Some people still care about English

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 13 January 2009 14:08

My son gave me a book on language, our language, for Christmas. It was probably a bad idea for him to give an English teacher such a present, but “Alphabet Juice” by Roy Blount Jr. is a great read for anyone who cares about English—both of us.

I’m nowhere near the finish of the latest offering from Blount, who can often be heard on National Public Radio’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and is the author of 20 other books. But, I’d like to share a few gems so far.

Blount comes out in support of “ain’t” as a word, though my spell checker instantly underlines it as inappropriate. Blount writes: “Just as ‘y’all’ as a plural of you fills a gap in English, so does ‘ain’t’ as a contraction of ‘am not.’...

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No holiday from random thoughts

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 09 December 2008 14:10

Some random thoughts as Christmas approaches, basketball season begins and measurable snow becomes a distinct possibility:

n I read an article in a big-city newspaper that mentioned the possibility of the return of gas prices below $1 per gallon. Amazing. I am still awaiting the day when the sign at the former Wen’s One station on D Street is once again accurate at $1.43 per gallon. I never thought I would see the day when that would be remotely possible.

n On the other side of the economic downturn, I have at times been tempted in the past to play the market. After all, it’s what farmers do every year. They gamble with their futures each time they put a new crop in the ground or buy livestock. But, I have always been afraid of...

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Obama's first task: Make us 'United'

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 11 November 2008 14:09

n open letter to Barack Obama:

First of all, congratulations. You have become an indelible part of our great nation’s history, a permanent reminder that anything is possible in America. You have risen out of humble roots in Kansas to become the most powerful elected official in the country. Celebrate while you can. The hard work is about to begin.

You have inherited a nation divided: between the rich and the poor, the old and the young, far right and the liberal left. Your first task will likely be to put the “united” back into the United States. Somehow you have to bridge the gaps that have formed. You must inspire confidence that the majority of voters made the right choice, that you can and will make a difference.

The economy...

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Many questions about that bailout

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 07 October 2008 14:02

The recent $700 billion bailout of lending institutions has me puzzled. I have many more questions than answers. For example....

If the commercials were true, and no one could do “what Countrywide can,” why did the mortgage company keep doing it? Why did all the subprime lenders continue to write bad loans despite obvious signs those who were borrowing were over their heads? Was it greed, or was it just bad business sense?

Why does so much depend upon a bunch of flaky, stressed, often unstable stock market investors and their hedge fund managers? Shouldn’t one of our key economic indicators look more like it is based on Main Street USA and less on the Strip in Las Vegas? Should there be tighter controls over how much of a swing...

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