter, and Missile Command -- all set on free play.  I set down the VIC-20 and C64 DTV on an unused podium at the perimeter of the crowd; those who passed by had a good look at the equipment, posed their questions, and took close-up photos of the equipment.
     I met with Rob Welkner, host of http://www.coin-op.tv, and Hailey Bright, his lovely co-host.  I had met both of them at last weekend's SC3 Arcade Party (well, I had previously met Rob at the Sept. 2007 SC3 Arcade Party).  I had missed their live broadcast by about an hour.  He grew up with VIC-20's and C64's.  I also met with Elliott Thomas, freelance writer for gaming websites/magazines; he too had a VIC-20/C64 heritage, and we talked long about Commodore, computer shows like CommVEx, the SC3 Arcade Party, and the C64 DTV.  Being out-of-the-Commodore-loop for quite some time, he did not know the latest, and I was glad to bring him up to speed with what little time we had.
     After the Expo, I cruised up the freeway and visited 2 SCCAN members -- Jason and I spoke about gaming in general, and farther up the road, Joe and I talked about the next SCCAN meeting, and he showed off his new MMC Replay.
     Next up... sneaking Commodore into the AmiWest Show in 2 weeks!

                    Mission accomplished,
                    Robert Bernardo
                    Fresno Commodore User Group
                    http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                    The Other Group of Amigoids
                    http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

In the middle of all the modern gaming was the semi-retro All Games Radio ( http://www.allgames.com ) area, which was broadcasting live...

I forgot to mention... at the end of the Expo, All Games Radio gave away a Fender guitar modded for connecting to a Playstation 3 and Guitar Hero.  Think about playing that pro guitar on Shredz64 for the Commodore! 

                          Envious,
                          Robert Bernardo
                          Fresno Commodore User Group
                          http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                          The Other Group of Amigoids
                          http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/1

[Andrew Wiskow]

... and Hailey Bright, his lovely co-host. 

Lovely indeed! 


She has her own website at http://www.haileybright.com/

[airship]

I do like having fun with words that confuse people from time to time.  Like inflammable.  It seems 95% of the people think it's the opposite of flammable while they actually both mean easily set on fire.

The Simpsons did a bit on this. They used Dr. Nick, who is of an indeterminate Eastern European origin. He set his office on fire with something that was labeled 'inflammable'.

[RobertB]

She has her own website at http://www.haileybright.com/

I did not know that.  Now I do.

                          Truly,
                          Robert Bernardo
                          Fresno Commodore User Group
                          http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                          The Other Group of Amigoids
                          http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

She has her own website at http://www.haileybright.com/

More photos of Hailey taken at the E For All Expo.  Go to http://www.coin-op.tv and click on the slideshow.

                    Truly,
                    Robert Bernardo
                    Fresno Commodore User Group
                    http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                    The Other Group of Amigoids
                    http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/