1. This is why I like Carolyn Hax who will sometimes remove gendered pronouns from letters to avoid gender bias.

Thank you! That makes sense. Perfect analogy for me to wrap my brain around.

Yup! Makes perfect sense! As I was writing a reply I had cause to write "mitochondrial DNA" and had an "Oh. Right!" moment where I realized what I said previously and things started clicking into place. Thank you!

You know some very smart 5 year olds. ;)

O.K. so while we don't all have the same mitochondrial DNA (which, as I type that, is a "No shit, Unholy." moment) it all functions the exact same way for people without mitochondrial diseases. To use brokenscope's analogy of the car alternator, all alternators are not built the…

I would like to learn more about this in a "Talk to me like I am a 5 year old" sort of way.
So, this is about "function not form" ... debugging hardware but running the same software ... am I making any sense? Everyone who doesn't have mitochondrial diseases has pretty much the same DNA for this stuff, am I…

Thanks!

I am an etymology nerd so I am absolutely fascinated by this sort of thing and I can't thank you enough for the added detail of "returned import via Australia."

I know "Limey" started as an insult but is now pretty neutral and it wouldn't occur to me to actually be insulted by being called a "Yank" I just know…

Is that rhyming slang? If so, how much do the connotations of the rhymed words apply? What I mean is other examples of rhyming slang I have heard (the classic "apples and pears" for stairs as a fast, easy one) there is little to no relationship or sharing of connotation between the slang term and the thing being…

I think Channing Tatum can be very funny. He seems to be willing to poke fun at himself. He has an amazing body, dancers often do. I think saying I am attracted to him would be an overstatement. I think he is attractive, but I am not attracted to him ... if that makes sense.

I love some yogurt. I will admit to a tendency to buy ridiculously specific kitchen tools and serving ware. (Do I own tiny condiment pots with matching tiny spoons that I never use? Yes. Yes I do.) I am not going to buy a yogurt eating spoon. That, madam, is a bridge too far!

I have been telling everyone I know about Friday Night Dinner. I can't wait for Series 2 to come out on Amazon for repeat, legal viewing.

It is. Short for Elizabeth.

I love that show. I'm a bit of a maverick with my Gen 1, Gen 3, Gen 2 preference order and so am a little worried that series 7 seems very Gen 2 heavy (and Effy and Cook at that! Bletch. I hated the Effy/Freddie/Cook Love Triangle of Plot Hijacking.) but I will watch. I will make mother hen noises.
Maybe that is why I…

Short version: He hit himself in the face with a car door.

Funny version: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/jim…

Nuttiness and chocolate are already pretty popular beer notes I am just not sure how I like the idea of the implied sweetness of a Peanut Butter Cup flavor, but hey! Plenty of people like their beer malty.

O.K. So a QR code attached to the IRL Pin Flag ... things on the shoes could really increase site traffic for the store. In the case of say the TOMS up there if you pinned using a Nordstrom's QR code it would link back to Nordstrom's site not the TOMS site.
Your QR code thought still seems like it could be a real…

Ah, yeah. It is like a Harrods.

That seems like it could be a GREAT IDEA/TERRIBLE IDEA thing (from Nordstrom's perspective). One the one hand it encourages people to get into Nordstrom and increase the store's visibility. On the other hand it seems like it would encourage people to go into the store, find shoes they like and save them for later…

I may not fully understand how Pinterest works (and I admit a knee-jerk negative reaction to the internet leaking into the real world) but isn't part of the whole Pinterest deal the context in which things are "pinned?" I thought that was why people curated multiple boards. Without the context of the boards a shoe is…

I found it out and about on ye olde interwebs. Permission is not mine to grant, but I say go for it. :)