From the monthly archives:

September 2010

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY: an integrated set of actions designed to produce or deliver goods or services that customers perceive as being different in ways that are important to them.

September 20, 2010

In a person’s resume someone referred to the applicant in this way: “She is a distinctive differentiator.” I have to admit that I didn’t have a clue what that meant, so some research was required of me. It turns out that differentiation strategy is a marketing term specifically related to the whole concept of branding.  [...]

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URBAN ART: a style of art that relates to cities and city life often done by artists who live in or have a passion for city life

September 19, 2010

The whole concept of urban art is fascinating.  It crosses between  a pure urban genre, known as graffiti and environmental art which is a genre utilizing the existing environment as the canvas for artistic expression.   I love them both. There are numerous expressions of urban art, but I want to focus on just three: the [...]

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MUNDANE: of or pertaining to this world or earth as contrasted with heaven; worldly; earthly

September 18, 2010

I have used the word mundane for years.  For years, I have used it without knowing what it meant.  I’m embarrassed by that. When I researched the word mundane I discovered it to be a much more significant term than I had expected.  I have always used it in a fairly generic mode, meaning something [...]

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PERIPHERAL : Related to, located in, or constituting an outer boundary

September 17, 2010

  The word peripheral seems to be used primarily in medical circles, relating to peripheral vision or peripheral vascular  or neurological diseases.    In the military, however, the term peripheral damage is used commonly to identify injury, damage, or death to sites or individuals outiside the primary location of a missile, bomb, or artillery focus.  In [...]

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MAN UP: drawing forth the stereotypical masculine violence when called upon

September 16, 2010

I’ve been hearing the term man up a lot lately.  There have been numerous articles about the term in the media, almost as if it’s a new phenomenon needing broad exposure.  I’m really not sure when the term first came into use, but I know it isn’t a new term.  It’s just popular in conversations [...]

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PROGNOSTICATION: reading the future

September 15, 2010

Last night I watched a little bit of the reporting of the primary results for the mid-term elections.  It was a toss-up between that and the Red Sox/Mariners game, and I ended up choosig baseball over politics.  I was underwhelmed by the attempts at prognostication. Local reporters who are minimally skilled at things political turned [...]

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SANGFROID: self-possession or imperturbability especially under strain

September 14, 2010

Sangfroid (pronounced san-frwa’) is clearly a French word.  It has been adopted by the English language, however, and is one of those fun words to be used sparingly in writing.  Overuse will render the writer as pompous and effete.  But when used in moderation and in appropriate circumstances, it can be a word which projects [...]

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REDUNDANT: surplus to requirements; unnecessary or superfluous

September 13, 2010

I get a real kick out of the identification of redundancies. I treat them like puns to the point that people roll their eyes. For instance, if someone were to say,  “I heard a really loud rap song last night” I would be the first one to say, “That’s redundant.“ In my mind, all rap [...]

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ELITISM: snobbery at its best

September 12, 2010

My friend, Newport Betty, writes one of the most interesting blogs around. Nearly every day she posts about the amazing and creative things she sees and does in the tiny city of Newport, Rhode Island. There is an unending stream of artistic, musical, architectural, marine, social, and philosophical opportunity presenting itself through her eyes and [...]

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GROUND ZERO: nobody’s private playground

September 11, 2010

The debate raging over the potential location of an Islamic Center 2 1/2 blocks away from Ground Zero has irritated the heck out of me.  For lots of reasons. The primary irritation is the sense that someone or some group has a right of possession on the property.  There are various gradations of connection to [...]

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