One of our intrepid readers—let’s call him “Curtis”—writes in to complain about the nounification of certain verbs:

When did the word “disconnect” become a noun?  Has it always been a noun?  What is wrong with “disconnection?”  Do the two words, in noun form, convey two distinctively different things?…I heard it on NPR this morning so I had to ask.

Let’s take Curtis’s questions in order:

1. We believe it was the Nazis who first began using disconnect as a noun.
2. No, it wasn’t always so. See number 1 above.
3. Nothing whatsoever, except that it should be spelled thus: disconnexion.*
4. As a matter of fact, yes. Employing disconnect as a noun displays a willful and callous disregard for the Queen’s English; opting for disconnection in its stead demonstrates a firmer grasp of our language’s nuances than that of your average NPR reporter.

*H. W. Fowler, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (New York: Oxford UP, 1926) p. 739.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

11th place, 2011: Dr. Jan Michels, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany

Nikon’s annual Small World Photomicrography Competition is regarded as “the leading forum for recognizing beauty and complexity as seen through the microscope.” Complexity, yes. Beauty? Not so sure about that.

Deadline for next year’s contest is April 30, 2012.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

Last Friday was the unveiling of a very special installation. For the past several months, we’ve been working on a commemorative display for the Sisters of Providence in honor of their 125th anniversary as founders of Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Standing in front of the display, AMD’s Aaron Bragg is flanked by Bill Bouten (left) and Tim Thomas (right) of Bouten Construction. Both the Bouten family and the Thomas family contributed to the funding for the project.

Working in conjunction with Providence Sacred Heart Foundation, the Sisters of Providence, and major display donors, we researched, wrote, and designed this installation. The legacy of the Sisters’ contributions to patients, families, and our community is inspiring. For us, few projects are as meaningful as those that tell a unique story about people with a gift for compassion.

posted by: CK Anderson  |  category: random thoughts  |  comments(1)

Random samples I threw into the mix resulted in scores ranging from 72 to 81 percent—or from “go ahead and compare yourself to a summer’s day” to “the waters of the Avon almost lap at your feet.”

Give it a shot. And report your results in the comments below.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  comments(4)

Behold: real-time information on the state of our roads. Somehow, I think that if street conditions were included in the criteria—like oh, I don’t know…potholes—Spokane would have a big fat dot over it. I mean c’mon. Anyone drive on Perry south of 29th lately?

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

“The art of creation comes closer than any other activity…to serving as a sovereign remedy for the ills of existence.”

Paul Johnson

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

Good writing is all about having the right tools at your disposal. Knowing the rules of grammar, for instance, helps you understand when it’s appropriate to break them. And an ear for the rhythms of everyday speech goes a long way toward preventing the type of turgid, leaden prose one generally finds only in academic writing.

As for vocabulary, well…you can never know enough words, right? With that in mind, here’s a handy list of 339 synonyms for “puke.”

You’re welcome.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

To those who think Macs are all style and no substance, I have one thing to say: “MacBookAir Does of used as knife Zhonghua.”

Just in time for fall semester, here’s a handy list of new college slang words. And here’s part II.

Are you a fat lazy slob? Turns out it’s not your fault.

Finally, 34 Star Wars impersonations in 10 minutes.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment