http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2008/11/13/bond_now_less_fun Comments On: Bond: Now Less Fun! by Lindy West en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:15:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Re: know-nothing about physics. That one's true. I give you that. Thank you to everyone who has explained this thing to me, although I must say that after all this, I am terrified to use the word at all.

Re: Bond's insufficient or sufficient reinvention: Sufficient! IF, and I stress IF, they keep it up. This new movie uses a standin for Bond's emotions (namely, a girl, which is a reversal of the New Man of the last movie), and that is very disappointing. Otherwise, I say: Ok. I still love paranoia and technological optimism, especially when the body it is assisting looks like that. And I agree with Julie re: dark.
Posted by Jen Graves]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:34:15 -0800 The Stranger
My ancestors spit on your haircut!

Posted by Monster. Cookie W. Monster]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:47:26 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Vince]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:21:36 -0800 The Stranger
Seriously. The next Bond should be ninety minutes of Carrot Top being tortured by hillbillies.
Posted by Fnarf]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:07:30 -0800 The Stranger
Plus, the hotness. I've always had a thing for slightly funny-looking British dudes.
Posted by Julie in Chicago]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:35:57 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Greg]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:18:30 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Greg]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:17:20 -0800 The Stranger
Quantum simply means a fixed amount, without indicating how large or small that amount is. It has gained various connotations that depend highly on context. For instance, quantum in science usually means something small, because the quanta for energy, charge, etc. are small.

It is from the phrase "quantum leap" that the word gets its connotation of something large, but this is a misreading of the term. In this phrase, the proper connotation is of an abrupt change, but not necessarily large, especially a change that does not progress through noticable intermediate stages.

But your claim that it is not a proper word because it carries two (sometimes) contradictory connotations is laughable. Does this apply for the jillion other English words in this category too?
Posted by F]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:43:11 -0800 The Stranger
That's no stupider than anything else. Bond is an expression of 50s-60s paranoia and techological optimism -- the Populuxe superhero. He hasn't been remotely relevant or interesting since about 1971.
Posted by Fnarf]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:15:03 -0800 The Stranger Posted by robo]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:14:41 -0800 The Stranger Posted by banjoboy]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:10:58 -0800 The Stranger Posted by jon.e.rock]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:05:03 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Jen Graves]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:04:08 -0800 The Stranger
I rest my case.
Posted by My Name Here]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:46:48 -0800 The Stranger
Posted by Cookie W. Monster]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:34:59 -0800 The Stranger
A quantum change (adj.) can be significant, in that the word means a discrete amount, so it can mean just enough to matter, which is what significant is. But large? That makes no sense, and of course M-W doesn't offer any examples of anyone using the word to mean "large."

It is an excellent word, Jen Graves. The real problem is relying on that freebie online dictionary. You know you can log into the OED online with an SPL account, right?
Posted by elenchos]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:30:07 -0800 The Stranger
Re: nudity, trunks, and being tied up in a chair with the wicker seat cut out of it while naked. No! This movie is far inferior compared to the Craignakedfest that is Casino Royale.

Re: dingy. I suppose I mean that to me his face makes him look like the victim of a semi-recent bar fight. He could never be mistaken for a member of the upper class.
Posted by Jen Graves]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:21:54 -0800 The Stranger Posted by zedsmith]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:16:52 -0800 The Stranger Posted by caitosaurus!]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:11:35 -0800 The Stranger
Can we get some Golob up in here?
Posted by Ben]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:10:43 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Your Name Here]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:03:13 -0800 The Stranger Posted by mirror]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:01:20 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Justy]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:59:27 -0800 The Stranger
Thank you.

Posted by Scott Dow]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:52:41 -0800 The Stranger Posted by David]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:50:07 -0800 The Stranger