We are all guilty. We have used these words and phrases dozens, and in some cases, hundreds of times a day in conversation. They unnecessarily litter our communication with friends, family, and co-workers. Most of us have grown so accustom to hearing them, that we don’t even notice anymore. But, they can drive some of us crazy.

They are conversation fillers that are redundant, and can make the beautiful English language sound like nails on a blackboard. Maybe I’m being a language snob, and should find more important things to write about. But since my career was built around the use of clear, concise writing and oral presentation, I feel I have to speak out.

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I said this blog would be about journalism, politics, language and life. It all started with this picture. This is my father as a young reporter interviewing John Kennedy on election day 1960 at the Hyannis Airport. I’m told it was the last interview Kennedy did before being elected president.

A short time after Kennedy was elected, a colleague of my father’s brought it to the White House, and got President Kennedy to sign it. It says, “Nicholas Archer, With best wishes, John F. Kennedy”. It sat on a desk in our home. I was nine years old, and old enough to understand that this was something special. Not every kid had an autographed picture of his father interviewing the president.

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I have spent over 40 years in the local television news business. After retiring recently, I feel I have some time and freedom to write about journalism, politics, the use of the English language, and some personal observations on life.

Journalism has changed dramatically over the last 40 years. Some of it for the better and some for the worse. I hope to talk about what I think works and how things can be better. I hope to get feedback and ideas from you.

How we use language to communicate ideas is at the heart of journalism and politics. I hope to look at great examples of both, and see how history can teach us about accommodation and compromise.

Finally, I want to write about personal experiences and observations on our life and times.

Mike Archer