tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229575492025-03-24T22:43:36.989-04:00Words at WorkBlack Lives Matter Protests in Huntington, NY 2020Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger983125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-19538104653756835112020-06-23T12:56:00.003-04:002020-06-23T13:15:12.572-04:00Black Lives Matter Protests in Huntington June 2020#BLM protests started May 31 in Huntington and continued for several days afterward, with marches into Huntington Village, protests at two restaurants, and marches from Greenlawn to the SCPD Second Precinct stationhouse.May 31
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-37553632348315096332019-09-01T14:11:00.000-04:002019-09-01T14:11:14.505-04:00Stories I Won't Read at Nytimes.com
Along with its many question-mark riddled headlines, NYTimes.com continues down its path of trying to have something for everyone, and giving no weight to what's important, what would be a good cover story on Elle and the problems of the rich and famous on Sunday afternoons and who can whine the most about their difficulties when it comes to planning their weddings.
I'm old enough to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-78162682765210555942019-08-30T23:05:00.000-04:002019-08-30T23:21:39.350-04:00The News About the News---LIBN Takes a LookMy friend Adina Genn wrote about the state of local media, given buyouts, cutbacks and other things happening here on Long Island, and around the country, of course.
She did a great job capturing the big issues of what happens when major players are diminished and what could fill the void.
Facebook comments and people jumping to conclusions about the news do not replace reporting, no Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-48734362003961014762019-08-28T11:07:00.000-04:002019-08-30T10:28:57.763-04:00Take It Easy with the Coding. And the CapsDear PR Friends,
Please stop hyper-coding all your press releases. When you do, that means I'm less likely to use your information because I don't have time to go and remove 10 lines of xxxx in your overly long list of details you want me to write about.
And for the Love of God, stop randomly capitalizing Words so that you'll get my Attention.
We are, after all, not Germans.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-48340371303649674292019-08-28T10:29:00.000-04:002019-08-30T10:30:01.407-04:00Putting Reporters Through Hoops
What reporters do and why we need them: When a green card holder was (falsely) accused of smuggling drugs, he was arrested and tossed into jail for more than 2 months. This is some of what reporters did to try to find out what happened to him.
When asked about the case, Customs officials directed The Washington Post to Maryland Transportation Authority Police, which directed a reporter to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-45020197688722432912019-08-26T10:30:00.000-04:002019-08-30T10:32:35.060-04:00'Active Shooter' LanguageFrom the Virginia Beach mass killing.
“I thought someone had fallen down the steps,” she said. “Then, someone yelled, ‘There’s an active shooter in the building’ and they told us to get out.”
Please stop using this lingo. That's cop talk and that's fine for them. But normal human beings shouldn't be using it to talk about people with guns.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-65177150811723696342019-06-06T23:44:00.002-04:002019-06-06T23:44:34.153-04:00Cracks in the Foundation of Press FreedomStrange and bizarre things are happening to the press in the land of Oz.
Australian federal police raided a reporter's home after a story about secret correspondence between government ministries over a plan to expand intelligence agencies’ surveillance powers. and the next day, the newsroom of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, investigating how the broadcaster learned that Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-87758207255489616622019-06-01T15:49:00.001-04:002019-06-06T23:07:50.490-04:00Kansas State Senate Kicks Out Reporters Covering ProtestSo reporters were doing their jobs, covering the protests against the Kansas State Senate's decision not to expand Medicaid, and the politicians had them kicked out for giving the dissidents "an audience?"
We should all remember this when the same politicos can't wait to invite to to come cover a tree planting or Scout award.
>“We never denied the press access to government proceedings,” Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-75317235989299777392019-05-26T17:01:00.000-04:002019-05-26T17:01:08.394-04:00No Free-Lunch ReportingSometimes we want stories to be true. It would help if companies were more forthcoming with the facts and got away from BS statements like "This is not who we are." I recall this company seeming to confirm her account by saying she'd violated policy and then offering her job back.
It wouldn't be the first time someone got a story like this wrong. A combination of speeding to deliver a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-81094314544169979652019-05-26T13:45:00.000-04:002019-05-26T13:45:02.512-04:00Not Funny, Not a Right to Threaten SomeoneNo doubt someone thinks this "game" is clever. I suppose if someone gets hurt, the creators will claim their First Amendment rights, thinking it's okay to harm those who actually do live by the First Amendment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/05/19/this-wildly-popular-game-you-kill-journalist-make-him-famous-different-way/?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.38146b298bbcUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-81153757347773580352019-05-25T18:46:00.002-04:002019-05-26T13:46:43.459-04:00Love for HuntingtonIt's been about 37 years since I arrived in Huntington and have never regretted moving here. Well, there was that time right after I moved here when, blissfully unaware of the many anti-renter issues, I got a visit at 1 a.m. from the town attorney's office, the building inspector and a cop. Turns out I'd unknowingly rented from a guy who had previously been in court and sworn never to rent Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-41920460110482667172019-05-25T18:24:00.001-04:002019-05-25T18:24:14.309-04:00Done and Down With FacebookFacebook's horrible decision to allow the fake Nancy Pelosi video to spread, knowing full well it's fake, so "people can make up their own mind about the truth" is such a gutless, dishonest decision that I'm done. While it's difficult to walk away from Facebook entirely, I'm going to do my very best to post here. Some things may have to up on Facebook until I'm ready to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-505849603702588792012-12-01T19:54:00.002-05:002012-12-01T19:54:26.223-05:00Knowing What You Don't Know
I've always felt I could take care of myself and could figure out what I needed. But that's a bit of self-delusion, especially when something serious happens. This little cancer journey--and I say little because it's new and because there seems to be a positive resolution in the near future--has reminded me that things aren't black and white. Not everything is knowable. The experts don't always Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-65140790595467304262012-11-28T01:52:00.001-05:002020-06-23T13:36:56.788-04:00So, Yeah, I've Been BusyIf I submitted the story of the last five weeks of my life as a soap opera script, it would probably be rejected as too ridiculous, so overloaded with cliched drama as to be utterly unbelievable.
