Arlene Miller's Blog, page 7

All About Adjectives

Image by narciso1 from PixabayBest of the Grammar Diva

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns, pronouns, and sometimes other adjectives.

That is a beautiful dress! (beautiful describes dress, a noun)I am intelligent (intelligent describes the pronoun I)Oh, lonesome me (lonesome describes the pronoun me)What a bright blue sky! (bright describes the type of blue, also an adjective)

Colors and numbers are often adjectives:

I have a green pencil.I have six pencils.

The articles — a, an, and the — are sometimes their own part of speech, but they are often considered adjectives, since they do come before nouns and modify them. 

Some pronouns are also used as adjectives. We talked about the demonstrative  and indefinite pronouns in this recent post.

The demonstrative pronouns — of which there are four — can also be used as adjectives.  They are then called demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those).

I want this. (pronoun)I want this book. (adjective)These are pretty. (pronoun)These vases are pretty. (adjective)

Some of the indefinite pronouns can also be used as adjectives:

You can have some. (pronoun)You can have some candy. (adjective)I have many of those. (pronoun)I have many of those toys. (adjective)

Adjectives are pretty simple and have just a few grammar and punctuation issues:

Comma between adjectives — or not?The order of adjectivesComparatives and superlatives

Commas between adjectives — or not?

Sometimes you have two (or more) adjectives in front of a noun. Sometimes they both describe the noun. Sometimes the first adjective describes the second adjective. 

It was a cold, snowy night.It was a bright blue dress.

In the first example above, both adjectives describe night. And, as you see, there is a comma between the two adjectives. But there is not always a comma between  two adjectives that describe the same noun:

Old plaid shirtBig black cat.

How do you know if you should put a comma between two adjectives that describe the same noun? Try putting an and between the adjectives. If it makes sense with the and, you need a comma. Otherwise, there is no comma.

cold and snowy night makes sense: cold, snowy nightold and plaid shirt doesn’t really sound right: old plaid shirtbig and black cat doesn’t really sound right: big black cat.

And if the first adjective describes the second adjective — and not the noun — there is never a comma:

bright blue skyred-and-white striped dress

Order of adjectives

Instead of reinventing the wheel, check out the blog post on this topic!

Five (number) beautiful (quality) tall (size) hundred-year-old (age)  bell-shaped green Chinese vases.

Comparative and superlative

Comparatives and superlatives are either adjectives or adverbs. For adjectives we use the -er ending when comparing two things: bigger bicycle. We use -est when comparing three or more things: biggest bicycle in the store. Some adjectives, however, don’t have those -er and -est forms, for example, fun. There is no funner and funnest, although people say those words all the time! For words without -er and -est forms, we use more for comparative and most for superlative: more fun and most fun. 

If we are going in the other direction, we use less for comparative and least for superlative: less fun, the least fun of all/ less pretty, the least pretty of all.

Here are the rules: If an adjective has the -er and -est forms, use them. Do not use more and most: prettier (yes), more pretty (no)

Do not use both the -er and more, or the -est and most: more nicer, most nicest (NO)

How do you know if a word has -er and -est forms. Well,  you just do. And if you don’t, check with a dictionary. 

 

Have a safe and restful (or fun) Labor Day Weekend!

Where Is Your Happy Place?

I don’t seem to be getting much done these days. Every afternoon, you will find me out on my lanai (screened-in porch if you don’t live in Florida) for two or three hours with a Starbucks coffee (chocolate cold brew with extra cold foam,  since it has been in the 90s for months now), my phone, my dog (as long as she can stand the heat), a couple of books, and a snack. The snack these days is usually some slices of turkey. 

After I finish the iced coffee and when the sun comes onto the lanai, it is unbearably hot, but I continue to sit there and sweat. I often feel as if I sit there until it is too late to do anything except exercise and begin my evening. 

I can read in bed, but I cannot seem to read any place in my house. It is just too dark. I am one of those people who needs sunshine and light or I get depressed. In fact, today is the first day I remember that has been completely overcast (and intermittently rainy) in I-don’t-know-how- long. Florida usually starts out sunny, or at least turns sunny in the morning. 

My lanai is nothing special and not huge.  I have a loveseat that my son-in-law made, complete with cup holders, a chaise lounge, and a small table and chairs. Right now it is dirty from all the rain we get in the summer. Yes, sometimes it starts to rain during my happy place sitting, and for some reason it always rains in the direction of my lanai, forcing me to unhappily retreat inside for a while. 

I do have a pretty nice view since  am on a “lake” (small pond they carve into a development). Sometimes there are interesting birds.

