Readers' Comments from the Manchester Union Leader

6/17/10

Well the comments to today's headlines--a shark sighting off the NH coast and a biker losing his prosthetic leg in the median of I93--were just too expected and cliche.

Instead, I give you an intelligent response to the editorial Bullying in school: The authority vacuum. Its main point, as stated in the last sentence, is that "unless teachers and administrators firmly reassert their authority, aggressive kids will continue to assert their own."

Though I was never physically attacked, I was a victim of "teasing" in grade school. There were many reasons, one being that the teachers themselves were sometimes to blame for "labeling" me and thus making me a target. It is absolutely imperative that teachers and administrators don't inadvertantly make a child a target. Fortunately, once in high school I became more accepted by my classmates and my self worth improved. However, even to this day (I'm too rapidly approaching 60), I am shy and crave acceptance, so I can testify to the long term affects of what bullying can do. (Betsy, Manchester)

Readers' Comments from the Manchester (NH) Union Leader

Today, we have the treat of pondering an ambiguously worded headline as well as the usual off-the-wall reader comments:

Here's today's headline: Police: Man shot, killed attacking pit bull

Oh, those tricky -ing forms! After reading the article, it becomes clear that the word "attacking" is intended to be an adjective, not a verb. The man was not attacking (v) the pit bull; rather, the pit bull was of the attacking (adj) type.

Which brings us to today's grammar lesson. Don't panic...it's not so bad.

Gerund: a noun form of a verb, that is, the -ing form of a verb functions as a noun (e.g., No unsupervised swimming allowed. Sleeping late on Sunday morning is a treat.) Swimming and sleeping are things.

Present Participle: an adjectival form of a verb, that is, the -ing form of a verb functions as an adjective (e.g., No dogs allowed in the swimming pool. He spent the entire morning in his sleeping bag.) Swimming and sleeping describe things.

OK, now enjoy today's entry--a medley of selected gems:

Short of banning the breed outright, owners should have to purchase a surety bond or proof of insurance (which they won't get), with absolutely liability for any injury inflicted, whether on their own property or elsewhere. And required to post their property as to the presence of a pit bull. I'd suggest: "Warning: Stupid people with stupider vicious animal on premises." (Zoom, NH)

[W]hat bullets are to guns, barking is to dogs. Barking kills--a slow, painful death of a million bee stings. Communities should focus on the root cause of the conflict between barking dog and innocent human: barking. Chronic barking is molestation. The party at fault is the household "owning" the barker. The barking-sufferer has a right live life unmolested.... Barking makes people--literally--insane. Chronic barking causes the barking-sufferer to not be able to meet his obligations in paying the mortgage or rent and put food on the table.... I used to like dogs. No more. Barkers give the whole canine species a bad name. Responsible dog owners should pressure "arrant dog owners who condone chronic barking" to STOP THE BARKING. (Lykaios, Northern California)

I knew this dog and it was such a nice dog, I can't believe it would do this, kind of a loner, kept to himself mostly, lived in his mothers basement I think. (Allan, Rochester)

Yes, Such People Do Exist...and They Vote: Readers' Comments from the Manchester Union Leader

6/15/10: "The male species now a days are crap." (Lindsey, Manchester)