Archive for November, 2006

A few signs before I leave

November 22, 2006
By alan
A few signs before I leave

This will be the last post on The Word for a little while. I’ll pause briefly while you all cry out in anguish and plead the gods to hear your cry. I’m heading overseas again and won’t be able to get to a computer very regularly. When I’m not being an author, I work...
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Posted in Amusing, Signs | No Comments »

I didn’t, but if I did

November 20, 2006
By alan
I didn’t, but if I did

It has to be one of the most tasteless announcements of the decade. O J Simpson, the former US football star found not guilty of murder in the June 1994 stabbing deaths of his former wife, Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman, has released a book called If I Did It. The book contains,...
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Posted in Books, Marketing, Writing | No Comments »

Bonza! Aussies recognised by Microsoft

November 13, 2006
By alan
Bonza! Aussies recognised by Microsoft

In an unusual step away from their usual American-centric attitude to everything, Microsoft is updating it’s spellchecker software in its 2007 Office release. The update will, in part, recognise distinctly Australian slang and prevent those irritating red squiggly lines from appearing under words such as ‘bonza’ and ‘dinky-di’. Although the current software only considers...
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Posted in Writing | No Comments »

In reality they seldom attack a human

November 13, 2006
By alan
In reality they seldom attack a human

“The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.” Pretty interesting, huh? I bet that’s information that you can use at the next dinner party you attend. But wait, there’s more. That’s the official piece of text authorised...
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Posted in Weird | No Comments »

Incorrect spelling for make no benefit glorious Kazakhstan bank note

November 8, 2006
By alan
Incorrect spelling for make no benefit glorious Kazakhstan bank note

In the ‘truth is often stranger than fiction’ category, this is the kind of publicity that Borat couldn’t buy. With Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie about the hapless Kazakhstani due out next week, the nation of Kazakhstan itself has made a blunder that Borat himself would be proud of. Borat, “Kazakhstan’s sixth most famous...
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Posted in Amusing, Politics | No Comments »

They call me naughty Lola

November 7, 2006
By alan
They call me naughty Lola

No, I’m not talking about a secret ‘other’ life I indulge in through the dank streets of Kings Cross under cover of darkness. This is a new book released by the London Review of Books and it’s a collection of the best personal ads they’ve featured in their infamous lonely hearts column. The cover...
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Posted in Amusing, Books, Writing | No Comments »

Quote of the week

November 6, 2006
By alan
Quote of the week

Have you ever wondered if shows with a premise as simple and mindless as Jackass have any real underlying meaning? Is there something deeper than the obvious male-bonding tomfoolery, with violence at every turn and a strange penchant for men inserting things into their bodies? Well, the answer is no. There’s not. And if...
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Posted in Amusing, Quote | No Comments »

The Word

Words and stories fascinate me. Our world is built on language and storytelling. Without stories, we are nothing.



This is The Word - a place to learn more about me, my stories and the words of others. Click the links along the top for all kinds of stuff, search the sidebars for loads of other stuff, click on book covers for reviews and previews, enjoy the blog and don't be shy to share your words, in comments or send me an email to alan [at]alanbaxteronline[dot]com

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