Quote from: FierceKitty on 14 February 2014, 09:22:11 AM
you're typing fingers, surely?

Oh, all right - it's a waste of skin off one's typing fingers. Happy now?

Quote from: Techno on 14 February 2014, 08:22:59 AM
I'm back....(Bet nobody noticed I'd gone... )

Given the various posts above, I suppose that apostrophes are more important than buckets of stuff. 

But good to have you back, and also good that the worst seems to be over. 

Quote from: FierceKitty on 14 February 2014, 09:22:11 AM
you're typing fingers, surely?

Nope, that's an unnecessary apostrophe (or was it irony again, it's so hard to tell  )

Quote from: Zippee on 14 February 2014, 08:26:53 AM
Did you miss the ones from "Don't" and "it's" on purpose or accident - just trying to work out how subtle your sense of irony is  

Quite deliberate.  

BTW, Techno: Hope everything's all right with you.

Quote from: Techno on 14 February 2014, 08:22:59 AM
Cheers - Phil. (And many thanks to Leon for sending an e'mail for me.)

No worries.

Ouch hope everything is OK at Techno Towers now...

Just a few relatively trivial things to 'get sorted'.  ....Thanks for asking though.
Cheers - Phil

I know how you feel with the septic tank - had to clear out a blocked sewage pipe with my hands (in gloves obviously) once due to idiots trying to flush paper towels 

Hope things are calming down now Phil.

Makes the 4 inches of water on half my garden look very minor. 

Phew, was getting worried you were okay Phil.
Good luck this weekend.

Since elements of this thread have wandered into a discussion on punctation, may I ask what the assembled ladies, gentlemen, and Fentons of the Forum think of the Oxford comma?   

An interesting,little,group!, the oxford comma: though personally I dont' believe in their;political views'.

Quote from: fsn on 14 February 2014, 12:43:34 PM
Since elements of this thread have wandered into a discussion on punctation, may I ask what the assembled ladies, gentlemen, and Fentons of the Forum think of the Oxford comma?   

Should be universally employed; it clarifies things and makes distinctions possible which are a real benefit to the language.

AND I'm a Cambridge man reluctantly saying it!

Since FierceKitty is in favour it may come as no surprise that I find the Oxford, or Harvard, comma an irritating and pretentious irrelevance. Never found an instance where it made a sentence any clearer to me.

FK and I clearly have differing views on grammar and usage.

However, the complexity, richness and options for nuance are what make English such a wonderful language, IMHO.

Quote from: mad lemmey on 14 February 2014, 11:41:48 AM
Phew, was getting worried you were okay Phil.Good luck this weekend.

Just bloomin' 'orrible over here Will....No worse than that.

Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 14 February 2014, 10:42:17 AM
I know how you feel with the septic tank - had to clear out a blocked sewage pipe with my hands (in gloves obviously) once due to idiots trying to flush paper towels  :-&Hope things are calming down now Phil.Makes the 4 inches of water on half my garden look very minor. 

.....It never rains (HAH !!) etc.

Had to get a nice man round to empty the cesspit this morning....Before it DID get out of hand.....And eff about with the M-I-Laws 'mini tank' when the alarm went off again....shrieking away !
"Can't you hear the alarm going off, Mum ?"
"No.....I'm not deaf though."

Hmmm.....

Under control (At the moment !)

And....FSN.....No comments about 'mini-tanks'.

Cheers - Mr Exhausted. (But I have actually HAVE got some work done !)

There are things, dear Techno,  that even I won't joke about. Septic tanks are one of them, but you must name it "Goliath". Hope everything gets sorted out for you.

Quote from: Ithoriel on 14 February 2014, 01:59:51 PM
Since FierceKitty is in favour it may come as no surprise that I find the Oxford, or Harvard, comma an irritating and pretentious irrelevance. Never found an instance where it made a sentence any clearer to me.

"We studied William and Mary, Sage and Onion, Purple, Salt and Pepper"
"We studied William and Mary, Sage and Onion, Purple, Salt, and Pepper"

My point exactly fsn.

Makes no difference, you're still studying the same things.

It's too elitist! I prefer the Lancaster semi-colon!

Quote from: fsn on 14 February 2014, 04:18:44 PM
"We studied William and Mary, Sage and Onion, Purple, Salt and Pepper"
"We studied William and Mary, Sage and Onion, Purple, Salt, and Pepper"

There is one who gets your point. Be of good cheer.

nSFW but kind of sums it up!