Interesting Links for 24-06-2012

[andrewducker]

• It is mathematically impossible for women to have less partners (on average) than men.
  It is, of course, possible for them to _report_ less partners. I wonder why they'd do a thing like that.
  (tags: viaDreamshade EpicFail media statistics sex men women )
• On moderation, censorship and the line between enforcing online politeness and freedom of speech
  (tags: politeness discussion freespeech censorship )
• Fewer vs. less
  (tags: grammar )
• Flash Gordon actor now a bodyguard in Mexico
  (tags: movies military Mexico )
• J.K. Rowling's Patriotism
  (tags: jkrowling welfare politics uk )
• The truth about Victorian sex.
  (tags: sex history )
• What exactly is Obamacare and what did it change?
  A very simple explanation. Worth passing on.
  (tags: viaTheFerrett obama healthcare usa )
• An awesome comic about a robot that only speaks BASIC. Insanely good fun, and pretty too.
  (tags: funny robots comic )
• Frank Wu does awesome spaceship art.
  (tags: scifi spaceflight art )
• Anyone need a ball-throwing machine for their dog?
  (tags: Technology dog )

Comments

[pseudomonas]

That first headline assumes heterosexuality rather.

[andrewducker]

The first article discusses that.

[redbird]

The article may discuss that, but my first reaction to your summary is "this writer is denying my existence."

[andrewducker]

In what way?

[redbird]

In that the existence of significant numbers of bisexual and homosexual people falsifies that statement.

OK, technically it denies the existence of gay and bisexual men: but I haven't found a lot of awareness of actual lesbian and bisexual women among people who don't admit or take into account male homosexuality. (By "actual" I mean women who have relationships with each other, not for a camera, and not just making out to attract male attention.)

[andrewducker]

Aah, from the headline?

Yes, fair enough. But with 140 characters to go with, I'm very limited. I expect people to read the article if they want to actually understand what's going on.

[gominokouhai]

Just because Alfred the Great used "less" with counting nouns doesn't make it right. You wouldn't trust his scone recipe either.

[andrewducker]

Of course not. But with evidence of usage for 1300 years, and the Cambridge Guide to English Usage on my side, I feel happy that the evidence is on my side, and that I can continue to ignore language pedants.

[matgb]

Clarity matters, leave prescriptive rules to the French, we can continue mugging other languages for vocab and grammar.

[gominokouhai]

Clarity matters, indeed. Do you have less able pupils at your school?

And besides, we're British. How am I supposed to indicate that I'm better than you if we don't have prescriptive grammar?