On Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:31:52 -0500, George Shirley wrote:

> On 4/18/2010 1:02 PM, Dan Goodman wrote:
>> ChattyCathy wrote:
>>
>>> George Shirley wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 4/18/2010 6:42 AM, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Proofreading should always be done by two people, one reading
>>> aloud,>> the
>>>>> other checking the words. That apoostrophe s my story and capital
>>> I>> apostrophe m sticking to it.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Okay, next time I have to proofread a technical manual I will call
>>>> you and you can read it aloud while I check the words. I am always
>>>> careful about the wording because my industrial clients would go
>>>> ballistic if I misspelled anything or inadvertently put a racist
>>>> statement in the manual.
>>>>
>>> IMHO, it was obviously just a mistake, because three things happened:
>>> somebody made a typo, then the wrong choice was made when the spell
>>> check popped up the dialog box with suggestions - and thirdly, the
>>> proofreader(s) missed it.
>>
>> It's also possible that someone relied ENTIRELY on automatic spell
>> check.
>>
>>> No matter who or what is ultimately to blame
>>> for it, is irrelevant; no human being in their right mind would do
>>> something like that intentionally - and attempting to sue the spell
>>> check software writers would be rather silly, wouldn't it?
>>>
>>> Besides, none of the above are uncommon mistakes so why it has been
>>> interpreted as a 'racist statement' (and published on more than one
>>> news website) just goes to show (again IMHO), that people have become
>>> way oversensitive to these 'silly mistakes' - and it must have been a
>>> slow news day too.
>>
>> I suspect that the publisher's response -- sort of apology, but saying
>> they don't see why it was such a big deal -- had something to do with
>> it.
>>
> The local paper does that, everything is computerize there. I get a kick
> out of looking for humorous typos every day. DW does the crossword
> puzzle, I do the re-editing.

when the newspapers' revenues began shrinking, the first positions they cut
were proofreaders and copy editors. the washington *post* (my local paper)
has become downright appalling.

to paraphrase daffy duck: uh-oh, homonym trouble.

your pal,
blake