Wow! 3000 Hits

I am pleased to announce that the blog received its 3000 hit last night 4:00 this morning.  Talk about Night Owls!

This last thousand only took a bit more than 1/2 the time for the previous 1000.

So thanks, everyone.  Keep coming back.  Let me know if there is something in particular that you 'd like to see here.  I am open for ideas.

'Til Next time...Keep makin' chips!

The (mis) Use of English Today , revisited

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * Warning ! Curmudgeon Alert *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Long time readers know that I find it interesting -- OK... "disturbing" -- how often people don’t really say what they think they are saying, witness a couple of my recent posts regarding the unfortunate wording of newspaper headlines. 

One of the things that I have noticed lately in everyday speech and, regrettably, in the media as well, is way that people now tend to choose odd – or at least confusing – sentence constructions when making “negative” statements.  When I hear one of these statements I just want to shout out, “No, No, No, that’s not what you mean!”

For example, on the news this morning one of the field reporters made a comment that went something to the effect:

“Everyone in the car was not injured.”

For the sake of argument, let’s say that there were 4 people in the car.  That makes this statement true if one, two or even three people actually did receive injuries.  Think about it.  As long as there was at least one person in the car who escaped unscathed, "not everyone was injured" so the statement is still correct.  It is only incorrect if all four occupants were hurt. 

I don’t know for certain but I’m betting that what the reporter really meant to say was:

 “No one in the car was injured.”

It is as if people don’t want to start a sentence with a “negative” word, so they hide it at the end. 

I predict that if you pay attention, you will hear a statement like this at least once during the rest of your day and, more likely, multiple times.

One for the Bench

“The best mind-altering drug is truth.”

‘Til next time…keep makin’ chips and protecting the “King’s English” :-)

Frank, a VERY troubled soul

Frank N. Stein

Frank was brought into existence about 5 years ago out of a bunch of Basswood spare parts, just in time for Halloween.  

He generally spends the entire month of October standing guard at the corner of my cubical at work to protect me from all of the undesirable Halloween “goblins, haunts and spooks” that might approach to do me harm.  I appreciate his efforts and so I try very hard not to comment on his personal hygiene, shabby clothes or his "way-over-the-top" body piercings -- Man, that one in the throat has got to hurt! 

When the first of November arrives, he returns to the comfort of the third shelf of curio cabinet in the living room for 11 months of well-deserved rest and relaxation. 

Last year, as I took him home, he confided that the rigors of his yearly, hazardous, seasonal responsibilities are beginning to wear on him.  He really didn’t know how much longer he could handle the stress. 

You might find this as hard to believe as I do, judging by his otherwise cheerful countenance, but spending the entire month of October on alert has subjected him to bouts of severe depression and anxiety.  He says can’t help but feel that he is not quite himself and even claims that it often feels like he is living with someone else’s brain inside this head. I’m sure that he is just exaggerating, but on the way in this morning he even complained about being wracked with repeated “out of body” experiences. 

To his credit and without being asked, Wrigley Gumshoe has generously offered to shoulder part of the responsibility and stand guard with Frank.  When I informed Frank of Wrigley’s most generous offer, I think I saw him smile ever so briefly.

‘Til next time…Keep Makin’ Chips!