Saturday, January 12, 2013

Gleanings

   GLEANINGS of an Itinerant Speller: The web site econlib.org, run by the Library of Economics and Liberty, wrote of "pedaling ideas." Presumably the authors were all on bicycles as they peddled their concepts. And an online commenter wrote of those who would "change their mind." One envisions only one mind, with Vulcan members melding their own opinions into the organization viewpoint.

   A TV news anchor spoke of a robbery "in broad daylight," as opposed to narrow daylight, and the the suspect "ran away on foot," rather than using elbows or knees.

   HYPHEN MAVEN HAVEN -- A newspaper neglected to run spellcheck or have an editor read a Page One story, so this word break appeared: at the end of a line: "thei-rassets."

FORMULA -- The armed bandit rushed into the bank, brandished a revolver, vaulted the counter, scooped up the cash, stuffed it into a paper bag, and made good his escape on foot.

BUZZWORD BLUNDERING -- Good writers avoid these: Smoke billowed, poured from the building, sparked the blaze, in broad daylight, alleged suspect. The allegation, or charge, is not that the person is a suspect, but that the person is accused of being a robber, killer, or whatever.

   The TV commercial boasted that the item was "made of genuine metal." Not to be confused with faux metal, of course.

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