Monthly Archives: April 2015

Potpourri–4

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Roger Walck

Do I have a Philadelphian accent? I have always pronounced caramel as CAR-mul, two syllables, but on TV they pronounce it CARE-a-mel with three syllables.  Philadelphians typically drop syllables when the meaning is clear.  It comes from our frugal Quaker … Continue reading →

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The Tough Life of a Feral Cat

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Roger Walck

As I walked up the path to Longwood Garden’s Peirce–du Pont House, I noticed a group of visitors looking into a wooded area as six large crows screamed violently overhead. They were attacking an owl tucked safely among the tree … Continue reading →

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The Death of a Friend

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Roger Walck

Not a best friend but the wife of a friend from high school. I had known her for over 50 years. So had my wife. They both graduated the same year from the University of Penn’s nursing school. The four … Continue reading →

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More Shoelace Tying

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Roger Walck

What luck!  One of life’s mysteries solved with a chance Internet discovery.  (See posting “Shoelace Tying” 9/13/2013) Why do sports shoes—tennis and running—have an extra eyelet at the top only about a quarter of an inch behind the top eyelet?  … Continue reading →

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Longwood Gardens Potpourri

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Roger Walck

The Pierre S. du Pont who built Longwood Gardens described his religion to be “a nonpracticing Episcopalian.” “Just like me!” I told my wife. “You were never an Episcopalian.” “But if I am nonpracticing, it doesn’t matter. I nonpractice lots … Continue reading →

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Synonyms

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Roger Walck

I look up more words in a dictionary now than ever before because it is so easy on my tablet. No more interrupting my fragile chain of thought by walking to another room, pulling a heavy print dictionary from a … Continue reading →

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The Laffer Curve

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Roger Walck

Mention of the Laffer curve frequently pops up in discussions of government budgets. Local politicians announce something like, “We collect $50 million in wage taxes, so we propose to raise the tax rate by 10%, thereby getting an additional $5 … Continue reading →

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The Awkward “He or She”

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Roger Walck

“Can We Take “They” as a Singular Pronoun?” by Ben Zimmer. The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/2015. Anyone who writes even a little has struggled with the politically correct phrase, “he or she.”  For example, the sentence When a person becomes … Continue reading →

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Potpourri-3

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Roger Walck

A word to the wise:  When you raise the flag each morning, as I do, take a moment to look up.  It is very easy to reverse the clips so the flag flies upside-down, and the neighbors think you are … Continue reading →

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The Blogging Grandma Buick Commercial

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Roger Walck

Buick is trying to get more mileage from their original oh-my grandma commercial whose popularity surprised them. Can’t blame them for that, but it’s not working. The latest, aired during the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament, briefly shows a different … Continue reading →

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