(+) He asked, gently placing the question mark outside the quotes...

(++) He illustrated, using the same punctuation standard...

The level of analysis and insightfulness is mind-bogglingly (what a word) superior to most major publications, and understandably so. Think channel 9 evening easy-to-digest news versus thought provoking, no-clear-answer news that rarely gets covered by major media.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/thing.html

But could this news be any worse than what came out of the closet a few years back? If they could survive that, they'll probably survive this one as well.

Personally, I could care less if people use that idiom incorrectly. ;)

From the alt.usage.english FAQ:
----------------

"If you think that, you have another think coming" means "You are mistaken and will soon have to alter your opinion". This is now sometimes heard with "thing" in place of "think", but "think" is the older version. Eric Partridge, in A Dictionary of Catch Phrases, gives the phrase as "you have another guess coming", "US: since the 1920s, if not a decade or two earlier". Clearly "think" is closer to "guess" than "thing" is. The OED gives a citation with "think" from 1937, and no evidence for "thing". Merriam-Webster Editorial Department writes: "When an informal poll was conducted here at Merriam-Webster, about 60% of our editors favored 'thing' over 'think,' a result that runs counter to our written evidence."

Another pet peeve is "tow the line" versus "toe the line." The latter is accurate, meaning "come up to the scratch." I could understand the former if we were still living in a time before internal combustion engines had made dragging boats along canals obsolete.

That's the one that really bugs me. People always get it wrong, so I guess they really do care, at least a little bit.

You're suppose to try to make more sense than that.

I've heard that all LA County librarians are forced to have the OED implanted in their brains via microchip upon being hired. Is this true?

Now the thread discussion will probably proceed to whether I should have used "whoever" or "whomever" in paragraph #1.

Am I the only one who finds irony in our two current threads? In one of them we're discussing the minutiae of English grammar... and in the other one, we're complaining that J.D. Drew is too boring!

That is the expression, isn't it?

Unless you're making an Asian-themed chicken dinner. Then, it's "cock of the wok."

I was in Deadwood last year. The whole town is pretty much owned by Kevin Costner, and consists of about 10 casinos, 15 hotels, and 2 or 3 private homes. (Exaggerating on that last one, but still...)

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/rockies/article/0,1299,DRMN_19_3745131,00.html

I basically agree with the conclusion the writer seems to reach, which is that (a) the failure to eject the fan from the game was abominable and (b) the Dodgers' excuses after the fact are the very definition of lame. They are, simply put, not remotely believable.

If the Times wants to do something useful, they should address this topic of deteriorating fan conduct (instead of just focusing with stadium security, which is probably the tack (not tact) they would take).

Leaving that alone. Consider it your anniversary present, Jon. :)

Remind me. Is Drew McCourt the gatekeeper, or the keymaster?

If I were him, I'd be "Generalissimo of Dodgerdom" and make people refer to me as 'Your Excellency.'

There has not been a Bobb in the majors with that as a first name, but the Cubs had a Randy Bobb. He was a failed, much ballyhooed prospect in the early 1970s. He died relatively young in an auto accident.

My current favorite first name in the majors is KC reliever Ambiorix Burgos.

A coworker has pointed out to me today that the early favorite to be the #1 pick in the 2006 NFL draft has the FIRST name of D'Brickashaw.

"We'll call this one Bengie." (OK)
"We'll call this one Jose." (Ooh, getting exotic there.)
"Now, we have a third son. We shall call him Yadier!"

Here is your baseball trivia question (not sponsored by Aflac):
Who is the only player to be thrown out of a MLB game who never played in the majors?
Hint: He is a hall of fame athlete.

Bobb Timmermann

I like it.

Michael Jordan?

---------------
"My current favorite first name in the majors is KC reliever Ambiorix Burgos."

And this from the creator of "Ghame Over?" For shame, for shame! Has the superfluous H already lost its power?

Bill Sharman - 2
Michael Jordan - 0

Well, do you think he has a good chance, SB? He had a pretty solid career, from what I recall.

In 1951, with their magic number at just four, the Dodgers faded the season's final week, losing three of four from the Braves. Tensions ran so high in the final game of that series that umpire Frank Dascoli not only ejected catcher Roy Campanella over a disputed call, he ejected the entire Brooklyn bench.

Sharman was on the bench.

I rest my case.

There was an NBA All-Star game and there was a shooting competition between some of the legends of yesteryear. Sharman participated and was asked how he thought he would do. "I could never outshoot Oscar (Robertson)." The quote was all Sharman--understated to the point of self-deprecation and hiding a deep competitive intensity.

Sharman practiced daily in the weeks leading to the competition. I saw it on television. Sharman shot the lights out and won easily.

Had a temper on him, though. I could definitely see him getting booted off the field.

Ever feel unique? Because I'm pretty sure I'm the only one on the planet earth that is worrying about this issue.

Change your log-in name, BT.

Really weird.