Last week of classes, so I'm sitting here trying to grade three sets of papers while I take care of those students who stop by my office to ask (as the jailer at Philippi asked Paul), "Sir, what must I do to be saved?"
I think this is the winner for the semester. I can't believe anything will top this. A student referred in a paper to the Second Seminole War, and it came out "Second Seminal War."
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
advertising: fooling all the people (7)
Chicago Daily Tribune, May 14, 1899
Yet another set of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
New York Times, Feb. 12, 1906
Atlanta Constitution, Jan. 1, 1911
Chicago Daily Tribune, March 22, 1920
Los Angeles Times, Nov. 14, 1909
an old joke, updated
Rick Perry, Texas governor -- voted "most likely to secede" by his high school class
"There's a lot of different scenarios. We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that."
"There's a lot of different scenarios. We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that."
Saturday, April 11, 2009
advertising: fooling all the people (6)
Atlanta Constitution, Feb. 15, 1898
Yet another set of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
Los Angeles Times, Jan. 20, 1897
New York Times, Dec. 25, 1893
Chicago Daily Tribune, Aug. 28, 1931
Yet another set of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
Los Angeles Times, Jan. 20, 1897
New York Times, Dec. 25, 1893
Chicago Daily Tribune, Aug. 28, 1931
Thursday, April 9, 2009
12-step program for apostrophe abuse
"Programme," actually, because Lauren is British.
This is just beautiful. I'm reading and grading papers this afternoon, and I just wrote, for the umpteenth time, "Do not use an apostrophe to create plurals!" Since I can't drink for a few more hours, stumbling on this while taking a brief Apostrophe Abuse break was, from a mental health standpoint, most fortuitous.
Step 1 --
1. Admit you have a problem - It’s ok, you’re in the safety of your anonymous interwebbed life. I won’t know. Just admit to yourself, out loud:
My name is X and I don’t know how to use an apostrophe. I force them into plural words where they don’t want to go. Yes, that’s me, I commit these crimes because I don’t know any better. I want help.
Steps 2-12 here.
This is just beautiful. I'm reading and grading papers this afternoon, and I just wrote, for the umpteenth time, "Do not use an apostrophe to create plurals!" Since I can't drink for a few more hours, stumbling on this while taking a brief Apostrophe Abuse break was, from a mental health standpoint, most fortuitous.
Step 1 --
1. Admit you have a problem - It’s ok, you’re in the safety of your anonymous interwebbed life. I won’t know. Just admit to yourself, out loud:
My name is X and I don’t know how to use an apostrophe. I force them into plural words where they don’t want to go. Yes, that’s me, I commit these crimes because I don’t know any better. I want help.
Steps 2-12 here.
advertising: fooling all the people (5)
New York Times, November 28, 1897
A special Macy's and Gimbels edition of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
New York Times, December 6, 1930
Sunday, April 5, 2009
afromentioned
Yesterday morning, on Car Talk, one of the guys (Tommy, I think) used the word "aforementioned," except he pronounced it "afromentioned." I've heard him do it before, and I've heard it from one or two other speakers.
OK, I understand that people sometimes reverse sounds when they talk, and it's especially believable when they're reading from a slightly-unfamiliar script. But no one would make this mistake in writing, right?
Wrong. A quick Google search turns up over 1200 "afromentioned" and variations. Not all are wrong. Someone uses "Afromentioned" as a screen name; a screen name "afro" leads to the construction "afro mentioned...."; and I think a few of these were intended as jokes. But most meant "aforementioned."
A few examples:
The Afro mentioned cowboy . . . . (This is from a transcript of a Katie Couric on-air piece. The short video is available, and yes, she says "afro mentioned.")
Next to the afro-mentioned McQueen and Robinson, there's the always reliable Karl Malden . . . . (from a comment on imdb.com)
This layer 27 may not be formed thick owing to the afro-mentioned reason . . . . (from a US patent)
A sixty (60) day notice explanation for vote will be made to the afro mentioned members.
i believe the afro mentioned list of songs is pretty good.
I searched the aforementioned "afromentioned" in the Eggcorn Database, but I don't see it there.
OK, I understand that people sometimes reverse sounds when they talk, and it's especially believable when they're reading from a slightly-unfamiliar script. But no one would make this mistake in writing, right?
Wrong. A quick Google search turns up over 1200 "afromentioned" and variations. Not all are wrong. Someone uses "Afromentioned" as a screen name; a screen name "afro" leads to the construction "afro mentioned...."; and I think a few of these were intended as jokes. But most meant "aforementioned."
A few examples:
The Afro mentioned cowboy . . . . (This is from a transcript of a Katie Couric on-air piece. The short video is available, and yes, she says "afro mentioned.")
Next to the afro-mentioned McQueen and Robinson, there's the always reliable Karl Malden . . . . (from a comment on imdb.com)
This layer 27 may not be formed thick owing to the afro-mentioned reason . . . . (from a US patent)
A sixty (60) day notice explanation for vote will be made to the afro mentioned members.
i believe the afro mentioned list of songs is pretty good.
I searched the aforementioned "afromentioned" in the Eggcorn Database, but I don't see it there.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Responsibilities of American Citizenship
A short film I'm going to show my class on Monday. Produced by the National Education Program and distributed in 1955, the film vividly shows how the Cold War affected American society. There's so much to talk about here--religion (notice that "fundamental belief in God" is at the base of the building blocks that support "the American way of life"), economic prosperity, bad haircuts, and so much more. An infuriating line is at 6:25: "Private ownership diffuses the wealth and economic power over the very widest area." What??
Friday, April 3, 2009
Booker T. and the DBTs
Through the magic that is Internet Archive, four songs from a great show: Booker T. (formerly of Booker T. and the MGs) and the Drive-By Truckers, April 1 at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse. Booker T's new album, Potato Hole, will be released in a few weeks, and they're out promoting it. This was the opening show of the tour. From here, they go to Australia. "Pound It Out" is from the new album; "Green Onions" and "Time Is Tight" are Booker T. classics; "Gravity's Gone" is one of my favorite DBT songs. (DBT played a long second set.) The next day I told folks that I was smiling so hard for those first 75 minutes that my face hurt.
Pound It Out
Pound It Out
Thursday, April 2, 2009
advertising: fooling all the people (4)
Los Angeles Times, April 13, 1959
A fourth set of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1921
New York Times, February 11, 1901
Boston Daily Globe, January 18, 1897
Los Angeles Times, June 19, 1907
A fourth set of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1921
New York Times, February 11, 1901
Boston Daily Globe, January 18, 1897
Los Angeles Times, June 19, 1907
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
advertising: fooling all the people (3)
Chicago Tribune, May 1, 1955
For your enjoyment, another small collection of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
New York Times, February 12, 1902
Los Angeles Times, March 14, 1923
Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1895
Chicago Tribune, July 21, 1943
For your enjoyment, another small collection of advertisements that used some variation of Abraham Lincoln's famous saying, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Click on images to make them bigger.
New York Times, February 12, 1902
Los Angeles Times, March 14, 1923
Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1895
Chicago Tribune, July 21, 1943
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