BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 04:55 PM

forget it, it isn't worth the discussion

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 04:17 PM

How can you be disrespectful towards a cigarette?

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 12:53 PM

Information about Felix Arndt's tune Nola (a 1915 ragtime gem, complete with link to midi, to listen to it).

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 09:37 AM

"NOLA is it effortlessly wipes away a fascinating and estimable history and heritage. Who would talk about how "NOLA Jazz" transformed music? And with the city itself on the edge of total wipeout, honouring and preserving the link with the past seems important."

That really isn't the case. Simply using an abbreviation does not wipe away anything, it is just an abbreviation that is a signal to anyone who reads it of the city behind the 4 letters.   I've never heard anyone SAY the word "NOLA" in conversation - either Nawlins or New Orleans, or the Big Easy are more common.

It may be a cultural differene. Personally, when I hear someone from the UK saying they are going for a "fag", I think that is highly disrepectful.   Each country has their own styles and there is no disrepect meant when used in context.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: GUEST,Dáithí Ó Geanainn
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 09:18 AM

Looks like nobody belse read James Blish then, Beardedbruce!

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: DMcG
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 08:46 AM

I thought airlines used a three letter system?

Ah, you mean airports, not airlines; and it depends whether you are using IATA codes (three letters) or ICAO codes (four letters) ...

Ok, I'll go back to sleep...

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: jeffp
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 08:41 AM

Recorded by Ted Weems and the Orchestra, with Elmo Tanner whistling the melody. My folks had the 78.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: kendall
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 07:34 AM

Nola was the name of a song, wasn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 12:02 AM

I remember now where I've seen "NOLA" used as an "official" abbreviation. It's used by the U.S. Postal Service. The truck that makes, say, the Jacksonville, FL to New Orleans run has "US MAIL JAX - NOLA" painted on its cargo door in big red letters.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Peace
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:55 PM

LOL

The ending goes

G, Gdim, Amin7, G, D7
G, Gdim, G#13b5b9, G, Gmaj7

At least I think it does. That's from memory that's thirty years old and I have no guitar with me at present.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: pdq
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:50 PM

That chord can happen, but only after a diminished fifth.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Ebbie
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:44 PM

G#13b5b9

G sharp, flatted 13, flatted 5, 9? Of course.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Peace
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:38 PM

Except one night when I was drunk and I put it in the intro to "Blowin' in the Wind".

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Peace
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:36 PM

Laerned a song many years ago from a fellow named Sid Blum.

"Met my baby in Florida, so I called her Fla
Held her hand in Georgia, and I named her Ga
Then we went to Pennsylvanis and I called her Pa
Got married in Louisiana and I started to call her La
That's my baby, Flagapalapa, Flagapalapa is her name
I said, Flagapalapa is her name--oh, yes it is."

The Ga is pronounced 'jaw'.

I have likely massacred the words--but they went lots like that. Got to use a G#13b5b9 in that, which alone made it worth doing, because I have never used that particular chord anywhere else.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Alice
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 12:08 PM

McGrath, each of the 50 states has a two letter capitalized code that is used in all postal mail and shipping addresses. Most Americans know that LA is Louisiana just as CA is California, AZ is Arizona, PA is Pennsylvania, etc. We still refer to Los Angeles as L.A., though. The states that get people confused are the least populated ones like mine, MT (Montana). When I order something over the phone and I'm giving my address sometimes the abbreviation for MT is confused with Minnesota, MN. Sometimes Mississippi, MS, is confused with Missouri, MO, Alaska, AK, with Arkansas, AR, with Arizona, AZ. But, that is how the post office has functioned in moving mail for decades.
We often call Washington, The District of Columbia, just "DC". The state of Washington, WA, is on the opposite side of the continent.

US State Abbreviations:
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.html
Click here

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 05:40 AM

Granola - is that Lola after about 30 years?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Tweed
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 09:17 PM

Well McGrath, I wish you two all the happiness available and hope you raise up a housefull of kids who all become adept at banjos, drums and accordions.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 08:07 PM

"I'm glad I'm a man and so is Lola......" - and you can take that how you choose to take it. Here are Ray Davies's lyrics.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Tweed
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 07:51 PM

Naw, LtS, yore thinkin' obv "Granola" by the Dinks, I think.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 05:54 PM

"I'm glad I'm a man and so's Lola......"

that the one you mean?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Peace
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 04:35 PM

Didn't the Kinks do a song by that title?

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: paddymac
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 04:33 PM

A heck of a gal, fer sher, but probly insulted ifn ya called her a Lady.
Sort of like the difference betweew "Madam" and "Madame." One's a "Lady" and the other's a "Proprietess."

I never have mastered that "Nawlins" thing. It always sounded more like "Nahlins," with a slight hint of a residual "R" mixed in. Easier to say with a mouth full of chitlins and chicory, and plenty of bourbon.

I have many fond memories of the place.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Tweed
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 07:00 AM

It's just a pet name for the Lady that was New Orleans. A remarkable and refined woman who could cook well and be at home in fine restaurants and barbecues alike. A stately and flirty chick, who turned all heads while on the promenade.
Yaz yaz, Nola!! What a gal.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 03:54 AM

I got confused because in my parlance, it means North London Area.. an office renowned for the fact that it is populated with staff culled from the 'Missing Link' gene pool - they're the reason most traffic signs don't have words on them....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Blues=Life
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 12:50 AM

Written, it may be NOLA, but pronounced, it's always Nawlins. I think it's just a shorthand thing, but I've never heard it used in conversation there.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: GUEST,TJ
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 08:49 PM

I first visited New Orleans in 1974, and I discovered at that time that my hosts (who were local natives) abbreviated the name of their hometown as NOLA whenever they wrote it. So it's hardly a new acronymic construction.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 07:33 PM

I suppose Walla Walla, Wash. will be WaWa, or maybe WaWaWa.....but Dayton, Minnesota will pose a problem - as will Carmel, California.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:41 PM

But you don't call your big cities Canny and Syddie and Addie and so forth do you?