It is truly my happy place. I read, I watch YouTube videos (some political and some about manifestation, which I am interested in right now). And I generally fall asleep.

I have been in my house for about four years now. But I had a happy place in California too. I remember when I taught school, I would race home (since school didn’t end until nearly 3 p.m.), taking my work with me (always papers to correct) — especially when it would get dark at 4 or 4:30 — so I could sit outside and read. 

In California I would sit out front at my bistro table. I had a fence in the front, so it was very private. I had a fenced-in yard, but I never sat back there. In California it was often cold, so I would bundle up and try to stand the cold. At that time, my snack was popcorn. Every day.

I never thought of my front yard in California as being my happy space, but I definitely feel happy in my happy place in Florida. Although I certainly don’t prefer Florida to California, I am a lot happier these days. I had sort of a physical and emotion transformation during the past year or so. But that is another post that I likely won’t write. 

Do you have a happy place? I think I have had a couple of other happy places, including Starbucks (or Peets), where I used to write my books,  and bookstores (Borders or Barnes and Noble). 

If you have a happy place, email me about it at bigwords101@yahoo.com. Put “Happy Place” in the subject, Or you can put it in the comments. Then, maybe I will write a post about your happy places.

Watch Out For “Myself”!

Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayA Best of The Grammar Diva Post

Okay, by now I am used to sentences like this:

Me and my wife went to the hockey game last night.

My friend gave the tickets to Sharon and I. 

They are wrong uses of I and me, and I have just about given up letting it bother me.

But…..

The misuse (and overuse) of myself is driving me crazy. I hear it everywhere, said by educated, brilliant people. A well-known newsperson says this about her podcast: This podcast was created by “whoever” and myself.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Myself, as well as all the other pronouns that end in –self (yourself, himself, themselves, etc.) are called intensive or reflexive pronouns, depending on how they are used. They either bounce back (reflect) to the I in the sentence, or they emphasize (intensify) the I that comes before them:

I baked their wedding cake myself. (reflexive)

You might not believe it, but I myself baked that beautiful wedding cake! (intensive)

And those are the only two uses for those pronouns. They are not used as subjects or objects. So these are all wrong:

Jose and myself are taking a vacation to the Keys. (should be I)

Those books were written by myself a long time ago. (should be me)

It is all up to you and myself. (should be me)

Generally speaking, you use myself when the subject of the sentence is I. Likewise, you use the other pronouns that end in –self if the pronoun matches the subject. These sentences are correct:

He went to the beach by himself.

The queen herself is coming for dinner.

The baby is learning to walk by herself.

Simple. If you can use I or me and it makes sense, that is the correct pronoun to use, not myself (or any other –self pronoun):

This pie was made by me. (Me makes sense, so don’t use myself).

She and I work at the same place.  (I makes sense, so don’t use myself).

 

 

 

 

Off the Boards!

I have been on four boards in my lifetime, all fairly recently: one writing group, two publishing groups, and a political group. Except for the writing group, I have always been the secretary. I guess I like a well-defined job. I am a decent (good?) writer and a fast note taker. I always say that I have a business and can do the secretary job but that is all I am going to do, and that has been fine. In the writing group, I was one of three vice presidents. It was the plan at the time that it was a training ground to be president. I wanted nothing to do with being president, so I quit the board in short order. 

In my San Francisco publishing group (Bay Area Independent Publishers Group) I was actually on the board twice with some time in between. In my Florida Publishing Group (Florida Authors and Publishers, a sister group to the San Francisco group) and my political group I was appointed early and then went on to serve one more term. 

Several months ago, I decided I had had enough of the meetings (thank you Florida Authors and Publishers for having nice, short meetings), the note taking and deciphering that followed, typing up the notes, sending them out, getting minor corrections, etc. I always felt as if I had notes to type. So when my terms were up, a few months ago for the political group, and last weekend for Florida Authors and Publishers, I resigned from the boards. I am free!

I am actually not a real board “type.” I don’t consider myself a leader. And I don’t consider myself a follower either. I don’t consider myself as someone who enjoys working in a group, but I did enjoy the camaraderie. I am definitely an individual contributor in life. 

The change of board for Florida Authors and Publishers takes place at their annual conference in Orlando. Perk of being on the board is you get the conference and the two-night Hilton stay free with working the conference. (Oh, and the food). I was very grateful and surprised to get a beautiful plaque from them just for serving a term on the board. 

I am still a member of both Florida Authors and Publishers (since I live here ) and Bay Area Independent Publishers Group (since I used to live there and love the group). The monthly meetings of Bay Area Publishers (BAIPA) are on Zoom and have been since Covid. I really enjoy the meetings, which last for three hours once a month and remain well attended and interesting. Florida Authors and Publishers has board meetings on Zoom and an annual conference, but no member meetings to speak of. I really missed that. Although they are sister organizations under the umbrella of  IBPA ( Independent Book Publishers Association), which has at least a dozen such clubs across the United States, they are very different. It might be because Florida Authors and Publishers needs to serve an entire state. BAIPA serves the San Francisco Bay Area, so they were able to have in-person meetings, not so viable with the whole state of Florida.

Also, the audiences might be different. BAIPA members seem to mostly be authors who publish their own books with a smattering of other experts in print brokering, editing, cover design, formatting, and more. Florida Authors and Publishers seems to have more members who use small publishers to publish their books and people who are small publishers. 

While BAIPA has monthly meetings which include a Q&A session, member introductions, and a speaker (and occasionally puts on a conference or book awards contest)  and draw 30-60 members, FAPA has an annual conference (quite pricey)  with an extravagant book awards ceremony. Monthly Zoom meetings have not been successful there. Maybe it is because it covers an entire state, so the only time people connect is at the two-day conference.

In any case, now that I am free, what am I going to do? Right now my ambition is nowhere to be found. I could just sit and read all day (and drink coffee). What I say I want to do: Get busy on learning/improving my keyboard playing, write songs and work on the songs I wrote decades ago, fix up my romance novel draft, write another romance novel. 

We shall see!

 

 

Remembering March 2020

Image by Daniel Roberts from PixabayThe Best of the Grammar DivaA Post From March 2020This is a repost from March 2020 when Covid was keeping us all in the house. I chose this post because I just recovered from my first bout with Covid — after all these years.

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I recently ran a couple of posts on your pandemic stories. Last week I asked what you are doing now that you are home most of the time.  I got some great replies, so here they are. The first one is more of a pandemic story and definitely worth a read. I did leave in a couple of compliments I got because they make me happy and very grateful. I hope these stories will do the same for you… And I did add what I am doing too!

Grateful from Across the World

Dear Arlene,

I love your grammar lessons and I have been reading the wonderful

stories from people all over the world, managing in these times. Feel

free to delete anything that is not suitable as per the situation.

Here is my story:

I have always wanted to attend a masquerade ball. I have seen them in

the movies, and always found it fascinating how people are not

recognized by the other characters in the movies, but we know who they

are. Of course, in my lifetime, I never got the opportunity to attend

any of those kinds of parties.

Little did I know that our lives would turn around and every day would

become a masquerade ball, where we have to hide behind masks, thanks

to Covid-19. It is not easy to recognize people with their masks on,

trust me.

It is interesting to see, though, how we are avoiding people in the

elevator, on the streets, on stairs, in hallways, in the aisles of the

supermarkets, or anywhere else. The virus has us fearing contact with

people, and we panic when we see someone coming our way. Social

distancing has become a terminology we use so freely. I also know,

that when all this is over (which it will be), we will use this sacred

terminology in a sarcastic, mocking, or humorous way.  I hope we will

not forget what all we have been through together as a world.

Until last year, I was teaching in China, and it was the hardest thing –

trying to protect myself from not getting banged into, pushed,

shoved, or coughed or sneezed at.  I always wondered how

they did not know basic courtesy. Don’t get me wrong. Those were the

best days of my life,  there in China. I am not judging their

culture. And since the onset of Covid-19, they have had to learn their lessons

the hard way.

However, I  do not want to dive into comparing people and cultures. I

want to share what I have learnt from the days in quarantine. After

all, we must concentrate on the positive and take every day as a

lesson. I am enjoying the experience of teaching from home, I have a

hot lunch every day, do Zumba in my living room every afternoon, and

every evening sit for meditation. I am concentrating on my well-being.

Teaching online was quite challenging in the beginning. But the most

amazing part has been how online teaching websites and resources have

opened up their hearts and websites to share free resources online. It

has been a blessing in disguise. My students did take their books home,

yet teaching online is not the same as teaching in the classroom.

This generation, which I call an IT generation, needs more stimulus to

stay engaged. And these online resources are just perfect to keep

them engaged – not to mention the ease of correction. I just need to

link my classrooms to that website; and my students receive the lessons

in their Google classroom, complete the tasks, and submit. The work gets

either corrected or I get to see where the students need extra help.

What more could I ask for?

