Jim Baumann
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Grammar Moses: What kind of plumbing can a plumber plumb if a plumber is plum out of plumbum?Jul 22, 2023 1:00 am - "What will happen to plumbers when the last lead pipe is removed?" I asked my wife the other day as we were on a drive. She is as guilty as I of blurting out non sequitu...
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Grammar Moses: Athletic supporters? Why newspaper editors need dirty mindsJul 15, 2023 1:00 am - I've always said that a dirty mind is an editor's best most important tool. Such an editor will find unintended meanings in copy and head them off at the pass. Many year...
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Grammar Moses: You can quote me on that!Jul 08, 2023 1:00 am - With apologies to any of you our reporters have interviewed, not everything you say is interesting. Not everything I say is interesting either, but that's the joy of wri...
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Grammar Moses: The ins and outs of unnecessary wordsJul 02, 2023 1:00 am - Last week we looked at how jargon can create roadblocks in our writing, how it can turn off or confuse readers. This week, it's all about ridding our writing of unnecess...
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Grammar Moses: TK: Why we need to strike jargon into the gutters (stet)Jun 24, 2023 1:00 am - I enjoy writing letters to readers. Today, I'll take a crack at writing a letter to our staff and share it with you. Challenging ourselves to be better is good for the s...
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Grammar Moses: Nobody who says 'least smartest' can call Bears fans dumbJun 17, 2023 1:00 am - Irony is my jam. If I could spread it nice and thick on a slice of toast, I would. I stick my neck out every week in an effort to evoke a smile and impart a dash of wisd...
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Grammar Moses: Don't shine a light on meJun 10, 2023 1:00 am - Careless metaphors can be just as harmful as careless whispers. Just ask George Michael. Take this news release from the National Headache Foundation, which does import...
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Grammar Moses: Now I've gone and done itJun 03, 2023 1:00 am - Edith Graber wrote from the River Glen Retirement Center in St. Charles with a compliment coupled with a complaint about a headline. "Not done celebrating" was the headl...
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Grammar Moses: How aboot we discuss verbing, eh?May 27, 2023 3:00 pm - Guess who's hot in Canada? That would be moi. This is based on a sample size of one, of course. Someone named Bish, from New Westminster, British Columbia, wrote me to ...
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Grammar Moses: When is a question not a question?May 20, 2023 1:00 am - Tod Kruse has a question about questions. "Today, I decided to ask you about the use of 'right' or 'OK' at the end of a sentence when the speaker or writer is not asking...