#spellcheckwonthelpyou

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Spot the error: Once the bark layer is damaged, it's a lifelong inflection.

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Spot the error: [Child’s name redacted] was diagnosed with autism. His service dog and best buddy … is a constant companion and helps [child’s name] work successfully through sensory and elopement issues.

Update/correction: My friend Rose, who is a speech-language pathologist, tells me that this usage of "elopement" is correct, particularly in the context of autism.

I happen to be an autism mom but had not heard "elopment" used that way before. Thanks for educating us, Rose! I called the page with this back to restore the text to the way it was.

I double-checked the story, where "elopement" was mentioned a couple of times, but I had only changed the word in a photo caption. Other editors left the in-story "elopment" alone, so now we're all fixed and the page has be re-sent. 🙂 Go team!! Rose gets the big high-five for saving the day!

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There is an epidemic of (the misuse of) "lead" seeping into writing lately. I've seen and fixed this dozens of times reporters writing "lead" when by the structure of the sentence I can clearly tell they meant "led."

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Spot the error (from Wednesday's paper, but I didn't get around to posting this until now).

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pour/pore/poor …. yes, these words cannot be used interchangeably. (SIGH)

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Spot the error: "Smith's concerns were national and global, but you have to win locally in American politics to affect change."

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OK. I have a hard enough time swallowing my indignation when people write ICE TEA (instead of ICED TEA), but I will not sit still for BOTTLE WATER (when it should have been written as BOTTLED WATER). /rant

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OK, here's another one from today, found in a photo caption: "Marcus Ruiz Evans of The Yes California Independence Campaign talks in front of the Capitol on Nov. 9 about California succeeding from the United States and becoming its own nation." Again, #spellcheckwonthelpyou.

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I hope I don't bore all y'all with these occasional blurbs about my adventures in editing; I certainly don't post as many as I come across day in and day out. Here's another one I couldn't resist sharing, a quote (before being edited, of course) from a singer talking about creating his own style: "I definitely enjoy having my own identify."

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Spot the error: [Animal shelter name] will host volunteers this Independence Day to sooth anxious animals through fireworks.

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Spot the error, advertising edition:

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Readers of the Outlander series have been waiting at least seven years for the ninth book to be released ... and now that it's finally here, I found a typo in the second sentence.

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OK, all my peeps who’ve served in the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, etc.: Wouldn't you expect the New York Times to know better than this?

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Spot the error: Get local

"Smith's concerns were national and global, but you have to win locally in American politics to affect change."

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Spot the error: Make way

Spot-the-error from @SacTomBeeWork: "She underwent surgery for a stint to be inserted so food could pass to her stomach."

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Spot the error: Dazzle me

"We have like one of the best guys in the world for slight of hand with cards."