|
Now you too can enjoy my Inbox without the annoying spam. Every week I get some amazing e-mail. Some amazing because of the sheer cluelessness of the sender, some because of the time and energy that went into crafting them and some are just simply amazing.
BBelievers
I wrote a story about a fictional school district in California banning peanut products in the homes of all its students. You'd think someone going to college in California would recognize that the school mentioned in the article is the name of a breakfast dish and not a real town, but...
From: xxxxxx@exchange.fullerton.edu
Date: Sat, Aug 16, 2008 at 2:42 PM
Subject: Los Ranchos Huevos, CA
To: briggsb@bbspot.com
Hello Brian,
I read your article on the Peanut ban in Los Ranchos Huevos, Ca. I would like to contact the school district but I can't find any information on the internet about the city or the school. Would you be able to help me contact someone from the school or the school district? I would like to use your article in my course next semester, but I would like more information.
Department of Health Science California State University Fullerton PO Box 6870 Fullerton, 92834-6870
The future of our country is in danger. The more you know.
You have to scroll down a bit in the discussion thread for this BBeliever, but it's pretty good. Someone posted a link to our story about the six-fingered man being barred from Guitar Hero tournaments. I guess not everyone has seen The Princess Bride...
It does sound a lot like an Onion article, but the story is true.
I love how he's so close to the truth, yet so far.
LEGO or Legos
In the latest top 11 list, I made the conscious decision to write Legos instead of the corporate-approved LEGO™ bricks. Boy did I hear about it...
I have, like, a
contractual obligation to chase up miscreants who incorrectly pluralize"LEGO". Comes with the zealotship.
Cue quote: "Proper Use of the LEGO Trademark on a Web Site
If the LEGO trademark is used at all, it should always be used as an
adjective, not as a noun. For example, say "MODELS BUILT OF LEGO
BRICKS". Never say "MODELS BUILT OF LEGOs".
Also, the trademark should
appear in the same typeface as the surrounding text and should not be
isolated or set apart from the surrounding text. In other words, the
trademarks should not be emphasized or highlighted. Finally, the LEGO
trademark should always appear with a (R) symbol each time it is
used."
Etc, etc. No, really, check <http://www.lego.com/eng/info/fairplay.asp> for the rest of it.
Funny that it appears just before you saying a "Grammar/spelling
quality on the Internet increases tenfold." Although I'll grant you
it's not really a grammar issue, rather an overprotective company, but
hey, it's LEGO, so they're right about it and we are not to discuss.
Now go fix it or I'll unleash LEGO agents on you. What's you address,
again? Apparently there's more than one house in Ann Arbor.
This isn't one I'm going to "fix." It's great that LEGO wants to protect their trademark, but I've yet to come across anyone who doesn't say Legos in common speech. I use the proper form when it doesn't matter, but if it's funnier to say "Legos", I'll say "Legos." I guess you can give me one geek demerit for that.
In other LEGO news, one BBspotter wrote in with some funny commentary about our Alderaan LEGO set...
From: Ty
Date: Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Subject: Star Wars Alderaan Play System Release Date Announced by LEGO
To: Brian Briggs
Heheh. I can just see it now for the Christmas holiday where the father goes to the store to buy it only to be told they're sold out so he calls his wife on the cellphone...
"Uh yeah, hun, they're sold out."
"Are you sure you went to the right store?"
*checks the GPS on his phone*. "Uhhh, our position's correct except there's no Alderaan."
"Very funny, smart ass."
Weekly Limerick
The winner of the 2003 and 2006 Geek Limerick contest has volunteered to write a weekly limerick for BBspot. Seth also has a new book out that you should take a look at...
Seth has been sending over limericks for many weeks without any Mailbag. Thanks to him you've got many to enjoy now...
From: Seth
With new royalties on a steep slope,
It may be that Pandora can't cope.
Will this glorious station
Face elimination,
Or can Pandora somewhere find Hope?
|
