Loved this headline in the Sun today, one of our tabloids.

UNI BOFFIN QUIZZED ON CROSSBOW CANNIBAL KILLINGS

No hint of sensationalism there, then!

Wow! That could peobably win a prize for an archetypal Sun headline.

If anyone's interested, the story is online at http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/ho...s/article2989311.ece

I particularly liked this part:

quote:

A neighbour described him as an "oddball" who often wears a long leather coat.

For a rather less excitable account, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/eng...rkshire/10169376.stm

Does Rupert Murdoch own that rag? Its tone is very much like that of the Fox network, our tabloid television network.

quote:

Does Rupert Murdoch own that rag?

Yes, indeed.

By contrast, he also owns the much-revered* Times.

*Well, it's revered less since he bought it, but it is still well-regarded.

What a headline! And I wonder what's wrong with a long leather coat. I'd love one!

Bob, what is your new avatar?

Er... It's the same avatar I've had for about five years.

And today's follow up headline, nearly as good is



I SAW CROSSBOW CANNIBAL EAT LIVE RAT

It's the same avatar I've had for about five years.

It looked different to me, and now it is gone.

quote:

Er... It's the same avatar I've had for about five years.

On my screen, the cat is gone, though now I see how it's your old avatar, covered-up. Last night I thought it was a new one.

Does it look the same to you, Bob?

I've done nothing to it though I have noticed in the past that it doesn't always work with firefox.

It initially appeared when I entered the thread, then it hid behind a box. Maybe you DO live in a Lewis Carroll world, Bob!

That's it, Bob. I can see your avatar in IE and Chrome, but now I can't view it in Firefox. The odd part is that I've always used Firefox (and I will continue to use it), and it wasn't until this thread that I couldn't see it.

It seems that the police have developed a liking for human flesh in the latest episode of this news story.

CANNIBAL COPS FIND KILLER'S KIT

"Kit," as in an animal's pup? He's reproducing?

I think in this case it means "gear consisting of a set of articles or tools for a specified purpose" - presumably his crossbow and other stuff. I haven't read the article, so I don't know for sure. For all I know he may have adopted a young fox or other animal's offspring, though.

Or eaten one.

quote:

Originally posted by arnie:
I think in this case it means "gear consisting of a set of articles or tools for a specified purpose"

I've heard various UK English speakers saying, "That's a nice bit of kit." That seems to be an idiom that hasn't crossed the pond yet. How old is it there?

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How old is it there?

Hard to tell but I believe next week it's a kitten.

It's been aound at least since WWI's Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag which can be heard here.

kit

Amongst the 10 different entries for kit in the OED2 (online), the earliest citation for one meaning "A collection of articles (called articles of kit) forming part of the equipment of a soldier, and carried in a valise or knapsack; also, the valise containing these, or this with its contents; sometimes = outfit, ‘turn-out’, uniform." is 1785. Other slightly different for pertinent meanings range from the early 19th century onwards.