Proofreading is a GOOD thing.

March 21, 2008 - 9:51am — javaking83

President Bush has enough problems trying to find Osama bin Laden without the local paper mis-spelling the name and confusing the poor man. I heard a nasty rumor the other day about an English class assignment that was to find all the typos in this paper. It's bad enough that we're already at the end of the grapevine, but now we have to put up with mis-spelling of the World's events. My entry might not have proper grammer, punctuation and all that other good stuff, but I'M NOT A PAID PROOFREADER. A typographical error on page 10-A is one thing, but something as glaring as "bin Lauden" is something else, and especially when it's on the front page. This may be nit-picking, but what this boils down to is a matter of integrity and professionalism. Maybe when we start taking our paper seriously, people will take this town seriously.

Spelling is one thing, but...

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Spelling is one thing, but it would be nice to read a coherently written sports report from the full-time reporter and the spare contributor who also celebrates himself as a school board member.

Submitted by IFallsRon on March 21, 2008 - 5:11pm.

PS. It's grammar,...

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PS. It's grammar, Javaking.
Having worked in the advertising business where misspelled words can cost you your job, I am always astounded how often I have to edit my own postings and how many of the edited pieces still have things goofed up that I notice first when they show up in print. That's why even ten proofreaders will occasionally miss a mistake.

Focusing on the mistakes of others is one of the really mean things we do to one another on this space -- especially the younger kids who visit for a while and then soon are gone. One of the best writers here is a sometimes speller; when he does his book, he will need a good editor. Just like Hemingway needed one. We all need good editors but need to know that good editors do a whole lot more than correct spelling.

So I promise not to point out your misspellings if you promise not to dwell on mine. But if you notice that I have a piece of rice hanging from my mustache, or something really important, I'd appreciate a heads up.

Submitted by Thomas L. Johnson on March 25, 2008 - 1:57pm.

I think the proper spelling...

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I think the proper spelling is, "Osama bin Laden 65", or something to that effect. I think the majority of grammar and mis-spellings are from my hands typing quicker than my old brain can function. Many times, I've cringed after reading my entry a day or two later, and wondered why the "Professor" didn't jump on my gross error. But, then, I really think He and his class, are actually human, and occasionally make mistakes. In fact my brother has lunch at the Senior Center, with one of these blogger's Parents, and his Mother is the toughest critic of him (rumor has it). So, let's just have fun, and forget about the grammar, etc. I can pick up almost any periodical or paper, and if I read enough of it, I can find errors on it. But, with all of the technology (spell check), I tend to wonder how it can happen so often. I remember in high school, my english teacher gave us an assignment to read the papers and magazines, and see if we could find errors. She was frustrated with the amount of mistakes she was seeing. And that was in the 1960's, long before "spell check". About the end of the lead printing, or whatever it was.

Submitted by roj2000 on March 25, 2008 - 9:55pm.

I drove up to the senior...

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I drove up to the senior center on Monday intending, as a legal senior, to have lunch with the real seniors who were brought up when education was more focused on details than it is today-- and roj's brother [whom he once denied having but who has introduced himself to my parents as roj's proud brother]. But they get their meal at 11:30 and were long gone by noon, when I showed up. I guess we can start holding our blogger's conventions at the senior center as our demographic seems to be skewing quite old.

Submitted by Thomas L. Johnson on March 26, 2008 - 11:31am.

I thought "everyone" in the...

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I thought "everyone" in the Falls ate lunch at 11:30 AM?? In fact don't y'all have "a little lunch" around 9:30 AM? I now have a brother, and next you will say I have a sister too!! I do like the idea of having the DJ Blogger's conventions at the Senior Center. I would be willing to volunteer to push some of you 65 class members (and older) around in your wheelchairs. I'm sure I still have a few Community Service hours left (in the Falls) to work off, or in the klink I go.

Submitted by roj2000 on March 27, 2008 - 9:11am.

The 65'ers just don't age...

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The 65'ers just don't age like most FHS graduating classes. For example, the band that everyone wants to see doing street dances? Honorary 65er Chuck Lepper accompanied by real 65ers Greg Anderson, Steve Mostad. The young mural painter? 65er Bruce Trask. Len Millard still carving horse's butts. Former class president jumping rope on youtube. Then there's June up at the mall and Anton65, grizzled but a young dad and creative thinker. So forget about the wheelchairs, 2000. We were the ones who felt the full brunt of the British Invasion of 1963-64, who watched the Kennedy Inaugural and Funeral, who, with Mongo, watched the Doors and Led Zeppelin on stage and vowed never to grow old. Except for Ray LePage. He was already old [that's an inside joke -- not appropriate for a public blog but 65er's were not given appropriateness lessons.] So we'll see you at the Senior Center the day they start holding street dances out front. You and your prematurely old proofreading-obsessed [to stay on topic] class of seventy-something.

Submitted by Thomas L. Johnson on March 27, 2008 - 11:24am.

TLJ, WOW!! I wouldn't slam...

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TLJ,

WOW!! I wouldn't slam my toilet seat that hard!! Good blog!! Wasn't Hillary in your class also?? About the same age, I would guess! I think GW might be a 65'er also! Maybe, 1964, but what the heck is a year among friends, huh? So, Professor, you and my Brother, go ahead and "wheel on in" and I'll buy you both lunch. How's that? Oh, and don't forget y'alls hearing aids, (for the band that is).

Submitted by roj2000 on March 27, 2008 - 11:28am.

Ok, we will see how long...

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Ok, we will see how long this lasts before the paper either pulls it, or pulls people from being able to use this site. I wrote that a story was misleading and hard to follow and I got an email from the paper, saying, because my address was out of town, I could not have been at the meeting, and they would pull me if I kept this up. She NEVER responded to my email that I set the account up while living out of town for a while. Watch what you write!

Submitted by yayasister on March 22, 2008 - 9:45am.

I just want to commend those...

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I just want to commend those who have once again pointed out the need for proofreading for our local newspaper. I, like most residents, read the paper and feel a certain pride to know that the things up here matter. It used to be a big thing to get your name in the paper and by the same token, to have your birthday remembered or an accomplishment, like when my dad retired and had a picture and story for his friends and family to see. A good newspaper does not allow one of the tenets of the business, i.e., spelling words correctly, happen on a daily basis. People who major in journalism should be protectors of the language and love it and for goodness sake, spell correctly or at least use a dictionary or spell check to make sure. I am far from perfect, but please give proofreading a try. The local newspaper is the voice of our community and an inspiration when done right to the young people looking to make their voices heard in a busy and crowded world. For the past few years, it has been an embarrassment at times to read the good old DJ. Please for the sake of all that is good, proofread before printing. It is all we ask as a public in search of the news.

L'etoile du nord

Submitted by norpole on March 24, 2008 - 10:18am.