Brad Rourke

Category: contrarian

  • Idiomatic Pet Peeves

    I can’t seem to help myself. I get my dander up when confronted by improper use of idiomatic English (or even just plain, old correct English) expressions by people who ought to know better. A few on my mind lately include: One does not “home in on” something. One “hones in on” it. [UPDATE: I…

  • The Fuzziness Of About And Around

    Let me just get something off my chest. There are two words whose current common usage I can’t stand. Those words are “about” when used as a weasel-word substitute for “is,” and “around” when used as a weasel-word substitute for “about.” Both transgressions are often committed by otherwise intelligent people. About First up, “about.” This…

  • Some Contrarian Bullets

    Just a few contrarian bullets . . . thoughts, complaints, and predictions: When someone talks about their “personal brand,” I cringe. You have a reputation. You must manage it. But please don’t put on airs. You ain’t Pepsi. If someone trots out “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” one more time for grads, I’ll . . .…

  • Some Contrarian Bullets

    Just a few contrarian bullets . . . thoughts, complaints, and predictions: There is a difference between a “brand” and a “label” — many label when they think they are branding. There is a difference between “being online” and “having a brand.” Young professionals tend to overvalue their intelligence, and undervalue others’ experience. Few people…