Le Bon Journal

Readers write and Bon Journal answers

2004

Names have been disguised to protect the identities of the readers. Readers' queries have been edited for clarity.
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LATEST COMMENTS FROM VISITORS What they said
AnalyticalQ visitor archives
22 December 2004

Here is a link suggestion for your Learn Dutch pages:

http://www.majstro.com

It is actually a multilingual dictionary, but it is also possible to link to bilingual dictionaries with any of the supported languages as source and target language, for instance English to Dutch:

http://www.majstro.com/Web/Majstro/dict.php?bronTaal=eng&doelTaal=dut

The parameter \"bronTaal\" indicates the source language and \"doelTaal\" does the same for the target language (language codes are the 3-letter ISO codes).

Dear Gerard:
Many thanks for this link suggestion. Yours is one of the rare ones, where you are not suggesting that we link to you but rather to a resource that all our readers find useful. Hopefully the analyticalQ Dutch pages will be a contribution to society, especially for those struggling to get to grips with this difficult language, myself included.
17 December 2004

Hi, I write poems and I just need advice on ways to license (copy-write) them. Could you pls e-mail me with ways by which i could accomplish this. Thanks.

Dear Reader:
Writing poems is a necessary activity. Publishing them is a noble effort. The first thing you need to do is to learn how to spell.

16 December 2004

I discovered analyticalQ by accident, simply looking up dinner party etiquette.

My name is Dxxx, I'm a secretary in Lafayette, Louisiana.

My question concerns a dinner party my husband and I have been invited to. It's a casual dinner party, a get-together of school friends. We've all been out of school from 16 to 20 years.

Since it is around Christmas, my husband feels as though he would like to bring each GUEST a small gift.

I think this is inappropriate and will make the host and hostess uncomfortable. I suggested he bring the host and hostess a small gift instead. Matter of fact, they have recently moved into their home, I feel he could bring a house warming gift. Which is correct, his opinion or mine? Or both?

20 December 2004
Dear Dxxx:
Giving gifts, particularly at this time of the year, is quite normal. The question is what can you give that will not be an unwanted gift? See my extensive writings on "clutter." Personally, I prefer getting something that can be consumed, shared, or enjoyed, but nothing that takes up space, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
There's nothing wrong with giving each guest a gift, provided that it's the same for everyone including the hosts. Good examples are new t-shirts of your reunion, your own CD, or company logo (if you are an entrepreneur).
I don't know the etiquette in Louisiana, but here in the Netherlands, fresh flowers for the hosts will never be refused. For a dinner party, it's also common to bring a bottle of good red wine. Since there are two of you, I'd suggest bringing two bottles for the hosts. They can choose to open the wine or keep it for themselves. In England, you should also follow up your visit with a thank you note.
6 December 2004

I need story books of kids, and should be glad if you would send me any information that will help me to make the best choice for my purpose.

Dear Reader:
The Bon Journal and affiliated sites of analyticalQ and Anne Ku are not charitable foundations. If you want story books for kids, visit a book store. If you want a reply, be gracious and specific ---- not demanding, anonymous, and ambiguous.
Just to get a reply requires some finesse. It's a give and take situation. Ask yourself what you have given before you ask to take. Perhaps that's why you have not received replies to your request.
4 December 2004

Sir please me more imformation on you product or you address

Dear Reader:
Yours is an excellent example of an ambiguous and anonymous request that will never get answered. Spelling and grammatical mistakes abound, not to mention that I am not a "sir."
Besides, this query looks like one of those spam e-mails that promise a large inheritance in West Africa after a sob story.
27 November 2004

Ann I work for a future trading company in Omaha Nebraska . Would you please call me sometime. I have some questions on the energy markets. Thanks Jim

Dear Jim:
My e-mail reply to you bounced back. Obviously, you probably think that I have free international phonelines at my disposal. Those were the good old days when I made a dozen overseas calls per hour on average.
If you like to contact me, please provide the correct e-mail address and buy my book "Risk and flexibility in electricity: an introduction to the fundamentals and techniques," where you are more than likely to find the answers to your questions.
23 November 2004

Here in Mexico is difficult to find specials works of Debussy and more. I'm particulary interested in L'isle Joyeuse. I would like to know if you can provide me a copy in PDF format of this play. Please forgive me for this audacity, but I'm desperate for getting this to play. Please send your answer as fast as you can, many thanks.

