tsuwm's worthless word for today

the worthless word for the day is: algorism

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[ad. mL. > Arab. al-Khuwarizmi (Arab mathematician)]
the Arabic, or decimal system of numeration;
hence, arithmetic

(to be confused with, ultimately the source of, algorithm)

"Al-Kuwarizmi's Algebra is a collection of rules for the
solution of linear and quadratic equations, elementary
geometric propositions and more mundane inheritance
problems involving the distribution of money. The word
"algorism" is derived from Al-Kuwarizmi's name."
- A. T. Haft et al., The Key to the Name of the Rose

"..a denial that at best is swamped by the uselessness
of the effort, the ninny teaching algorisms in some hazy
university to grubby grinds or colonels' daughters."
- Julio Cortazar, Hopscotch

My dear tsuwn, you must stay out of the attic reading all those tomes of definitions past. Your word of today is yet alive and has great currency in certain quarters, as defined...

algorism: the delusional idea that one has done something fantastic. As in..."I invented the internet". -Al Gore

Not to be confused with the term "alegorecal" which means "making up fantistic stories about which four-legged animal won the last presidental election".

Good words.

Geez, Milo. You think Ron Obvious didn't consider that? (you're getting to be a pain in the a$$ again, btw)

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Geez, Milo. You think Ron Obvious didn't consider that? (you're getting to be a pain in the a$$ again, btw)

Hmm. Direct insults are not allowed on this board (I thought).
Hmm. Maybe they are if they are from you. Hmm.

>Geez, Milo. You think Ron Obvious didn't consider that?

and, predictably, I received some email; e.g.
What? no "Al Gore-ism" jokes? I'm disappointed.

maybe I should invite that young lady to come here and be appointed.

So is that a hobson-jobson?

Not to be confused with the term "alegorecal" which means "making up fantistic stories about which four-legged animal won the last presidental election".

Uh, that was two "elections" ago.

(just to keep the history straight...I'm a member of the local Civil War Roundtable, we're all sticklers for historical accuracy, you know...)

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Uh, that was two "elections" ago.

(just to keep the history straight...I'm a member of the local Civil War Roundtable, we're all sticklers for historical accuracy, you know...)

So right you really are, you good looking correcting devil.
It was indeed that the last TWO presidental elections were won by our most beloved President Bush.

What a guy.

lol.
He was just trying to make a joke...

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Uh, that was two "elections" ago.

(just to keep the history straight...I'm a member of the local Civil War Roundtable, we're all sticklers for historical accuracy, you know...)

So right you really are, you good looking correcting devil.
It was indeed that the last TWO presidental elections were won by our most beloved President Bush.

What a guy.

There's a most beloved president Bush?

We should nomiate the president for the Star of the "Burning Bush" party.

As a reminder to those that have been here awhile and a guide for those new to this board:

We have determined it is to the benefit of the board that political and religious topics not be discussed here. Occasionally, something political or religious will spark a word-related discussion. In that case, please remember that personal philosophies on these matters are apt to cause more trouble than they are worth.

Welcome to all the nu-bees.

I hate politics and religion debates, they always divide people, even if they're good friends.

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I hate politics and religion debates, they always divide people, even if they're good friends.

We KNEW we liked you. Or at least I do!

I guess I am the nubin of which he speaks of, sorry.

Just thought I'd make a lame joke, you know the Burning Bush, and literaly burning Bush. I thought was funny, and lets not forget the other kind of bush that has a burning sensation.

Such coarse language is likely to make the gutter police crabby.

oh, nether mind...

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Such coarse language is likely to make the gutter police crabby.

Scratch that, Alex!

Sorry to pick at nits but all the digressions are really lousing up this discussion.

Watch it there, buboe, or you're gonna really make me upset!

edited typo

>all the digressions are really lousing up this discussion.

which discussion would that be, Alex?!

TEd why must you plague me so with your punning?

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TEd why must you plague me so with your punning?

Getting a bit tse-tse there, m'friend? Bill told me you were one of those who knew-monic-a's a plague before she was an intern. That woulda been after you were, I suspect. Oh, dengue. Was that the Fifth Disease we mentioned or not? Or would that be a horse of a different cholera?

PS for anyone who is struggling here, there is a communicable disease called Fifth Disease. It's a human parvovirus and is called that because it's fifth in frequency of rash-producing childhood diseases.

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PS for anyone who is struggling here, there is a communicable disease called Fifth Disease. It's a human parvovirus and is called that because it's fifth in frequency of rash-producing childhood diseases.

...and it's certainly nothing to scrofula at.

Someone want to wake me up when this pun storm is over?

> storm is over?

It suggests a coinage...

punis enlargement - an overblown dose of polysemy that, to some observers, merely sucks. ;]

Statler and Waldorf have spoken.

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So right you really are, you good looking correcting devil.
It was indeed that the last TWO presidental elections were won by our most beloved President Bush.

What a guy.

There's a most beloved president Bush?

Surely for the prescriptivists amongst us, that should be more beloved President Bush, since there have only been two President Bushes so far.

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Surely for the prescriptivists amongst us, that should be more beloved President Bush �

Whereas the descriptivist will note that sometimes the superlative is used merely to denote a greater degree than is implied by the comparative. E.g., that was a most interesting comment, Bingley.

Whether or not our current President Bush could even follow this discussion is a most interesting idea, but then again I don't wish to discuss politics in the least.

> I don't wish to discuss politics in the least.

So bring on the most exhaustive detail...

Whether or not our current President Bush could even follow this discussion is a most interesting idea, but then again I don't wish to discuss politics in the least.

The more current Bush's intelligence, or lack thereof, is not really a political matter but a mental one. Then again, any issue can be made politic.