Monday, June 29, 2009

Being able to distribute to my teammate and setting up goals, but at the same type being able to put the puck in the net.

-- "Canucks pick up nice surprise" on Vancouver 24 hours online on June 29, 2009

I doubt Schroeder said "at the same type"; I suspect the writer mistyped at the same time. Also, it's possible Schroeder said the singular "teammate", but the plural teammates seems much more likely.

William Dale Crock of Arkansas, was in jailed for marijuana possession

-- "Not quite empty casket" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 29, 2009

Jettison the comma and in and you may have something here. Excessively sloppy journalism should be a criminal offence.

even if your former boss is a tyrant and you colleagues are hard to work with

-- "Take time to reflect on changing jobs" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 29, 2009

If it's "your former boss", then the colleagues, then your (not you) colleagues are no longer hard to work with, because you no longer work with them. Maybe this writer should change jobs.

Tim Horton's returns officially to Canuck roots

-- "Tim Horton's returns officially to Canuck roots" on Canoe online on June 29, 2009

The headline has an apostrophe in Tim Horton's, and the article's first line - with Tim Hortons - does not. Which do you think is correct? If you need a hint, look at the big accompanying photo of the store's logo.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Friday, June 26, 2009

There is no better time to ask for a raise then in the depths of a bad recession.

-- Yahoo! Canada homepage on June 26, 2009

Is there ever a good time to proofread one's own writing? You know, I've never seen than for then. The error is always then for than.

Permits typically costs $33 per year

-- "Oakridge Centre issues 'Canada Line' parking warning" in The Vancouver Courier on June 24, 2009

Writers typically make sure their subjects and verbs are in agreement. Here we have an exception, as costs should be cost.

sixth prime minster

-- "Charles Tupper descendant campaigns for sixth prime minster" in The Vancouver Courier on June 24, 2009

I might start campaigning to be a proofreader for all Vancouver newspapers. This is a headline for fun's sake - nobody noticed that before going to print?

IF FINDING A GREAT PRICE ON A DINING SET HAS YOU LEFT YOU HUNGRY

-- INspiration Interiors advertisement in The Georgia Straight on June 18, 2009

This is the ad's big eye-catcher.

Flase Creek Seawall

-- Central Valley Greenway (TransLink) advertisement in The Vancouver Courier on June 17, 2009

I'm very familiar with the False Creek seawall, but I've neither been on nor heard of the Flase Creek Seawall. Oh, that's because it doesn't exist.

to drop of 2,500 pairs of new underwear

-- "Underwear goes a long way" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 26, 2009

Four ofs in one sentence, but there should only be three. Do you know which one is missing an F?

Busy Phillips

-- "Today's Birthdays" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 25, 2009

The writer knows that Busy's last name has a double letter, but was too busy to check if it was the L or the P. 50/50 chance, right? Right, and the writer was wrong. It's Philipps.

Wimbeldon Women's 2nd Round; Wimbeldon Men's 2nd Round

-- ESPN's Streak for the Cash on June 25, 2009

ESPN has been having problems lately with the spelling of Wimbledon. Three days in a row, in fact. Today we also have inconsistent colon use.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Recieve; maintanance; Lansdown mall at No.3 & Lansdown

-- Smart Lube advertisement in Vancouver 24 hours on June 25, 2009

We saw the same ad, with the same errors, three weeks ago.

desiner blowout

-- Designer Blowout advertisement in Vancouver 24 hours on June 25, 2009

I'm not a professional advertiser - or even an amateur advertiser - but I would think that it's important to spell your company correctly in any ad that you're paying for. And don't repeat the error twenty days later.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

who has gained at place at America's prestigious Yale University

-- "Emma Watson to quit Hollywood?" on Yahoo! Canada Lifestyle on June 24, 2009

So, while at university (where she'll likely learn to proofread and catch errors such as at in place of a) she'll continue to act. It sounds to me as though she's not considering ending her acting career.

Wimbeldon Men's 2nd Round

-- ESPN's Streak for the Cash on June 24, 2009

Same error as yesterday. The first prop is yellow because I picked 18 Games or Fewer and Serena didn't disappoint; she won 6-2 6-1 for 15 total games.

tons of events will be take place

-- "Celebrate the nation" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 24, 2009

It's either tons of events will take place or tons of events will be taking place. The writer has created a hybrid, but writing isn't driving, and in this case a hybrid is the wrong choice.

