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Smiling Curmudgeon Profile
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Blackbird

Registered: 12-2011
Posts: 241
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Words


I'm huddled next to this dang steam-powered computer. Trying to get warm in this dank cave.

Got to thinking about words...

Brits and Canadians would say, "She's in hospital." (This crosses my mind 'cuz I'm reading a really good mystery written by a Canadian. Title is "Black Fly Season" for any of you who may enjoy mysteries.)

Americans would say, "She's in the hospital." But here's the rub. Americans would also say, "He's in jail." Not, "He's in the jail."

Someone please 'splain to me why hospitals and jails are different.

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Cur
7/26/2013, 10:35 pm Link to this post Email Smiling Curmudgeon   PM Smiling Curmudgeon Blog
 
Tinman2 Profile
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Egg

Registered: 07-2013
Posts: 44
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Re: Words


Cur.

The difference between hospitals and jails is that the food is better in jails.....though that's probably not what you were looking for...
           Tinman
7/26/2013, 11:28 pm Link to this post Email Tinman2   PM Tinman2 Blog
 
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Old Crow

Registered: 11-2011
Posts: 2147
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Re: Words


Well, I wish I could testify as to which, in my experience, had the best available cuisine.

But my one night spent in jail was food-less. And drink-less, come to think of it. Oh yeah, and blanket-less on a cold, dank night.

All in all (as in retrospect I suspect the cops planned) I learned a lesson.

To whit: Jails are no fun whatsoever and one should attempt to stay away from them.

As to hospitals, except for my Stupid Heart Attack, I never spent a night in a hospital. Because of the SHA, I spent a few.

But I'll be double-darned if I can remember a single edible aside from the Gummy Bears somebody brought me.

HOWEVER: I have spent many, many, too many hours in hospitals visiting/shepherding loved ones. And upon dozens of those occasions I have dined in the hospital cafeteria.

For good or ill, no meal sticks out in my memory. Just a bunch of bland chewing.

I guess on my scorecard, that means hospitals eke out a win.

---
You can observe a lot just by watching - Yogi Berra
7/27/2013, 1:34 am Link to this post Email Frank Baron   PM Frank Baron Blog
 
Tinman2 Profile
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Egg

Registered: 07-2013
Posts: 44
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Re: Words


I've only had one experience with jail. I was there about an hour, thirty years ago, for nonpayment of a traffic ticket. I'd been to a bar earlier with friends and when they found out I was in jail, they all hopped in a car to come rescue me. I had already made bail and met them on the front steps on my way out. The next night when I went to the bar again (it was our regular hangout) the band announced they were dedicating the next song to me. The song was Jailhouse Rock and everyone busted out laughing (don't you just love friends like that?) lol.

So, I never ate food at the jail. But after an accident, where I was hospitalized for three weeks and lost 32 pounds, I think I can say that compared to that hospital, jail food is better, otherwise the cons would starve.
7/28/2013, 2:56 am Link to this post Email Tinman2   PM Tinman2 Blog
 
Smiling Curmudgeon Profile
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Blackbird

Registered: 12-2011
Posts: 241
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Re: Words


I spent a night in custody a very long time ago.

Genghis Khan was running pretty much everything at that time.

Everbuddy knew the ol' boy was about to overrun the steppes and plains. Mebbe the entar dern world.

I was stepping quite smartly on my way to anywhere else. That was when a bunch of mean-looking guys riding small horses stopped me. Made me go with them.

Next thing I know I was dragged into a large tent or yurt or some damn thing. There, in front of me, sat Khan.

He stood, introduced himself as Genghis. I told him my name was Cur. We gabbed for a while. When he learned I could read and write, Genghis smiled wide.

I worked for him for a few years before I stole away one night when it was clear his vast army was way overextended.

I know, I know, you're wondering how this ties in to the rest of the thread.

Well, I discovered that rancid goat meat and yogurt tastes like, well, rancid goat meat and yogurt.

Over time I taught Genghis's master chef, guy name of Ramsay, how to make ground beef. After that I taught him how to make French fries. (Of course, no one had heard of France at that time, so I felt pretty good about being ahead of the curve.)

