When in Doubt, Google About

Gosh. I wish people would realize that Google is their friend. I'm not saying they have to be BFFs. Just an occasional nod of recognition would be nice. Like they might give to the UPS man when they see him eating lunch at the Chinese restaurant. Or to the yellow-haired, blue-eye-shadowed Walmart checker when they run into her at the movies.

Because let's face it: people these days are sorely lacking in vocabulary smarts. They need to peruse Reader's Digest to increase their word power. Even if nobody pays them to do it. What with all this texting, proper spelling has gone by the wayside. So, too, the proper usage of words that may sound similar. I wanted to say that proper spelling has gone to hell in a handbasket. But that reminded me that today I read about the world going to hell and a handbasket.

Seriously? The world is going to a handbasket?

The other glaring misuse of a word today was found at the same venue. Comments about today's episode of The View. I don't even remember the website, but I clicked on it from Google News. Because Google is my friend. I didn't watch The View. I was working. And even when I'm home, those gals make me nervous. Apparently, Barbara commented on a political issue, and Sherri took offense. A discussion ensued. And a commenter declared that Sherri went too far in her examples. So far it seems, that she had no qualms hurling "racial epitaphs" that might be offensive to several demographics, in an effort to illustrate the error of Ms. Walters' ways.

Great Googley Moogley! Sherri must be quite the Jack LaLanne of the middle-aged woman set. Or quite the Arnold Schwarzenegger of female daytime talk show hosts. Because last time I checked, an epitaph was something inscribed on a tombstone. Which is traditionally a hefty object, comprised of granite.

Something tells me the commenter was looking for the word epithet. And Google, my longtime buddy, confirmed it.