3 ms·

This is infuriating coming from the Times. Are they similarly disgruntled with FedEx? AmEx? Camel-case capitalization is used to create enforceable trademark

by ynniv 17y ago

This is infuriating coming from the Times. Are they similarly disgruntled with FedEx? AmEx? Camel-case capitalization is used to create enforceable trademarks. It is the unfortunate truth that legally enforceable trademarks have to be substantially not generic, and this leads itself to quirky names like Kleenex and ex-lax. This is particularly bothersome: "I could print it here to show you, but I refuse to allow my prose to be so disfigured." Camel-case names are not Voldemort; you should not talk about not talking about them. If Cain is so concerned, he should do the simple thing and call it a mobile phone, or a music player. This is journalistic drivel, and tarnishes my opinion of the Times.

lucumo 17y ago
Columns are the words of their author, not the newspaper. They don't necessarily agree with the opinions of the paper. On the same note, columns aren't news items or reports. They are opinion pieces. To call it "journalistic drivel"—or "journalistic" at all—is unjustified. Columns are meant to give opinions. It's not unusual to see columns written with the intent of giving an opinion that's opposite to the one held by average readers. The opinion of the newspaper's editors is usually given in the editorial.
- billswift 17y ago
  But one could wish that they were more often RATIONAL opinions. Everyone has opinions, I just wish more thought went into those that make it into print.
- ynniv 17y ago
  > To call it "journalistic drivel"—or "journalistic" at all—is unjustified. You're right, and in retrospect I'm surprised that I used that word. These days I expect this sort of inane rant from someone's blog that I will ignore in the future, not "nytimes.com". Maybe blogs have made opinion columns irrelevant? I can see how papers might have been boring in the past, but today we have an infinite tap of ranting idiots... maybe the papers should stick to journalism?
aminuit 17y ago
The On Language column in the Times was written for about thirty years by a guy named William Safire. The column usually criticized some recent instance of language usage in popular culture. He was frequently peevish but managed to avoid coming across as acerbic. Safire died recently, and since then his column has been written by a series of guest authors. In this instance, the author is trying to recreate Safire's style and unfortunately fails miserably. You see the same thing in the British automotive press. Everyone wants to write like Jeremy Clarkson, but nobody else can pull off his style without coming across as a total asshole.
- stilist 17y ago
  Neither can Clarkson, based on my brief exposure.

by ynniv 17y ago

lucumo 17y ago

Columns are the words of their author, not the newspaper. They don't necessarily agree with the opinions of the paper. On the same note, columns aren't news items or reports. They are opinion pieces. To call it "journalistic drivel"—or "journalistic" at all—is unjustified. Columns are meant to give opinions. It's not unusual to see columns written with the intent of giving an opinion that's opposite to the one held by average readers. The opinion of the newspaper's editors is usually given in the editorial.

billswift 17y ago
But one could wish that they were more often RATIONAL opinions. Everyone has opinions, I just wish more thought went into those that make it into print.
ynniv 17y ago
> To call it "journalistic drivel"—or "journalistic" at all—is unjustified. You're right, and in retrospect I'm surprised that I used that word. These days I expect this sort of inane rant from someone's blog that I will ignore in the future, not "nytimes.com". Maybe blogs have made opinion columns irrelevant? I can see how papers might have been boring in the past, but today we have an infinite tap of ranting idiots... maybe the papers should stick to journalism?

aminuit 17y ago

The On Language column in the Times was written for about thirty years by a guy named William Safire. The column usually criticized some recent instance of language usage in popular culture. He was frequently peevish but managed to avoid coming across as acerbic. Safire died recently, and since then his column has been written by a series of guest authors. In this instance, the author is trying to recreate Safire's style and unfortunately fails miserably. You see the same thing in the British automotive press. Everyone wants to write like Jeremy Clarkson, but nobody else can pull off his style without coming across as a total asshole.

stilist 17y ago
Neither can Clarkson, based on my brief exposure.