I would like to shout out a huge “Thank You,  to all those “owners”

of those websites for opening up their hearts and sites and giving

teachers like me a world of resources to work with. My students are

learning, benefiting, and enjoying the teaching and learning process.

This is pure and selfless service to all students, parents, and teachers.

Bless you all. Stay safe, happy, and calm,

Kawita Thani, Secondary English Teacher in Jakarta, Indonesia

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Quiet Times

Hi Arlene,

I think you asked how people have been spending their time at home. Here

are a few of the things I’ve been up to:

1) Making sourdough bread (like 95 percent of the world, it seems).

2) Going through boxes of memorabilia accumulated from my (now-adult)

kids’ years in school. No, we don’t need the second-grade spelling

worksheet. I am snapping pics of things I really want to remember.

3) Attending Zoom meetings and webinars on meditation, writing, writing

and meditation, meditation and writing. And more meditation.

4) Checking graphs for signs of a downward-bending curve and studying

world maps. Appreciating Johns Hopkins for their relentless data

reporting, but feeling the immense suffering indicated by the

ever-expanding red circles.

5) Walking. And walking, and walking, and walking more. Alone, now

masked, and often on the phone with a friend who is also walking, to

simulate walking together.

6) Writing and editing. Well, mostly editing, since I have found it hard

to write anything that is not related to Covid-19.

7) Reading blogs/newsletters during the day and novels (as usual) in the

evening.

8) Watching Netflix and Amazon Prime (like 95 percent of the world).

Looking forward to getting back to grammar!

Stay well,

Audrey Kalman, author, California

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So Much Ambition!

Hi Arlene, 

I am very busy. I have done a complete spring cleaning of my house from ceiling to floors and everything in between. Last week, I began a project to repaint my kitchen cabinets. This should take me three weeks to complete. Yesterday, I made 18 cloth masks for family. Today I am resting. Back to the cabinets tomorrow. Walk a mile every day, weather permitting

If this goes longer than May 4th, I may start my fall cleaning!  LOL!

Elaine Pantano, Massachusetts

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One, Two, Three Priorities

Early on in the sheltering at home, I decided that I would do three things every day. 1) Walk or do tai chi 2) Practice trombone if only for ten minutes, and 3) Do the dishes. Everything else was negotiable. I don’t know why I did this. I used to only walk or do tai chi once or twice a week. I do know that it has been important. I sure haven’t FELT like doing the dishes. Without a decree, the plates and bowls probably would have stacked up like a Dr. Seuss illustration. The two days that I didn’t feel well and didn’t get my practicing and walks in, I felt myself slipping into a nebulous place with no schedule and no emotions. That’s okay for a short time, but I got back to my three things as soon as I could. I plan to keep them for the duration. When this is all over I’m going to have quads of steel.

Rae Rae Millard, Musician, Writer, California

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Making Good Use of Time

Here is a list of things I’m doing while sheltering in place:

Yoga

Meditation

Final editing of my 3rd book

Exercising on my stepper

Uploading 10 minute meditations for my students

Reading

FaceTiming with my kids, siblings, and grandkids

Playing Scrabble with my husband

Aliza Herbst

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Intellectual Undertakings

Not much of a change since my retirement in 2008. Instead of going shopping with my wife, I stay in the car (should have started that earlier…), and when she comes back I return the cart and disinfect it for the next customer – though some shopkeepers have a staff-member do that chore.

What we miss most, now that the weather is looking up, is going for a cappuccino on the “pavement terrace” of our favourite café, restaurants, and, of course, dining out with family and friends.

Personally, I had to go without attending the annual performance of Bach’s Saint Matthew’s Passion for the first time in 29 consecutive years (you may know that this is quite a popular thing in the Netherlands), but since I had already ordered tickets for the 2021 performance, these 2020 tickets will come in handy in 2022, I  hope . . .

So I have to make do with my laptop, tablet, and smartphone: watching Netflix on my tablet; reading Baldacci, Coben, Crais, Child, Lehane, Pelecanos, and many, many more on my tablet; doing some NLP-programming (No! Not Neurolinguistic nonsense, but genuine Natural Language Processing!) and logic programming, especially solving constraint logic problems (think of the Zebra-puzzle); and cheating on the weekly Sudoku challenges in Saturday’s newspaper, naturally.

So not much excitement during our “intelligent lock-down” as proudly presented by our Prime Minister, which may probably continue until the beginning of June, at least.

Stay well, all of you!

