IntenseDebate - skittlesandbeer

5 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Monstrous ... · 1 reply · +9 points

I know, I've been reading your comments.

5 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Monstrous ... · 0 replies · +64 points

Yes, this scene is supposed to indicate that Tonker and Lofty are a couple:

“But Lofty and Tonker…” Polly began, running to keep up. “I mean, the way they act, they…I thought she was his girl…but I thought Tonker…I mean, I know Lofty is a gi—”
Even in the dark, Maladict’s teeth gleamed as he smiled.
“The world’s certainly unfolding itself for you, eh? Ozzer? Every day, something new. Crossdressing now, I see.”

I'd be hard-pressed to say in what sense the world is unfolding itself for Ozzer if they're just supposed to be gal pals. Would she be surprised by the existence of gals who are pals?

5 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Monstrous ... · 2 replies · +3 points

V zbhfgnpur lbh n dhrfgvba: jung qbrf guvf zrna "(Nccneragyl, Cengpurgg rvgure oryvrirf gung jbzra tebj n zbhfgnpur be gung, vs gurl qb vg'f abg fbzrguvat gb zragvba.)"? Orpnhfr V srry yvxr lbh znqr n glcb urer be fbzrguvat, orpnhfr V'z pbashfrq. Lbh'er nqibpngvat gung Cengpurgg fubhyq be fubhyqa'g unir zber zbhfgnpurq jbzra va guvf obbx?

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'The Last H... · 0 replies · +17 points

The meaning of "republican" in question is the dictionary definition. They're pro-republic, unlike your standard bees which are pro-monarchy. So they vote for more honey rather than getting shit done like your standard bees which labor under repressive autocrats. Surprisingly relevant to this section, in which a repressive autocrat kicks some butts into gear.

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'The Scienc... · 0 replies · +5 points

Ah, yes it is.Whoops! Intensedebate requires quotation marks around links, doesn't it...

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'The Scienc... · 2 replies · +2 points

We like the moon 'cos it is close to us!

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Thief of T... · 1 reply · +9 points

Oh, I like the Gricean maxims! I think about them a lot when I'm writing dialog in fiction. You know, if one character says to the other, "Could you wind my Procrastinator?" and the other says, "You don't need it," since the maxim of relation is just understood she doesn't need to say, "You don't need it, so I am not going to wind it." She wouldn't have said "you don't need it" if it wasn't relevant to whether she's going to wind it, so it just goes without saying that that thing's not getting wound.

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Thief of T... · 2 replies · +20 points

I wonder if the "wind me up" joke might've been a bit opaque to some American readers? In British English, "to wind someone up" means to mock them, which is why when Lobsang tells Susan to wind him up she lets loose with the "you are thoughtless and impulsive and deserve to die a stupid and pointless death" bit.

That went over my head the first time I read it since it seemed like something she'd say anyway, but yeah, it's a play on words.

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Thief of T... · 1 reply · +19 points

The "Where doeth it thay 'we'?" comment also reminded me of an old joke about the Lone Ranger and Tonto being cornered by Native American warriors. The Lone Ranger turns to Tonto and goes, "Oh, no, Tonto, looks like we're in trouble now!" and Tonto just says, "What do you mean 'we', kemosabe*?"

*different versions use "paleface" or "white man" instead

6 years ago @ Mark Reads - Mark Reads 'Thief of T... · 0 replies · +20 points

I kind of want to think that Lu-Tze knows there's a genuine chance a tiny old man is gonna lose a fight with a regular-sized 18-year-old boy and just likes to catch people coming and going -- they avoid fighting him because he's tiny and they feel bad, they avoid fighting him because he's tiny and therefore obviously has a trick up his sleeve, or both. If no one ever fights you, you don't even have to be good at it!

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