MITIGATION
In an effort to "mitigate" the effects of Thursday’s disastrous meeting held by the Canaveral Port Authority to discuss plans to erect an earthen-dam railway across the northern Banana River, the Port posted one of its handouts from the meeting on its Facebook page.
"Mitigate" is a verb, that has several definitions, both of which are relevant here. The first is to make less severe, serious, or painful as in "he wanted to mitigate misery in the world."
The second is to lessen the gravity of (an offense or mistake). As in "if not for mitigating circumstances, he would have been convicted."
It also used all the time to excuse or reduce the environmental damage caused by projects... l-i-k-e this.
Unfortunately, this handout was about as well conceived as Port CEO John Walsh's assertion that train noise shouldn't be a big deal, because people lineup to clap and celebrate when a rocket goes off on the Space Coast.
Entitled 10 Myths vs. Facts on the Port Canaveral to Florida East Coast {Railway] Connection, it contains several "facts" that that aren't quite true and at worst are used with reference to a situation involving deception or founded on a mistaken impression (outright lies.)
I am going to take a look at some of the funniest parts of this document in upcoming blog posts. Stay tuned.