Writ of Certiorari

I love Latin. I also like some concepts embedded in legal codes. This particular one fits both my word-lover side and my legal-nerd side.

Writ of Certiorari

Atwood goes to Israel

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a3UDSV5teRIA

This is a good interview. I like it from an authorial perspective because of her pottery metaphor for writing a novel. She talks about having to actually throw out some that she got to the 200 page mark with before realizing they just weren't coming together.

She also makes a very salient point about what is likely to be one of the most critical issues in the middle east - Water.

They (the folk in that region collectively) seem to worry a lot over there about a lot of stuff that in the long run matters less. I often think the real issues are so painful to dissect and challenging to resolve that it is far easier to fall back on jingoism and simplistic points of conflict. Certainly this benefits many of those in power in the region.

Un-Words

I challenge my readers (the entire two of them) to find an Un-Word they hate and post a comment about it.

What is an Un-Word you ask?

An Un-Word is something that people use as if it was a word, but is not a word acknowledged by any reputable dictionary.

I will rule out the one obvious choice (irregardless, which people use as if the word regardless was somehow insufficient while expropriating its meaning).

So, my submission, from an esteemed Genetic Scientist who has worked on the reconstruction of Wooly Mamoth Hemoglobin....

Boughten (one presumes a verb).

The context of use suggests the word 'bought' was meant instead. 

An interesting take on how long it takes to get published

http://io9.com/5528774/what-do-i-wish-id-knownor-youre-kidding-right

Good point about learning to appreciate the process, also in the length of time it can take to become successful. Subtext would be the length and breadth of persistence it takes to get to that point.