More grammar in passing …

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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Gang bus(stop)ters?

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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Lagging lav?

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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Fishy roost …

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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Cuba in the clink?

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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7th Inning Stretch …

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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Put on ice …

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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