I found this on Facebook. It was apparently written by a man named Stuart Bell, but I can’t find out any more about him. We can guess he’s from the UK or Canada because of the spelling of such words as “practised” and “publicised,” but that’s about all I can detect. It’s a shame, because …
I remember reading “Watership Down” in high school. I’m a little surprised that its author, Richard Adams, was still alive. He passed away today at 96. In his honor I’m going to use a word from his most famous book to describe how we on the liberal side of America have felt since it became …
I’m as guilty of this as anyone, but I think we should stop calling non-cops “civilians.” It implies that law enforcement personnel are military; they are not. They are civilians just like those they’re supposed to protect. I propose that when we discuss uniformed law enforcement personnel we call them “police” and we call everyone …
Not trademarks in general, mind you, but the very specific federal ones that the Washington Redskins have claimed on their name. U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee’s decision affirmed an earlier ruling by the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Last year, the appeal board declared in a 2-to-1 vote that the team’s moniker is …
Shout out to the people outraged that the president said "nigger" once but don't care about the countless times he's been called it since 08 — Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) June 22, 2015
Use a dictionary. Do not assume you know how to spell the word. It’s “straitjacket”, not “straightjacket.” It’s “backpedal”, not “backpeddle.” It’s “lose”, not “loose.” It’s “for all intents and purposes”, not “for intensive purposes.” It’s a “dog eat dog” world, not a “doggy dog” one. It’s “publicly”, not “publically.” This has been a Public …
Merry Christmas! Here are a couple of good reads for the day: The pertinent lines of Luke’s Gospel for Christmas Day in about two dozen different languages. It’s a fascinating display of languages across the world. Jo Walton’s wonderful imagining of Joseph’s reaction to Mary’s virgin pregnancy and birth.
Oh boy. Some Prairie Rattlesnakes are losing their rattles, and there’s some thought it’s evolutionary. “Rattle and get killed” seems to be the lesson being learned by the critters. Isn’t that delightful? Hearing this story on All Things Considered this afternoon caused me to think up a new curse: “On the trail that is your …
“Cut the mustard.” “To the nines.” “Up to snuff.” Phrase origins are often a rabbit hole down which one can fall, often with no end in reach. In these cases the exact origins have so far not surfaced. Ain’t the English language great?
Earlier today on Facebook I asked the following question: “When did the past tense of “shine” become “shined” rather than “shone,” and why was I not allowed an opportunity to rebut?” I provided an example in the comments: “I just know that when I read “that story shined a light on the evil and previously …