Will Snellen, Netherlands

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Keeping Busy

First: re “Forget Him”: [comment on last week’s blog post]

” He can’t give you love that isn’t there”  is how I originally learned the song, transcribing the words from a TV performance of it, so I guess some older but equally wise grammar diva must have come down on him like a ton of bricks?

Second, we’re zooming two to three meetings a day, then nicking away at the humongous  list of things we always said we’d rearrange, fix, or prune, if we ever had the time. Sadly, that’s no longer an empty threat.

Third,  I’m working on my book, finishing about a chapter a week.

Last, I’ve discovered that the pro-nutrition people lied.  A high-fiber, low-sugar, healthy diet has not made me thin.

Hope all is well with you.  You were one of our most popular speakers.

Knuti VanHoven, Fremont  (CA) Area Writers

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Not Much!

Every day at about 5 p.m. I ask the same question: Where did the day go? 

I moved from California to Florida last September to my daughter and son-in-law’s house. They were on tour, so I was here alone. I was planning to buy my own place here this spring or summer. Then Covid-19. They were due back in May, but their jobs got canceled in mid March, so here we are. I am very routine oriented so I do similar things every day. I get up early-ish to read and watch news. I watch entirely too much news, but I am cutting down a little. I  take care of e-mail and social media things in the morning. I haven’t been able to write much — except for this blog post, which gets done every Friday! Other than that, I walk the dog to the mailbox every day; exercise 30 or so minutes seven days a week; do a little writing, marketing, and research; watch a little Netflix with my kids; look at real estate online; eat carbs; do laundry and a little cleaning; read; and listen to political podcasts. Oh, and Zoom with friends, attend webinars, text, and phone my son and friends in California. I don’t bake bread or cook (but my son-in-law does), I don’t garden, I don’t meditate (although I try), and I don’t walk outdoors much. Too hot and humid by the time I get around to it. I find I am exhausted and have very little ambition. I don’t sleep well and fall asleep listening to podcasts. I think of all the things I could be doing….and keep rewriting my To Do lists.

Arlene, The Grammar Diva

 

 

14 Tips About Plurals and Possessives

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from PixabayThe Very Best of The Grammar Diva…

Apostrophes and s‘s cause lots of problems in writing: plural possessives, possessive pronouns, pluralizing last names etc. Here are some tips:

Plural nouns very rarely have apostrophes. Very, very rarely. The only ones I can think of offhand are the letters a, e, and u because without an apostrophe they make other words ( as, is, us )., and it would confuse the reader. Possessive nouns have apostrophes (these are singular possessives): Susie’s toy, the girl’s book, the dog’s bone Possessive pronouns do not have apostrophes: ours, hers theirs, its ( it’s is a contraction, and all contractions have apostrophes.)Plural possessives are usually the plural word followed by an apostrophe.  The girls’ books are on the bottom shelf; The dogs’ barking is driving me crazy If the plural doesn’t end with an s , the possessive is made by adding ‘s : The children’s toys are all over the house. For singular nouns ending in s and ss , you still add ‘s for the possessive: I looked under all the bus’s seats; My boss’s coffee cup is always full; The princess’s slipper fit her perfectly. The plurals in #6 are buses, bosses, and princesses .The plural possessive of the nouns in #6  are buses’, bosses’, princesses’ . We don’t add another s because of the way we pronounce them. We pronounce the  singular possessives, plurals, and the plural possessives the same way, but we spell them differently (compare #6 and #7): The princess’s slipper fits perfectly. The princesses are in the front float of the parade. The princesses’ dresses are hand made. When a person’s first name (or last name)  ends in s , we usually add ‘s to make it possessive, but generally we go by the pronunciation: Frederick Douglass’s biography is in the school library. James’s backpack is on the table. Myles’ backpack is on the table could also be Myles’s backpack is on the table. It depends if you want to pronounce it with one or two syllables. ( Myles’ has one syllable; Myles’s has two.)Last names are made plural the same way any other nouns are:  Jefferson = the Jeffersons; Garcia = the Garcias; Jones = the Joneses; Glass= the Glasses. What about last name possessives? That is Mrs. Jefferson’s car. That is the Jeffersons’ house; That is Mrs. Garcia’s car. That is the Garcias’ car. That is Mrs. Jones’s car. That is the Joneses’ house (pronounce with two syllables). That is Mrs. Glass’s car. That is the Glasses’ house.  If you get a house sign, it should probably say The O’Haras , NOT The O’Hara’s .An exception is Jesus , the possessive of which is Jesus’ .Another exception are words that end in es that sounds like ez . These words or names have only an apostrophe in the possessive: Xerses’, Socrates’

 

 

How AI is Transforming Writing, Plagiarism, and the Spread of Misinformation

Special Guest Postby Lowell RiceLowell was all about finances and business until the pandemic gave her the opportunity to explore the amazing world of writing. What started as a hobby became a full-time occupation, and now she dedicates her time to writing insightful tips on personal finance, work life, and navigating the business environment across various websites.

