I love it when sociolinguistics makes the news. Or the blog. Or whatnot. *Everyone* has an accent, and it's interesting!

Thanks for your excellent example of how writing in a distinct tone or personality is actually harder than it appears. (I assume that's what you were trying to do with your poorly-rendered version of West's writing.) Well done!

Well, sometimes I enjoy the writing style because the subject is so terrible I need a way to laugh, or because I want the informal, conversational tone. I don't think of it as fluffy, but I do think of it as how my friends and I would actually talk to each other.

I'm assuming it's meant to be in reference to those All-American Girl dolls?

Dude. That's kind of the whole deal on this site - which is that it is NOT A SERIOUS NEWS BLOG. You have a gajillion other news sites to go to if you want slang-free, non-sarcastic reporting. So if it's grating on you, go on ahead to any of those other sites. And/or click through to the source.

I like to think that someone in the ad department voted against the charter schools initiative and this was their way of thumbing their nose at its passing.

It's implicit, not explicit. And pretty obviously implicit, at that.

Ummm...seriously? As a kid whose parents divorced when I was quite wee, I call BULLSHIT. It would be better for the parents to stay in an unhappy and/or unhealthy relationship? THE KID WOULD KNOW - kids are not fucking stupid. I've always been quite glad my parents divorced, because I could tell that my young life…

But you don't ACTUALLY believe in Santa. I totally am with you on the it's fun getting presents from "Santa." But you know it's not real, hence the quotes you included.

Viscous rabbits were so successful in their pirating because they are so damn slippery!

Ah yes, they "let" men obliterate them from history. Much in the same way as we "let" men perpetuate all sorts of sexism and misogyny.

I don't know who the hell Rob Delaney is, but I am squicked out by that banana hammock EVERY TIME I read tweet beat. Ew.

Take her to a vet you trust so that you can either rule out physical problems or help her if there *is* something wrong. Animals don't express pain and discomfort the way we do, and acting shy, not wanting to be touched, or other behavioral differences could be because she's in some sort of discomfort.

You and your expectations of logic and rational thought!

Then they are in the wrong line of work. For example: I despise guns. Therefore I am not a cop or in the military or working at a shooting range.

Yeah, I think we can acknowledge the TBI without dismissing his history of abusive and/or violent behavior. TBI often affects the part of the brain that helps us inhibit our reactions, and it can make folks more quick to frustration and anger. So if he already had these behaviors, I can see the TBI just making it…

Ah well, if YOU haven't seen it, then it must not exist! So glad you're on the case.

And this is just the ones that are reported. Much like gay-bashing crimes and rape, we KNOW that DV incidents are under-reported.

wtf?! So because domestic violence is disturbingly common, it's now dismissive as a cliche?

Also 50% Wookie. That 150% is how you get such overwhelmingly cute fluffiness.