GOP's 'Class Warfare'
Re: Jack Lessenberry's "What do Democrats Stand For?" (Dec. 17), G.M. Ross of Lowell writes:
Professor Lessenberry is spot-on about Republicans "scream[ing] class warfare." Whenever I hear such an allegation, it inevitably comes from a right-wing mouth. They would not dream of class-consciousness, regular guys they depict themselves to be.
However, the GOP ought to know all about such strategy. As late as 2012, the party could ridicule food stamps in a country whose lower strata of the working class was still reeling from the Great Recession. About half of the 1994 "Contract [on] America" was pure class warfare in which the Republicans invited the middle class to attack the lower.
All Mixed Up
On Facebook, we got quite a variety of interesting responses to our piece on Centaur's bartender PJ Thomas, who said, "I hate the word 'mixologist.' It's just so pretentious." Readers posted:
Being in the industry I agree. Well said, PJ.
I've always called my bartenders "libation engineers."
I go with "alchemist." If I can't turn lead into gold, I'll at least make you glow!
Just drink beer. Problem solved.
No need to hate that word. Nobody says it.
I bartended for six years, and anyone calling themselves a "mixologist" is an asshole.
I find the word "mixologist" is used to define someone who has kicked the bartending craft up quite a few notches. I would find it a compliment. Anyone can be a bartender (I'm sure that will offend), but someone who puts together a libation that makes you raise an eyebrow and produces a smile, in my book, is a mixologist!
"Anyone can be a bartender"? Absolutely not. Unless you've been in the industry, you just won't understand. But I highly recommend watching a bartender work during a rush and you'll understand just how much of a learning curve there is to get to the point where you can handle one.
If we all wanted the exact same drink it would be fine. But we all know we want something special and I'm always willing to pay the price.
So they give them a made up title "mixologist" and think they know what a customer should pay them "dollar a drink or 20 percent, whatever's greater." These guys kill me.
"Hand-crafted" cocktails. That cracks me up. Because what are they using to pour if not their hands, as has been the case since mixed drinks were invented? So inane.
I love craft cocktails. And I call them bartenders.
Just shut up and pour me a drink!
Words Fail Us
Michael Jackman's blog post "101 Words We'd Like to Hear Less of in 2015" had plenty of readers nominating their own words not to use:
Please take "happy dance" and "woot woot" with you!!
"Bae," "fleet," "on point," "totes," "adorbs," and memes of any kind, etc. When Domino's Pizza and Gold Bond are tweeting your ish, it's not your ish anymore.
"At the end of the day...."
I am so sick and tired of "bucket list!" Way overused for the last several years!
"Squee" is my nomination. Please go away forever, "squee."
You can add "totally" to the list, please!!!
And starting a sentence with, "I mean"
I would settle for the permanent elimination of both "bro" and "dude."
"Outrage" and "hero" have both been so overused they no longer have any impact.
"Phenom," "'splaining" and "SMH."
You forgot to include, "just sayin'."
Take the word "haters" out of circulation
"Speaks to"
Please add "however," "process," and "do it in parallel."
And "genius" — it's applied to too many non-genius people.
