Today is SHARK AWARENESS Day.

I can see how shark awareness could be a good thing, especially in the ocean.


See? Grammar is important.
Alex reminded me that Tower Records has this big-ass billboard on EDSA that proclaims, "We have better music than the one you're listening to." It's really tragic when people go around trying to be clever but wind up being laughable instead, due to execrable English. In mammoth red-and-yellow letters, no less.


Conversely, I found myself amused by the name of a badminton court I happened to pass by: "Shuttle's Best". Even though it was based on a terrible and virulent mispronunciation*, the joke worked for me, possibly because it seemed to imply a certain awareness of its own unmitigated corniness. Or perhaps I give them too much credit...


*Folks, it's pronounced 'see-YATl', okay? You take a 'shuttle' if you want to escape Earth's orbit, not if you're craving for coffee.

TRIVIA QUIZ
Why is it that the perimeter of most islands can be considered to be infinite? (Alex knows, 'cause he explained it to me!)


answer to yesterday's question
Although plans for a submarine were drawn up by mathematician William Bourne as early as 1578, it wasn't until 1620 that a working model was actually created. Dutch inventor Cornelius van Drebbel wrapped a rowboat tightly in waterproof leather and attached air tubes with floats to the surface for oxygen. There weren't even engines available at the time, so van Drebbel's sub was powered by oars, which exited the hull through watertight leather gaskets. With 12 men at the oars, van Drebbel successfully managed to pilot his boat beneath the Thames river for three hours.


far from sub-par: Julz, Ariel, and Charles