Tuesday, December 30, 2014

"Wrong" verb in headline catches my attention

BUSTED HEADLINE FOUND ONLINE: Detroit newspaper use wrong Harbaugh on front page

The story is about a Detroit newspaper using a photo of Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh rather than former San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who is becoming the football coach at the University of Michigan.

But the headline itself caught my eye. They said newspaper use. In the U.S., that would be Detroit newspaper USES...

Obviously, this is a British web site; the British would use a singular verb for a collective noun like newspaper, police, government, hospital, etc.

It looks strange to see a British-style headline on a story about a U.S. newspaper messing up.

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

Rules and regulations; what's the diff?

We've all seen official signs that say "Rules and Regulations," and I've often wondered the difference between the two ... if there is any.

I found a web site that tried to explain the difference between the two, but I came away unconvinced. The web site used Dictionary.com to explain in this way:

Dictionary.com defines ‘rule’ as:

  • A principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement
  • The customary or normal circumstance, occurrence, manner, practice, quality, etc.
  • To control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern.
  • To decide or declare judicially or authoritatively
  • To make a formal decision or ruling, as on a point at law.

Dictionary.com defines ‘regulation’ as:

  • A law, rule, or other order prescribed by authority, especially to regulate conduct.
  • The act of regulating or the state of being regulated.
  • A governmental or ministerial order having the force of law
  • As required by official rules or procedure


I don't know; I see "regulation" under the definition of "rule," and I see "rule" under the definition of "regulation."

I ask again; what's the difference?

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Contact:
 You can reach me at tgilli52@gmail.com or nc3022@yahoo.comAlso, my Twitter handle is EDITORatWORK.

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