The Wiltshire coroner comments:

bq. A man died days after he was scratched by his family’s playful pet cat, an inquest has heard….Recording a verdict of natural causes, Wiltshire Coroner David Masters said laying full blame on the cat would be unduly harsh.

This was pointed out to me as typically British, by a reader who recently passed the test for would-be British citizens in nine minutes (I think it took me longer to become a British citizen, but it’s too late to ask my mother).

bq. Speaking after the hearing, a friend of the Maas family said: “The family cat is still going strong and the family do not hold any grudges. It’s just one of those things.”

However, it isn’t a new story. Driffield Today reports:

bq. 100 years ago
March 24, 1906
CAT SCRATCH DEATH – An inquest was held on Saturday as to the death of Miss Mary Anne Marris. From the evidence it appeared that deceased was scratched on the leg about a month ago by one of her cats. She did nothing to the wound, and told no one about it till the Friday previous to her death. Deceased, being a strong anti vivisectionist, and having a horror of doctors, refused to have medical attendance. A friend washed and dressed the wound. It, however, gradually got worse, and on Wednesday morning her solicitor insisted on calling in a medical man. The leg, which was then absolutely dangerous was properly dressed, but deceased succumbed on Wednesday evening.

I note that anti-vivisectionism has taken quite other routes in Britain recently, such as grave robbing.

These things are dreadful when they’re too weak.

Here is part of a wrist under the effect of the drier:

I wonder how much energy I wasted taking that photograph?

Further to the May 7 entry, I note that the question in English is ‘Cheese or turkey?’, but in German ‘Käse oder Schinken?’ Is there an explanation for this?

Here is the cheese (click to enlarge):

Deutsche Welle in English:

bq. The CSU, the Bavarian sister party of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), believes that a constitutional amendment that makes German a “Staatssprache” — language of state — would help in the continuing struggle for integration in the country.

Deutscher Artikel:

bq. Die CSU will Deutsch als „Staatssprache“ in der Verfassung verankern. „Deutsch ist die Grundvoraussetzung für das Zusammenleben in unserem Land”, sagte Generalsekretär Markus Söder zu FOCUS Online.
Er fügte hinzu: „Wir brauchen ein sichtbares Signal, dass die deutsche Sprache oberstes Ziel aller Integrationsbemühungen sein muss“. Deshalb sei eine Verfassungsänderung notwendig.

Apparently not all those who disapprove of so many anglicisms think a statute will have any effect.

(Via Onze Taal)

Fish and chip shop, General Oglethorpe country, this evening.

(Click to enlarge)

Der winkelschreiber reports on a failed attempt to have a website translated into German:

bq. Konzentrische Kontraktion
Eine isotonische Muskelkontraktion, wo ein Muskel Vertrag abschließt oder verkürzt.

I think Groucho Marx shortened a contract once. But they do admit:

bq. Willkommen zum Netfit Mannschaftaufstellungsort, haben wir diesen Aufstellungsort übersetzen lassen, indem wir Computer-Software verwendeten, so gibt es eine Anzahl von Rechtschreibung- und Grammatikfehlern.

(Gerade beim 2 Uhr Absacken)