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Tyke51, I had to lie down in a darkened room after reading your post - the 'decision' as a verb gave me a real shudder.

Jigjag, thanks for looking out for the interests of Forum users. Your stock has gone up in my eyes, after your shared that information with us. As a pedant, I never like speculating anyway, certainty is more my thing!

"One Alaska man who solicited Andes Safari Peru’s services accrued some 5,000 mounted birds—many of which he had taxidermied himself."

A true pedant could dine out, metaphorically of course, for some time, on this sentence quoted from a news report

Nice one Hannah - I hope the Alaska man gets taxidermied along with the reporter!

Malone

Thanks for your comments. I read today that after one merger is off, another (of sorts) is on, with the proposed Marks and Spencer/Ocado joint venture. I don' t know anything about Ocado, apart from my on-line purchase of an avocado for Valentines Day a couple of weeks ago. There will surely be scope for Pedantic involvement though.

Tyke and Hannah

I heard the comment as I was driving but didn't catch who said it. An ex-minister who cannot construct a simple sentence! It is typical of politicians though. They just say anything and are not challenged. I don't know why the reporter did not tell her to "Get stuffed", if I can combine 2 postings.

Jigjag, are you the Chair/Chairman/Convenor/President of the Mergers and Acquisitions Department of PU? If so, you are doing a sterling job... and if not, you should be!

I know very little about Ocado, other than the fact I dislike the name. Whenever I see it, I immediately think it's a mangled version of No Can Do, which is a less than ideal name for a company. There's a small glimmer of hope to be gained from a Marks and Spencer/Ocado merger. I'd love to be able to say - on the phone, in the house, anywhere - 'sorry, can't stop, I'm on my way to the Markado'. Some people might then assume I'm a light opera buff.

Malone

I don't know about a sterling job, though I suppose I had one when I worked in foreign exchange in the bank. Pity it was not in Scotland or it could have been a Stirling Sterling Job.

I love all your No Can Do and Markado stuff. That's very funny. I predict one thing, and for once I am being serious, it will not be long before the Financial Press refers to the venture as Markado. Well done for creating the name.

Jigjag, glad you liked my No Can Do and Markado nonsense! I quite like the latter as it is redolent of 'mercado', which I'm sure is the word for 'market' in other languages. The homophone part isn't great, of course - Markado/Mikado/Mercado - but it's better than some specimens wr've had in crosswords.


I'm sure you really were a 'sterling' employee. As an alternative to Stirling, you could, of course, have worked in Paysley (oops, Paisley) or Monifeith (which is, of course, pronounced Moneyfeith).

Malone

Your Markado is even better than I realised. I didn't think of the mercado connection. Very clever.

The homophone works for me. Although I pronounce the 3 words slightly differently, many people here shorten the first vowel so we get "M'kado" for all of them. Your ideas give rise to some nice clues e.g.

"No Can Do" - slogan for anonymous grocer (5)

New venture provides light opera for the audience at Spanish market (7)

.............or similar

I hadn't heard of Monifeith, but I agree, any foreign exchange trader could be described as a "Money Thief", with high "commissions" if that's what you meant!

Any body listening to the radio commentary on Chelsea v Spurs last night would have been surprised to hear that the first goal went through Lloris'seses legs.

The collapse in the Marks and Spencer share price yesterday had nothing to do with the proposed joint venture with Ocado. It is thought to be related to the results of the “re-branding” pilot exercise carried out recently in North Wales.

For those who missed it, Marks and Spencer were impressed when Sainsbury changed to Sainsbury’s because “that what customers call us”. So M&S consulted the public and the results were announced at the company’s flagship shop in Mynydd Isa yesterday.

Head of Re-branding, Ena Kwondy said “We are thrilled at all the names customers call us, and we have drawn up a short-list which will now be placed in a wider forum for its members to choose one name which will be used throughout the UK.” She presented the following list, chosen for its “catchiness and symmetry”.

Mark’s and Spencer
Spencer and Mark’s
Mark’ses and Spencer’ses
Spencer’ses and Mark’ses
M&S
S&M
Saint Michael
Michael Saint

It is though that the “wider forum” must be this one, as all Pedants would prefer one name.