Dear Reader, this post was going to be about steam…

steam (v.)Old English stiemen, stymen“emit vapor, emit a scent or odor,” from the root of steam (n.). Meaning “go by steam power” is from 1831. Transitive sense from 1660s, “to emit as steam;” meaning “to treat with steam” is from 1798. Slang steam up (transitive) “make (someone) angry” is from 1922.

Related: Steamed; steaming.

steam (n.) Old English steam “vapor, fume, water in a gaseous state,” from Proto-Germanic *staumaz (source also of Dutch stoom “steam”), of unknown origin. Meaning “vapor of boiling water used to drive an engine” is from 1690s, hence steam age (1828) and many figurative uses, such as let off steam (1831, literal), blow off steam (1857, figurative),full-steam (1878), get up steam (1887, figurative). Steam heat is from 1820s in thermodynamics; as a method of temperature control from 1904.

We have given her six months to consider the matter, and in this steam age of the world, no woman ought to require a longer time to make up her mind. [Sarah Josepha Hale, “Sketches of American Character,” 1828]

…Thoughtful Man suggested it to me yesterday evening after first reading Leggy’s review of Poundland’s E-cig, yesterday morning…

*/flicks lighter… A good review that I’m happy to share, Clicky, but vaping? …/lights up… Fuck off – they’re just Tobacco Control Lite… /drags… If I want to inhale steam, I’ll boil a kettle…*

…And then during the course of yesterday, Thoughtful Man learnt that Poundland is also branching out into other steamy areas…

*/thinks and smokes… Nooky… No. Oky… No. OK Y?… Nukey… New key… Newgate’s Knocker!… /smokes some more…*

Something else happened though yesterday, Dear Reader. Something unsettling. Yesterday morning, whilst Thoughtful Man read Leg Iron’s post, I was reading an overnight posting by Red Frank, in the Red Universe…

A bit of a sleb in the Synchrosphere had paid MEROVEE a visit and left a comment. ‘Goro’ is a name that has been spoken of somewhat reverently by a few of the regulars there during the 5 years I’ve visited the site. And I’ve seen the name mentioned in Dispatches elsewhere. A bit of coup for Frank, you’d think…

*I dunno, Clicky, it could be one of those…/stubs out fag…*

Goro had popped by and, BOY, was he STEAMED with Frank and MJ!

*Perfect choice of Song, Clicky! …/pats snout… It turned into a screaming match… /lights up…*

I suggest you go read it for yourself, Dear Reader. It involves an accusation of plagiarism…

*plak- (1)also *plāk-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to be flat;” extension of root *pele- (2) “flat; to spread.”

It forms all or part of: flag (n.2) “flat stone for paving;” flagstone; flake (n.) “thin flat piece,; flaw; floe; fluke (n.3) “flatfish;” placenta; plagal; plagiarism; plagio-; planchet; plank.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek plakoeis“flat,”plax“level surface, anything flat;” Lettish plakt “to become flat;” Old Norse flaga “layer of earth,” Norwegian flag “open sea,” Old English floh “piece of stone, fragment,” Old High German fluoh “cliff.”

… Which was weird ‘cos MJ had put up a Flat Earth post the evening before yesterday at her site…

Start here – it was the very first comment! I won’t link to Soro’s site; he brought his own links to Frank’s place. I paid a brief visit there, having not ventured there before. I don’t think I’ll be going back… You’ve gotta pay to be a member!

*/sniffs… I don’t care for his tone either, Clicky… /drags… *

In other news, Dear Reader, I had a bit of coup (second meaning) myself this week, having my Afterword accepted for the Underdog Anthology III by Leg Iron Books. This time round each of the stories gets an illustration and so will the famous poem that I stole… to mutilate and use for my own ends at the end of the book. Thank you Emma ‘Dead Rising’ Lazarus!

Leggy has just sent through its illustration, hot and steaming off his virtual press…

*Oh, Clicky, that looks great! …/grins… Quick, go fetch that Song we like… /claps hands…*

That’s quite enough for one post, Dear Reader. Until next time at the LoL… Have a Song ❤