There's more than one way to skin a cat. And I happen to know that's factually true.

Mayor ,'Lies My Parents Told Me'


Natter 62: The 62nd Natter  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


Nora Deirdre - Dec 01, 2008 5:33:49 am PST #3780 of 10002
I’m responsible for my own happiness? I can’t even be responsible for my own breakfast! (Bojack Horseman)

The cafeteria had cornmeal porridge this morning.

Is this a different thing than grits?


§ ita § - Dec 01, 2008 5:41:12 am PST #3781 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Grits are coarser than cornmeal.


Trudy Booth - Dec 01, 2008 5:43:56 am PST #3782 of 10002
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart

Is this a different thing than grits?

Yes, though I could not tell you precisely why.

Grits are white and (I believe) cooked with water. My porridge is yellow and has sugar, cinnamon sticks, and milk.


Allyson - Dec 01, 2008 5:48:19 am PST #3783 of 10002
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

Oh dear I don't wanna go back don't wanna!!!!


flea - Dec 01, 2008 5:52:59 am PST #3784 of 10002
information libertarian

ita, I wonder if you are conflating prodigal and profligate?

I am in such a foul mood. mr. flea just got back from 8 days in Belgium and France, and next Tuesday leaves for 4 nights again. He told me it was the 10-12th, so I reasonably assumed 2 nights. 4 nights is double that (it is actually 9th-13th). Grrr.


Dana - Dec 01, 2008 6:01:26 am PST #3785 of 10002
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.

I should shower and start doing productive things, but I have a serious case of the don't wannas.


§ ita § - Dec 01, 2008 6:03:27 am PST #3786 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I wonder if you are conflating prodigal and profligate?

I don't understand. They share a meaning. I didn't conflate them, English did.


Matt the Bruins fan - Dec 01, 2008 6:04:11 am PST #3787 of 10002
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand

2. Diamonds Are Not The Hardest Substance on Earth

Not no more, anyway....

Yeah, but the only thing that's harder is also pure carbon that's been heated and put under extreme pressure. I say it's still just a diamond, only tougher and fuglier than usual. It's the dock-side hooker diamond.


flea - Dec 01, 2008 6:08:51 am PST #3788 of 10002
information libertarian

Well, dictionary English, yes, but in US usage that I see, prodigal is almost always used in the "prodigal son" sense, and the profligate nature of the prodigal is elided, with emphasis on "he was unspecifically bad, and then he came back and was accepted".


§ ita § - Dec 01, 2008 6:21:10 am PST #3789 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

in US usage that I see, prodigal is almost always used in the "prodigal son" sense, [...] "he was unspecifically bad, and then he came back and was accepted".

Yeah--that's kind of what I meant by my question:

Am I right in thinking "prodigal" is often used to mean long-lost-but-now-returning and not spendthrift?

I.E. it's not used to mean profligate, although that's what it's supposed to mean. And the "prodigal son" sense, he is profligate. It's just not what people seem to be taking away from the parable.