Wapsi Square Forum

Here we have a combination of (1) a common error in writing (2) proofreading via spellchecker and (3) proof that copyediting is a dead field in the Modern Age:
 
Two men claim they were wrongfully persecuted by a 23-year-old man who posed as an underage girl to find pedophiles and turn them into police.
 
"Poof!  You're a cop!"

Yeah, I really don't think we need a bunch of pedophile police officers.

My comment when friends yelp about howling errors in the newspaper: You can't complain about the proofreading, because there isn't any.

Copyediting is not dead, exactly, but almost all of what is left of it has been offshored to India or foisted off on "independent contractors" (i.e., undercompensated freelancers), who are paid by the page, get no benefits, and have to handle their own SS taxes, often after doing decades of time in the publishing industry.

Anyhow, this story reminds me of a guy who would always smoke too much weed at parties, freak out with an anxiety attack, and rant and moan until someone would call him a taxi.

"This again? Okay--You're a taxi!"

**Big sigh** "Thanks! I feel so much better now!"

Haha! It took me a while to get that. Way longer than it should have.

I haven't even been smoking weed, either. Go figure.

" ... and the genie solemnly intoned 'From this instant forever, you are a ham sandwich' ... "

I'm more curious as to how a 23 year old man could pose as an underage girl...

The other is simply one of several word crimes.

ShneekeyTheLost wrote:I'm more curious as to how a 23 year old man could pose as an underage girl...

Online. Like in "To catch a predator" or whatever that show was.

ShneekeyTheLost wrote:The other is simply one of several word crimes.

The word criminal managed to elude the police who were chasing him. He ran down the street, and turned into a door. And, as if that wasn't enough to confuse his pursuers, the door was a jar.

In defense of clever headlines, the British papers certainly have their share. Fore example, a prominent politician named Foote was selected to chair an international committee which was to study weapons trafficing in various war-torn regions.

And the headline?

• Foote Heads Arms Body

Atomic wrote:In defense of clever headlines, the British papers certainly have their share. Fore example, a prominent politician named Foote was selected to chair an international committee which was to study weapons trafficing in various war-torn regions.

And the headline?

• Foote Heads Arms Body

"Don't tell Pastis!" says Rat.