Donald Trump, the former president, who’s been juggling his time campaigning to be president yet again, while at the same time facing… what is it, now, that I just read in the Washington Post? … “91 charges across four criminal cases”?
That’s a whole lot going on.
Well, it was he, that particular POTUS, who once had the word ‘unbeknownst’ in one of his many tweets.
That was back in 2019, when tweeting was on Twitter… which more recently became known as ‘X,’ since Elon Musk, of electrified vehicle, space flight, boring machine, and, in all likelihood, future endeavors of fame, took control of Twitter.
I’d written previously about students, back in my schooldays, sometimes fudging essays and term papers — it was called ‘fudging,’ back then, and maybe now as well? — when some students were strategically placing fancy, impressive-sounding words, full of gravitas, in their written work, figuring they could fake out teachers, and maybe get good grades.
And then, just recently, in an Archuleta County press release, there was ‘unbeknownst,’ once again:
For the past three months and unbeknownst to county leadership, a contractor has been working to repair damage to the landfill’s lining in cell 4 A with no signed contract and likely on a handshake deal with the most recent Public Works Director. Once County leadership learned of this work without a proper contract, the project was stopped immediately.
The press release was mentioned in Daily Post Editor Bill Hudson’s “High Altitude Spending” editorial.
Now, there’s a big difference, and probably little comparison one can make, of a presidential tweet, with a heavy-duty word — ‘unbeknownst’ — in it… and an Archuleta County press release, with the very same word, in it… with the former president’s tweet having something to do with “major Taliban leaders,” and the County press release having something to do with a damaged landfill lining.
But, let’s say, if you’re a teacher deciding which grade you’d be giving, would a word like ‘unbeknownst’ influence your decision?
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.