Higher standards for some people

Written By: admin - Feb• 10•12

Colleen sent this in, and I thank her. It’s pretty clearly a typo, and while I certainly agree that one should proofread pamphlets before paying to have them published, I don’t feel like I have to worry that the author actually thinks this is correct.

ON THE OTHER HAND.

This pamphlet is from a health center, where students go to have their health issues addressed. And it occurs to me that one place where a missing zero can make a pretty big difference, it’s in the medical field. I’d like my zero back, please.

Posted in just wrong | 3 Comments »

A worldview with which I am unfamiliar

Written By: admin - Feb• 08•12

“Yes, we know how to spell ‘brake,’ world! We cared enough to spell it correctly once! But we don’t care enough to make sure it’s spelled correctly the second time, and we have no problem hanging these signs right next to each other! Also, I am wearing plaid pants with a striped shirt!”

John P.’s friend apparently hoped this could mean a winter break special on brakes. But John and I agree that that’s probably too charitable.

Posted in homophone mishaps, words & syntax | No Comments »

RPB gets all sophisticated-y!

Written By: admin - Feb• 06•12

Maybe it’s because she’s Reporter #1 and she, you know, reports a lot, but she sure knocked it out of the park with this submission… because she made three photos into a collage! Because she is not lazy! Unlike the maker of these signs, who really just seems lazy.

Seriously, Reporter #1, I owe you some share of profits. Ahaahahahaha! that’s funny because there aren’t any profits!

Posted in misspellings & new words, words & syntax | 1 Comment »

Target comma missing the.

Written By: admin - Feb• 01•12

Reporter #1 says,

There are many reasons to dislike Target‘s American Girl knockoffs. This, however, may be the last straw.

You know how when you go someplace like Target there’s always a kid having a temper-tantrum in the toy aisle? Like, full-on screaming, on the ground, kicking, bodily fluids flying everywhere as they thrash around?

That’s how I feel inside my head, looking at this!

Posted in apostrophes, just wrong, punctuation , Target | No Comments »

I feel unclean and I cannot quite express why

Written By: admin - Jan• 30•12

I love you all. I appreciate every submission (and want more! MORE!). But sometimes I get submissions I choose not to use, because I don’t like them. It’s my blog.

Sometimes I feel like the mistake was so obviously made by someone struggling with English that I don’t find it amusing… I’ve made hideous errors myself in foreign languages. More than once!

Sometimes I don’t think the “mistake” was a mistake. Sometimes I’m just in a bad mood and I don’t want to, jeez.

And then sometimes I find myself genuinely puzzled about the error. I stare at it. I try to think about what the submitter could have seen that I’m not seeing. I try to be ONE with the error.

This picture wasn’t quite one of those. Veronica wrote only “Gag” in her email, so I wasn’t sure what I was looking for.

It’s clearly a tagline, and I know copywriters have a bit of creative latitude in things like capitalization and punctuation. So I looked at this one, and contemplated whether it was really a mistake.

Then I realized something. I was HUGELY UNCOMFORTABLE. What is it about this picture, y’all? It’s totally unnerving! There’s a figure in the corner that might be a baby-doll in a carseat, or it might be a crash test dummy, or it might be a dead body, it’s just sitting there floppily… there’s a poster with hivemind buzzwords… and then there’s

and I just can’t handle it any more. What is this, Volvo? What are you trying to do to us? I’m so confused.

Posted in capitalization, just wrong, other punctuation mistakes, punctuation, words & syntax , Car companies | 3 Comments »

We know not whom to snub!

Written By: admin - Jan• 27•12

I’ll let Reporter #1 tell this story:

I found this postcard in the ladies’ room of the local outlet mall this weekend.

I wish they’d managed to indicate what STORE it was for so that I could boycott them on account of their complete lack of a grasp of English grammar.

(I’ve compressed the image a little, so you’ll have to take my word for it — the store isn’t mentioned in the fine print either.)

I’m almost disheartened enough with the world that I’ll let the singular use of “product” stand here. It might be businessspeak in the department store world, who knows. But “button downs” really needs a hyphen and “womens” and “mens” are just unforgivable. WHY DO YOU HATE THE APOSTROPHE, WORLD? WHY.

Posted in apostrophes, other punctuation mistakes, punctuation, words & syntax | 1 Comment »

RPBers SMASH.

Written By: admin - Jan• 25•12

SmashBURGER, that is. Because apparently you guys like to make sure that when I do an RPB post, I get hungry. Or is it something about food that makes sign-writers less careful? I mean, in this case, the name of the restaurant is written incorrectly.

Anyway, my father is once again proud to have a use for his smartphone.

I’m given to understand that after photographing this my parents went about the business of eating delicious hamburgers, and didn’t in fact turn green and rip their shirts and pummel things. But I prefer to imagine it the other way.

Posted in apostrophes, capitalization, other punctuation mistakes, punctuation, words & syntax | No Comments »

The perfect submish.

Written By: admin - Jan• 23•12

Jules captioned this one “Miami spelling vicer.” So, uh, I hope he found this in Miami, because otherwise I don’t get that.

Once again, I’ll express my (apparently outrageous) belief that if one is going to invest in purchasing signage, one should double-check one’s spelling. I’m such an idealist.

Posted in misspellings & new words, words & syntax | 1 Comment »

I know people who would actually be excited by this.

Written By: admin - Jan• 20•12

Sometimes I don’t know exactly what to write about some of the pictures y’all send in. And then sometimes I just think the pictures just speak for themselves.

Leah says she’s amused by the concept of a hot smoked meat cocktail. I have nothing further to add.

Posted in other punctuation mistakes, punctuation | 4 Comments »

Raw fish is more appealing than punctuation abuse

Written By: admin - Jan• 18•12

Veronica submits this image from Totoro Sushi, which has a linkable web page, so there you go.

Veronica also notes that the sushi here is delicious. I guess all the applicants who show up looking for jobs and discover that this place isn’t hiring at all can grab some yummy snacks on the way out!

Posted in "quotations", punctuation , Local businesses | 1 Comment »

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