Early this morning I again heard a local TV channel's newscaster (attractive, makeup-enhanced young female) describe an object as being very unique -- and once again I caught myself gritting my teeth in righteous anger. But, why, I asked myself, is this incorrect usage phenomenon repeated so often? The answer soon came to me. It is because the newest generations are not being taught that 'unique' means 'one of a kind' and so is not subject to degree. One cannot say that an object is very one-of-a-kind. This distinction is not being taught to students, probably because even the teachers do not know (were never taught) the meaning.
Why do I care? Why I get my boxers all in a twist when I hear someone say, "very unique?"
I like to think it's because, not that I'm a grouchy old curmudgeon, but because I care about the casual, heedless, lackadaisical degradation of the English (or American) language.
But... like... wait a sec; do I really ...like... you know... care? Ya' know what I'm sayin'? It's... like... you know, what's the 'diff? Know what I mean?' WTF... ROTFL.
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TRIVIA
In Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift described the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, giving their nearly exact size and speeds of rotation. He did this more than one hundred years before either moon was discovered.
More . . .
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HISTORICAL EVENT
On this day, May 28, in 1998, the comedian and actor Phil Hartman, famous for his work on Saturday Night Live and NewsRadio, was shot to death by his troubled wife, Brynn, in a murder-suicide. He was 49.
The murder-suicide occurred early on the morning at the couple’s home in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino. According to news reports, Brynn had a history of drug and alcohol problems. The couple had two children.
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WORDS FOR TODAY
rotate
verb
To turn around on an axis or center.
revolve
verb
To orbit a central point.
Strictly speaking, there is a difference between 'revolve' and 'rotate', which is most noticeable in the terminology of astronomers. For them, the earth rotates every 24 hours but takes a year to revolve around the sun. The rule about which verb to use is based on the position of the axis of rotation. If the body turns on an axis within itself it rotates but if the axis is outside it revolves.
Christa Miller is an American actress who has achieved success in television comedy. Her foremost roles include Kate O'Brien on The Drew Carey Show and Jordan Sullivan on Scrubs (which was created by her husband Bill Lawrence). She has also appeared in Seinfeld, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and CSI: Miami. Since 2009, she has had a starring role in the TBS (formerly ABC) sitcom Cougar Town, also created by husband Bill Lawrence.
Marco Antonio Rubio
(born May 28, 1971)
(born May 28, 1971)
Marco Rubio is the junior United States Senator from Florida, serving since January 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives (2007–2009). Rubio has been called the "crown prince of the Tea Party movement" although Rubio has no direct connection to that movement. In June 2012. Rubio gave the Republican response to President Barack Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address.
Elizabeth "Beth" Howland
(born May 28, 1941
(born May 28, 1941
Beth Howland is an American actress who has worked extensively on stage and television. Howland is best known for playing Vera on the sitcom Alice, inspired by the popular Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
James Michael Tyler
(born May 28, 1962)
(born May 28, 1962)
James Michael Tyler is an American actor best known for his role as Gunther on the NBC sitcom Friends.
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One of the definitions of sanity is the ability to tell real from unreal. Soon we'll need a new definition.
--Alvin Toffler
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