Posted in General, GrammarGoofs & Gaff(e)s, tagged 12, adopt, children, CNN, confusion, couple, dead, English, goof, grammar, headline, iGoogle, language, news, slain, usage, words, writing on July 10, 2009|
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We are really having trouble with this iGoogle CNN headline:
“Couple who adopted 12 children found slain”
(click here to to read the story)
We’re not going to make up a funny photo for this one, however:
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:
“A couple adopted twelve dead children”
The original headline could use some treatment …

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Posted in General, GrammarGag Reel (fun stuff), GrammarGarnish (wordplay), tagged bus, bus stop, confusion, Detroit, English, fun, gang busters, grammar, headline, iGoogle, language, news, shot, stop, students, usage, Web, words, writing on June 30, 2009|
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An entry for our “Fun with Headlines” category … the iGoogle news headline for this story is:
“Students shot at Detroit bus stop”
(click here for the real story)
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:


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Posted in General, GrammarGag Reel (fun stuff), tagged confusion, definition, dictionary, English, fast, fix, fixin', fun, grammar, headline, iGoogle, language, noun, object, slow, southspeak, toilet, usage, verb, vocabulary, wikiHow, words on June 17, 2009|
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We chuckled when we saw this wikiHow title on iGoogle:
“How to Fix a Slow Toilet”
(click here for the real story)
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:

So, here we go with our word of the day:
fix. verb (used with object)
- to repair; mend.
- to put in order or in good condition; adjust or arrrange: She fixed her hair in a bun.
- to make fast, firm, or stable.
- to place definitely and more or less permanently: to fix a circus poster to a wall.
- to settle definitely; determine: to fix a price.
- to direct (the eyes, the attention, etc.) steadily: His eyes were fixed on the distant ship.
- to attract and hold (the eye, the attention, etc.).
- to make set or rigid.
- to put into permanent form.
- to put or place (responsibility, blame, etc.) on a person.
- to assign or refer to a definite place, time, etc.
- to provide or supply with (something needed or wanted): How are you fixed for money?
- Informal. to arrange or influence the outcome or action of, esp. privately or dishonestly: to fix a jury; to fix a game.
- to get (a meal); prepare (food): What time shall I fix supper?
- Informal. to put in a condition or position to make no further trouble.
- Informal. to get even with; get revenge upon: I’ll fix him!
- Informal. to castrate or spay (an animal, esp. a pet).
- Chemistry. a. to make stable in consistency or condition; reduce from fluidity or volatility to a more stable state. b. to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a useful compound, as a nitrate fertilizer.
- Photography. to render (an image) permanent by removing light-sensitive silver halides.
- Microscopy. to kill, make rigid, and preserve for microscopic study.
fix. verb (used without object)
- to become fixed.
- to become set; assume a rigid or solid form.
- to become stable or permanent.
- to settle down.
- Slang. to inject oneself with a narcotic.
- Chiefly Southern U.S. to prepare; plan (usually fol. by an infinitive): I was just fixing to call you. We’re fixing to go to Colorado this summer.
By the way, we’re fixin’ to do a whole blog post on this and related southspeak. Stay tuned.
fix. noun
- Informal. a position from which it is difficult to escape; predicament.
- Informal. a repair, adjustment, or solution, usually of an immediate nature: Can you think of a fix for the problem?
- Navigation. a. a charted position of a vessel or aircraft, determined by two or more bearings taken on landmarks, heavenly bodies, etc. b. the determining of the position of a ship, plane, etc., by mathematical, electronic, or other means: The navigator took a fix on the sun and steered the ship due north.
- a clear determination: Can you get a fix on what he really means?
- Slang. a. an injection of heroin or other narcotic. b. the narcotic or amount of narcotic injected. c. a compulsively sought dose or infusion of something: to need one’s daily fix of soap operas on TV.
- Slang. a. an underhand or illegal arrangement, esp. one secured through bribery or influence. b. a contest, situation, etc., whose outcome is prearranged dishonestly.
fix. Verb phrases
- fix on/upon, to decide on; determine: We won’t be able to fix on a location for the banquet until we know the number of guests.
- fix up, Informal. a. to arrange for: to fix up (on) a date. b. to provide with; furnish. c. to repair; renew. d. to smooth over; solve: They weren’t able to fix up their differences.
fix. Idioms
- fix one’s wagon, Informal. to exact retribution for an offense; treat someone vengefully: I’ll dock his pay and that will fix his wagon.
- in a fix, Older Slang. pregnant.
Source: dictionary.com
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Posted in General, GrammarGag Reel (fun stuff), Vocabulary Builders, tagged bird, confusion, definition, dictionary, English, feeder, fish, fun, grammar, headline, how to, hummingbird, iGoogle, language, noun, object, perch, usage, verb, vocabulary, wikiHow, words on June 15, 2009|
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One of today’s iGoogle wikiHow To listings is:
“How to Make Perches for a Hummingbird Feeder”
(click here for the real story)
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:

So, here’s our word of the day:
perch. noun.
- a pole or rod, usually horizontal, serving as a roost for birds.
- any place or object, as a sill, fence, branch, or twig, for a bird, animal, or person to alight or rest upon.
- a high or elevated position, resting place, or the like.
- a small, elevated seat for the driver of any of certain vehicles.
- a pole connecting the fore and hind running parts of a spring carriage or other vehicle.
- a post set up as a navigational aid on a navigational hazard or on a buoy.
- British
a. a linear or square rod.
b. a measure of volume for stone, about 24 cubic feet (0.7 cubic meters).
- Textiles. an apparatus consisting of two vertical posts and a horizontal roller, used for inspecting cloth after it leaves the loom.
- Obsolete. any pole, rod, or the like.
perch. verb (used without object)
- to alight or rest upon a perch.
- to settle or rest in some elevated position, as if on a perch.
perch. verb (used with object)
- to set or place on or as if on a perch.
- to inspect (cloth) for defects and blemishes after it has been taken from the loom and placed upon a perch.
perch. noun, plural (especially collectively) perch, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) perch⋅es.
- any spiny-finned, freshwater food fish of the genus Perca, as P. flavescens (yellow perch), of the U.S., or P. fluviatilis, of Europe.
- any of various other related, spiny-finned fishes.
- any of several embioticid fishes, as Hysterocarpus traski (tule perch) of California.
Source: dictionary.com
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Posted in General, GrammarGag Reel (fun stuff), tagged CNN.com, confusion, couple, Cuba, English, fun, grammar, headline, iGoogle, jail, language, news, spy, usage, words on June 10, 2009|
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CNN.com ran a news item today. The headline was displayed on iGoogle as:
“Couple accused of spying for Cuba to stay in jail”
(click here for the real story)
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:

So, who’s actually staying behind bars?
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Posted in General, GrammarGag Reel (fun stuff), tagged confusion, English, fun, grammar, hammock, headline, iGoogle, language, pitch, trees, usage, Web, WikiHowTo, words on May 26, 2009|
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More fun with headlines …
One of today’s iGoogle WikiHow items is:
“How to Pitch a Hammock Without Trees”
(click here for the real story)
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:

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Posted in General, GrammarGag Reel (fun stuff), tagged arrest, CNN, CNN.com, cold case, confusion, English, football, grammar, headline, iGoogle, language, news, NFL, player, refrigerator, usage, words on May 21, 2009|
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Again with the headlines …
An iGoogle CNN.com news headline reads:
“Former NFL football player arrested in cold case”
(click here for the real story)
What comes to your mind?
Here’s what came to ours:

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