Factoids - Page 7

orlok · 04-12-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Clears throat .... actually the correct usage is "I shoulda oughta have got up earlier." Just ask any southener!

But at least you still used "have" not "of", so that's fine with me

Mortis · 04-12-2011, 10:12 AM

Many pardons Dixie, I never made that connection before, my cousin never said it bothered her. I don't think I'll point it out to her either

poohbear_nc · 04-12-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

But at least you still used "have" not "of", so that's fine with me

[the "have" is optional

]

WT Sharpe · 04-12-2011, 10:34 AM

On Friday the 13th of April, 2029, the asteroid Apophis, a rock big enough in the words of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to "fill the Rose Bowl as though it were an egg cup," will approach so close to Earth that it's path will dip below the altitude of our communication satellites.

The good news is that on its return trip in 2036, it might not hit us.

wannabee · 04-12-2011, 10:36 AM

Does anyone have a problem with . . . . .
Look at the below text or Read the below story. I see it all the time and it kills me.

DixieGal · 04-12-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Clears throat .... actually the correct usage is "I shoulda oughta have got up earlier." Just ask any southener!

Alternate: i'm fixing to start getting up.

orlok · 04-12-2011, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Alternate: i'm fixing to start getting up.

Sounds just like my wife. Takes her a good half hour.

poohbear_nc · 04-12-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

Sounds just like my wife. Takes her a good half hour.

Then she might oughtta wantta start up earlier!

BenG · 04-12-2011, 10:47 AM

A factoid is a questionable or spurious—unverified, incorrect, or fabricated—statement presented as a fact, but with no veracity. The word can also be used to describe a particularly insignificant or novel fact, in the absence of much relevant context.[1] The word is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as "an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact".[2]

Factoid was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe. Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper"

orlok · 04-12-2011, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Did you know that "factoid" means "item that looks like a fact but is not a fact."

It was coined to refer to made-up blurbs in gossips rags presented as true reporting.

Like all other "-oid" words, android, meteoroid, alkaloid, it means 'similar but not the thing...'

It's a pet peeve of mine that people routinely use it incorrectly to mean "little fact."

Why not "factlet" or "factette" or just "fact?"

When you say "Here's a factoid for you..." you are saying "Here's a lie..."

. . .Or are all the statements in this thread false, and I missed the gag....?

ApK

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

A factoid is a questionable or spurious—unverified, incorrect, or fabricated—statement presented as a fact, but with no veracity. The word can also be used to describe a particularly insignificant or novel fact, in the absence of much relevant context.[1] The word is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as "an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact".[2]

Factoid was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe. Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper"

BenG, meet ApK. ApK, meet BenG.

WT Sharpe · 04-12-2011, 11:00 AM

That's interesting. I always thought a "factoid" was just an interesting tidbit of information. You live and learn!

GeoffC · 04-12-2011, 11:07 AM

So, which version are we working to on this thread ?

Interesting tidbits, or facts that are not really facts ....

GeoffC · 04-12-2011, 11:10 AM

A tidbit :

Maximum killing capacity per day :

In 1600: (Cannon fodder) - 2,400 persons
In 2011: (Nuclear Bomb) - 12,000,000,000 persons

Average daily battle casualties per 100 troops :

In 1600: 25 persons
In 2011: 3 persons

We appear to be getting better in our ability to kill people whilst making a battlefield a safer place to be.....

ApK · 04-12-2011, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That's interesting. I always thought a "factoid" was just an interesting tidbit of information. You live and learn!

May I sign you up to join my new non-profit group, "The 'Factoid' and 'Unique' Crusade for Disambiguation?"

Our only current bylaw is you must never try to pronounce the abbreviation of our name in polite company.

ApK

orlok · 04-12-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

May I sign you up to join my new non-profit group, "The 'Factoid' and 'Unique' Crusade for Disambiguation?"

Our only current bylaw is you must never try to pronounce the abbreviation of our name in polite company.

ApK

04-12-2011, 10:12 AM	#92
Mortis Canucklehead in Malaysia Posts: 1,633 Karma: 3127774 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: iPhone, Kindle	Many pardons Dixie, I never made that connection before, my cousin never said it bothered her. I don't think I'll point it out to her either

04-12-2011, 10:34 AM	#94
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	On Friday the 13th of April, 2029, the asteroid Apophis, a rock big enough in the words of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to "fill the Rose Bowl as though it were an egg cup," will approach so close to Earth that it's path will dip below the altitude of our communication satellites. The good news is that on its return trip in 2036, it might not hit us.

04-12-2011, 10:36 AM	#95
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,382 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Does anyone have a problem with . . . . . Look at the below text or Read the below story. I see it all the time and it kills me.

04-12-2011, 10:47 AM	#99
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	A factoid is a questionable or spurious—unverified, incorrect, or fabricated—statement presented as a fact, but with no veracity. The word can also be used to describe a particularly insignificant or novel fact, in the absence of much relevant context.[1] The word is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as "an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact".[2] Factoid was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe. Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper"

04-12-2011, 11:00 AM	#101
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	That's interesting. I always thought a "factoid" was just an interesting tidbit of information. You live and learn!

04-12-2011, 11:07 AM	#102
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	So, which version are we working to on this thread ? Interesting tidbits, or facts that are not really facts ....

04-12-2011, 11:10 AM	#103
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	A tidbit : Maximum killing capacity per day : In 1600: (Cannon fodder) - 2,400 persons In 2011: (Nuclear Bomb) - 12,000,000,000 persons Average daily battle casualties per 100 troops : In 1600: 25 persons In 2011: 3 persons We appear to be getting better in our ability to kill people whilst making a battlefield a safer place to be.....