|
You are using an insecure version of your web browser. Please update your browser!
Using an outdated browser makes your computer unsafe. For a safer, faster, more enjoyable user experience, please update your browser today or try a newer browser.
|
|
Within the last few days, Google has unveiled a serious Facebook rival candidate, Google+. There is a lot of talk in the tech community about this new social network idea, especially with regards to Google service integration and a novel privacy system.
Not much has been said about the project at this point, and it appears only to be open to a select handful of the tech-world’s top dogs, but it has several features that have me excited.
Over the last few months, since I added various saved searches to my Twitter account, my searches for “Britain”, “Northern Ireland”, “United Kingdom” have turned up an amazing amount of bullcrap. This bullcrap consists of things like “England is the same thing as Britain”, “The UK is England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland” and other such idiotic comments.
Another annoying situation arises: A person asks where I’m from. I respond, “Northern Ireland.” They respond, “Oh, so you’re Irish?” I respond, “No, I’m British!” They respond, “How can you be British if you aren’t from Britain?” I respond, “I am – Northern Ireland is IN Britain.” They respond, “No, Britain is just England, Scotland and Wales.” I respond by crying with frustration, having an anger-stroke or smashing my head repeatedly into the wall. Etc. etc. etc.
Not knowing the terminology of a foreign country is excusable for those who aren’t from this country (although It’s my opinion that they should probably get their facts straight before broadcasting them publicly for the entire internet to see), but it’s the people who live in these areas who really annoy me by talking the biggest heap of rubbish about a country they claim to be citizens of.
The media, popular culture and even reference books(!) get this stuff wrong all the time. It is not rocket science!
So, in my trademark annoyingly-pedantic style, I shall explain everything.
Hmm. Let’s have a look at what has happened since the 10th of November protest (or what the English would refer to as a “riot”).
We have been betrayed by some sneaky Lib Dem chaps, lied to by politicians (per usual), kettled into tiny spaces by laughably incompetent police policy, demonised into thugs by right-of-centre tabloid readers and upper-middle class folk with nicely-kept gardens and then lied to some more by politicians.
Almost Saint Patrick’s again – and I thought I’d share a nifty tool with you to help you get through St Paddy’s Day internet surfing without ripping your hair out due to “Patty”-related stress.
If you aren’t familiar with it already, I’ll explain:
Every year at this time, Irish people and those of Irish descent, like myself, have to constantly correct people using the term “St. Patty’s“. Generally, the term is used by American (and possibly some Canadian) Plastic-Paddys, who have likely gained the phrase due to American misunderstanding of the word “Paddy” – think about it, in a generic US accent, “Patty” and “Paddy” sound pretty much the same because they don’t enunciate their ‘T’s.
Every year I have to keep asking who this ‘Patty’ chick is. After all, Patty is a female name – hardly relevant to St. Patrick I would think.
This is explained in a magnificent comedic Irish fashion on the webpage PaddyNotPatty.com, which heads up the forefront in the fight against “Pattyism”.
So here’s a tool for you. Below is a link.
Drag it into your Bookmarks toolbar or menu, and whenever you see the word “Patty” on a website, give that link a click.
Your problems will suddenly go away.
Cheers. And have a good one.
Here’s a selection of my favourite YouTube videos of recent times. In my #2 instalment, I’ll be researching some recently added YouTube videos, so be sure to comment or Tweet your favourites.
These are in no particular order; just 8 of my favourites from the six months or so, with summaries.
