Hitchens on Linguistic Correctness.

I saw this for the first time today whilst looking for another quote entirely. This pretty much sums up some of the points I’ve recently been trying to make, though Hitchens does it much more successfully.

It’s my last  post on the subject for a while, I think.

The piece’s subtitle, incidentally, is “The pernicious effects of banning words.”

© 2009 Gary William Murning

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Singularly Toothsome — Stephen Fry Chats to Clive James.

For some time, cultural commentator, author, poet, television presenter, etc, Clive James has hosted his own online interview show, creatively titled Clive James Talking in the Library (in case you haven’t quite managed to work it out for yourself, it features Clive in a library — his, I believe — talking to various people.) I heard about it a good while ago and, as is often the way, promptly forgot all about it.

Last night, however, I managed to catch an episode that happened to be showing on one of the Sky Arts channels — an interview with the novelist Nick Hornby. I enjoyed its conversational tone so much that this morning, once I’d finished reading through last week’s work and making notes about what I plan to write this coming week, I tootled along to YouTube and, delight of delights, found an episode featuring that driver of London taxis and all-round sagacious wit Stephen Fry (okay, so he’s a Mac user — but we can’t all be perfect, right?)

Naturally, given my generous nature, I felt it was my duty to share this discovery with you. I simply wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night knowing that you (yes, you!) had missed out on such charms and witticisms. Feel free to thank me if you must, in whichever way seems most appropriate. But please bear in mind that I’m a delicate chap, and whilst I would encourage you to be creative in how you choose to show your gratitude, please allow me a few moments to get my breath back every once in a while.

Part One.

Part Two.

Part Three.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

Requiescat in Pace.

As world financial markets continue to fall, I thought now might be a good time to post something to take our minds off the turmoil…

… and so, a blast from the past — a questionable classic from the boom/bust 1980s. Culture Club performing I’ll Tumble 4 Ya…

… oops!

© 2008 Gary William Murning