TV announcer: "Don't forget to watch the programme at 23 p.m."

That is the headline from an article in a local newspaper.

Does it seem odd or incorrect to you?

We are more used to seeing "Valentine's DAY".

But I think I know why it is done. February 14 this year is a Tuesday and many couples will not be able to go out for a romantic celebration on the actual day.

So restaurant owners want to maximise business by making it into a period, including a weekend, rather than just one day.

But I have also noticed the increased use of "New Year's", as in "We shall be away for New Year's".

It is an imported Americanism. I would say "We shall be away for the New Year".

We don't refer to "Easter's", or "Christmas's" - do we?

I have been listening to the radio today and find that some sports commentators are now pronouncing the word "Tournament" as "Turner-Meant".

To me, it has always been "Toor (as in "poor") -Ne-Ment".

I think it is another Americanism creeping into the English (British) Language.

I also watched "Masterchef Goes Large" on TV and the presenter repeatedly sounded the letter 't" at the end of the word "Restaurant".

It is "rest-or-ong", not "rester-ont" - or so I was taught.

She also put an extra letter into the word "Restaurateur". There is no "n" in the middle. (A common mistake).

Does anyone else care?

Or am I just a pedantic old codger, like King Canute, trying to turn back the tide?

FROM TODAY'S SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

26pc Of Council Tax Goes On Public Pensions

More than a quarter of the money raised from council tax goes to fund the "gold-plated" pensions enjoyed by public sector workers, the Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

Startling new figures - provided by a Government advisers on pensions - show that about £5 billion a year from council tax in England is used to fund the retirements of town hall staff, police, teachers and firefighters.

The revelations come as increasing numbers of private sector employees face an uncertain future with the scrapping of final salary pensions schemes and demands on them to stay at work longer.

They will also re-ignite the row over the decision by Alan Johnson, the Trade Secretary, to allow existing public-sector workers to retire at 60.

Last night, the Tories attacked the Government for inflicting "further pain" on hard-pressed tax payers - many of them pensioners on fixed incomes.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU PAYING TOWARDS THE PENSIONS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES?

What do you call it?

I am tired of hearing the word pronounced as "COM-PEW-ERR"

I think there should be a "T" there somewhere.

I am taking a break from posting to my blogs, as I do not seem to be getting any feedback.

There have been very few comments since before Christmas.

So, farewell for a while.

I will be back soon.

I have just been listening to a radio programme about "pay-tree-ism" and "pay-tree-ots".

I think the Atlantic Ocean is shrinking!

A Loyal Pat-Re-Ot

I HAVE STARTED A NEW BLOG AT: http://picturepost.blog.co.uk

I have been meaning to write about this for a few days.

I went into Sainsbury's when they re-opened after Christmas and found that they had a special offer on Hot Cross Buns.

Who buys them?

When I was young they were only eaten on Good Friday, but now they are sold all year round.

How many people realise their religious significance? (Yes, I know they originated in pagan times.)

And what about inflation? The original rhyme gave their cost as "one a penny, two a penny" (two different sizes?) - and they were "old pennies" (240 to the pound, instead of our present 100.)

What about a boycott? Let them go mouldy in the supermarkets.

Finally - here is a quote from www.richardherring.com on the same subject:

Now call me old fashioned, but to me it seems wrong for supermarkets to be selling buns that are traditionally eaten to mark the crucifixion of our Lord, during the week that we celebrate his birth. I know they tend to sell these things all the year round now, but surely it would be seemly to take this week off to avoid the inevitable and unpleasant image of the baby Jesus being ripped from his manger and nailed up to a tree. Perhaps Sainsburys are trying to make some poetic or philosophical allusion to the fact that life and death are inextricably linked. Something along the lines of a doughy version of Samuel Beckett's "We are born astride the grave..." But I don't think it is the place of Sainsburys to do this. They are there to sell us groceries, not to make a comment on the fragility of existence.

To be honest, I can't really see who would be buying hot cross buns at a time like this. Already gorged and glutted from turkey and chocolate and turkish delight, is anyone seriously going to go to the supermarket on the 28th December and think, "You know, I really fancy some hot cross buns today. There's nothing odd about mixing up Easter and Christmas and only a hot cross bun will satiate my hunger today. I wonder if they've got any Easter Eggs in while I'm here."

Ladies - How do you pronounce the word "Lingerie"?

Most people nowadays seem to say "lon-jer-ay" - or even "linger-ee'!

The correct pronunciation is, of course, "lan-jer-ee".