Tag Archives: language

Drifting

Posted on February 10, 2010 by WorldWideWeber

I lost interest in the Great Snowfall of 2010 (February 5–6)* when it became clear we were not going to break any records. Snow, and then more snow, and snow yet again … yeah, we’re having an unusually snowy winter, … Continue reading →

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Surnames

Posted on May 27, 2008 by WorldWideWeber

Seen on the rump of a car last week: O’BAMA 2008 ♣ Vote Irish ♣ And today: Jeff Greenfield on the American preference for presidents with unchallenging (i.e., bland, preferably mono- or bisyllabic Anglo-Saxon) last names. Could a George W. … Continue reading →

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Pseudoconservatism

Posted on March 23, 2008 by WorldWideWeber

The other day my friend Thomas (aka The Newsrack Blogger) got into a fistfight at a local bookstore over the question of impeachment. Okay, it wasn’t a fistfight—he had shouting match with Eric Alterman, author of Why We’re Liberals: A … Continue reading →

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Shanty

Posted on March 3, 2008 by WorldWideWeber

Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum … I always imagined fifteen guys stomping up and down on some poor guy’s chest. Maybe I’m the only one—I never really checked with anyone else. Well, … Continue reading →

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Terser

Posted on February 13, 2008 by WorldWideWeber

Okay, I’ve got a thing about verbal economy, but maybe this is too damn parsimonious. A while back the online magazine Smith presented a six-word “story” by Ernest Hemingway: For Sale: baby shoes, never worn. A remarkably concise tale indeed—pathos … Continue reading →

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Triples

Posted on December 31, 2007 by WorldWideWeber

I learned something new today. (Did I learn something new yesterday? Hmm …) It’s New Year’s Eve, and I bought a beer I’d never tried—Bell’s Sparkling Ale. I’d tried several Bell’s brews and found them all excellent. Well, here’s how … Continue reading →

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:-)

Posted on September 19, 2007 by WorldWideWeber

How could I not take note of the fact that the smiley turned 25 today? [Carnegie Mellon professor Scott E.] Fahlman posted the emoticon in a message to an online electronic bulletin board at 11:44 a.m. on Sept. 19, 1982, … Continue reading →

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Tormentee

Posted on September 4, 2007 by WorldWideWeber

The association where I work has just published a book for those who wish to be “mentors” in science education. That’s all well and good. The problem is that the persons at the receiving end of this guidance are called … Continue reading →

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Assume

Posted on August 15, 2007 by WorldWideWeber

Happy Feast of the Assumption! We all make ’em, so let’s celebrate ’em (even if they sometimes make an ass of you and me).

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Advice

Posted on January 19, 2007 by WorldWideWeber

I’m going to go ahead and swipe this right out of Harper’s. First of all, it’s the lazy thing to do. Second, they swiped it from the Chicago Manual of Style Online—specifically the section that’s a sort of “Dear Abby” … Continue reading →

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