Lighthning strikes!
Lucy Minutolo Ramon
In spotting this goof, we were as fast as lightning. (Is this font too dark? Does it need lightening?)
We covered this in June 2021. It’s one of TV’s favorite clichés. And it’s a brutal cliché! Again: Have you ever wreaked anything other than havoc? And have you ever seen havoc occur any other way than having been wreaked?
Bruce Moore
A certain number of people comprise a committee. Compromise is a word that’s even rarer in Washington.
Opa! We love Greek food. But 0.85 drachmas is 85 percent of one drachma. And 0.85 cents still is not even a penny.
You have a lot of carpet and furnishings. So why say it? How about, “…to extend their lives and…” (At least the ad didn’t say “it’s life!”)
We’ve said in the past that this is used incorrectly. “Momentarily” means “for a moment,” not “in a moment.” So if you’re going to be connected to Wi-Fi just momentarily, you’d better get out your cellphone.
We talked at length in November 2022 about how “breaking news” has lost all meaning and has entered the realm of parody. The fact that the court is about to post rulings is not breaking news. When it does post them, that will be the breaking news. Maybe. (Also: the “Horribly Wrong!” team has said it isn’t keen on “release.”)
The breaking news is they went to lunch? We might not be able to beat this one.
Dang! We were wrong! Now potty breaks are breaking news!
And we go to the video archives for Segment 63: Are you gruntled? https://youtu.be/m2-ld_hp3QI
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Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong," features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police:” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we can credit you properly. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com
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