Comments on: Goodies from the UK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:26:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: The Tea Tastes Great, So I Must Be In… | Cosmic Variance http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4905 The Tea Tastes Great, So I Must Be In… | Cosmic Variance Thu, 18 May 2006 05:27:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4905 [...] And then, when I can get away, I think I’ll go to some old haunts to drink it all in, such as South Kensington, Bloomsbury, and Soho. I’ll go to a John Lewis to buy some household items like one or two more pieces of the Denby Greenwich dining set and a set of place mats and coasters, have a look in some museums and bookshops, and -oh yes- I’ll definitely buy some essential food items to take back with me: Green and Black’s chocoloates, Malden Sea Salt, good English Breakfast tea, etc, etc. (Must also remember to get some Hendrick’s gin on the way back through Heathrow.) See here for a previous haul my mum brought me when she visited last. [...] […] And then, when I can get away, I think I’ll go to some old haunts to drink it all in, such as South Kensington, Bloomsbury, and Soho. I’ll go to a John Lewis to buy some household items like one or two more pieces of the Denby Greenwich dining set and a set of place mats and coasters, have a look in some museums and bookshops, and -oh yes- I’ll definitely buy some essential food items to take back with me: Green and Black’s chocoloates, Malden Sea Salt, good English Breakfast tea, etc, etc. (Must also remember to get some Hendrick’s gin on the way back through Heathrow.) See here for a previous haul my mum brought me when she visited last. […]

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4904 Adam Mon, 06 Feb 2006 18:33:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4904 Even better, I am shipping my mother out, curtainmaker extraordinaire, for the rest of the house. Just wanted some quick curtains for a couple of rooms (guestroom and master bedroom). There are plenty more to be done, though. Even better, I am shipping my mother out, curtainmaker extraordinaire, for the rest of the house. Just wanted some quick curtains for a couple of rooms (guestroom and master bedroom). There are plenty more to be done, though.

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4903 Clifford Mon, 06 Feb 2006 18:27:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4903 Yes, curtains are expensive. Consider making your own. It's trivial, fun, and waaaaay cheaper. -cvj Yes, curtains are expensive. Consider making your own. It’s trivial, fun, and waaaaay cheaper.

-cvj

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4902 Adam Mon, 06 Feb 2006 18:18:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4902 Ah yes, been writing computer programs. And moving house, and the like. I had never even thought about curtains before, really. It turns out that they can be quite expensive. On the plus side, the local supermarket has added Ribena to the 'British foods' selection and I can still buy ESB in bottles up here (not sure if I could get them in Princeton, but the bottles do taste pretty good). Ah yes, been writing computer programs. And moving house, and the like. I had never even thought about curtains before, really. It turns out that they can be quite expensive.

On the plus side, the local supermarket has added Ribena to the ‘British foods’ selection and I can still buy ESB in bottles up here (not sure if I could get them in Princeton, but the bottles do taste pretty good).

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4900 Clifford Fri, 03 Feb 2006 18:33:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4900 Noooo! That's bad. Hey Adam... long time since I've heard from you! -cvj Noooo! That’s bad. Hey Adam… long time since I’ve heard from you!

-cvj

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4901 Adam Fri, 03 Feb 2006 15:57:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4901 With regard to my earlier post, it seems that the Alchemist and Barrister in Princeton has now stopped serving Fuller's ESB. The swine. With regard to my earlier post, it seems that the Alchemist and Barrister in Princeton has now stopped serving Fuller’s ESB. The swine.

]]> By: janet http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4899 janet Wed, 12 Oct 2005 17:52:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4899 Arrgh, I did it again. I got confused about two threads. The whole bit about Harry Potter was supposed to go in the "Visitors as Pleasant Distractions" thread. Maybe I should just go back to bed.... Arrgh, I did it again. I got confused about two threads. The whole bit about Harry Potter was supposed to go in the “Visitors as Pleasant Distractions” thread. Maybe I should just go back to bed….

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4898 Adam Wed, 12 Oct 2005 17:02:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4898 I'd rather listen to an hour of Keillor singing than that third Kate Bush song, however. My tolerance for understated, self-deprecating humour, on the other hand, is high. I’d rather listen to an hour of Keillor singing than that third Kate Bush song, however.

My tolerance for understated, self-deprecating humour, on the other hand, is high.

]]> By: janet http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4897 janet Wed, 12 Oct 2005 15:22:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4897 Clifford, I think the degree to which the text of the Potter books has been changed for the American market has been exaggerated, mainly by people who were (rightly, I think) aggravated by the change of the first book's title. Something like 35 words were changed in the first book, and in later books most if not all of the British idioms remain -- there is a great deal of snogging in the most recent one, and they wear trainers and jumpers and so forth, the Quidditch pitch is a pitch, not a field. My husband, purist that he is, always insists on getting the British editions. I haven't gone through any of them with a fine-toothed comb to compare them to the American editions, but as far as I can tell the main difference is that the spelling and punctuation have been changed to the American style, something that is done with virtually all British books published in the US (and the same is done in reverse). The differences in covers and that first book's title are the kinds of decisions that are made by marketing in the publishing industry. It's very amusing to analyze the differences in the cover art -- my favorite covers for the books are the German ones, because they are just so German! See: http://www.carlsen-harrypotter.de/basic1/buecher/content.html Re Garrison Keillor: When I hear him singing on the radio, I change the channel almost as fast as I do when I hear George W. Bush's voice. As for the rest of the show, there's only so much understated, self-deprecating humor I can take.... Clifford, I think the degree to which the text of the Potter books has been changed for the American market has been exaggerated, mainly by people who were (rightly, I think) aggravated by the change of the first book’s title. Something like 35 words were changed in the first book, and in later books most if not all of the British idioms remain — there is a great deal of snogging in the most recent one, and they wear trainers and jumpers and so forth, the Quidditch pitch is a pitch, not a field. My husband, purist that he is, always insists on getting the British editions. I haven’t gone through any of them with a fine-toothed comb to compare them to the American editions, but as far as I can tell the main difference is that the spelling and punctuation have been changed to the American style, something that is done with virtually all British books published in the US (and the same is done in reverse).

The differences in covers and that first book’s title are the kinds of decisions that are made by marketing in the publishing industry. It’s very amusing to analyze the differences in the cover art — my favorite covers for the books are the German ones, because they are just so German! See:

http://www.carlsen-harrypotter.de/basic1/buecher/content.html

Re Garrison Keillor: When I hear him singing on the radio, I change the channel almost as fast as I do when I hear George W. Bush’s voice. As for the rest of the show, there’s only so much understated, self-deprecating humor I can take….

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4896 Adam Wed, 12 Oct 2005 10:55:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/10/09/goodies-from-the-uk/#comment-4896 I figure he's just like the aunt who got told 40 years ago that they could sing well and hasn't re-evaluated since, terrorising every christmas gathering since with her tremulous version of 'In the Bleak Midwinter'. I figure he’s just like the aunt who got told 40 years ago that they could sing well and hasn’t re-evaluated since, terrorising every christmas gathering since with her tremulous version of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’.

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