Is Proofreading a Dying Art?

[bcohen7719]

From recent newspaper headlines...

 

BC

 

Proofreading is a dying art, wouldn't you say?

Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter

This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.

I just couldn't help but send this along. Too funny...

 

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

No crap, really? Ya think?----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

Now that's taking things a bit far!_____________________________

 

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

What a guy!

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Miners Refuse to Work after Death

No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!

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Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

See if that works any better than a fair trial!

----------------------------------------------------------

War Dims Hope for Peace

I can see where it might have that effect!

----------------------------------------------------------------

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

Ya think?!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

Who would have thought!

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Enfield (London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

They may be on to something!

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Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?

----------------------------------------------------------

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

He probably IS the battery charge!

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New Study of Obesity Looks for LargerTest Group

Weren't they fat enough?!

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Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

That's what he gets for eating those beans!

---------------- ---------------------------------

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

Do they taste like cookies?

******************************

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

***************************************************

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

Boy, are they tall!

*******************************************

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Did I read that right?

***************************************************

[seeker630]

lol - thanks for sharing. many of these are hilarious!

 

I wonder if we've become too dependent on word processing programs and as a result, human proof-readers don't take their jobs seriously.

[Guy Fawkes]

Alas it's been around for centuries

 

• Eye drops off shelf
  
• Squad helps dog bite victim
  
• Dealers will hear car talk at noon
  
• Enraged cow injures farmer with ax
  
• Lawmen from Mexico barbecue guests
  
• Two Soviet ships collide - one dies
  
• Two sisters reunite after eighteen years at checkout counter
  

[Guy Fawkes]

Who would of thunk?

 

http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles/a213_n17.jpg

[GoodFella69]

I love these! Very funny. Thanks for the laughs.

[+ azdr0710]

it used to be reliably on every Monday, but Leno's "Headlines" is now a bit sporadic, it seems...they were/are hilarious and I'd stay up just to watch them....(does anybody know the schedule for it now??)

[wnybear]

With faster turn around time, less lead time, tighter deadlines, there is less time to be able to devote to checking and proof reading. In publishing it's sometimes caught, but let go in order to make a print deadline.

[Guy Fawkes]

Oh My... I'm stuck on a endless loop of... I should be doing reviews....

 

http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles2/a98124_cake-8-eye.jpg

[JackTwist]

Typo in Commencement Program: LBJ School of PUBIC Affairs

 

Check out this story:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/university-texas-apologizes-pubic-affairs-commencement-typo-183616371.html

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img513/3120/lbjs.jpg

[+ Lucky]

Good thread. It has gotten so I cannot read a novel without finding typos or incorrect use of language. Pride in one's work used to be stronger I think when company loyalty counted for something.

[KMEM]

Incorrect usage is rampant and abundant. Typos used to be considered simple errors but now I have to think disinterest. Loyalty to most anything seems to be long forgotten.

 

Now, various just call us school marms or worse for wanting some "order" in one's thoughts and renderings. Grammatical police, anyone, anyone?

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ Charlie]

Now, various just call us school marms or worse for wanting some "order" in one's thoughts and renderings.

Best regards,

KMEM

 

Huh?

 

Years ago, I took a course in proofreading from a professional proofreader. I'll bet there is no such career now. Most printed work is checked by computer programs, which can detect grammar problems but not logic problems. The programs also are tonedeaf to sarcasm, irony, satire, playfulness, etc. I once read a set of essays in response to the dull question, "Do zoos have a useful purpose?" One writer did an extremely clever riff on a zoo he visited that contained a porpoise who could do all sorts of interesting things, and he ended the essay with the statement, "This zoo definitely has a useful porpoise." I was reading against a programmed machine, which gave the essay a mediocre grade because of spelling and misplaced focus!

[gallahadesquire]

Huh?

 

Years ago, I took a course in proofreading from a professional proofreader. I'll bet there is no such career now. Most printed work is checked by computer programs, which can detect grammar problems but not logic problems. The programs also are tonedeaf to sarcasm, irony, satire, playfulness, etc. I once read a set of essays in response to the dull question, "Do zoos have a useful purpose?" One writer did an extremely clever riff on a zoo he visited that contained a porpoise who could do all sorts of interesting things, and he ended the essay with the statement, "This zoo definitely has a useful porpoise." I was reading against a programmed machine, which gave the essay a mediocre grade because of spelling and misplaced focus!

 

BRAVO! You make Richard Armour proud!

[unsub2O17]

I think that "texting" has made it even worse (with all the abbreviations).

[+ deej]

Years ago, I took a course in proofreading from a professional proofreader. I'll bet there is no such career now.

 

You'd win that bet, and the job of copy editor is waning as well.

[AdamSmith]

Richard Armour

 

Huzzah! It All Started with... A genius, of a sort.

 

In any event, re: unfortunate newspaper headlines, not all are apocryphal. There is a town in Oregon unfortunately named Boring, and mine own eyes once spotted this headline in the Salem, OR newspaper:

 

Crash Kills Boring Man

 

Poor guy.