The world was never the same.

That's all I got to say on the matter.

Cur
7/28/2013, 11:43 pm Link to this post Email Smiling Curmudgeon   PM Smiling Curmudgeon Blog
 
Jena Grace Profile
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Den Mother

Registered: 08-2006
Posts: 505
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Re: Words


Well, I work on a hospital unit that essentially IS a jail and let me tell you: THE FOOD SUCKS: Teeny tiny portions of lean meat (if you can call it "meat") and a couple skimpy side dishes, all HEALTHY of course, and a piddly piece of cake for dessert. I deal with BIG GUYS--ex-cons, gang-bangers, etc.--who aren't PHYSICALLY sick, and, dammit, they're hungry! And when people are hungry, they get crabby. For breakfast they serve QUICHE! You think these people eat QUICHE? They want bacon and sausage and plate-loads of eggs or pancakes, not that sissy stuff. It's such a joke.
8/2/2013, 2:02 pm Link to this post Email Jena Grace   PM Jena Grace Blog
 
ChunkyC Profile
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Heron

Registered: 11-2011
Posts: 1401
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Re: Words


Hospital food sucks. Ice cream should be available 24/7 for tonsilectomy patients, but when I came out of the anesthetic, the kitchen was closed.

Scarred me for life, the bastids.

As for jail, I only ever went inside when playing in a band. We occasionally did gigs on the inside a-la Johnny Cash at Folsom. Anyways, never ate inside, so I can't comment on the food, though at one of the aforementioned gigs an inmate with a hungry look in his eye offered me five grand to smuggle him out in a road case. Coincidence? I wonder....

---
"The first five days after the weekend are the toughest." - A. Nonny Mousse
http://floodsweattears.blogspot.ca/
8/5/2013, 12:18 pm Link to this post Email ChunkyC   PM ChunkyC Blog
 
cbets57 Profile
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Heron

Registered: 03-2006
Location: La Crosse WI
Posts: 1027
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Re: Words


I remember the translation for "hair" in French is "hairs. " In other words, they're really more logical in their thinking since, if you think about it, we have more than one hair on our head.

---
Cindy
8/5/2013, 7:27 pm Link to this post Email cbets57   PM cbets57
 
Smiling Curmudgeon Profile
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Blackbird

Registered: 12-2011
Posts: 241
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Re: Words


Sure Cindy, speak for yourself.

Comes an age where ol' curmudgeons do have ONE hair on the head.

I'm struggling with the decision to cut it or let it grow out.

Actually, you're the first one who got what I was getting at. Language differences 'tween countries.

I suspect I did a poor job of asking my question when I started this thread. Grumble on me.

Redirecting this thread---why do Brits and their Canadian friends say "in hospital" while Americans say "in the hospital?"

Since we say "in the hospital," why do we say "in jail," instead of "in the jail?"

Anyone reading this surely realizes this is one of the great language issues of our time. Fa' crissake.

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Cur
8/6/2013, 2:49 am Link to this post Email Smiling Curmudgeon   PM Smiling Curmudgeon Blog
 
KittyF Profile
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Heron

Registered: 12-2011
Posts: 1261
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Re: Words


quote:

Smiling Curmudgeon wrote:



Redirecting this thread---why do Brits and their Canadian friends say "in hospital" while Americans say "in the hospital?"

Since we say "in the hospital," why do we say "in jail," instead of "in the jail?"

Cur



Beats hell outta me, Ol' Cur. emoticon I wonder why (although it's mostly an East Coast weirdness) some people say they're standing on line as opposed to standing in line. The only time we're actually "on" line is when we're sitting at our computers. When you think about it really hard, though, how can anybody be in OR on line in the first place?

Another thing that's always hurt my tender ears: "He graduated college" (or wherever) instead of "He graduated from college.

Damn. Talk about great language issues of our time! emoticon

*_*

Last edited by KittyF, 8/6/2013, 1:18 pm


---
Anyone who likes cats can't be all bad.
8/6/2013, 8:50 am Link to this post PM KittyF
 


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