Stories by Brenda Looper

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Check the facts For me, last week's Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp/Messenger outage was much ado about nothing. I do feel sorry for those businesses that rely on Facebook, but for everyone else, it should have been a w... October 13, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Pronoun poser You might remember that a couple of weeks ago, the Word Nerd asked for your help on a query from a reader: "'Pronoun Challenged' sent me a note: 'I have a teenage relative who has decided that she is... October 6, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Comfort in words I've been a mite cranky lately; I'd be the first to admit that. Between some people insisting that their rights supersede everyone else's, people acting like jerks, and a couple of medical issues, I'... September 22, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Needless cruelty There are times I have to cut myself off from the world. Usually that means I settle in for a "Doctor Who" marathon. In those episodes, amid the humor and sometimes trite storylines, I find something... September 15, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Lasting impact On Saturday, it will have been 20 years. Twenty years since the Tuesday morning that I stood in the newsroom, watching with 10 or so other Democrat-Gazette colleagues as the newsroom televisions show... September 8, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: The bell tolls There's a lot I don't understand. How humans can be so cruel to each other. Why anyone would believe that their rights trump those of everyone else. But I think one thing above all confounds me: trol... September 1, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Nope, not enough It was about 8:45 Monday morning when an alert from The Washington Post came across my email: "FDA grants full approval to Pfizer- BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, potentially persuading the hesitant to ... August 25, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: A tangled Web The Internet is a wondrous place. You can read blogs, newspapers and magazines from all over the world. You can feed nostalgia and find replacements for items you lost, like that old Fisher-Price "rad... August 18, 2021

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Risks versus benefits | Lost nation's lullaby | Exercise her freedom Risks versus benefits The controversy over whether to vaccinate or not has been made such a hot political football that many people are confused, and it is no wonder with the information seeming to c... August 17, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Luck of the draw I'm not superstitious. I am a little stitious.--Michael Scott, "The Office" I was born on the 13th of January; unfortunately, it was a Monday, not a Friday like what we have coming in just a couple o... August 11, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Take a break Last week was tough. There was the unrelenting heat, which made opening the door (at least for those of us not in love with summer) a journey to the hottest reaches of hell, and stretched people and ... August 4, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Didn't have to be It's been a long while since I've watched the Olympics. I was always more of a fan of the Winter Games, mainly because I love watching ice skating and skiing. But the Summer Olympics ... well, it's s... July 28, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Part of the whole With fellow logophile Bernadette Kinlaw now gone from this newspaper's pages, it seems it falls to me to fly the Word Nerd banner alone. (By the way, best of luck to Bernadette in her new job!) It's ... July 21, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: As a mule Stubbornness is a trait well-represented in my family by the confluence of at least three bloodlines (two from my mom's side, and one from my dad's). It comes in rather handy when standing up for prin... July 14, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Under the bridge It's hard sometimes not to be baffled by some reactions to one's own writing. Honest criticism is welcomed, gladly. Glowing reviews are accepted, usually sheepishly. But when certain people consisten... July 7, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Employ reason I don't often rant or rave unless it's something that truly matters. You know, like getting vaccinated and/or wearing masks to protect yourself and others against a disease that, if it doesn't kill yo... June 30, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Good vibrations The heat has not been kind to me, not that I'm all that kind to it. Between grocery mishaps, phishing texts and emails and a badly overgrown yard, I'm more than a little cranky. But ... There is kin... June 23, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: As the crank turns Did I ever like summer in Arkansas? Right now, I'm not so sure, and it's not even officially summer yet. When I was a kid, there were things that made it not seem so bad: Vacation Bible School, July ... June 16, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Focus on works I'm admittedly torn about statues in public spaces. When it comes to those of ordinary people and/or historic events, such as my friend John Deering's "Testament," depicting the Little Rock Nine, I'm... June 9, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: On patriotism On Memorial Day, I always think of my grandpa and my uncle, though they didn't have to sacrifice their lives in battle. Both served in the Navy, my grandpa during World War II as a fireman on the hosp... May 26, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Get a gripe We all have them in our lives: relatives, friends, acquaintances or even strangers who are happiest when they're making others miserable by complaining ... about anything. Everyone in my family knows... May 19, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Hit or myth Myths die hard. Too hard nowadays. I'm not talking about Greek or Roman or Norse mythology and all those misbehaving gods. Talking about Loki (the mythic version or the Marvel one portrayed by Tom Hi... May 12, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Still the same This time next week, I'll be on my third day in the office after more than a year of working remotely. There will still be days I'll need to do some work at home, but for the most part I imagine life ... April 28, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Fulfill your duty I get a distinct “Braveheart” vibe any time I read the comments under posts about covid-19 vaccination. Many of these people probably fancy themselves as William Wallace with all their shouting about ... April 21, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: On the watch Like a lot of introverts, I tend toward observation more than participation. Those days on the school playground early on when I hadn't made many connections with classmates, I watched, noting how kid... April 7, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Break some rules Having been a writer and editor for some years now, I'm often asked for guidance on grammar, sometimes because of something that appeared in the news sections. I only deal with the opinion pages, and... March 31, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: A bit peevish If you're ever in need of writing material, ask a group of writers and editors their pet peeves. You'll end up with enough material to fill a book. (I did it this time because I scheduled Tuesday off... March 24, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Such blarney! Legend has it that those who kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland, are blessed with the gift of eloquence. You won't see this Arkansas girl kissing it, though, because, fo... March 17, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Augurs of doom March 4 came and went and, luckily, nothing happened. There was no inauguration of Donald Trump as the 19th (??) president, but because of the threat of QAnon and militia adherents descending again on... March 10, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Back to reality When I was in junior high, a group of my friends told me I never smiled. Considering some of them were among those who said I spoiled a class picture with my too-wide grin, I was wary, but it still bu... February 24, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: To coin a phrase As I sit here Monday waiting for the next rejiggering of my grocery delivery (at this moment it's supposed to be by 3:15 p.m.; it was originally between 9 and 11 a.m.) and tucked under an electric bla... February 17, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Turn of phrase There are many times I curse Facebook and the former friend who got me to finally sign up for it, but there are just as many times that it's brought me laughs, comfort and column ideas. Facebook frie... February 10, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Just the facts It's been too long since I last talked about fact-checking. Dealing with the aftermath of a disputed election and a failed insurrection can be a bit distracting. But yeah, it didn't take long for the ... January 27, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Consequence time Technology helps us with so much, especially during a pandemic. It enables some of us to work from home when needed. It lets us see and talk to friends and family we've not been able to see in person ... January 20, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Birthday wishes Every five years or so, I get to write on my birthday, and today, I'm making some birthday wishes. I mean, other than my usual requests of cat photos, jokes, chocolate and world peace (I never get tha... January 13, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Word of dishonor I hear there's some big to-do going on in D.C. today with potential for both horror and hilarity. So yeah, I'm just gonna ignore that for now, and instead talk about what makes word-nerd hearts flutte... January 6, 2021

