M&Ms Essays - Candy, MMs, American Brands, Mars, Incorporated

M&M's Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels. Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters. That is the loser, and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round. I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theatre of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world. Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment. When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, Please use this M&M for breeding purposes. This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this grant money. I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion. There can be only one. Sports and Games

Consummate Does Not Mean Commensurate

Consummate Does Not Mean Commensurate Consummate Does Not Mean Commensurate Consummate Does Not Mean Commensurate By Maeve Maddox The following comment by a professional journalist set me wondering if I had the wrong idea about the meaning of the adjective consummate: Bernie Sanders is talking real issues. The pundits that are giving Bernie Sanders a bit of coverage, though not consummate to the crowds he is attracting, are noting the authenticity of his prose. The adjective consummate [kun-SUM-it] and the verb consummate [KAHN-suh-mate], come from Latin words having to do with completion. The adjective derives from classical Latin consummÄ tus, â€Å"lacking nothing, complete, perfect.† The verb is from classical Latin consummÄ t-, past participial stem of consummÄ re, â€Å"to add up, make up, to bring to an end, finish off, to complete, finish, to achieve, accomplish, to perfect.† A â€Å"consummate liar† is one who is extremely accomplished in the telling of falsehoods. â€Å"To consummate a marriage† is to complete it with sexual union. â€Å"To consummate a business deal† is to complete such arrangements as signing contracts and transferring deeds. Try as I may, I cannot stretch any of these meanings to fit the context of the quotation given above. An adjective that would fit the context is commensurate [kuh-MEN-suh-rit or kuh-MEN-shuur-it], a word that comes from Latin commensuratus: com (together) + mensurare (to measure). The writer’s meaning is that the coverage of the speaker is not in proportion to the size of the crowds he attracts. The coverage and the crowds â€Å"do not measure up,† that is, the coverage â€Å"is not commensurate† with the crowds. A web search indicates that the error is not unique to the person who wrote the example that prompted this post: INCORRECT: Your high turnover rates are due to the fact that the amount of work demanded is not consummate to the pay offered.   CORRECT : Your high turnover rates are due to the fact that the amount of work demanded is not commensurate with the pay offered.   INCORRECT: The point Waddle was trying to make was Beckham’s ability was not consummate to his fame. CORRECT : The point Waddle was trying to make was Beckham’s ability was not commensurate with his fame. INCORRECT: The amount of money being run by on-the-ground event-driven managers in Europe is not consummate to the size of the market. CORRECT : The amount of money being run by on-the-ground event-driven managers in Europe is not commensurate with the size of the market. INCORRECT: AGL [Australian energy provider]cautions against proposals that will result in a significant cost imposition on ACT electricity consumers that is not consummate to the benefits provided. CORRECT : AGL [Australian energy provider]cautions against proposals that will result in a significant cost imposition on ACT electricity consumers that is not commensurate with the benefits provided. Used as an adjective, consummate means â€Å"complete† or â€Å"perfect.† It is usually followed by the noun it qualifies: â€Å"consummate actor,† â€Å"consummate politician,† etc. The adjective commensurate, â€Å"corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree,† is conventionally followed by with (not to). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business Emails"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?â€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†