 

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In today’s digital era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various fields, and writing is no exception. Whether you’re a seasoned author or a student relying on a free plagiarism checker, the impact of AI on writing is profound and multifaceted. But how exactly is AI changing the landscape of writing, addressing plagiarism, and influencing the spread of misinformation? Let’s delve into these fascinating transformations.

The Rise of AI in WritingAI as a Writing Assistant

Imagine having a personal assistant who never sleeps, always ready to help you craft the perfect sentence. That’s what AI-powered writing tools offer. From grammar and style suggestions to content generation, these tools are reshaping how we write. Programs like Grammarly and Hemingway Editor analyze your text in real time, providing instant feedback on grammar, readability, and even tone.

Content Generation

AI doesn’t just assist in refining existing content; it can also create new material from scratch. Tools like OpenAI’s GPT-4 can generate articles, stories, and even poetry that are often indistinguishable from human-written content. This capability is particularly valuable for businesses that need to produce large volumes of content quickly, such as blogs, social media posts, and marketing materials.

Personalized Writing Experience

AI can tailor the writing experience to individual needs. AI tools can offer personalized suggestions by analyzing a user’s writing style and preferences, making writing more efficient and enjoyable. This personalized approach helps writers of all levels enhance their skills and produce better content.

Battling Plagiarism with AIAdvanced Detection Techniques

Plagiarism has always been a concern in the academic and professional world. However, AI is changing the game with advanced detection techniques. Traditional plagiarism checkers compare text against a database of existing content. In contrast, AI-powered tools can analyze the text’s context, structure, and semantics, making it much harder for plagiarists to slip through the cracks.

Free Plagiarism Checkers

The accessibility of AI-powered free plagiarism checkers has democratized the fight against plagiarism. These tools are now available to everyone, from students to professionals, ensuring that content is original and properly cited. By using these checkers, we can uphold the integrity of our work and maintain high standards in writing.

Preventing Unintentional Plagiarism

Unintentional plagiarism is a common issue, especially among students. AI tools can help by highlighting areas that might need proper citation or rephrasing. This educational aspect of AI not only prevents plagiarism but also teaches users about proper attribution and academic honesty.

The Double-Edged Sword: AI and MisinformationThe Spread of Misinformation

While AI offers incredible benefits, it also has a dark side. The same technology that can generate compelling content can also create and spread misinformation. AI can produce fake news articles, deep fake videos, and misleading social media posts that are alarmingly convincing.

Detecting Misinformation

Thankfully, AI is also part of the solution. Advanced algorithms can detect patterns and anomalies that suggest misinformation. For example, AI can analyze the metadata of images and videos to identify deepfakes or track the origin of a news story to assess its credibility. Social media platforms increasingly use these tools to flag and remove false information.

The Role of Human Oversight

Despite AI advancements, human oversight remains crucial. AI can assist in detecting and combating misinformation, but it cannot replace human judgment. Media organizations and tech companies need to work together, using AI to support human decision-making, not replace it.

Developing a Critical MindsetQuestion the Source

One of the most important skills in the digital age is the ability to question the source of information. When you come across a piece of news or an article, consider who wrote it, why they wrote it, and where it was published. Reliable sources are usually transparent about their authorship and purpose.

Check the Facts

Always verify the facts before accepting any information as truth. Use multiple sources to cross-check the information. If several reputable sources confirm the same facts, the information is likely accurate. AI tools can provide quick access to a wide range of sources for fact checking.

Be Aware of Bias

Bias exists in all forms of media, and it’s essential to recognize it. AI algorithms can sometimes perpetuate bias if they are trained on biased data. As a reader, be aware of the potential for bias and strive to consume information from diverse perspectives.

Use AI Wisely

AI tools can assist in identifying reliable information and detecting misinformation. Use these tools to your advantage, but don’t rely on them entirely. Combine AI assistance with your critical thinking skills to make informed decisions about the content you consume.

Ethical ConsiderationsResponsible AI Development

The development of AI for writing, plagiarism detection, and misinformation prevention must be guided by ethical principles. Developers and users alike need to consider the implications of AI technologies. Transparency, accountability, and fairness should be at the forefront of AI development.

