Quadratic equations usually have two roots...

( Tooth 25 (second bicuspid) usually doesn't. Mine did, though. )

Typing in random Unicode codepoints

(Cross-posted to conlangs, linguaphiles, and pne)

Those of you would like to have the ability to type in a random Unicode character whose codepoint you know may be interested in this blog entry and this one, as well as the article How to enter Unicode characters into Microsoft Windows on fileformat.info, and the UnicodeInput utility.

Close enough for government work

I just saw the phrase "close enough for government work" in a comment and was amused, since I hadn't heard it in a long time, but I occasionally use it in my thoughts when I'm talking to myself about something I've done: "Eh, close enough for government work" or "Good enough for gummint work".

I don't remember where I learned it, though I suspect it was from Elder Jeppesen in the MTC.

Does anyone else know this phrase? Does anyone else use it?

[meme] Tell me something about yourself

Why not take this opportunity to tell me a little something about yourself. Any old thing at all. Just so the next time I see your name on my flist I can say: "ah, there's so and so...she/he wears mismatched socks." I'd love it if every single person who friended me would do this. Yes, even you people who I know really well. Then, post this in your own journal.

Did you know that...

...sexual activity in a public lavatory is an offence in the United Kingdom?

Did you know...

...that Swedish is tonal?

I'm not sure how many Indo-European languages are; my guess would be not all that many.

I forgot what the Swedish tones are called; I think they're just called "tone A" and "tone B" or something like that. I'm not sure whether they only apply to two-syllable words or also to others.

I do know that they let you distinguish between Anden "The duck" and Anden "The spirit". IIRC the pattern is something like HL for the first and HH for the second.