Burrard bridge

-- Vancouver 24 hours front page on June 24, 2009

Another capitalization error on the front page of Vancouver 24 hours - in the exact same spot as yesterday's error. Burrard Bridge is the full name of the bridge.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Pedestians and cyclists

-- "Vancouver rolls out Burrard Bridge bike lanes plan" on Sympatico / MSN News on June 23, 2009

The Burrard Bridge sidewalks must be more crowded than I thought. I've crossed the bridge by foot, car and bike several dozens of times in my life, and I've only ever seen pedestrians and cyclists on the bridge's sidewalks. I've never seen any pedestians on the sidewalk. In fact, I don't even know what pedestians are. If they take up at least as much room as pedestrians then that makes the case for lane reallocation even stronger.

Wimbeldon Men's 1st Round

-- ESPN's Streak for the Cash on June 23, 2009

Compare the first word of the first prop with the first word of the second prop. They're supposed to be the same. I picked Murray, and he lost one game more than Roddick. D'oh!

Lindsay Lohan's was ticketed

-- "Lohan ticketed" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 23, 2009

Lohan's what was ticketed? Her ass? Her ego? Her car? One of Lohan's possessions has got to go before was, or the apostrophe-S needs to go.

MuchMusic Video awards

-- Vancouver 24 hours front page on June 23, 2009

24 hours seems to have a thing for front page errors. Maybe they're setting readers' expectations low for the rest of the newspaper.

I assumed they past away

-- "When the chips are down, I really do hate fish" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 23, 2009

The phrase is passed away. I would've thought a writer and an editor would know that, but I guess it's neither/nor in this case.

asparatame-y fake sweetness

-- "When you need a Hint of flavoring in your water (and I do mean just a hint)" on Yahoo! Shine Healthy Living on June 22, 2009

It's aspartame, eh.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Are you a little dissappointed the days start getting shorter from her on out?

-- Vancouver 24 hours homepage on June 22, 2009

Oddly, the print edition of the newspaper has the word here correct. Disappointed was misspelled in both places.

Father's day massacre; seemingly unphased by the violent killings

-- "Father's day massacre" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 22, 2009

This is the lone headline and article on the newspaper's front page. Yes, front page. The Day in Father's Day is supposed to be capitalized, but what can you really expect from a newspaper that believes unphased is a word? Are readers unfazed by the constant obvious errors committed by this newspaper?

The races are more competitive than they've ever with many international teams competing.

-- "Paddlers let it rip on the water" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 22, 2009

With fourteen words competing to be in the sentence, but only thirteen spots available, been was the odd one out.

New in theathres; Catch this this flick; Empire Studio 12 Guilford

-- "The Proposal (New in theatres)" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 19, 2009

Why can't 24 hours get this incredibly simple Friday feature correct? The this this and Guilford errors are still there, and this time the feature also includes a horribly mistreated theatres.

support an appeal," said Canada Line lawyer George Macintosh said in a press release today.

-- "Ex-Cambie Street merchant outraged by Canada Line's appeal of ruling on $600,000 in damages" on Georgia Straight online on June 19, 2009

I suppose proofreading is too much to ask, I suppose.

Saturday, June 21

-- "Skaters eye the road ahead" in The Vancouver Courier on June 19, 2009

I wonder if Go Skateboarding Day was on Saturday, June 20, or Sunday, June 21. I also wonder if anyone was disappointed after showing up on the wrong day. "It says Saturday, so it must be on Saturday." "It says June 21, so it must be on June 21."

Lean Swanson

-- "Soaring rents pushing people over the edge" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 19, 2009

If the writer had been consistent with their misspelling of Jean Swanson's name, most people would be none the wiser. To be fair though, the photo caption writer is probably different from the article writer; 24 hours has a history of photo caption errors. When they finally get tired of all the errors, maybe they'll contact me for some paid help.

