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ImageSMART TALK

by Dr. "Windy" Prolix



UNSOLVED MYSTERIES: At the Center for English as a First Language, many of us are trying to forget that Unsolved Mysteries was, wit no humor intended, a TV show. We were very unhappy that the program actually ran for 14 seasons. Not that it was bad, please understand, but that title! Not only did it offend us users of English as a first language, but it also increased our work load.

We're still trying to repair the damage.

No doubt discerning readers share our distress. You know unsolved mysteries is redundant. It sounds as silly a two twins. If they were solved, would they be mysteries? But we're still getting patients who think unsolved mysteries is correct because it was repeated so many times, for so long.

The same people often think Clorox is the best bleach because the company says so, even though the commercials are careful to pit it against plain water. It's an excellent bleach, as are all other brands containing 6% sodium hypochlorite, but endless repetition convinces the gullible that it beats all others. That's not right.

Unsolved mysteries isn't right, either.

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