Two old posts have attracted interesting comments in the last day or two:
1. In answer to my query of August 12th, an alumnus of Holt High School in Alabama reveals that the women's teams are the "Lady Ironmen". That's almost as bad as the University of Rhode Island, where the men's teams are the 'Rhode Island Rams' and the cheerleaders are the 'Ramettes'. Though 'embraceable Ewes' would be a little too cute, surely something better than 'Ramettes' could be found?
2. My post on the 'Million Pound March' of obese Canadians demanding free operations (August 2nd) has attracted a comment from Moira Barber, quoted in the story I linked as "founder of Weight Loss Surgery Advocacy Ontario". Her statement that "Obesity is the last acceptable prejudice" would be more convincing if she did not begin her comment like this (spelling and punctuation hers, not mine):
American's never ever cease to amaze me with your ignorant attitudes towards Canadian's. American's are more obese per capita than us Canadian's or have you not been listening to the National Institute of Health?
We also don't have a three tiered health system but give it time and Canada will be just like the USA a over populated self indulgent place where money is the only true god.
There's more, but I think it's obvious that Ms Barber needs to work on her own bigotry. Also her false imputations: I was certainly not a bully in high school, as she boldly assumes.
Posted by Dr. Weevil at August 31, 2002 12:30 AMWhile there seem to be a couple ways to take a masculine, or neutral, word and turn it into a feminine word by adding a suffix, are there any ways to take a feminine word and turn it into a masculine word in such a manner?
Your letter writer must be using a fake name. All true Moiras invariably use perfect grammar and punctuation. (And are also all killingly svelte.)
As for sports teams, nothing tops South Florida's "Lady Bulls".
Posted by: Moira on August 31, 2002 07:16 PMre:sports teams, I'm partial to the University of Delaware fightin' Blue Hens (mens) and (presumably)
"Lady Blue Hens" for the womens teams.
Posted by: brian on August 31, 2002 07:35 PM
As a Canadian, I am offended and apologise for the remarks sent to you by Miss Rotundity. From my perspective, she has offended thrice; please ignore her, or pass her to WarBloggerWatch to improve their collective intellect.
Cheers
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs on August 31, 2002 10:07 PM"Obese per capita"? Is she suggesting that we are fatheads?
Posted by: CGHill on August 31, 2002 10:11 PMI'd say something snarky to Miss Barber, but I've got to go clean my money shrine. There's candle wax all over the little Mammon figure.
Posted by: Andrea Harris on September 2, 2002 12:25 AMA) I nominate the University of South Carolina's Lady Gamecocks ("Go Lady Cocks!"). I liked the Blue Hens comment, perfect inversion. A Blue Hen is, I hear, a breed of fighting chicken. The ones that fight are, you guessed it, cocks.
B) Only Canadians that have never had a serious health problem are in awe of the Canadian healthcare system. Patients in need of, say, a bypass operation routinely travel south to get one.
Posted by: David Perron on September 3, 2002 02:25 PMAt URI, the women's athletic teams are known as the WRAMS--Women Rams--EEK!
Steve
Posted by: steevil on September 4, 2002 12:13 AMMoira (the weighty one) provided a tedious rant in my comments section as well. She must be googling herself. A sight not to be missed, I'm sure.
Posted by: Cracker Barrel Philosopher on September 5, 2002 11:51 PM