Monthly Archives: June 2012
Use the Oxford Comma
Use the Oxford (or serial) comma, the comma that precedes the and or or in a series. Omitting the comma, as is commonly thought to be correct, can profoundly change the meaning of a sentence. The greatest influences in my life are my … Continue reading
Duels, Duels, Duels
A dueling piano bar is a good time. A dueling banjo bar is better. However, nothing beats an actual duel. — Unknown (possibly Mozart or drunk guy at Taco Bell)
Why is the Skyway a Bridge?
Many of you may have driven the Chicago Skyway, with its half-mile long bridge, known as the “High Bridge.” Have you ever wondered why there is a giant bridge on the way to Indiana? Why not simply build a road? The … Continue reading
Where Do Sideburns Come From?
The term sideburns is a 19th-century corruption of the word burnsides, named after American Civil War general Ambrose Burnside, a relatively unremarkable soldier known for his unusual facial hairstyle that connected his thick beard by way of a mustache, but left his chin clean-shaven. … Continue reading