On Feb 18, 11:48*am, Billy wrote:
In article
,
*Higgs Boson wrote:




*Gardenia* is a genus of flowering plants comprised of about 142 species
belonging to the family of Rubiaceae. Gardenia plants are indigenous to
the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia and Australia.

[...]

***Bob, I really truly do appreciate your kindness in *posting this
comprehensive article on Gardenias

But something snapped within me key melodramatic music when I read
"comprised of". *This incorrect usage seems to be spreading like
kudzu.
It isn't just you, believe me!

One can say "comprise" with a direct object: *"flowering plants
COMPRISE 142 species...

or

One can say "composed of": * "flowering plants COMPOSED OF" 142
species...

But one ***cannot*** say "comprised of".

There, I got it off my chest. *So why don't I feel better...it's
probably a losing battle. sigh

HB


Well, there goes the Reformation. I suppose you have an aristocratic
citation to support this assertion, or is it based on divine revelation?

For them, there
are no standards; there is only what -- dare I say "hoi polloi"

It's tough to find a non-provocative expression for the masses in this
country where everybody is, in theory, equal.

(Note to self: Go out front and check if my WE ARE THE 99% sign is
still firmly dug into the lawn.)

Of course you do, but I think we're back to arrogant, and dismissive.

More like despair. Sometimes if you call a thing by its name, you get
hammered. Like, people still call the U.S. a "democracy", when it has
demonstrably become a "plutocracy". The truth can be painful. Denial
is more comfortable if you don't mind reliquishing use of the brain we
were given by (a) "God" or (b) evolution;


speaking of "getting hammered": Years ago, a telling incident. I was
demonstrating -- one of the two times I ever got out on the battle
lines -- with a Sierra Club group on some environmental problem; can't
even remember what it was. I noticed that the counter-demonstration
across from us looked very different from us. They were dressed
differently; they had a whole 'nothr look to them. I made a casual
remark to that effect to a fellow Sierra Clubber -- and got my head
handed to me! Wow!

[...]
This post, on one of the many sites that wrestle with this issue,
nails it neatly: * Ignorance and pretentiousness.

[...]
or ³is composed of² or whatever. Simple logic, people: Know your
place.

Know your place? A tad arrogant isn't it?

***Ask the author.

What happened to your old .sig. Now THEM were fightin' words!

Sorry I ever blew my grammatical stack. Used to suffering in silence,
but once in a while...

Now back to gardening.

HB