02/17/04’s illustrious band:

A Jacket Named Robert

Brought to you by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Remember the term “dangling modifier” from your junior-high English class? It’s what you call descriptive words, or modifiers, that aren’t clearly connected with the thing being described. Example: “I knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith.” Who was named Smith -- the man or the wooden leg?

The Strib dangled a big one today, attributing a quotation to “a guy in a hooded camouflage jacket named Robert.” Oh yeah? And what did he call his other garments? And how do you suppose he addresses his pants -- a plural noun but a single item of clothing -- by one name or two?

Today around the world: February 17 is both National Public Science Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day in the United States. For today’s random act, I’m blogging briefly so you-all can get back to conducting experiments in public.

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