The SEAL team quite literally captured Al Qaeda

[Recursion]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/seals-sieze-mother-lode-of-intelligence/new-details/

Bin Ladin's computer data is, quite literally, Al Qaeda, "the (data)base". This can only be good news.

[-..__...]

1. Screw the intelligence...

I'm more curious what he had in his fap/porn folder.

[Bonobo]

2. Ummm, that would still be "figurative" not "literal".

It's like when people say "I literally shit my pants" but didn't...

[Recursion]

3. No, "literal" is a pet peeve of mine, and they literally captured it

Al Qaeda is the database of jihadist activity Bin Ladin formed in the late 80s.

[Bonobo]

5. But that is capturing a database, not capturing "Al Queda"

Therefore it is figurative, not literal.

[Recursion]

6. You're missing my point: people misunderstand what "Al Qaeda" is

Al Qaeda (to the extent Bin Ladin used that phrase) referred to the database he compiled, not the organization or its people (he mentioned this in his 2004 message).

[Bonobo]

7. OK, I see your point. But I still think you violated your own pet peeve. nt

[Recursion]

8. Fair enough

In terms of my intention, I was emphasizing "literal" to get at the original sense of "al qaeda".

[Bonobo]

4. Dupe