The 2007 Ig Nobel Prizes have just been announced. My favourites: A toss-up between “Linguistics: Juan Manuel Toro, Josep B. Trobalon and Nuria Sebastian-Galles, for determining that rats sometimes can’t distinguish between Japanese, played backward, and Dutch, played backward” and “Aviation: Patricia V. Agostino, Santiago A. Plano and Diego A. Golombek, for discovering that hamsters recover from jetlag more quickly when given Viagra.”
How’s that whistle, little doggie?
Given the fascinating discussion happening in my piece about the Citizenship Test — and there’s plenty for me to respond to, I know, I’ll get to it — it’s appropriate to mention the Australia Institute’s new report Under the Radar: Dog-Whistle Politics in Australia.
You can download the table of contents and summary (21k PDF) free. The full report is $21.
Whitegoods
Do you remember when whitegoods were actually white, not shiny stainless steel? Perhaps you can even remember when they were enamelled green?
Czenglish!
Prague is bidding for the 2016 Olympics, but this sample from their English-language website indicates they may have a problem convincing the IOC:
Thanks, do you big propagator sport became a top marshal president Tomáše Garrigua Masaryka, go everything like after steel wool.
At which time Prague begun peep at peas in years 1932 and 1936. “but while before for action inspire with politicians and people, in thirtieth years nobody after peas doesn’t want. Whole it go out taperingly,†says Francis wheelwright.
Big neighbour Prague overprint and Czech backing her stay only eyes for cry.
Then set in metropolis Olympic silence, which a little comminute-vibrated focus high Tater about winter games.
Thanks to Ivan Trundle for the pointer. He observes: “The irony of it all is that the site is translated by ‘robot’ — the one Czech word that has made it into the English language.”
Word of the Moment: Greenwashing
I’ll just quote the source:
The term greenwashing applies when companies (or governments) spend more money or time advertising being green, than on investing in environmentally sound practices.
In business, greenwashing often means changing the name and/or label. Early warning signs that a product is probably toxic include images of trees, birds, or dew drops. If all three are on the box, the product will probably make your skin peel off in seconds…
Thanks to John Thackara at Doors of Perception, and to One Plus One Equals Three for the pointer.
Is “wankworthy” a word?
Is there such a word as “wankworthy”? If not, I reckon there should be, don’t you?