The QT: Stereotypes of the Zimmerman case, memorable wedding brawls, and more

News Headline: "House GOP gets its way on farm bill; food aid jeopardized"

News Headline: "Food stamps: Military families redeem $100 million a year"

Should we ask the House GOP why it hates our troops?

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

***

News Headline: "Zimmerman verdict sparks fear of riots"

News Headline: "Zimmerman protests largely peaceful"

The trial was filled with careless stereotypes.

So why stop now?

***

News Item: "...Obama sidestepped the..."

News Item: "...Obama backed down on..."

News Item: "...Obama stumbled a bit during..."

During his attempt to sidestep while backing down, evidently.

***

News Headline: "Russia says it will arrest openly gay tourists"

News Headline: "Penalties await gay couples trying to marry in Indiana"

But please understand this:

Indiana is not like Russia.

Not completely.

***

+ Cindy Rochel, a Tinley Park, Ill., reader, regarding QT's asking its readers to stop playing games with President Obama's announcement that his favorite food is broccoli, writes:

"Why should we carrot all what the president prefers?"

+ T.R., a Denver reader, writes:

"You're going to beet this like a dead horse, aren't you."

No. This will stop.

And now we know why Obama is trying to stop government leeks.

***

News Item: "...yelled at the best man and then punched him... then punched the bride's sister, mother and father, the groom said..."

It's the little things that go wrong at weddings that can provide our most treasured memories.

***

News Headline: "New Zealand breaks world record for most people covered with paint"

And it is a good thing the 4,171 people covered with four tons of paint achieved the record, or they might have looked silly.

***

QT Grammar R Us Seminar on the English Language:

T.B., a Chicago reader, writes:

"I received an email today arguing that the construction 'one of those' requires a plural verb. For example, one of those people who are always correcting grammar. Is this the case?"

The plural is generally favored, with the verb referring, in this instance, to "people," not "one," as the subject.

But QT will argue that there are exceptions.

Or put it this way:

It was just one of those things

Just one of those crazy flings

One of those bells that now and then rings...

Cole Porter is QT's favorite grammarian.

**

Write to QT at zaysmith.qt@gmail.com

QT appears Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.