Author Topic: I hate journalistic writing (Read 95329 times)

Porter · « **Reply #500 on:** January 31, 2012, 10:42:27 AM »

If I did not believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, I would consider Mormonism to be Protestant, but in denial about that fact.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #501 on:** January 31, 2012, 06:08:56 PM »

An excellent blog response to my previously linked WP article.

pooka · « **Reply #502 on:** February 01, 2012, 08:57:54 AM »

One more of Sheffield's points I would respond to is:

Quote

Since Mormonism is highly centralized, without the local doctrinal flexibility that exists in Judaism and many Christian churches, I had no place to live a moderated, reformed existence.

Also, in other churches we do not expect all members to serve as what others would call ministry. Because we only have lay ministry, all members need to have a correct understanding of Gospel Principles and an independent ability to seek inspiration and get answers to their questions. This is not a conformity enforced from on high, but a uniformity generated from the practical application of doctrines through service.

That guy's response is really good too. Expectations are false faith.

P.S. The "This is my Doctrine" book looks awesome. At first I was like "Hmmm." But the it explains that he traces the evolution of theology not for 1830 but from Adam.

Dobie · « **Reply #503 on:** February 01, 2012, 12:17:15 PM »

Quote from: pooka on February 01, 2012, 08:57:54 AM

Because we only have lay ministry...

Is that because of all the sects?

pooka · « **Reply #504 on:** February 02, 2012, 10:53:11 AM »

I was morbidly curious as to what you would have to offer this discussion.

You did not disappoint.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #505 on:** February 09, 2012, 01:58:00 PM »

Link.

Quote

Cantor nixed a provision that would have required a burgeoning K Street industry of consultants who glean inside information about legislative proposals, then alert their clients — hedge funds and other investment houses — about the likely outcome so they can buy or sell their stakes in advance.

There's a verb missing somewhere in that mess isn't there?

Jonathon · « **Reply #506 on:** February 09, 2012, 02:04:50 PM »

Yup. Would have required them to what?

dkw · « **Reply #507 on:** February 10, 2012, 03:02:03 PM »

The provision would have required such an industry. I don't know why one would write a provision requiring such a thing, though.

The Genuine · « **Reply #508 on:** March 27, 2012, 08:58:17 AM »

Quote from: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/01/news/la-heb-prescription-drug-overdose-deaths-20111101

Overdose deaths from abuse of prescription painkillers in the U.S. now outnumber deaths involving heroin and cocaine combined, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday.

(Which is why I prefer a good speedball to an 800mg ibuprofen any day.)

In all seriousness, I think that article should've been written something like "now outnumber combined deaths involving heroin and cocaine." I don't think the combination of the two drugs at once (a speedball) is what they meant.

Jonathon · « **Reply #509 on:** March 27, 2012, 04:49:52 PM »

Skeptical judges are skeptical.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #510 on:** March 27, 2012, 04:53:17 PM »

In related news, haters gonna hate.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #511 on:** March 27, 2012, 04:59:09 PM »

Not journalism, but I saw a job listing that included benefits for full time employees. It went something like: full time medical benefits, full time dental benefits, full time travel benefits . . .

But my eyes, scanning lightly over the copy, lit on "full time travel benefits", and my brain misplaced an (understood) hyphen, so I read that, instead of the job offering "full-time travel benefits", they were offering "full time-travel benefits". How cool would it be to go back in time to before your co-worker stank up the bathroom and place an "out of order" sign on the door so that they'd go stink up the bathroom on the other side of the building instead. That's a perq worth keeping a job over!

Jonathon · « **Reply #512 on:** March 27, 2012, 05:43:32 PM »

Full time-travel benefits would be awesome.

Also, I like that you spell it "perq", even though Chrome's spellchecker apparently does not.

rivka · « **Reply #513 on:** March 27, 2012, 08:37:51 PM »

Gotta watch out for those part-time medical benefits . . .

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #514 on:** March 27, 2012, 09:18:21 PM »

There are arguments before the Supremes about that right now.

pooka · « **Reply #515 on:** March 30, 2012, 05:25:24 PM »

Think it over... think it over...

Porter · « **Reply #516 on:** June 04, 2012, 10:03:28 PM »

From here.

Quote

The poll also indicated that seven out of ten of those who attended religious services regularly were more likely to hold creationist views.

Really? So seven out of ten were more likely? How much more likely? More likely than what? Than who? And what were the other 30% likely to do?

Jonathon · « **Reply #517 on:** June 04, 2012, 10:17:15 PM »

I'm not a stats person by any means, but that's . . . a really weird way to put it. Usually you see things like "Those who attend religious services regularly were x% more likely to hold creationist views." As you said, that just raises a lot more questions about how much more likely they are, who they're compared to, and what everyone else is likely to believe.

rivka · « **Reply #518 on:** June 04, 2012, 11:36:20 PM »

It's not the best sentence, but the rest of the paragraph does explain -- to the best that sort of poll can. Gallup polls generally ask very limited questions, so you won't get the kind of detailed statistical breakdown you're talking about.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #519 on:** August 07, 2012, 08:04:14 AM »

From the front page of today's New York Times:

Human Hand Found in Drought Conditons

Eww!

Jonathon · « **Reply #520 on:** August 07, 2012, 09:48:11 AM »

I love Headlinese. It's just like English, but with about ten times as much ambiguity.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #521 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:17:00 PM »

Was it my last post that changed your mind?

Jonathon · « **Reply #522 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:43:31 PM »

I was mostly being sarcastic. Usually headlinese is just annoying, but in this instance it actually was delightful.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #523 on:** August 08, 2012, 08:32:20 AM »

Gu Kai Lai, China's 'Jackie Kennedy'.

Or...China's Gu Kai Lai? From the article,

Quote

Ambitious and outgoing, Gu typified the international outlook of the second generation of China's political elite. She has even been described by some as the "Jackie Kennedy of China."

And by "some" you mean the author of the article. Near as I can tell, the only similarities both women share is marriage to a politician. I've never heard her described that way by anybody. Then in the *very* next paragraph.

Quote

Gu and her husband were both descendents of China's revolutionary heros -- Gu from Major-General Gu Jingsheng, a prominent revolutionary military figure, and Bo from Bo Yibo, considered one of the "eight immortals" of the revolution that created modern China.

Here's the part where you tell us how the two Kennedys or at least one of them, were descended from the American equivalent of a 'prominent revolutionary military figure'. Thus helping the nickname make sense.

I don't know how this journalist gets paid. The article basically states what has been old news for months. The only thing new is this disquieting bit,

Quote

"Gu told investigators everything she could remember and, as for those accusations about which she couldn't remember clearly, she asked the investigators to go ahead and write up anything they'd like to," the source told the paper.

Bwuh!?

edit: I guess what galls me is that the nickname 'China's Jackie Kennedy' doesn't make sense, unless you just assume all outwardly charismatic female spouses of politicians are Jackie Kennedys. But that slant on the article doesn't provide *any* useful context or information for knowing who Gu is, or what she did.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #524 on:** August 08, 2012, 04:41:30 PM »

Quote from: Tante Shvester on August 07, 2012, 08:04:14 AM

From the front page of today's New York Times:

Human Hand Found in Drought Conditons

Eww!

That happened to me once, but I can recommend a really nice lotion.