The good news is that it all looks like there will be a happy ending.
I'll tell this chronologically but keep in mind, it seems to be turning out well.
In the space of about two weeks, I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-36882067649039973192012-02-27T22:24:00.000-05:002012-02-27T22:24:46.328-05:00Get the Question RightI just started reading "The Age of Anxiety" by Haynes Johnson, which traces what Johnson calls the culture of fear from the days of Joe McCarthy to present times.
Aside from solid research and a smooth writing style, Johnson's book almost immediately notes something we see all the time these days: the failure to ask the right question--any question, really-- in news stories. Johnson relates the&Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-83041190091734620802012-02-21T20:06:00.000-05:002012-02-21T20:06:29.924-05:00Diagrams, Detailed
Does anyone still teach diagramming?
If you're of a certain age, you certainly had to learn how. If you want a refresher or want to learn something new, try Eugene Moutoux's site. Go straight to the English section to get started, unless you want to try it in Latin or German.
My favorite diagrams of his come from the Constitution and Declaration of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-28691918744736119782012-02-21T00:29:00.000-05:002012-02-21T00:29:01.780-05:00The Stolen Valor CaseThe Supreme Court apparently is going to take up another controversial First Amendment case that pits those who want to punish people falsely claiming military honors against those who believe free speech should have few limits.
I'm inclined to go with public shaming when someone falsely claims to have won a Medal of Honor or suffered as a prisoner of war. Anyone who sees old vets sit Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-43980961474409173852012-02-19T13:44:00.000-05:002012-02-19T13:47:38.165-05:00Leading the Race to the Bottom
Ha, ha.
Usually "worst error ever" is a competition, but it appears The Cranky Copy Editor is winning for now with this citation.
I don't know the source.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-31904578600471671972012-02-17T13:33:00.000-05:002012-02-19T13:33:29.268-05:00Support OpEd NewsIt hasn't received that much attention here on the East Coast, but the collapse of an organization known as International Humanities Center, and with it, the disappearance of funds, is threatening dozens of mostly small nonprofits.
One of them is OpEdNews.If you enjoy reading a range of viewpoints from beyond the usual TV gasbags, check out and consider supporting the site.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-73493687050762451182011-06-29T22:23:00.000-04:002012-02-19T14:09:20.675-05:00I May FaintWho do you suppose wrote this?
"As a general rule, do not use the serial/Oxford comma." Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-60748554376503869422011-06-22T09:26:00.000-04:002011-06-22T09:26:13.984-04:00Dept. of Redundancy Dept.Is there a style change I missed?
Is there a reason we keep getting redundant references on money, like this? This is the third one I've seen in two days.
It asked for $1 million dollars and said "no cops."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-54741049223544871792011-06-19T18:17:00.000-04:002011-06-19T18:17:18.774-04:00Wrong Is Just Wrong The thing is, there's no good way to say that the robbery went "right" so saying a holdup that turned fatal had "gone wrong" sets up a problem. It's a construction that needs to be avoided. I can think of two Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-20337344356484810582011-06-11T17:53:00.000-04:002011-06-11T17:53:19.341-04:00Reaching the 21st CenturyIn 2011, why is anyone still using "coed" ?
Cops: We Have "Persons Of Interest" In NY Coed's Disappearance In ... - KTLA.
It's probably time to strike that one from the vocabulary list. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-66786921915073956642011-05-04T08:03:00.000-04:002011-05-04T08:03:19.013-04:00Getting PersonalI welcome me back, isn't that nice of me?
Three language experts have challenged the attempt to smear President Obama for his alleged overuse of "I," in his statements about the killing of Osama bin Laden. If you continue to doubt the racial element in some of the criticism of Obama, take a look at the undertone they hear in those criticisms. If you think birther accusations and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957549.post-2187993818516597332010-10-11T21:20:00.000-04:002010-10-11T21:20:33.946-04:00The Freeze Is Coming! The Freeze Is Coming!!Really? People made all these plans on Monday for something that WON'T happen next year? Must everything include such drama? I'm not faulting or criticizing those on Social Security, who no doubt could use more money, but am knocking the mindset that produces stories like this.
An analysis of whether the formula written into law that leads to this kind of freeze would be helpful. How aboutUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0