Dianne Lopp

My Comments (46 so far…)

Liz Smith: John Cleese Divorces the Madoff-Mills Love Child?

I think you mean Sally Mann, not Mary Ellen Mark. Mann built her name on nude photographs of her children——not a wise decision in my opinion.

Lesley Stahl: 'I Was Left With the Impression Ted Jr. Would Run for Public Office Someday' (Video)

Rose Kennedy wrote a memoir entitled Times to Remember. Do journalists and writers not employ editors and fact checkers anymore?

'I Was a Miserable Overweight Person': A Q & A With Frank Bruni, by Julia Reed

"In the beginning was the Word and Word was with God and the Word was God." John 1:1 I love words and I love their meanings and I love the poem you quoted. I’ve never read it before——thank you for the pleasure.

'I Was a Miserable Overweight Person': A Q & A With Frank Bruni, by Julia Reed

Thank you for the gracious spirit in which you have received my posts. I will ask you to look at the quote in question again. Ms. Reed is not referring to the title when she uses the adjective "apocaplyptic"; she is referencing a sentence on the first page of the book that, when read, sounds almost too funny and clever to be true. Therefore, apocryphal. I love word mysteries too but I do not like the misuse of words——and, believe me, I make tons of mistakes myself. All writers need editors; I truly believe Ms. Reed made an error——"apocalyptic" simply does not make sense in the sentence. When sentences don’t make sense, they are ineffective.

'I Was a Miserable Overweight Person': A Q & A With Frank Bruni, by Julia Reed

I am sorry.Ms. Pepe. but you are incorrect. Please see the definitions of both words: "Apocaplyptic" means having to do with with the end of the world. "Apocryphal" means that which may not be factually true. I do believe that Ms. Reed meant to use "apocryphal".

'I Was a Miserable Overweight Person': A Q & A With Frank Bruni, by Julia Reed

I am sorry, Ms. Pepe, but you are incorrect. Please see the definitions of both words: "Apocaplyptic" means having to do with with the end of the world. "Apocryphal" means that which may not be factually true. I do believe that Ms. Reed meant to use "apocryphal".

'I Was a Miserable Overweight Person': A Q & A With Frank Bruni, by Julia Reed

In her first question to Mr. Bruni, didn’t Julia Reed mean "apocryphal" rather than "apocalyptic"? Again, I reiterate than I love wowowow and I think Ms. Reed is a wonderful writer, but please edit!

The Tyranny of Late Summer Vegetables, by Julia Reed (Recipe)

Victoria and Susan, I am glad to know y’all use pecans in your pesto——I’ve done it for years now, but I thought it was my own little innovation—-not so, I see!

No Weeping From Mr. wOw on Michael Jackson

You said it, Mr. Wow.

Mrs. Mark Sanford Is No Silda Spitzer, by Julia Reed

Hallelujah and amen to that! I may disagree with Mrs. Sanford politically but I’m right behind her in both her stands: Not standing by her man (Thank you! Thank you!) and leaving the door open to reconciliation provided the father of her children straightens up and flies right. Personally, I think she ought to kick him to the curb, run for governor and get a Latin lover of her own.

Mr. Wow on the Rise and fall and Rise and ... What? – of Sarah Palin

Mr. Wow—-this is uncanny! I just wrote a response to Margaret Carlson’s article on the Daily Beast (I’m ecumenical in my reading) that reads like I plagirized you! (I did not!) I too advise the media to "shut up" and "ignore" and I also predict that if they don’t, it’s all going to backfire. What the Media types have failed to glom onto (they being notoriously and ridiculously unwilling to turn their keen journalistic minds inward) is that those curled lips and sneers and the barely disguised hatred they have for Palin (why? one can disagree and not hate!) are very obvious to the audience—-and it’s gross. Why not be—-dare I say it—-objective about Palin?

Candice Bergen on the Depth of Late-Night Bonds

Is it necessary to put down one’s fellow countrymen (and women!) in order to make a point (I try not to indulge anyone’s stupidity—-not even my own)?

Julia Reed, Richard Gere and the Dalai Lama: A Lesson We Should All Learn

You have it upon the very issue as far as I’m concerned. People who make their living via language, (be they writers or talking heads) need to know the rules of the game! The people making these errors might well look down on me because I’m from southeastern Oklahoma and I speak with a decided drawl. I know Julia Reed is from Mississippi and she has her own drawl, but she often writes on matters touching class, decorum, and ettiquette—-and the error she made was done (I believe) in the mistaken belief that the "I" is more polished. I myself am not averse to using ‘y’all" when I write and have been known to say "I’m fixing to get real mad!" when my temper is aroused. And I appreciate being corrected—-when I’m wrong!

Julia Reed, Richard Gere and the Dalai Lama: A Lesson We Should All Learn

Thank you, Lucinda. (That’s a beautiful name)! I don’t know if you’ve read all the postings, but on page 3, I have written that I will not be cowed by people who consider it a lese majeste to criticize an author but feel perfectly free to criticize me for criticizing——and use the argument that criticism will discourge postings!!!!! I doubt you’re envious of Ms. Reed—-you want her to be at her best. She’s a great writer, as I’ve repeatedly said! But the "I vs me "confusion must end by whatever means necessary! (That’ll probably get me a snide reply—-I’m sure something along the lines of "nitpicky" or horror of horrors, "grammarian"! I say: "Bring it on!"

Julia Reed, Richard Gere and the Dalai Lama: A Lesson We Should All Learn

Amen, sister, but I’m afraid I can’t lay down my arms just yet. You have written beautifully about why you care about the language. I think I have stated clearly that I don’t expect everyone to care—-but I do want writers to care. Their logic (that criticism will discourage posting) seems to be frustrated wish fulfillment to me. I think they think if they criticize me, I’ll stop posting. ‘Fraid not!