Dear Cyyy:
Thanks for your e-mail and request. Perhaps you can try ordering it online from a sheet music site or Amazon? I do have my treasured L'isle Joyeuse in the Dover edition of Debussy's works on my bookshelf. But why should I scan it and e-mail it to you even if I were kind, nice, and very naive?
23 November 2004

While the Quiz you created from quizyourfriends.com looks cool, please be aware that this website fires up:
1) spyware/adware from fastclick.net
2) sometimes opens a window with false messages about system errors tricking visitor to click "yes" or "next" which downloads spyware/adware
3) popup ads attracting people to click for new cursors and smileys which invariably download spyware/adware

Any unsuspecting user without proper firewall protection can easily get infected by the spyware/adware from fastclick.net.

I did not verify it at quizyourfriends.com, but some free cursors and smileys are known to be trojan horses or spyware which once installed are a real hassle to clean out completely.

One of the most important lessons to learn about web surfing is "nothing is free" anymore. When it seems too good to be free, it really isn't.

20 December 2004
Dear Hungry Poet:
Many thanks for this e-mail. Indeed, nothing is really completely free anymore. The pop-up ads are annoying. And thanks for reminding me to fire-up my ad-aware 6.0. It really is too bad that I spend much of my on-line time checking and deleting spam e-mails, downloading Windows Updates, and scanning my computer for viruses. That is one reason why I prefer to be off-line nowadays.
22 November 2004

Hello Anne

My name is Marcelo, born in Porto União - SC - Brazil. I am a conductor and student of the piano. I have in my class the one very, very old piano Gerhard Adam, but I do not have information of the manufacturing. Please, you have a address electronic of the manufacturing Gerhard Adam? Please, return with subject "piano gerard adam" Thanks

20 December 2004
Hi Marcelo:
Gerhard Adam no longer exists. Once upon a time, he lived in Wesel, Germany. If you google him, you'll find modern Gerhard Adams in systems engineering and other professions ---- not piano.
In the Golden Age of pianos, there were many small makers of pianos. Like small companies these days, they get gobbled up by bigger companies. It's really Darwin's survival of the fittest, but that is not to say that Gerhard Adam's 5'6" grand pianos are not good. Far from it, just google "Gerhard Adam grand piano" and you can see and hear for yourself. Perhaps that's how you arrived at my website!
22 November 2004

Ann, this is Jeannie (Patty's sister) and I must say that I am very disappointed that you would even mention that book on Patty's website.

You're an educated woman and you had to know what kind of impact those comments would have on her case. For you to put ANY kind of doubt in people's minds that he did this is just unexceptable and unforgivable. If/When this does go to court, don't you think your comments will be brought to the jury's attention?!?!?

You, being one of Patty's oldest friends, stating you read a book where someone came back after all those years (and actually entertaining the thought on record) only puts doubt in the minds of the few that know the truth. Were you not thinking?

22 November 2004
Dear Jeannie
If you read my review you'd realise the connection is simply that both Lucy and Patty were "missing" persons. That's all. Educated or not, please don't read into something that's not there. If my website about Patty no longer fits what's happening now, then I will extinguish it. I don't appreciate receiving emails that accuse and anger me.
18 November 2004

We are visiting London, for the first time, at the end of December. Please tell me where I can find public swimming pools (indoors). I think we will be staying in the Kensington section. Is there a fee for use?

19 November 2004
Thanks for your e-mail - shermatt, Public swimming pools in London, like all swimming pools public or private, are not free. If your hotel doesn't have it, check the yellow pages - there's usually a public sports centre run by the local council of each borough. So the Borough of Kensington Chelsea would have a swimming pool. You can always call up the council - or visit the web site of the council....
17 November 2004

Hi, I'm doing a wedding planning project for school and I was just wondering how much it would cost to hire a pianist for one hour for the wedding ceremony. My name is Kaci and I would really appreciate if you could help me out. Thanks a lot!