Educating Users

Education is key to ensuring that AI is used responsibly. Users must understand how AI works, its benefits, and its limitations. By educating ourselves and others, we can make informed choices about how we use AI in writing and information consumption.

Balancing Innovation and Regulation

There is a delicate balance between fostering innovation and implementing necessary regulations. While we should encourage the development of AI technologies, we must also establish guidelines to prevent misuse. Collaboration among tech companies, governments, and civil society is essential to strike this balance.

 

Colons and Semicolons: Second Cousins, Not Siblings

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from PixabayA “Best of the Grammar” Diva Post

 

It’s a colon! It’s a semicolon! What’s the difference? It’s a dot. It’s a couple of dots. Oh, one dot is a comma. I don’t know. Use either one of them. 

No.

Colons and semicolons look a lot alike, but they are not siblings in the family of punctuation. They are probably not even first cousins. They are hardly ever interchangeable. They have entirely different purposes. Actually, the semicolon is more a sibling to the comma, and maybe a first cousin to the period. The colon might be an only child and perhaps a first cousin to the period also.

My sensitivity to this issue began when I was giving some information to someone who was putting a catalogue together, and my name was in it. She said, “So I put your name and then a semicolon, and then the information about you. .” NO. You need a colon. You can’t just throw in any old punctuation mark. The semicolon does not belong in such a place.

So, what is the different between colons (:) and semicolons (;) ?

Colon

A colon introduces something. It has a relationship to what follows it. Often it introduces a list, whether the list is vertical or horizontal. A colon can also introduce a quote in a sentence. And occasionally you can use a colon (as you might also use a semicolon, but in different circumstances) to separate two parts of a compound sentence instead of using a period, or a comma and a conjunction. However, if you use a colon in this way, it implies that the second part of the sentence (after the colon) is either a result of or follows from the first part of the sentence. Here are some examples of these ways to use colons:

1.The following colors are among my favorites: blue, purple, and pink.

2. These are the ingredients for the cake:

EggsFlourMilkButterCocoaBaking powder

3. The mayor made this promise in front of the city council: “We will do everything we can this year to extend the hours that the library is open.”

4. The meeting is crucial and you should attend: we will be discussing raises and promotions.

Semicolon

The semicolon connects things rather than introduces them. They are really “stronger” commas. They can separate two closely related sentences if you don’t want to use a conjunction with a comma. They can separate items in a series that already have commas within them. They can separate the two parts of a compound sentence that already has a series or two that could complicate its meaning. Here are examples of these ways to use a semicolon:

1. I am taking a trip to Asia; my husband doesn’t fly, so he is staying home.

2. The guests included Diane Timmons, a noted artist; the museum curator; Joe Wall, an art critic; and Professor Smith, an art history instructor at the local college.

3. Last year I traveled to Mexico, Canada, the southern part of the United States, and Argentina; and France, Italy, and Greece are in my plans for next year.

You could not substitute a colon for a semicolon in those examples – or vice versa.

If you are doing some type of catalogue or list or dictionary, entries should be followed by a colon, not a semicolon:

Apple: A round, red fruit

Coconut: A tropical fruit with white meat inside

Orange: A thick-skinned fruit containing Vitamin C

And obviously you cannot substitute a semicolon for the other places you would use colons:

Digital Time: 3:45Between title and subtitle of a book when writing the title in context: The Red Dog: The Story of AmosThe salutation of a business letter: Dear Mr. Plante:

There you have it . . . Cousins, maybe. But the semicolon and the colon are different animals.

Boom! A History of Fireworks

Image by Muto Masataka from Pixabay

Yeah, I know. I am a little late for July 4, but close! And the fireworks are over except for the trash that is left — and hopefully, that is cleaned up too! 

Except for the fact that they scare dogs (and children), fireworks are pretty to look at. I thought you might like to know their history:

When you think of fireworks, you might think of The Star Spangled Banner: “And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air…”

But fireworks have been around a whole lot longer than the United State of America has. Fireworks originally came from ancient Liuyang, China, in the second century BC. The first fireworks were bamboo stalks that exploded when thrown into fire because of their hollow air pockets. The Chinese believed that these “fireworks” would ward off evil spirits.

Legend has it that somewhere between 600 and 900 AD, a Chinese alchemist mixed potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal, which produced a black flaky powder; this mixture created the first gunpowder.  It was then poured into hollowed-out bamboo stalks (and later, into paper tubes) to produce the first man-made fireworks.

In the tenth century, The Chinese attached the fireworks to arrows, thus creating the first aerial displays. 

