Is the data plate the aircraft?

[Ed Haywood]

I am reminded of the story General US Grant told of Confederate General Braxton Bragg in his memoirs:

On one occasion, when stationed at a post of several companies commanded by a field officer, he was himself commanding one of the companies and at the same time acting as post quartermaster and commissary. He was first lieutenant at the time, but his captain was detached on other duty. As commander of the company he made a requisition upon the quartermaster—himself—for something he wanted. As quartermaster he declined to fill the requisition, and endorsed on the back of it his reasons for so doing. As company commander he responded to this, urging that his requisition called for nothing but what he was entitled to, and that it was the duty of the quartermaster to fill it. As quartermaster he still persisted that he was right. In this condition of affairs Bragg referred the whole matter to the commanding officer of the post. The latter, when he saw the nature of the matter referred, exclaimed: “My God, Mr. Bragg, you have quarrelled with every officer in the army, and now you are quarrelling with yourself!”

 

[ateamer]

Data is singular. There is only one Data. His brother is named Lore.

 

[Albany Tom]

The place where the discussions of airplanes, Star Trek, the English language and Civil War generals converge? It sounds like Rod Serling with a hangover.

 

[rotormatic1]

Back in the 70’s & 80’s, folks would put together Bell 47’s from used and surplus parts. The person putting it together made their own data plate. That’s why there were more 47’s than Bell built.

 

[Pi1otguy]

That's because the language has been corrupted.

At this point, does an "authority" with any gatekeeping ability exist? "Academic English" is astonishingly absent in most of adult life.