Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Leopard's Limb 08/23/11 (leftovers, off-topics, in-fighting, etc.)

Word watch
"razed to the ground": as used by the British Daily Mail to describe the destruction by  of Sir Richard Branson's expensive home in the Caribbean. To "raze" a structure is to completely demolish it. "To the ground" is redundant.

Actually, more newsworthy than my nitpicking is the story of the fire itself and actress Kate Winslet's carrying Branson's 90-yo mom to safety. The house was hit by lightning, courtesy of Hurricane Irene.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2028865/Kate-Winslet-carries-Richard-Bransons-mother-90-safety-lightning-strike.html

"It's not rocket science." (or brain surgery): most recently in the last of today's LTE's.

"Unfolds": as in "as the situation Tripoli unfolds." Overused by the automatons who write news copy.

6 comments:

  1. Apparently the lightning didn't know that the house belonged to Branson. Wealthy movers and shakers are supposed to be immune? Well done Miss Winslet.

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  2. Hi WW!

    Did you note Branson's melodramatic pronouncement as he indicated he will rebuild: "This is a Dunkirk moment." Dunkirk? Where the Wehrmacht encircled the Brits while the Luftwaffe bombed and strafed? He must have attended the Donald Trump School of Overinflated Self-Importance.

    While not as egregious, that reminds me of former BP CEO Tony Hayward saying last year that he wanted his life back. He has it back. A lot of Gulf Coast residents don't. These swells take themselves too seriously.

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  3. Hey Stab. Well...at least he didn't do a MacArthur. I'll bet in the small print somewhere his insurance company is Lloyds of London.

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  4. Nope, no Dugout Doug for him, just Razed Richard.

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  5. I wonder if there is a Home Depot or Lowes nearby?

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  6. Branson's barbeque pit is on Necker Island in the British VI. I suppose there might a Home DEP-oh there.

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