Julia Louis Dreyfus

-- "Richards a 'new man' (People in the news)" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 19, 2009

You wouldn't know it by reading 24 hours, but Julia's name has a hyphen connecting Louis and Dreyfus.

you mind as well enjoy the view; keep the bedroom noise to a minimal

-- "Delicate art of recession dating" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 19, 2009

If you're going to be writing for a living, you might as well use the correct words. That way you'll have a chance to keep the errors to a minimum.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

My 16-year-old cousin moves with more enthusiasm then these so-called professionals.

-- "Worst MMVA Moments" on Yahoo! Canada Music on June 16, 2009

Oh, the irony. A writer commenting on the so-called professionalism of others while simultaneously making a then for than error. Beautiful.

telling her it's was over

-- "Lohan, Ronson split again" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 18, 2009

It's either it's over or it was over. Don't mix 'em.

Wilson's isn't worried about finishing

-- "Chip ready to rip uphill" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 18, 2009

But is Chip Wilson worried about writers using his name in nonsensical sentences? It's either Wilson isn't worried or Wilson's not worried; you can't attach is to both Wilson and not. This is the start of the third paragraph of the front page's only article.

Monday, June 15, 2009

ANTIQUE RESOTRATION

-- Dunbar Upholstery & Autotrim awning near 16th Avenue & Dunbar Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada, on June 13, 2009

I'd like to see the restoration of your store's spelling.

Problem areas include East 45th Avenue just east of Boundary Road

-- "City hall bucks up for bike routes" in The Vancouver Courier on June 12, 2009

If the writer had written just west of Boundary Road, then the sentence would be correct. East of Boundary Road at 45th Avenue is Burnaby's Central Park. Boundary Road is the boundary between Vancouver and Burnaby, and I would assume Vancouver City Hall is mostly uninterested in bike routes that are in Burnaby. Shouldn't the article's headline have both City and hall capitalized?

the planet's top places to say; Lake-view for every room

-- Yahoo! Canada homepage on June 14, 2009

I say that Yahoo! might have the world's very worst spelling. In my view, Lake-view should be two separate words.

Catch this this flick; Empire Studio 12 Guilford

-- "Imagine That (New In Theatres)" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 12, 2009

They're using the exact same error-riddled text as last Friday, when the movie being promoted was My Life In Ruins. Let's see if it's there again this coming Friday. I wonder what movie will be the victim this coming Friday.

fractured nose and stiches in his lip

-- "Bret Michaels Reveals Messed-Up Face, Rips Tony Producers" on Yahoo! Canada Music on June 12, 2009

After seeing this misspelling I laughed myself into stitches. Maybe Bret Michaels did indeed have lines of verse in his lip, but why would that be paired up with a fractured nose?

dating 70 guys in 70s days; (Check out indiegirl.lavalife.com for more deets).

-- "Don't do it! 5 lousy ways to leave your lover" in Vancouver 24 hours on June 12, 2009

Is she going back in time to the 1970s? No, she's dating 70 guys in 70 days. The writer then ends the column with a period-outside-the-closing-parenthesis error. (If the entire sentence is within the parentheses, the period goes inside the closing parenthesis.) See.

I did check out that website, just for kicks, and - on the About page - found another period-outside-the-closing-parenthesis error.

Once can be forgiven, but twice? Also, she turned meantime into two words, which makes me angry.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Taser inquiry "divertedly widely"

-- Vancouver 24 hours homepage and "Taser inquiry "diverted widely" from original purpose" on Vancouver 24 hours online on June 12, 2009

The "divertedly" error on the homepage is also in the headline, while the article itself has it correct as "diverted". I'm wondering whether widely or wildly is the correct second word.

NBA Finals - Game 3 (Lakers @ Magic): Which QUARTER will record a MORE POINTS?

-- ESPN's Streak for the Cash on June 11, 2009

The obvious error is the erroneous a (unless there are love points - amore?). The less obvious error is that this prop is for yesterday's game, which was Game 4. I screen captured this in the morning, thinking ESPN would definitely fix this before the start of the game. Nope. In fact, the error is still there as I type this.

a revoluntionary hearing device; Reprensentative

-- Ears Hearing Clinics advertisement in The Vancouver Courier on June 3, 2009

Ears Hearing Clinics - where we never hear extra the Ns.