Comments for Banned for Life http://www.tommangan.net/banned Tom Mangan's collection of reviled news media cliches Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:24:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Gatorlips http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8911 Gatorlips Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:23:09 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8911 If I may post another one, I submit it is impossible for an issue to "center around" anything. It can "revolve around" something and maybe even "center on" something, but it is geometrically impossible for it to "center around" anything. If I may post another one, I submit it is impossible for an issue to “center around” anything. It can “revolve around” something and maybe even “center on” something, but it is geometrically impossible for it to “center around” anything.

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Gatorlips http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8729 Gatorlips Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:16:38 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8729 How about "a number of people?" 1,000,000 is a number, and so is negative 1,000,000. How about “a number of people?” 1,000,000 is a number, and so is negative 1,000,000.

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Josh http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8517 Josh Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:58:59 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8517 'Slam' and 'blasted' I'm so glad I found some other people who can't stand the use of these words! To me, when a journalist uses 'slammed' or 'blasted' they are adding an opinion of the effectiveness of someone's criticism. If one person criticizes someone else, are they necessarily blasting them? No, they are criticizing them. Saying they blasted someone is essentially saying 'boy, they really got them good!' It reminds me of a 15 year old screaming 'Burn!' after one of their buddies insults someone else. When Sarah Palin criticized Family Guy, she did just that. Criticized. It would be up to the reader to determine the effectiveness of her criticism. ‘Slam’ and ‘blasted’

I’m so glad I found some other people who can’t stand the use of these words! To me, when a journalist uses ’slammed’ or ‘blasted’ they are adding an opinion of the effectiveness of someone’s criticism. If one person criticizes someone else, are they necessarily blasting them? No, they are criticizing them. Saying they blasted someone is essentially saying ‘boy, they really got them good!’ It reminds me of a 15 year old screaming ‘Burn!’ after one of their buddies insults someone else.

When Sarah Palin criticized Family Guy, she did just that. Criticized. It would be up to the reader to determine the effectiveness of her criticism.

]]> Comment on Impact this by Robert Macdonald http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2004/02/14/impact-this/#comment-8475 Robert Macdonald Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:46:36 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2004/02/14/impact-this/#comment-8475 Amen on the "speak out" trope. Another one that drives me nuts is the idea that the investment of 30 seconds on a story constitutes "in depth" reporting. Amen on the “speak out” trope. Another one that drives me nuts is the idea that the investment of 30 seconds on a story constitutes “in depth” reporting.

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Bill http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8107 Bill Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:49:05 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-8107 Now, more than ever, I'm sick of the phrase, "Now, more than ever." I hear it on the news, in advertisements, and read it in the paper. Every time I come across it, I scream, "Really? More than EVER!" We need to save money now more than they did during the Great Depression? We need our troops home more than we did in Vietnam, Korea, WWII, etc? Do a quick web search and you'll find millions of uses of this meaningless phrase. It's time to ban this one, now...well, you get the idea. Now, more than ever, I’m sick of the phrase, “Now, more than ever.”

I hear it on the news, in advertisements, and read it in the paper. Every time I come across it, I scream, “Really? More than EVER!” We need to save money now more than they did during the Great Depression? We need our troops home more than we did in Vietnam, Korea, WWII, etc?

Do a quick web search and you’ll find millions of uses of this meaningless phrase. It’s time to ban this one, now…well, you get the idea.

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Blake Johnson http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-7615 Blake Johnson Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:05:46 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-7615 Where did the phrase "Wouldn't be drawn" come from? It doesn't mean anything. How many people DO want to be drawn? Maybe next time a politician is asked a question they don't want to answer, the journo should take a photo instead? Where did the phrase “Wouldn’t be drawn” come from?

It doesn’t mean anything. How many people DO want to be drawn?
Maybe next time a politician is asked a question they don’t want to answer, the journo should take a photo instead?

]]> Comment on Impact this by Rebecca Widder http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2004/02/14/impact-this/#comment-7591 Rebecca Widder Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:49:40 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2004/02/14/impact-this/#comment-7591 Why does everyone "speak out" on the news now? Why don't they ever just speak?! Every time there's an interview, "Tiger's alleged mistress is now speaking out about their steamy affair," "The city councilman is ready to speak out about his anger over the proposed budget." So annoying. It's everywhere! Why does everyone “speak out” on the news now? Why don’t they ever just speak?! Every time there’s an interview, “Tiger’s alleged mistress is now speaking out about their steamy affair,” “The city councilman is ready to speak out about his anger over the proposed budget.” So annoying. It’s everywhere!

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Creatrix http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-6699 Creatrix Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:44:16 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-6699 Oh - and to Kate's post about slam and blast: Now you see these words in conjunction with relatively mild statements. I saw a headline about Colin Powell "slamming" someone, and it turns out that all he said was that he didn't agree with whoever it was on a certain issue. Oh - and to Kate’s post about slam and blast:

Now you see these words in conjunction with relatively mild statements. I saw a headline about Colin Powell “slamming” someone, and it turns out that all he said was that he didn’t agree with whoever it was on a certain issue.

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by Creatrix http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-6698 Creatrix Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:42:04 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-6698 Oh, what a great site! Regarding common usage, I detest when people say "5 a.m. in the morning." It's redundant and does nothing but highlight the speaker's ignorance. It seems to have passed now, but for about 5 years after 9/11, the phrase "Now, more than ever" was an absolute plague. It started out with patriotism: "Now, more than ever, we need to stand together and....." and then it morphed into some patriotism-invoking BS: "Honda: Now, More than Ever." What does that even mean? (For the record, I don't think Honda was the actual offender.) Now, for you headline people: could we please dispense with the phrase "brutally murdered"? Murder, by it's nature, is a brutal affair. Yes, I suppose some forms are less brutal than others, but no one gingerly bludgeons his spouse or gently beheads his neighbour. Unless the adverb actually informs me of something, skip it. Oh, what a great site!

Regarding common usage, I detest when people say “5 a.m. in the morning.” It’s redundant and does nothing but highlight the speaker’s ignorance.

It seems to have passed now, but for about 5 years after 9/11, the phrase “Now, more than ever” was an absolute plague. It started out with patriotism: “Now, more than ever, we need to stand together and…..” and then it morphed into some patriotism-invoking BS: “Honda: Now, More than Ever.” What does that even mean? (For the record, I don’t think Honda was the actual offender.)

Now, for you headline people: could we please dispense with the phrase “brutally murdered”? Murder, by it’s nature, is a brutal affair. Yes, I suppose some forms are less brutal than others, but no one gingerly bludgeons his spouse or gently beheads his neighbour. Unless the adverb actually informs me of something, skip it.

]]> Comment on Post your ‘Banned’ nominations here by JJ http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-6584 JJ Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:16:08 +0000 http://www.tommangan.net/banned/index.php/2007/12/09/post-your-banned-nominations-here/#comment-6584 slammed transparent absolutely [spoken] ground zero on the ground kinda [spoken] I KINDA detest the above at the end of the day. slammed
transparent
absolutely [spoken]
ground zero
on the ground
kinda [spoken]

I KINDA detest the above at the end of the day.

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