Epochal stuff

Earlier tonight, I watched the news. Of course, it's all Egypt, all the time. Never mind that the IMF is calling to replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency.

Anyway, the news anchor soberly declared that the ouster of Mubarak was epochal. Which of course it is. But it is "eh'-puh-cull, not "eh-POKE'-ull," which made his error almost epical.
My mom used to say, "If you can't say something correctly, say nothing at all." Forget nice.
Those who mispronounce are usually the same people who utter absurdities like, "I have white wine and red. Would you like the former or the latter?" Rush Limbaugh is one, I suspect. On his radio show the other day, he said someone's political skills were "con-sue'-mitt." I almost had a wreck.

And then there is a subset of consummate latterers: people who have no idea what is even meant by the phrase. Which would be perfectly fine and lovely, except when they guess. "Oh, the latter," say the wistful, would-be sophisticates.
These people typically favor padded toilet seats, and they'll offer you a "beverage" while you're standing in their kitchen. In your kitchen, they will ask you for directions to the "restroom." I point them to the bedroom at the top of the stairs.

It appears Robert Gibbs, Obama's outgoing press secretary, is part of the padded-seat, beverage set. How otherwise explain his statement that Egypt's new government "has to include a whole host of important non-secular actors"? Separation of church and state for me, but not big E?

Let's hope Gibbs simply doesn't know the difference between secular and not, or was just terribly confused. Because the difference for Egypt, indeed for the world, will be . . . well, epochal.

Labels: Beverage, Egypt, Epochal, Hamas, Israel, Mubarak, Muslim Brotherhood, Muslims, Padded Toilet Seat, Restrooms, Robert Gibbs, Rush Limbaugh