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Send 'em packing Soon, Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is scheduled to release its annual "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness." I ... December 30, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: A holiday without Last year at this time, I was facing my first Christmas without my mom. This year, as many mourn the loss of parents, spouses and others due to covid-19, the column I wrote then seems just as appropri... December 19, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: On my list With nine days left before Christmas, I find myself wishing for a few things. Not that any of those wishes will be granted, but wouldn't it be nice? I know I'd love to see these things under the tree ... December 16, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: You too, words? This is the time of year I always look forward to; sure, there's the whole holiday thing, but for me and my fellow word nerds, there are Word of the Year announcements. Doesn't take much to make me h... December 9, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: A duty to society At Thanksgiving, I have the tendency to think about things like the greater good. Though I'm a realist, I still have a streak of optimism, and I choose to look for the best in people. I haven't seen e... November 25, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Reality check I'm no fan of Mark Zuckerberg. He so often comes off as entitled and hypocritical that it's hard for me to take him seriously. Yet this summer, I joined Facebook after years of resistance so I could s... November 18, 2020

Thank you, vets My grandpa was a funny man. He could tell a story that would have you giggling by the second sentence because you knew there was going to be a great payoff (my brother Corey takes after him in that ma... November 11, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: The unwanted As you read this, I'm most likely still asleep after a long night of watching election returns and editing while also working on my blog, watching a movie, and trying to fit in a little time with my R... November 4, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Love of country Just before the Fourth of July this year, I ran a column on patriotism. I had so hoped that perhaps we might have improved at least a little bit since then, but alas, no. My Facebook feed and comment ... October 28, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: The wrong word Heterophemy (HET-uh-ruh-fee-mee), noun: The use of a word different from the one intended. Occasionally I'm asked to give some sort of public presentation. In most cases, I decline, and heterophemy i... October 21, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Give it a rest I'm tired. No, not just because my brain won't shut up at night and let me sleep, though that has at least a little to do with it. It's the laughing at my attempts to sleep that annoy me the most; it... October 14, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Fear itself In a month when the weather has finally turned cold, bracketed by full moons at its beginning and end, and during which we celebrate Halloween, how better to chip in than to explore words related to f... October 7, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: The lost year When we look back on 2020, how will we see it? As a year when lawlessness took hold? Regardless of party, you probably will, but it won't be your own party you see as having any guilt. If you see not... September 16, 2020

OPINION | BRENDA LOOPER: Your point is ... No one who knows me could mistake me for caring what this or that political party says about itself or the other party. That is, unless it's a talking point that's an outright lie or at the very least... September 9, 2020