NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 136
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Mrs. Bluezette's Grammar Guide
half-mast/half-staff, solstice
The next time you do a story on mourning, Mrs. B wants you to
remember that only on ships and at naval stations ashore are flags
flown at half-MAST.
Everywhere else flags are flown at half-STAFF.
And the next time you do a story on "solstice," remember what Terry
Allen, a former broadcast engineer in Portland, Oregon, says about
it:
"During summer solstice every year, weather types as well as
news readers refer to Summer Solstice as `the longest day of the
year.' The day is still 24 hours long. There is, however,
additional sunlight for those folks who live north of the equator...
"The same holds true for Winter Solstice. It's not the shortest
day of the year; it's still 24 hours long, but the amount of
sunlight (as well as daylight) is less."
If you're mourning the number of daylight hours diminishing (rather
than the day itself becoming shorter), Mrs. B suggests you fly your
hankie at half-staff.
If you're on your boat, you may fly it at half-mast.
