tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post4606731383037734517..comments2024-03-03T04:40:39.492-05:00Comments on Fire Megan McArdle: How Brave of Him to Go Brokebradhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-47885893684904661802009-05-17T11:28:00.000-04:002009-05-17T11:28:00.000-04:00Innaresting: "for a long, long time" points to the...Innaresting: "for a long, long time" points to the future. "in a long, long time" points to the past.<br /><br />You're going to regret what you did for a long, long time, because it's the worst thing I've heard about in a long, long time.Mr. Wonderfulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-32583688879606013112009-05-17T10:48:00.000-04:002009-05-17T10:48:00.000-04:00Much worse is this: "This is the bravest thing I'v...<I>Much worse is this: "This is the bravest thing I've read for a long, long time."</I>Yes, because adding a second "long" accomplishes exactly nothing.spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01770056727940292951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-18614121364868917982009-05-16T22:07:00.000-04:002009-05-16T22:07:00.000-04:00I don't think you need commas the way she used the...I don't think you need commas the way she used them. The first time was before an "and" that separated two independent clauses. The second time was before a dependent clause following an independent clause, which is also wrong. Finally, she wrote a sentence with three clauses, which is just plain wrong.<br /><br />Maybe there is some dispute over the first two points, but I've always seen it taught that way.<br /><br />He rode his bike and sang. No comma.<br /><br />Because he was happy, he sang. Comma.<br /><br />He sang because he was happy. No comma.NutellaonToasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09524357022370926931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-59615967391777371592009-05-16T21:22:00.000-04:002009-05-16T21:22:00.000-04:00Remember, successful people are people who worked ...Remember, successful people are people who worked harder and smarter.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-69049492851938525902009-05-16T21:08:00.000-04:002009-05-16T21:08:00.000-04:00Not to nit-pick (that's Megan's job), but I think ...Not to nit-pick (that's Megan's job), but I think Megan's technically correct using the commas--no need to sic her there. The general rule is that you need to put a comma before a conjunction that separates two independent clauses. There are exceptions and I agree that Megan probably didn't absolutely need to use commas--after all her clarity, for what it is, doesn't suffer.<br /><br />Much worse is this: "This is the bravest thing I've read for a long, long time." Megan, the word we use is "in," such as, "the bravest thing I've read in a long, long time." I agree with you that "brave" isn't quite the right word. Funny that Megan's so stupid she doesn't realize that this guy probably got a million dollar advance for his book--of which a portion is excerpted in this Sunday's Times Magazine, and it's already gotten a hell of a buzz. The fact that it might be a best seller escapes Megan completely. What an idiot. And she thinks she's a journalist.ChicagoEdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-29273240785440279792009-05-16T18:33:00.000-04:002009-05-16T18:33:00.000-04:00??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com