Happy birthday this 12th August to ...

[snorkackcatcher]

kerrymdb!

Regarding my take on the latest Deletegate controversy -- well, the summary version (a longer post may follow if I have the energy) is that I've set up JF, GJ, and IJ accounts under the same pen-name just in case, but I'm not planning on going anywhere unless HP fandom migrates en masse. Since that would require HP fandom to actually agree on something en masse, this is, let's face it, unlikely.

Lyrics: As I remember, the last one was Billy Bragg's great Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards from 1984. Unfortunately, nobody knew it. :( So let's try something that might be more recognisable, although a little less ... up to date:

I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse (1870s)

Comments

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

Aha! I know that one (Am-dram parents much to my shame...;p). It's "I Am The Very Model of A Modern Major General" from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance. :)

[snorkackcatcher]

Yep. :)

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

I am the very model of a modern major-general
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical...

My own favourite bit:

I know our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's;
I answer hard acrostics, I've a pretty taste for paradox,
I quote in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus...

Because I find hardly anyone but me remembers all the crimes of Heliogabalus, except for Neil Gaiman who wrote an entertaining online comic about him which I cannot find anymore, which is a pity.

By Gilbert and Sullivan, from the Pirates of Penzance, anyway.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I remember Heliogabalus! Among other things, he smothers guests in rose petals in an Alma-Tadema painting.

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

I remember that each time I watch the movie "Gladiator" where there are rosepetals coming from the sky, apparently.

A psycho, but a psycho with tremendous style.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

a psycho with tremendous style

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<i/i>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<i>a psycho with tremendous style<i/i>

Presumably if you can convince Romans that you are an inventive psycho, you can convince anyone.

[snorkackcatcher]

Damn. I shall have to look the man up now, because I don't. The non-benefits of a non-classical education, I guess.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I first came across him in an art book - I doubt he gets into the standard Horatius holding the bridge style of classical education. He does not appear to have been a man who believed in "play up and play the game!"

[snorkackcatcher]

No ... I found him on Wikipedia (so obviously that must be accurate). I get the impression that beng psychotic, or at least brutal, was a basic minimum qualification for being Emperor of Rome at this period.

[snorkackcatcher]

It is indeed.

I must confess, I've actually no idea who Heliogabalus is. Obviously I am unsuited for senior rank in today's armed forces.

[tree_and_leaf]

I am the very model of a modern major-general!

WS Gilbert, of course, and much pariodied since (I saw a particularly good Lord of the Rings one somewhere, with Theoden singing.)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Personally, my favourites are the Xena and Snape versions.

[tree_and_leaf]

The Xena one's particularly good. Especially the footnotes.

[snorkackcatcher]

Very nice. :)

[snorkackcatcher]

Yep! I must look out for that.

[tree_and_leaf]

It's here: http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/theories/medieval.htm

[snorkackcatcher]

Thanks. I guess I can see why the linguistic bits might appeal. :)

[dreamer-marie.livejournal.com]

I've just friended you on JF.

[snorkackcatcher]

Right you are. :) (Mind you, whenever I venture over there JF's server seems particularly 'robust', so I'm not sure it's a good long-term bet.)

[kerrymdb.livejournal.com]

Well, everyone's already shouted out the answer, so I won't bother. I love that song, though.

Thank you for the birthday wishes! I had a lovely day. :D

[snorkackcatcher]

You're welcome. :)