"That being..."

[Benjamin Zimmer]

Bob Ney, a congressman from Ohio knee-deep in Abramoffgate, just lost
his three top staffers to resignations. He tried to put a brave face
on it in his press release:

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http://www.timesreporter.com/index.php?ID=55655&r=1
...I wish them well as they pursue their individual career paths.
That being, I am very proud to say that I have recently promoted
another longtime staffer...
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Is anyone familiar with "That being..." as an elliptical form for
"That being said..."? It's a bit hard to search for, but here are a
few other examples:

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http://joshuaink.com/blog/479/fifteen-minutes-of-flock
As the title suggests it's all about first impressions. That being, I
reserve the right to change my mind.
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0505525917/
I am a fan of all Nance's Children of the Greek Gods series, The
Seeker being my absolutely fav. I would leave my hubby for Hugh. But
that being, I think Nance really needs to go with this futuristic
line.
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B0000AKY3Q/
I first off want to say that I use to watch this show everyday. I grew
up with it, it was one of my favorite shows to watch. But that being,
I know I have seen every episode of this show.
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--Ben Zimmer

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org