February 26, 2008

Buckley's Chance

Buckley's Chance : No chance at all (or only a very slim chance). Also called "Buckley's and none" or "Buckley's hope".

The origin of the term isn't certain but the most popular story pins itto William Buckley (1780-1856), a British convict transported to Australia.There, he escaped and found refuge among the Aborigines for more than threedecades. When he was rediscovered he had forgotten how to speak English.Since survival in the outback was difficult it was said that anyone lostthere had Buckley's chance of making it.

Another possibility is a pun on the Melbourne department store Buckleyand Nunn, i.e. one has two chances: Buckley's or none

Source: www.wordsmith.org

February 16, 2008

Baconian


Baconian : one who believes that Francis Bacon wrote the works usually attributed to Shakespeare

Sir Francis Bacon was a man of many talents: he was a lawyer, a statesman, a philosopher, and a man of letters. He is remembered for the style and expression of his writing, for his power as a speaker in Parliament, and for his advocacy of what is today known as the "Baconian method" of arriving at scientific conclusions by careful examination of evidence and sorting of facts. Sir Francis Bacon is also considered, by some people, to be the true author of Shakespeare's works. The theory, which was first propounded in the mid-1800s, flourished from about 1880 to 1930 and is still subscribed to in certain circles today.

Well, I prefer to stay away from all bacons, be it Francis or beef! And can you believe it the picture above is his self portrait!!! I am sure he must have had good reasons to render such a humble tribute to oneself.