To PS-sssst’s penchant for pedantry now with a mean little dig at a tiny typing error that sees one of Australia’s’ most popular and successful institutions relocate itself half way round the world.
Explaining that the brilliantly excellent National Portrait Gallery in Canberra has closed its doors for a few months while building repairs are carried out, the Gallery Director went to commendable lengths to assure portrait lovers that all would not be lost during the forced eviction.
“We may be closed but we are certainly not taking a break,” the Director explained assuringly.
“We are off on an adventure around Australia – so if you cannot come to us, we are going to try and come to you.”
Expanding on her explanation, the Director revealed that the Gallery’s popular touring exhibitions would continue, but with a team of staff members and a videographer added to them “to present tailored community and school programs around the county”.
Good luck to them finding a ‘county’ in Australia.
On the bright side however if they do, it would certainly make a good videograph!
Contra diction in terms
Many thanks now to Haydn D of Sydney for alerting PS-sssst! to the existence of everyday words in the English language that fall under the description ‘schizophrenic’ inasmuch as they manage to harbour two different meanings, each of which can be the opposite of the other.
Known politely as ‘contronyms’ the words add to the mystery that is the English language, adding another reasonable reason to the case against English which recommends that it only be used to communicate when all else fails.
According to Haydn, ‘Strike” is a contronym as it can be used to mean ‘hit’ and, as in baseball, also mean ‘miss’.
Other examples are ‘Bolt’ which can mean hold together and run away; ‘Garnish’ which means add to (as in a dish) or take away (as in wages); and ‘Hold up’ which means support and at the same time means stop happening.
As always, PS-sssst! is sure PS News’s learned, erudite and educated readership will have their own intriguing suggestions to share so more fabulous book prizes are on offer for the most interesting or entertaining contributions.
Send your favourites to [email protected] as there’s bound to be many readers keen to join in the fun.
Live giveaway!
Another round of gratuitous giveaways now as Rama the Reviewer shares the spoils of kindness and digs deep into her handbag from heaven to make more lucky readers of PS News better off.
This week Rama is offering copies of the DVD thriller The Last Witness starring Alex Pettyfer and Michael Gambon to three readers who could name the unsettling historical events that form the basis of the movie.
The answer was the Katyn massacre in Poland in the Spring of 1940 and the first three correct entries to emerge from the PS News Barrel of Booty belonged to Mark D from the Federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in NSW; Serena L from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, and Todd H from theDepartment of Social Services in WA.
Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who took part in the fun. The prize DVDs will be on the way to their new owners shortly.
For this week’s chance to join Rama’s Army of worthy winners simply visit her ‘Pick of the Flicks” DVD review at this PS News link and try your hand at conquering her quiz.
Good luck to all who do.
Di vest?
And finally, with the Federal Election in full swing and the nation’s attention relentlessly focussed on election promises and their costs, PS-sssst! wonders if it’s alone lamenting the choice of words employed on all sides of the debate to support the fate the funds face.
As a simple taxpayer, PS-sssst! knows from the pain of the past that every dollar magnanimously spent by politicians on their political promises belongs first to the people and with the greatest respect to the nation’s leaders, few taxpayers would be happy to hear that their hard-earned money is being ‘invested’ in various projects and programs when a more prudent Government would simply ‘allocate’ it.
Till next time…..
