Comments on: Conferencing

By: George

George — Wed, 18 Aug 2004 01:38:34 +0000

Re: The Stupidest Question in the World, that’s not bad. But I’m not sure it unseats the longtime champion (overheard at Shasta Dam in California in early 80s): “Can they still use the water after they take the electricity out of it?”

By: Ophelia Benson

Ophelia Benson — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 17:29:42 +0000

Oh dear, too late – I was going to point out (gently, as is my wont) that the Krugman as sociologist thing was a joke. Dogberry is a very appropriate name therefore!

By: Kieran Healy

Kieran Healy — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 06:33:26 +0000

Actually, Paul Krugman is an economist. Thanks for pointing that out to me, Dogberry.

By: Larry B

Larry B — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 06:04:16 +0000

The Section on Alcohol Drugs and Tobacco probably throws a better party… Good thing they swapped out the firearms for drugs.

By: peter ramus

peter ramus — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 05:14:10 +0000

Yes. You might confer with a commenter here, unless conferencing with a commentator.

By: John Quiggin

John Quiggin — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 05:05:29 +0000

Isn’t confer a verb, with participle “conferring” and noun “conference”? Can we look to a new noun “conferencingment” and so on? While I am at it, why is that people at a conference are now called “delegates” even when no-one has delegated them.

By: stlouis

stlouis — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 04:44:23 +0000

“conference” was just jealous that “meeting” has been a noun all these years.

By: peter ramus

peter ramus — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 04:13:52 +0000

Actually, Paul Krugman is a gerund, like “conferencing.”

By: Dogberry

Dogberry — Sun, 15 Aug 2004 03:30:40 +0000

Actually, Paul Krugman is an economist. (Although a knowledge of sociology no doubt helps.)