There it was, in the March 30 edition of the Palm Beach Post, part of the syndicated People’s Pharmacy column by Terry & Joe Graedon: “The researchers found no link between saturated-fat consumption and a higher risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications.” The research they referenced was a meta-analysis involving 72 studies – you […]
“And Shutterfly expects full-year revenue to be between $903 million to $920 million.” That sentence was in an investment newsletter email. It is another example of an awful grammar error that has become endemic in recent years. Can you spot it? It screams “illiterate.” Is there anything more grating to the ear than between such-and-such […]
You’ve had a sore back for a long time and want ozone injections developed by Nevada physician Frank Shallenberger, disseminator of the Real Cures newsletter, as a natural therapy for back and joint problems. It’s an alternative treatment, so hardly any board-certified physician is aware of it; you discovered it through your own research. Step […]
GMOs are safe? Recently, Will Coggin of the Center for Consumer Freedom disseminated to newspapers an essay saying science shows genetic “improvement” of foods “is perfectly safe.” Coggin’s lobbyist outfit works for publicist Richard Berman, who also is behind similar organizations championing big corporations’ activities to the detriment of the public. Their contention that genetically modified foods […]
No Commoners Here My all-time favorite cartoon appeared in The New Yorker a few decades ago. A woman in a long formal gown and elbow-length gloves is at a posh party, brandishing one of those long-stemmed cigarette holders common among aristocrats in the day, her face sour with hauteur. Next to her is a tuxedoed […]
Forest fire out West caused by global warming Which is a worse way to die, by water or fire? The way things are going, future generations may have to choose between living where the ocean swells beyond the shoreline and swallows them, or far inland where forest fires fry them. Oh, but those are […]
“As well as” can be expected Weighty issue How often do you see a sentence with a series of items separated by commas, and “as well as” preceding the last item? Happens all the time. Here’s an example from the Detroit Free Press: “Obviously, it’s tougher to get a job, overcome health issues and pay […]
Dr. Mehmet Oz How much does Dr. Oz know? A lot of so-called experts achieve their reputations only partly because of their skills and knowledge. They garner attention by way of their charisma, their powers of communication. Take Dr. Oz, for example. Mehmet Oz, M.D., became known as a top-of-the-line cardiologist. But he didn’t stop […]
President Barack Obama Cutting defense The Obama administration wants to cut the defense budget, eliciting howls of protest from Republicans. Of course – while they continue to decry the deficit and the national debt. The deficit has shown substantial decline since 2012, including a 37 percent drop from April 2013 to this year. The Republican […]
Weighty issue “As well as” can be expected How often do you see a sentence with a series of items separated by commas, and “as well as” preceding the last item? Happens all the time. Here’s an example from the Detroit Free Press: “Obviously, it’s tougher to get a job, overcome health issues and pay […]