Yet the literal meaning of his sentence was not to include Lucky Strike and Players but rather to exclude them. He was informing us that the manufacturing companies were turning out cigarettes that in some unexplained and undefined way were ''like'' the familiar brands. The word ''like'' was misleading. Early in 1999 he wrote a column about the effect of excessive government planning in urban areas. In Time magazine a business writer discussed the growth of companies that provide professional services to small businesses.
All professional writers have their little crotchets.
The use of ''like'' in place of ''such as'' is my Crotchet No. 932.17. In such constructions, ''as if'' usually provides a more readable sentence. In that phrase, to replace the ''like'' with ''as'' would sound pretentious and sissy. Thus encouraged, Mr. Broocke made a further suggestion that the editor should thank alert readers ''such as'' reader Broocke. The editor was plainly a bit miffed, but alert reader Broocke was, like, you know, on the ball.