I can't wait!!! =D
On a completely seperate note, I just learned something this morning... I got an email from my boss that said "BZ" on something I had done yesterday. By the tone of the rest of the email, I was pretty sure BZ stood for something good, but I really had no idea what it meant in actuality. So, I Googled it (of course). Turns out it is a naval signal (Bravo Zulu), meaning "well done." Who knew?! Well, I suppose our Navy personnel knew, and now I do too. =)
Friday, March 23, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
What ever happened to grammar?
As much as I hated parsing sentences in elementary school, it was better than the alternative. I am beginning to wonder if following the basic rules of grammar is a lost art. It is bad enough that half of America talks like a bunch of morons, either in grunts and single syllables, or in wannabe "academese" (i.e. using large words for the sake of using large words even if they do not convey the thought accurately, or fit in the sentence grammatically - my all-time favorite in this category is the use of nouns as verbs), but when it shows up in writing... It is just embarrassing!
This morning I was reading through Reuters Odly Enough and came across an article that began with the following sentence: "New Zealand opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who refused to perform with an Australian singer because his female fans threw underwear at him, on Wednesday won a lawsuit against her for pulling out of the concert." I was confused. So, I went back and re-read the sentence, parsing as I went. *the following is my stream-of-consciousness thought process* Subject = the opera star (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa). Ok, that's what I thought. She refused to perform with the Australian singer (the object of this sentence) for good reason (I'd refuse to sing with him too!). Now we come to the verb (won), which has to refer back to the subject (the female opera singer), but wait! The pronoun that comes next can't be right. Against her? She can't win against herself! The answer must lie in the last part of the sentence..."for pulling out of the concert." She is the one who pulled out, sho it must be him who won the lawsuit... *end of stream-of-consciousness* I read the rest of the article. It confirmed what I had already concluded. He won the lawsuit, and the journalist, who submitted the article to Reuters, doesn't know how to write.
This morning I was reading through Reuters Odly Enough and came across an article that began with the following sentence: "New Zealand opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who refused to perform with an Australian singer because his female fans threw underwear at him, on Wednesday won a lawsuit against her for pulling out of the concert." I was confused. So, I went back and re-read the sentence, parsing as I went. *the following is my stream-of-consciousness thought process* Subject = the opera star (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa). Ok, that's what I thought. She refused to perform with the Australian singer (the object of this sentence) for good reason (I'd refuse to sing with him too!). Now we come to the verb (won), which has to refer back to the subject (the female opera singer), but wait! The pronoun that comes next can't be right. Against her? She can't win against herself! The answer must lie in the last part of the sentence..."for pulling out of the concert." She is the one who pulled out, sho it must be him who won the lawsuit... *end of stream-of-consciousness* I read the rest of the article. It confirmed what I had already concluded. He won the lawsuit, and the journalist, who submitted the article to Reuters, doesn't know how to write.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Confessions of an "Idol" watcher
I'm not sure how it happened, but it is true. I am hooked on American Idol. Not only that, but I have a favorite contestant. Since she first auditioned in Texas (I think it was Texas?), Jordin Sparks caught my attention (she sang Celine Dion's Because You Loved Me), and I have been rooting for her ever since. After last night's performance, I am sure she will stay until the end. Actually, I would be surprised if she does not become a recording artist by the end of this year. Even if she does not win American Idol, record companies would be crazy not to grab her ASAP!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
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