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Napier and  its napieretti.

As yet, there is no such word as napieretti, the inhabitants of Napier. If the inhabitants of Naples are neapolitans, then people living in Napier would be neapolieritans. They sound like early cavemen for which only half a skull and a toe bone have been found. No thank you. On the other hand, 'the solid burgers of Napier' does not sound right either. All this because the simple expedient of adding 'er' is denied. Aucklanders and Londoners are fine, but not Napierers. It's a euphony thing. Ask Riki McDonnell.

The Italians have been exporting collective nouns like confetti for years. Why not Napierazzi as in paparazzi, or Napieri as in consiglieri. Wow, all these amazing words you can find using a crossword program. Napieretti is appropriate here as the Italians have words for gruppetti (ensemble players). There are duetti, quartetti and quintetti. You do have to careful. Why not Napieritti, after the very appropriate plural banditti. Well, um, they're a bunch of bandits. We continue to experiment.

And now, from language to something more concrete.

Governor's InnNow you know where the clock tower for our posters and headers came from - The Governor's Inn. The tower might be said to be modeled after London's St Paul's, but avoids any tendency to timelessness. "Get cracking lad, the clock's ticking."

There is often a hint of sedition in the name of an inn. In this case, possibly a prudent shortening of:  "The Governer's in, but not necessarily sober."  Quite which governer is unknown. Bit like Queen's birthday.

Old carsThe committee began planning quite some time back. Sites were visited, reports written, colleagues consulted, the Pleistocene epoch passed, until finally mankind advanced to the point of inventing the trumpet and the motor car. Things moved more rapidly then. Motor cars even had trumpets. In those days, a horn was a horn and looked like a horn. Gerdoogle.


Old Fire StationAn Art Deco Fire Station, back when quality of life mattered, not quantity. The station has been turned into a shop now. I suspect the newer engines wouldn't fit between the pillars. Now you know why fire helmets are curved. It was because the firemen clinging to the sides had to be able to pass through the arch. It's good to know history can explain stuff.

Fire engines didn't have horns though. Bells and clangers - our percussion's day job.


Don directoreAhh, the music of the Prohibition Era. Here we see local Music Director, Don Oswino, taking the band through suitable 1930's style numbers. First his health warning: percussion are warned not to make gunshot noises.

Then: Smile at approaching Governer's wife; play 'When the saints come marching in'; smile at departing Governer's wife; segue into 'Roll out the barrel'.

We continue to experiment only on paper (well, pixel actually). A correspondent has informed me that the recognised name is 'napierite'. Whilst I acknowledge that as true, I don't regard an established name as any barrier to idle conjecture. Unless someone is silly enough to take it seriously. You would be better off thinking of a collective noun for web designers. Something like 'spidermites'.

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