The word for the day is paraprosdokian.
A paraprosdokian is a sentence in which the latter part is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe the first part. They are usually humorous, sometimes producing an anticlimax.
Some paraprosdokians not only change the meaning of an early phrase, but they also play on the double meaning of a particular word, creating a form of syllepsis. Enjoy.
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In making speeches, the rule is to begin with a joke.
No. I won’t be relying on the old standbys, Thomas and Scalia for this initial one. Kennedy wrote the opinion for the losers minority.
And I quote, “In our view it must follow that the entire statute is inoperative.” They are saying that the entire bill is unconstitutional. Their position would eliminate Medicare, Medicaid and free pedicures for Congress.
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Yes. I am so aged that I learned my craft as a professional photographer on a 4×5 Speed Graphic.
Back in the 1950s I was fortunate enough to study under two accomplished professionals. One was the color consultant to Ansco. Ansco was the then Burger King to Kodak’s McDonald.
The other was a former White House photographer. I benefited from their expertise; one in the technical aspects, the other in the practical, the nitty-gritty.
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Back in the days before dirt, when I first went to college, there were no courses in underwater basket weaving, tiddlywinks or recreational Nintendo.
How could the jocks get a college education back then? Not to worry. The educational institutions of the time had a solution.
They simply recommended that the athletic department suggest taking the easiest courses that the colleges offer. What were these “crip” courses?
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Well, it’s time to get back to work. I got out of the hospital yesterday. Now my illness is primarily from watching the news.
I just saw a clergyman claim that god defined marriage for us. It may make him feel good to spout such nonsense, but it’s still nonsense.
It amazes me that people are so ready to fight to the death based on such obvious ignorance. Is marriage strictly the purview of god? Not really.
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Have you ever heard a politician advocate cutting taxes? Have you ever been alive?
The refrain is constant. It is pure bullshit. They tell us it will create jobs. The facts show otherwise.
I can state the facts from here to the end of ignorance and it will do no good. I can show the facts. Most people will not be persuaded. What to do? My only remaining option is to explain why it is nonsense in the simplest of terms possible.
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Is money speech? The Money Court says it is. I’m becoming a believer.
The deference shown by the Court to those with money was clear with that brilliant joke known as the Citizens United decision.
Today, Roberts and Alito provided further evidence that money is more important than people. I really didn’t think we needed any more proof of the Court’s venality. It’s so blatant they don’t even try to disguise it.
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How do I do it? Is it just another demonstration of my wisdom or, possibly, just dumb luck?
Please keep your opinion to yourself.
If you didn’t read my article from the 27th of September 2010 or have forgotten it, It would be a good preface to this post. To go there click on the link to Foreclosure.
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I try to keep my readers abreast of what’s really going on. Occasionally, I can steal the beat on the major media. Check out last week’s article at Unnatural Gas.
This is an article from the web site of the Christian Science Monitor. They no longer publish a dead tree version but, back when I was a journalist, they were held by the profession to match the status the New York Times enjoyed in its heyday. It was must reading for members of the profession. That seems not to have changed. They confirm my lucky clairvoyant reportage.
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I had just turned 50 and was standing in the checkout line at some store. Among the items they were trying to give a last-minute impulse push were a few greeting cards.
One of the cards seemed targeted particularly to me. It was a birthday card. It said that once you were over the hill you started picking up speed.
I think that in the arena of our public discourse we are definitely over the top and tearing down the hill at a breakneck speed.
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