tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post111462052584027140..comments2024-03-29T00:45:35.848-07:00Comments on Toner Mishap: Tired of John Kerry Emailing MeThe Misanthropehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697151793588884333noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1131964411507395802005-11-14T02:33:00.000-08:002005-11-14T02:33:00.000-08:00This is my first time reading Toner Mishap.. It's...This is my first time reading Toner Mishap.. It's quickly been added to my favorites.<BR/><BR/>I had read 3 or 4 small quips before I risked clicking on this one. Being a conservative I realize I am in the minority here, but the name caught my eye.<BR/><BR/>I laughed a little bit when I read it over, immediatly I understood where you were going with this piece.. I'm now a fan of the Toner Mishap, regardless of political views (because hey, who doesn't hate the Republicans right now?).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114727254362107432005-04-28T15:27:00.000-07:002005-04-28T15:27:00.000-07:00The literal meaning of the last sentence is, indee...The literal meaning of the last sentence is, indeed, addressing the reader as the "good friend." I honestly believe that the average American <I>would</I> overlook this. Why? I tutor undergraduates at a university. Nearly all of them have no knowledge or concept of commas and where and how they should be used. I suspect that if I showed that John Kerry email to them that they would come up with several (possibly even some nonsense) interpretations as opposed to the single, literal interpretation I gave.<BR/><BR/>And if that wasn't the email scribe's intention, then yeah, he/she/it has issues with tone and direction. I'd mark that email up with a pen of some sort if I could.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114642479467219092005-04-27T15:54:00.000-07:002005-04-27T15:54:00.000-07:00B2 is right about "cleverly-couched," as that term...B2 is right about "cleverly-couched," as that term can only modify "missives." Because "missives" is a noun, it can only be modified by an adjective. "Couched" is not acting as a verb here.<BR/><BR/>B2 may also be right about a nefarious intent behind the commas. I read it correctly (i.e. B2 is Kerry's good friend), but I'm persnickety about that sort of thing. A good number of people might very well see it the other way.<BR/><BR/>I'm also tired of John Kerry's email. He lost. I'd much rather receive mail from the next Democratic contender. That would be ... wait, it'll come to me ... uh-oh, it's not looking good....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114641435248491712005-04-27T15:37:00.000-07:002005-04-27T15:37:00.000-07:00I don't like it when they begin a sentence with "b...I don't like it when they begin a sentence with "but."<BR/><BR/>Poor effort, all around. C- <BR/><BR/>See me after class.Kevin Churchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18007179745787332785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114639328121851212005-04-27T15:02:00.000-07:002005-04-27T15:02:00.000-07:00I don't like either candidate in this race.I don't like either candidate in this race.Jack Steinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16625864271071630940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114633711464926332005-04-27T13:28:00.000-07:002005-04-27T13:28:00.000-07:00Sure, no hyphen if you consider "cleverly" to be a...Sure, no hyphen if you consider "cleverly" to be an adverb modifying the past tense verb "couched"... but not if you use "cleverly-couched" as a compund adjective, which is what I did.<BR/><BR/>I think.B2https://www.blogger.com/profile/17127446856576472299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114632195375351032005-04-27T13:03:00.000-07:002005-04-27T13:03:00.000-07:00Technically, there should have been comma after V'...Technically, there should have been comma after V's name, then "good friend" would have been a proper compound modifier. BTW, there shouldn't be a hyphen between "cleverly" and "couched."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793210.post-1114630895085464722005-04-27T12:41:00.000-07:002005-04-27T12:41:00.000-07:001. The writer did not overestimate the grammatical...1. The writer did not overestimate the grammatical skills of the average reader but simply made a mistake. He intended to say "my good friend Antonio Whosiewhatsis" but added an unnecessary comma.<BR/><BR/>Alternatively, 2. You are indeed John Kerry's good friend, or, as the Clintons put it about the folks who slept in the Lincoln Bedroom, you are a friend or a not-yet friend. You know, of course, that with politicians, everyone is "my good friend." Sheesh, even I would be Kerry's good friend.Attilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13854421651854007389noreply@blogger.com