London is LDN in airport spelling, but it stops there. "There's been some bombs on the LDN tube"...
..................................................

The thing about NOLA is it effortlessly wipes away a fascinating and estimable history and heritage. Who would talk about how "NOLA Jazz" transformed music? And with the city itself on the edge of total wipeout, honouring and preserving the link with the past seems important.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Joybell
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:16 PM

Then there's the Aussie habit of adding an "ie" on to nouns. Not cities usually but as in: Bickie. Chrisie, (Christmas),Pressie, Aussie, Tele, Bikie, Polie, Bushie, Townie, Greenie....

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:10 PM

Getting away from Scrotes like POTUS, I had the impression that this whole acronym thing was started by the US Military in WW2 (OOPS! another one slipped out)

I seem to remember things like SHAEF, SHAPE, COMSUBPAC, and CINCPAC.

May just have had summat to do with the need for brief radio communications.

More or less why we use IMHO, IMHO.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:04 PM

Still seems to lack respect, and I rather thought Americans were quite big on worrying about that.

More epecially in the current context - it feels a bit like talking about Hiroshima as HA or Auschwitz as AZ.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: M.Ted
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 05:15 PM

It brings to mind John Duns Scotus---

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 04:00 PM

Good gracious. SCOTUS sounds graphic.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: CarolC
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 02:05 PM

My favorite one is POTUS (president of the United States). My second favorite is SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States).

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 02:02 PM

You were right in the first post, this is trivial.

Where the hell is Northern Los Angeles??? I've never heard anyone refer to it as that.   Here in the US the abbreviation NOLA is fairly common and easy to identify, no disrepect at all.

RO from NJ, USA

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 01:50 PM

lets hope there are no disasters in Schenectady

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 01:30 PM

Our acronyms may be shorter- but the practice of 'short hand' is everywhere. What about 'Downing Street'? What about M16? And PM?

Look at the Shambles' preferred 'Minister' in that infamous thread. On this side of the water 'Minister' has a wholly different meaning.

It appears that we all get in a hurry.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Don Firth
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 01:22 PM

I dunno what the flamin' airport codes are, but it may tend to explain the frequency of lost luggage. I had a friend who fly to Santa Fe, New Mexico a few years ago and her luggage wound up in San Francisco.

Haste makes waste.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 12:28 PM

Whenever a friend of mine goes home to northern Louisiana she talks about "going back to L A." This sounds very glamorous.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Amos
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 11:39 AM

I have never understood why, though. Frisco is a perfickly good butchery of a place name! :)


A

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: M.Ted
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 11:08 AM

For good or ill, we are in a hurry, Kevin--everyone is in a big hurry, all the time. Things being what they are, it is often a bit difficult to tell where you are, let alone remember where you were. We like to throw off quick little reference points--the key is that they need to have a quality of off-handed familiarity to them LA, NOLA, NYC, DC, Chi,Philly, San Francisco (they don't like it at all when you say "Frisco")--

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Amos
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 09:24 AM

New Orleans has two airports:

New Orleans NEW Lakefront United States US 67

New Orleans NBG NAS/Alvin Callendar United States US 67


Anyone who has ever been contaminated by the military industrial complex gets infected by acronymania. Huge sections of life and effort, unconfrontable harm, impenetrably complex systems, all become mere TLAs (three-letter acronyms) in the merciless grip of the unthinking Acronym Monster.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: GUEST,Brien
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 09:21 AM

New Orleans, Louisiana (LA).
I have cap, obtained recently in a business trip by an associate to New Orleans, with NOLA embroidered on the front (NOLA is also name of famous restaurant there I believe, where the cap came from...) and under NOLA is an orange spiral graphic. Haunting, given the arrival soon afterward of the hurricane.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 09:14 AM

I thought airlines used a three letter system?

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 08:55 AM

I believe "NOLA" is the airline system's baggage tag abbreviation for the New Orleans airport. It seems to have found its way into common usage. IE: www.nola.com

Personally, I call it "Nawlins"

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Azizi
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 08:50 AM

Americans like to do things quickly.

In addition to abbreviations for cities, we used nicknames for people as "Dubya" for President George W. Bush {of course some people call him "Dumya" or "Chimpy" but that's another story}.

Internet bloggers reflect this American valuation for fast paced communication by our use of conversational short cuts such as "LOL", "BTW", "IMHO","FWIW", and "LMFAO"

And responding quickly to comments on Internet discussion forums definitely trumps typos-at least in my experience ;o)

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 08:40 AM

from the Cities in Flight novels...


" What city has two names twice?"

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: artbrooks
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 08:38 AM

Perhaps because its common useage. 2-word city names are often abbreviated by their initials. LA is the US postal code for the state of Louisiana. The website for the New Orleans Times-Picayune is www.nola.com.

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:41 AM

NO New Orleans LA Louisiana possibly?
G..

Subject: RE: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:35 AM

Because LA is likely to be the next NO?

Subject: BS: Why 'NOLA' and suchlike?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 05:26 AM

Why is it people are using this strange abbreviation "NOLA" for New Orleans? And similar.

It's a trivial enough point, but it somehow seems disprespectful, and what the hell is the hurry that abbreviations like that need to be used?

Even if it wasn't the case that they aren't too readily understood - I mean why shouldn't NOLA just as easily be "northern Los Angeles", or more likely the name of a pole dancer in Las Vegas?