Don't Loose your Breaks!

Two things:

1. Anyone who uses the word "literally" when they do not mean "literally" will be made into biodiesel. It means the complete opposite of "figuratively." If something "literally blows your mind," you are dead. If you "literally could not be any happier," then the pleasure center of your brain must be overloading and your ability to type would be impaired.

2. How does the whole points thing work, anyway?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius\";p=\"70502)</div>

Biggest offender? The supermarket. How many "10 items or less" signs have you seen? Please don't even get me started about the growing popularity of the (word?) "thru."

Next lesson: various forms of nausea.

Usage of the word "break" to mean the part of the vehicle that is used for rapid deceleration is nauseous; reading it makes me nauseated.

 

OK, class, let's enjoy this vigilance reminder from a major train station near me. Occasionally they will announce:

"In the interest of heightened security, we ask that you add your eyes and ears to that of our own."

It has everything. Redundancy, number disagreement, and an unappetizing visual image. I couldn't even type it the way they say it at first.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius\";p=\"70884)</div>

Here...use this one: ¢

(Hold down Alt, press 1 5 5, release Alt)

(on Windows, of course)

 

a(space)lot

 

Since everyone is on a roll, how about the misuse of "their" and "there". Then there is the ever popular "your" vs "you're".

And the most absurd was a sign on the back of the seat in front of me on a plane that read:

"If you are unable to read the instructions on this sign, please notify the flight attendant."

Nothing misspelled, just completely absurd!

Gil

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gil\";p=\"71053)</div>

almost as absurd as when you call NC DMV and the VRU says "for spanish, press 2".... in English.

 

And when one of you finds that duplicate mountain range, please let me know. There is only one Sierra Nevada Mountain Range - not the “Sierras.†:x

 

What makes the "anyone/their" PC situation especially irritating is that most of the time it's easily avoided by simply making the entire statement plural: In this case, "Those who swim at this beach without a lifeguard do so at their own risk."

John Greenway, an anthropology professor at the University of Colorado in the 1970s, suggested a new universal pronoun: "sheheit." It was supposed to be spoken very rapidly.

As a newspaper writer, I try to avoid both bad grammar and gender bias (our editors simply won't allow "him" into the paper if it could be replaced by "him or her"). But just today, my wife took me to task for referring to a female character in a play as the straight man.

--Mark
'05 Tideland AM

 

My wife and I referred to our unborn child (now nearly 20) that way. I'm not surprised to see others had thought of it first; I did the same with what came to be spelled "Ms."

 

The NC DMV is just beyond absurdity... don't get me started. We've had some issues with them recently. (having an old NC inspection sticker on a car with WI registration and deciding to peel it off will apparently get you arrested.) don't ask unless you want a lengthy post. :roll:

 

Wutchoo talkin' 'bout Willis?

 

oh boy... you asked....

my husband needs a nc dl to do state safety/emissions inspections at work so he went to the nc dmv in durham yesterday.

apparently 3 forms of id and proof of residence wasn't enough for these guys, he had to come home for a 4th id. then he realized he had an insurance card that isn't valid until FRIDAY that clearly states the policy is a renewal and they refuse to take it as proof of insurance. he had to come home again to dig up the current card. he missed a half day of work for this.

we're from wisconsin and i have reciprocity because i'm a student and both cars are registered in both of our names. i should mention we just bought a used car here in nc and had it titled in wisconsin. we're moving back when i graduate anyway, so why switch over?

he had to take a road test to get his license, and the test guy refused to let him drive a car with a nc inspection sticker and wisconsin plates. said it was 'conflicting information.' whatever. my husband offers to peel the nc sticker off since it's not even registered in nc anymore and wi has no inspections.

the dmv guy says, 'if you do that, i'm afraid i will have to have you arrested.'

what?????!!!!! what kind of backward rule is that??

after all that annoyance, still no license. he lost half a day's work (he's commission only, as are most dealer techs) trying to be able to do more jobs only to get screwed.

i warned you it was a long story. at the nc dmv, stupidity is the rule, not the exception.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jimofdg @ Mar 8 2005, 09:40 AM) [snapback]70569[/snapback]</div>

Looked to me like this topic could use some new life...

My absolute FAVORITE all-time use of "penultimate" was the ad in a local advertising rag offering assistance in "planning the PENULTIMATE wedding."

I guess that was the planner my dh used for his previous wedding...

Now, there is FOB, which, when applied to the thing we all carry around to start our Prii is NOT an acronym, and therefore NOT capitalized. If you are referring to Free On Board as a shipping method, then yup. It's an acronym and capitalized (unless you speak British English, in which case only the 1st letter is, as in AIDS in the US and Aids in the UK).

Thank you for letting get that off my chest.

I feel MUCH better now!