It is difficult, but I have to say that that crack, much as I enjoyed it, is unbecoming an independent prosecutor.
I think you're taking this weigh too seriously, ogged. She's in for 120 days, max. The NYT will continue to pay her salary, and she'll be further compensated by the redemption of her reputation. Going to jail is a win across the board for her.
You wouldn't say that if the prosecutor WERE STEVE JOBS!
unbecoming an independent prosecutor
Which is okay, because he's conspicuously not one. Last I checked, anyway. Did that change?
So I read the comments before the post (reading comments first is easier on this machine) and I read the first sentence as:
It is difficult, but I have to say that crack, much as I enjoyed it, is unbecoming an independent prosecutor.
Which seems more like something Alameida might say. I was looking forward to the story, anyway.
You're right, slol, special prosector, not independent.
Uh, don't those two sentence mean the same thing, and aren't they prone to exactly the same misinterpretations? I'm unclear as to why the elimination of one of the "that"s is significant.
Weiner's all about the drug humor, ben. Which needn't trouble an ingenue.
oh, crack, right. I was thinking asscrack.
Yah, I thought it was "(I have to say that) (crack, much as I enjoyed it...)" which reading is not available with the two 'that's.
I'm with Ogged. In my mind, the prosecutor is firm-jawed and resolute but ultimately respects these journalists for taking the hit on principle. Probably played by Tom Hanks.
Matt, what's wrong with "…(that crack, much as I enjoyed it…)"?
Why would you be sharing crack with a special prosecutor?
Alternatively, Kriston, it's just impossible for anyone not to hate Judith Miller.
So true. I have Courtney Love playing her.
12: Nothing, it's just not how I read the sentence after my mind elided the second 'that'. Well, what's wrong with it is it's not as funny. Anyway, one 'that' ambiguous, two 'that's not.
I think that it would be wrong to speculate gleefully about the possibility that in prison Miller might be abused in some spectacularly cinematic way.
Furthermore, in a high-profile case of this kind it's not at all likely to happen, so we should not allow ourselves to get our hopes up.
17: Two 'that's can be ambiguous. Compare:
I have to say that crack, much as I enjoyed it …
refers generally to the dope he used to smoke, while
I have to say that that crack, much as I enjoyed it …
refers to some particularly fine dope.
But it would only refer to dope if dope had already been referred to, which, again, wouldn't be ambiguous.
Cooper testifying, Miller led away by marshals.
I guess I have a higher tolerance for dangling anaphora.
Afford an orphan, Anna?
phornaphoranaphanorphan
I had a feeling it would come to this, though I expected it to happen to Ben first.
I do not see the quote in the linked article; a google search of the blocked text also finds nothing. Nor does a search of the first quote.
Quotation at end of different article here.
For anna, four, an orphan, anorphans confounded.
For an orphan fan, four Anna fora.
Have you seen this? Sorry to drag the discussion on-topic.
Saw that last night; that's some tidbit, eh?