One of the most common usage errors in English is the phrase "is comprised of." A Google search for the phrase returns 20.8 million results. A whole comprises the parts. In most cases when people use "is comprised of" they should use "comprises" or "is composed of." For example, "New York City comprises Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens." The incorrect usage is so popular, though, that fighting it might prove a losing battle.

Worthwhile usage lessons like this can be found in Garner's Modern American Usage, an essential reference for writers.

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A hack: free SkypeOut calls. I'll need those and much more after reading this article on how much money you need to truly have "f*** you money" in NYC. Basically, without going into the detailed calculations, the article said I'll be eating ramen, watching pirated DVDs on my old laptop, and stealing wi-fi from my next-door neighbor for the rest of my life. Just passing through, just passing through.

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The Michelin Red Guide 2006 New York City will be unveiled next week at the Guggenheim. Some of New York's prominent chefs weigh in. Anthony Bourdain provides the gossip:

The big question is who will get a top ranking: The thinking is that Ducasse is a shoo-in for three stars. If they don’t give it to Ducasse, it will just be a terrible slap. And if they don’t give three to Per Se, that’s really a huge turd in the punch bowl. If Per Se gets three, and Ducasse doesn’t, that’s a whole other political situation. At least that’s the girls’ talk—you know, when the chefs are all sitting around bitching and gossiping. As for Zagat, it’s devalued. It’s like, “Some say ‘delicious’; others say ‘smells like cat pee.’

Danny Meyer puts it all in perspective:

Particularly in its first year of publication, a Michelin star will represent nothing but upside for any restaurant. This year, the guide will award but not remove stars from any restaurant. Many will be helped, none will be hurt.

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Evidence suggests that many U.S. Senators profit off of insider trading. That's not shocking considering how connected they are. What Martha Stewart did is hardly the exception to the rule, but making an example of her seems unlikely to curb the practice. Perhaps the only way to halt this, and it's not practical, is to prevent anyone in a certain position or job level from trading on certain publicly-traded stocks (like CEO's and Senators). This would constrain their investment options, but then again, they're rich.

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This list of the 20 best license-free fonts on the web should have included any of the Peter Saville New Order/Joy Division fonts. They're flat-out gorgeous, and they're free. Now I just have to figure out how to convert them for use on my Mac.