Health & Fitness
Somewhere More Than The Rainbow
AP Stylebook revises 'more than' and 'over' distinction.
The second lesson I learned as a copywriter was told to me by “Big Al" LeAnce. I had written a financial release saying that the corporation had increased revenue to over $50 million.
"Get in here, now." His cigarette-rasp, booming voice bounced off the brick walls of the ad agency.
I crept into his office. He came around his massive desk toward me and held an unabridged Webster's Dictionary five inches above my head.
"This, woman, is 'over.' If I have to correct you more than once, I'll drop this on your head. That's what my editor did when I started my career as a journalist. I'm just telling you.”
I never confused ‘more than’ and ‘over’ again.
Thursday, March 20, 2014 is a day that will mark the end of intelligent journalism. News from the AP Stylebook that ‘more than’ will now be interchangeable with ‘over’ is more than disgusting. What’s next? Everyday and every day? I've already been disappointed in cities that I assumed were filled with people a bit smarter than average. Yet, in San Francisco, I found parking signs telling me that I could not park in a certain spot everyday from 3 to 6 pm. How could my parking become commonplace and banal? I would prefer to know that every day between 3 and 6 pm I couldn't park my car on Pine Street.
“Everyday” means commonplace. “Every day” means occurring on each day. “Everyday low pricing” is correct. “I love her everyday” means that the woman is loved should run from the relationship like a soul escaping hell, as the man who loves her is an ignorant troll.
Stupidity is rampant. The media consistently reports unsupported and unverified opinion and calls it ‘news.’
Until now, I could rely on newspaper coverage from neutral media sources: The Christian Science Monitor and The New York Times are two I respect. Reportage [with the exception of the Opinion Pages] from the Wall Street Journal is fairly reliable.
Now, I have nothing less than a passion to remain in the ‘more than’ faction. As will Eric Clapton and “More Than Words.”
It would be nice if I weren't alone.