Fireworks made their way to Europe in the 13th century. In England at that time, fireworks experts were called “firemasters” and their assistants “green men” because they wore caps made of leaves to protect then against sparks.  By the 15th century, fireworks were being used for religious festivals and public entertainment. The Italians were the first Europeans to manufacture fireworks. Europeans rulers liked to illuminate their castles  with fireworks on important occasions.

The first recorded display of fireworks in Great Britain occurred at Henry VII’s wedding in 1486. 

Early settlers in the United States brought fireworks to the New World. Captain John Smith may have set off the first fireworks in 1608 in the Jamestown Colony. 

In the 1830s an important addition was made to fireworks: trace amounts of metal were added to create multicolor displays.

And of course, back in 1776, fireworks were part of the first American Independence Day. And the tradition continues on. Of course, the United States is far from the only country to use fireworks on holidays.The French set off fireworks for Bastille Day, ten days after our Independence Day. Hungary sets off fireworks on August 20.

Here are some fun facts about fireworks (as of a few years ago):

The Walt Disney Company is the largest consumer of fireworks in the United States.Blue is the most difficult color to produce in fireworks.New Castle, Pennsylvania, is known as the fireworks capital of the world, as it is home to both Zambelli Fireworks and Pyrotechnico.The biggest shell available to the consumer fireworks market is 3 inches.Professional aerial shells range from 3 inches to over 24 inches in diameter. Most are between 6 and 12 inches.The largest ever display of fireworks was in the Philippines for their 2016 New Year celebration, with 810,904 fireworks.404.5 million pounds of fireworks were set off in 2020 (which seems odd to me, since there was a worldwide pandemic).Massachusetts (my home state) is the only state that bans the sale of all consumer fireworks.Ten thousand people were injured badly enough by fireworks  to require emergency treatment in 2019. The Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show is the largest in the United States.

Hope you had a good holiday!

 

Reading Wrap-Up

Image by Hermann Traub from Pixabay

Been reading like a fiend again….Lots of personal transformation stuff this time. Here goes:

Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen – This is part of a series, and I was absolutely sure I read a previous one in the series a short while ago — which is why I thought I would read this one — but I cannot find it in my list of read books on Goodreads. But I am positive — even though I never remember what books are about. In any case, I am not too far along, but it seems like a series worth reading. Sort of historical fiction/romance.

Manifesting with Alignment by Ryuu Shinoihara – I think I read him before (I think it’s a him). Not loving it, but it isn’t too long. I probably don’t like it because it presents a little different view of manifesting than Neville Goddard, who is the founder of the Law of Assumption (not the Law of Attraction).  I am pretty enamoured of Goddard, although he does quote the Bible pretty frequently. Gotta admit I am into some pretty woo woo things right now!

The Breakthrough Experience by John Demartini — I think this guy is an actual doctor. It is another personal transformation book, but more scientific and rational. It has superlative reviews on Amazon and everywhere else.  I don’t even think I finished it, but many people were very inspired by it. 

*****Magpie by Elizabeth Day – I nearly didn’t read this one because Goodreads reviews were 3.63, and I like them to be at least 4. I gave it 5 stars. I loved it. I would highly recommend this book, probably to women. I thought it had a very interesting plot. Very innovative.

Good Material by Dolly Alderton — I liked it. I gave it four out of five stars. Pretty much a romance, but the main character is male. A light read.

Moving Through Parallel Worlds to Achieve Your Dreams by Kevin Michel – I am fascinated with the idea of parallel words and universes. This book contained quite a bit of physics, but it was well presented. I liked it. 

Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power by Carolynn Elliott –  Another book I didn’t care for but many found inspiring. It talks about dealing with instead of rejecting our shadow sides. It seems mainly aimed at women, even by looking at the cover. Meh.

Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah – I love Kristen Hannah, but this was not one of my favorites. The plot included an ongoing fairy tale throughout, which I found tedious. Otherwise, it was fine, and I did give it four stars. So if you are a Kristen Hannah fan….

The Five-Second Rule by Mel Robbins – Robbins is yet another of the new-age-gurus-mixed-with- personal-transformation-and success people. I thought the book was obvious and repetitious.

I have been reading a lot of Neville Goddard, who was mentioned above. Interesting stuff, but repetitious and filled with quotes. I don’t believe he has professional credentials, but many of his works are free on Kindle Unlimited.

 

I am taking a break for July and will be running “The Best Of The Grammar Diva” posts. And since many of you seem to really like the more grammar-oriented posts, I will concentrate on those. Have a great July!! If anyone would like to write me a guest post, please let me know through the comments or the website email address.