Observations from The Hooverville Hexagon

 

Joke of the Week

 

Why shouldn't you study history?

Because there's no future in it.

Farmer Hoggett

 

Deep Thought

 

Okay, I admit it: I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon and I'm tired out. So have this morning's poem. Like the song says, 'Take an old cold tater and wait.'

 

Featured Insect

 

Zygaena ephialtes

Tavaron found this in her garden.

 

 

Deprecated Buzzword of the Day

 

(Deprecated by me, anyway.)

 

Iconic: What's wrong with 'iconic', you ask? Most people use it belligerently when they talk to me – and, as I believe Mandy Patinkin said to Wally Shawn [in an 'iconic' movie], 'I don't think that word means what you think it does.'  Look it up. I'm going to ask Merriam-Webster. Among other reasons, Merriam-Webster doesn't ask you for money. Or post snarky pop-ups like the German one that said Gratuliere, dein Adblocker funktioniert. (The page refused to display if you didn't disable your ad blocker, so I don't know how clever the rest of it was.)

 

Definition #1 is: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon. This is helpful. So: The accessible parking sign is iconic. Good enough.

 

Definition #2a is: widely recognized and well-established. So, Otto Waalkes is an iconic comedian. At least, if you're familiar with German comedy. One person's icon is another person's 'who'? 

 

Definition 2b is: widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence. Aha: this is the one you probably meant when you told me So-and-So was 'iconic'. Although what you probably meant wasn't really in the dictionary, because what I suspect you meant was, 'This person made several quadrillion dollars/euros/rupees/Triganic Pus last year and got megaquantities of hits on their website, so they are much more important than you.'

 

As Merriam-Webster remarks, '. . . iconic has become part of the language of advertising and publicity: companies and magazines and TV hosts encourage us to think of some consumer item or pop star or show as first-rate or immortal or flawless. . . when that person or thing is actually simply widely known.'

 

 

It's a Sign

 

Seen in a London park: Beware of illegal

ice cream vans!

No prices displayed.

(Whew, we thought they were space aliens

or something.)

 

Video of the Day

 

Ellie the Cat on the Old Barn Foundation 

by Mrs Hoggett

(she's a supervisor, is Ellie)

 

cu cool , Dmitri Gheorgheni, Editor