Using the pronoun I is not always correct. "Molly and I went to the store." Correct. "This is between Molly and I." Incorrect. It should be "This is between Molly and me." Most people are so afraid of accidentally using me incorrectly (e.g., "Molly and me went to the store") that they hypercorrect themselves and use I where the correct pronoun would be me.
For a really good explanation of the correct usage of I and me, check out the transcript for Grammar Girl's episode, Between You and Me.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
antibacterial soap
Turns out that all of us washing our hands with antibacterial soap to kill germs may actually be contributing to the creation of a breed of super-germs. Basically, the idea is that if you wash with antibacterial soap, any bacteria that survives the handwashing can pass its strength (i.e., resistance) on to the next generation of nasty bacteria. This leads to bacteria that are immune to antibiotics. Fun, huh?
For the full story, check out HowStuffWorks.com's article "Should antibacterial soap be outlawed?" (and just so you don't think this is just one sensationalist news source, here's an article on the CDC's website).
For the full story, check out HowStuffWorks.com's article "Should antibacterial soap be outlawed?" (and just so you don't think this is just one sensationalist news source, here's an article on the CDC's website).
SEVENs you should know
The seven deadly sins (and analogous virtues) are Lust (Chastity), Gluttony (Temperance), Greed (Charity), Sloth (Diligence), Wrath (Forgiveness), Envy (Kindness), and Pride (Humility).
The Seven Dwarfs (of Snow White fame) are Happy, Dopey, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Bashful, and Doc.
The seven continents are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (from largest to smallest).
The seven colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Lots of people remember them using the mnemonic device ROY G BIV.
Thanks to mak for another: The Seven Wonders of the World. The list has changed over the years, but you should probably make note of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
In response to sneece: I have to admit that I only found any of this out by researching why the Great Wall of China wasn't on the original list: While the Great Wall has been built and destroyed several times over the centuries, the current incarnation of the Wall is relatively recent construction (Ming Dynasty). According to the Wikipedia list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the list was compiled by "the historian Herodotus (484 BC - ca. 425 BC) and the scholar Callimachus of Cyrene (ca 305 - 240 BC)," indicating that both died before any famous incarnations of the wall. The Great Wall of China is included on the list of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World, though.
Interesting tidbit I also found in my research: turns out you can't actually see the Great Wall from the moon and it's arguable if you can see it from space (check out this article, as well as the Wikipedia entry).
Also, per a discussion with sneece, I will go ahead and say that one of the most famous SEVENs would be the seven days of the week; however, if you don't know them, I'm pretty sure I can safely say that the rest of this blog is going to be a bit over your head...
The Seven Dwarfs (of Snow White fame) are Happy, Dopey, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Bashful, and Doc.
The seven continents are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (from largest to smallest).
The seven colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Lots of people remember them using the mnemonic device ROY G BIV.
Thanks to mak for another: The Seven Wonders of the World. The list has changed over the years, but you should probably make note of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
In response to sneece: I have to admit that I only found any of this out by researching why the Great Wall of China wasn't on the original list: While the Great Wall has been built and destroyed several times over the centuries, the current incarnation of the Wall is relatively recent construction (Ming Dynasty). According to the Wikipedia list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the list was compiled by "the historian Herodotus (484 BC - ca. 425 BC) and the scholar Callimachus of Cyrene (ca 305 - 240 BC)," indicating that both died before any famous incarnations of the wall. The Great Wall of China is included on the list of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World, though.
Interesting tidbit I also found in my research: turns out you can't actually see the Great Wall from the moon and it's arguable if you can see it from space (check out this article, as well as the Wikipedia entry).
Also, per a discussion with sneece, I will go ahead and say that one of the most famous SEVENs would be the seven days of the week; however, if you don't know them, I'm pretty sure I can safely say that the rest of this blog is going to be a bit over your head...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
pedestrians
While you, as a driver, might find it inconvenient to your oh-so-very-important and busy life, in the State of Georgia, pedestrians in the crosswalk always have the right-of-way. This is especially true if you have a red light and they have a walk sign. Yes, you can turn right on red at most intersections, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to avoid hitting pedestrians. Not only do they have the right-of-way, which makes hitting them illegal, but they also have a tendency to leave inconvenient dents in your car.
You are not more important than everyone else.
Now, I am the first to admit that I suffer from ego-centric behavior on occasion; however, when everyone else is stuck in traffic, you do not have the right to drive down the emergency lane to pass everyone and then try to merge back into traffic at the front of the line. You are just not that important. If your wife is in the car giving birth, I'll give you a bye on this one occasion. Otherwise, get in line, buddy. We've all got someplace to be.
asterisks (yes, they have to refer to something!)
