Grammar homework instructions: explain why this sentence is wrong
Me who has been passing grammar classes on pure instinct since 3rd grade: the brain worms told me so
Right-Wing: “So, you’re going to stop taking sides against us. If you can’t side with us, you’re just going to shut up.”
Corporate HR: “Excuse me, but haven’t you lost the culture war like every time? We’re not going to obey someone who’s clearly on the Wrong Side of History™. What are you going to do, boycott us? Don’t make me laugh.”
Left-Wing: “Wait did she just put a trademark symbol on ‘History’? I thought we were the ones in charge of determining the meaning of histor-”
Right-Wing: “Boycott? I don’t think you understand. The situation has changed.”
Right-Wing * points a gun at Mickey Mouse. *
Right-Wing: “In sport-fighting, your goal is merely to win the round. Once the round is over, you no longer fight. Gay marriage, abortion… we attacked these things with laws, then shook hands and grumbled after we lost the match.”
Left-Wing: “Now hold on a minute-”
Right-Wing: “But that’s not war.”
Right-Wing: “In war, your goal is to break the enemy’s will or ability to fight. In war, you bomb the enemy’s factories, warehouses, railroad bridges and safehouses. You capture depots and take over mines to deny the enemy resources.”
Right-Wing: “You, as corporate HR, parrot Mr. Left-Wing’s point of view, because Mr. Left-Wing thinks he has been fighting a culture war. He leisurely creates institutional positions to reward to his own men.”
Left-Wing: “That’s not fair! Corporations don’t pay the wages we demand! Cops still beat up our guys! This is a struggle for our right to exist!”
Right-Wing: “Yes, we are struggling against you for our right to exist. You made that rather clear, didn’t you? A ‘nazi’ is someone with whom compromise is impossible. You claimed our very existence - without even action - was ‘oppressive.’ This is a culture war, now.”
Right-Wing: “Corporate, are you a neutral producer of industrial goods and services, or are you a piece of enemy infrastructure?”
Corporate: “Uh…”
Another of my periodic “you don’t realize how good you have it” posts. I became aware in the 1980s.
Groceries were more primal and limited in selection. Much less was directly edible, more were ingredients requiring some preparation and cooking process. “Prepackaged” foods were often a powder combining several ingredients which would still require the addition of further fresh ones and cooking. Microwaves didn’t exist; instant “TV dinners” were heated in the oven, popcorn was made directly over stove heat in a way that burned many kernels. Sandwiches, toast, eggs, bacon, and canned soup enjoyed more prominence as low-preparation foods.
Fresh produce now available year-round was only available seasonally; seasonal foods had narrower windows of availability. More fruit and vegetables were purchased frozen, canned, or otherwise preserved.
Meat and fish available at a supermarket was more often fattier and less fresh; independent butchers, fishmongers, and bakeries were more of a thing. Supermarkets did not house banks or even ATMs, but could give you cash for a check. Credit cards, UPC scanners, and automatic conveyor belts were still novel.
Power windows and cupholders became standard in cars over the 80s, airbags and antilock brakes in the 90s. Cruise control had still been somewhat novel when I first paid attention. Car fenders used to be metal that would absorb impact by deformation. In the reverse direction, cars were first designed with front “crumple zones” to absorb impact through deformation, rather than transmitting it to a passenger compartment it would try to shove the engine block through.
Clothes were more expensive, they would tear, fade, stain, and wear quicker. Their fabrics stretched less (and thus fit worse off the rack or required custom fitting) shed moisture worse, and were more uncomfortable against the skin. Warm clothes breathed worse and overheated, light clothes were less insulated and chilly, there was more necessary layering. For that matter warm clothes weren’t even as warm. A narrower range of dye colors were pragmatic; dyes would fade or bleed into other clothes in the wash. Home washing required more specific procedures and products to be satisfactory, more clothes required dry cleaning.
Basically, the clothes available for sale to you were whatever your local store had picked up. If you were in a city you might have some selection; people took yearly day trips or even vacations to cities to buy clothes for that year. If you were in the suburbs you would have satellites of your local city’s department stores, maybe even a related discount outlet (ours was Strawbridge & Clothier’s “Clover”) and the small stores that filled in the malls they anchored. Those stores were transitioning from replacement-for-downtown independent shops to chains, The Gap was big. If you were further out you would have whatever Main Street storefront, maybe a Salvation Army and KMart. Since the original Sears catalog, much clothes shopping was done by mail.
A major advance in my age were clothes (and draperies, and furniture) that were less flammable, my generation found it odd that we were instructed so intently (stop, drop, and roll!) on how to deal with our environments or persons catching fire.
Men still wore leather shoes that required custom fitting and the regular artisanal replacement of worn-out soles. Athletic shoes/“sneakers” were less stylish, less supportive, bulkier, offered poorer traction, and often audibly squeaked while walking.