Dear Kaci:
The cost of hiring a pianist for a wedding depends a lot on the location. Most musicians charge a standard fee for a wedding. In London, I'd say STG 250 whether it's half-hour or 1 hour. I don't know what it is in the US - probably something equivalent. I once quoted 50 pounds because the event was so close by - and the piano (a Bluthner concert grand) was donated by Van Gelis - and the location very prestigious. [Ever heard of "work like you don't need the money?"] The bridegroom gave me 100 pounds total.
10 November 2004

I would love to do an intensive course in Dutch, where the end result will be that I have conversational Dutch. I would like to do the course in one of the Dutch cities. I would also be very interested to know if you have accommodation for students in your school, and if so what prices the accommodation are.

Dear Reader:
So would I. The James Boswell Institute in Utrecht is pretty good and pretty intensive. There's a lady in my village who gives intensive Dutch lessons in her home. She uses multi-sensory techniques (drawing, music, dancing, video, etc) to engage her students' interest. My one day experience of it convinced me it's effective. I'm now about to try two other places, less intensive and kinder to my purse.
8 November 2004

I would like to know the price of an Economics textbook, Industrial Organization by John S. McGee. isbn 0-13-464207-4. I am looking at about 15 copies.

Dear Reader:
Sorry, my one and only copy of Industrial Organization by Oz Shy has long gone. I have other books for sale. Sadly they are stored in boxes in the attic, quite inaccessible and only one of each, not 15. Have you considered contacting the author directly? He may be incentivised to sell his books via Amazon.
21 October 2004

Why is Feb. the shortest month of the year? I need to know this answer by October 22,2004 which is tommorw. thanks

Dear no-name, no-thanks:
Good luck! If you find out, please let me know. Then I can turn it into an entry for the Bon Journal!
22 September 2004

How are you Anne? Came across your Page while surfing.

Dear Yip:
Great to hear from you after all these years! You didn't leave an e-mail address. So I hope you will google me again and find my reply to your e-mail. I would love to catch up with you.
6 September 2004

Hi Anne Ku. I lost you where are you? If you do not remember who am I.....I am that Italian......... ciao

Dear Romeo
Ah! Could you be the Persistent Romeo from 2003?
5 September 2004

Hi, nice site but I think it needs a little improvement. Can you please add the pronounciations of the words and sentences, because it is really hard to learn Dutch without knowing how to pronounce them..thanx.

Dear Reader
I guess you're referring to the analyticalQ Dutch page which I created to help myself learn Dutch. It's an example of the the user becoming the expert. But how reliable is it to trust a user? I am not a linguist and certainly not a Dutch native speaker. But your suggestions are nice.
23 August 2004

Hi Anne, I like your site, it has useful information for newcomers to The Netherlands. Cheers, Jose

Beste Jose,
Dank u wel!
23 June 2004

You are wonderful! I just found your site as I was trying to find a Dutch class in Amsterdam (which I still have not done but I did find you!) Oy, I am having such a hard time learning this language. I am moving here to Amsterdam after living in Limbourg for a couple of years and while there I was exposed to the WORST Dutch teachers ever!

I also am not a natural in languages and get so overwhelmed and scared! Reading your journey these few short minutes on the hotel lobby computer has been very inspiring and I look forward to being able to really spend time on your website when I get back to Limby Friday. Thanks!

Dear Reader:
Yours is the kind of e-mail that motivates me to stay online.
21 June 2004

After I sent the e-mail this morning, I continued to work my way through your website and then onto CDbaby which I Love! I have listened to your music today and I will order the CD tonight.

The entries I read this morning were insightful and I will return to the address below for more reading. It looked like the last journal entry was in the year 2001 ..... is that correct? Thank you for answering my e-mail.

22 December 2004
Dear Reader:
I don't think you've ordered my CD yet.
14 March 2004

I finally found what I was looking for! Cut-throat is THE way to play bridge with my folks. Thanks a lot! just a question: when does the bidding stop exactly, after two or three passes? I mean, can player bid all the time although the other two have passed long time ago? Tx for answering.

Dear Reader:
Bidding stops after everyone has passed. So if you were the last to bid or up the previous bid - and no one else has either called a no trump, up a bid, or made a new bid, then when it comes to you again, the bidding has stopped and the game starts. Have you played bridge before (not cut-throat bridge) but just normal bridge?
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Anne Ku, May 2001