Comments on: Great Scott http://scienceprogress.org/2009/05/great-scott/ Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:59:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: James Wiegert http://scienceprogress.org/2009/05/great-scott/comment-page-1/#comment-7067 James Wiegert Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:03:42 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3176#comment-7067 Dear Mr. Phillips, Not to nitpick a nitpicker's nitpicker, but even though the phrase 'running a gauntlet' is used, 'in the gauntlet' isn't. The 'gauntlet' in the phrase 'running a gauntlet' is traditionally two parallel lines of people facing each other across a narrow corridor through which other people run while being hit by the people in the lines. I suppose the narrow corridor alone could be considered the 'gauntlet' and someone could say 'in the gauntlet', but it isn't and they don't. Sincerely, James Wiegert Dear Mr. Phillips,

Not to nitpick a nitpicker’s nitpicker, but even though the phrase ‘running a gauntlet’ is used, ‘in the gauntlet’ isn’t. The ‘gauntlet’ in the phrase ‘running a gauntlet’ is traditionally two parallel lines of people facing each other across a narrow corridor through which other people run while being hit by the people in the lines. I suppose the narrow corridor alone could be considered the ‘gauntlet’ and someone could say ‘in the gauntlet’, but it isn’t and they don’t.

Sincerely,
James Wiegert

]]> By: Len Phillips http://scienceprogress.org/2009/05/great-scott/comment-page-1/#comment-5331 Len Phillips Thu, 28 May 2009 18:00:20 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3176#comment-5331 Not to nitpick a nitpicker, but surely you have heard of "Running the Gauntlet"? Google it and you will see that author Mooney has used "Gauntlet" as a synecdoche. I suspect that perhaps Mr. Wiegert is an engineer masquerading as a scientist--and is therefore handicapped by a lack of poetry.) Not to nitpick a nitpicker, but surely you have heard of “Running the Gauntlet”? Google it and you will see that author Mooney has used “Gauntlet” as a synecdoche. I suspect that perhaps Mr. Wiegert is an engineer masquerading as a scientist–and is therefore handicapped by a lack of poetry.)

]]> By: Tom Nichols http://scienceprogress.org/2009/05/great-scott/comment-page-1/#comment-5326 Tom Nichols Thu, 28 May 2009 01:55:33 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3176#comment-5326 We have watched her many, and excellent defenses of science through the years. I bet she had a rough 8 years under Bush. We have watched her many, and excellent defenses of science through the years. I bet she had a rough 8 years under Bush.

]]> By: James Wiegert http://scienceprogress.org/2009/05/great-scott/comment-page-1/#comment-5325 James Wiegert Thu, 28 May 2009 01:29:21 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3176#comment-5325 Dear Chris, Not to nitpick, but a 'gauntlet' (also 'gantlet) is a glove and, so, the 'In this gauntlet ...' which begins the last sentence of the third to the last paragraph of your article makes no sense, or so it seems to me. (See http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gauntlet for sample sentences with 'gauntlet'.) Having said that, thank you for bringing 'Darwin's golden retriever' to my attention. Ms. Scott deserves all the support you and others like you can give her. Sincerely, James Wiegert Dear Chris,

Not to nitpick, but a ‘gauntlet’ (also ‘gantlet) is a glove and, so, the ‘In this gauntlet …’ which begins the last sentence of the third to the last paragraph of your article makes no sense, or so it seems to me. (See http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gauntlet for sample sentences with ‘gauntlet’.)

Having said that, thank you for bringing ‘Darwin’s golden retriever’ to my attention. Ms. Scott deserves all the support you and others like you can give her.

Sincerely,
James Wiegert

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