I'll leave the full explanation to my favorite podcaster, Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar GirlTM, since she covered this in an episode, but I'll give you the short version here:
When you use an asterisk it always has to refer to something later on the page. The asterisk is generally used to comment on or qualify your statement. For example, Buy One, Get One Free Appetizer*
*Offer only good on Tuesdays. Expires 10/26/08.
Without the follow-up to the asterisk, you wouldn't know what the parameters for the coupon are. Think of it as a footnote mark. You wouldn't include a regular footnote without the citation. Never leave your poor asterisk alone.
When you use an asterisk it always has to refer to something later on the page. The asterisk is generally used to comment on or qualify your statement. For example, Buy One, Get One Free Appetizer*
*Offer only good on Tuesdays. Expires 10/26/08.
Without the follow-up to the asterisk, you wouldn't know what the parameters for the coupon are. Think of it as a footnote mark. You wouldn't include a regular footnote without the citation. Never leave your poor asterisk alone.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Tipping
Many of my friends struggle with the math needed to calculate the tip when we're out to dinner. My rule of thumb is that I tip 20% on average and adjust up and down from there. How do I determine 20%? Well, 10% is easy to figure out: you just move the decimal point one space to the left in the number you're looking at. Ten percent of $12.34 is $1.23. Pretty easy, huh? So then 20% is twice that. Twenty percent of $12.34 would be 2 x $1.23, or $2.46. So if your dinner bill was $12.34 and you wanted to leave a 20% tip, you would leave $12.34 + $2.46, which is $14.80 (don't forget to carry the 1...).
length, width, height
Heighth isn't a word. Yes, length ends with "th" and so does width, but the third dimension on your measurements is height, not heighth.
Hey! That's my bread plate!
When you go to a nice dinner at a sit-down restaurant, you'll often have a bread plate at your place. Here's an easy way to remember which bread plate is yours: BMW. Your bread plate is on your left, the meal is in the middle, and your water (or wine) is to your right. BMW = bread-meal-water. Now stop stealing my bread plate!
“Hey, it’s me.”
When you start a conversation or, worse, start a voicemail with “Hey, it’s me,” you’re being extremely rude to the person you’re leaving the message for or speaking to. Yes, in this day and age of Caller ID, they probably know or can figure out who called, but maybe not. You were thinking of them when you called them – that’s why you called – but they weren’t necessarily thinking of you. Their mind could be very focused on something or someone else, and it’s very hard for them to jolt out of their thoughts and figure out which of their inconsiderate friends “me” is. Now don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for “Hey, it’s me,” if you really want to use it. If you speak to someone every day at basically the same time, or if they answer the phone with a tone that indicates that they know it’s you on the other end, then it’s perfectly fine to identify yourself as “me.” But when you’re calling someone up out-of-the-blue, be considerate enough of their busy life to acknowledge your actual name so you know that they know who it is they’re talking to.
Monday, October 13, 2008
turn signals
I contemplated titling this post "They didn't put that little stick on the left side of your steering wheel to give the switch for your headlights extra interest," but that seemed a little long-winded. Seriously though. Turn signals? Not an optional feature. They come standard on every single car that comes off the factory line (at least here in the United States) and, technically, you're required by law to use them. They tell the drivers around you what you're going to do because, contrary to what your self-centered mind might be telling you, we don't actually know what you're thinking. I know some drivers (mostly men) seem to want to avoid giving away their plans, as if you think that all the other drivers on the road are out to get you and will swoop across three lanes of traffic to cut you off if they find out that you want to change lanes. Let me just go ahead and let you in on a little secret: We actually don't really care enough about you to be out to get you. Until you cut into my lane without signaling and make me slam on my breaks to avoid hitting you. Then I do care. A lot. And then I might be out to get you.
your and you're
Your and you're (much like its and it's) are two different words with different meanings. Your is the possessive form of "you." (For example, Is this your cat?) You're is the contraction for "you are." (For example, You're going to pick up cat food later, right?)
No matter what some folks say, I maintain that "ur" is not a word. Arguably, it's an acceptable shortened form of "your" if you happen to be writing a text message and can't spare the extra two letters. It should not, however, find its way into any kind of legitimate communication, like an e-mail to your boss, for example.
No matter what some folks say, I maintain that "ur" is not a word. Arguably, it's an acceptable shortened form of "your" if you happen to be writing a text message and can't spare the extra two letters. It should not, however, find its way into any kind of legitimate communication, like an e-mail to your boss, for example.
its vs. it's
Its and it's are two different words with different meanings. Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive form of "it." (For example, The cat has its own water bowl.) It's (with an apostrophe) is the contraction for "it is." (For example, It's next to the food bowl.) You can keep them straight in your mind by remembering that the apostrophe in it's takes the place of the "i" in "is," turning "it is" into "it's."
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