Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Quizzically speaking

See if you can find the flubs in these sentences that recently appeared in stories edited by Forum copy editors:

1. The annual payroll will be between $2.5 and $3 million.

2. It cost between $3,000 to $5,000.

3. Monday's West Fargo school board meeting will probably have the atmospherics of an orderly divorce proceeding.

4. After graduating high school, Larson worked in low-paying jobs around Fargo-Moorhead.

5. His soft taps with a rawhide mallet reshape an injured brass saxophone.

6. "I think we got some really good applicants out of it," said Chair Chad Holland.

1. The annual payroll will be between $2.5 million and $3 million.

2. It cost between $3,000 and $5,000.

3. Monday's West Fargo School Board meeting will probably have the atmospherics of an orderly divorce proceeding.

4. After graduating from high school, Larson worked in low-paying jobs around Fargo-Moorhead.

5. His soft taps with a rawhide mallet reshape a damaged brass saxophone.

6. "I think we got some really good applicants out of it," said Chairman Chad Holland.

That's it for this week.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Quiz time

Go ahead! See if you can find the flubs in each sentence.

1. Rob Beer developed a spreadsheet comparing various budget proposals.

2. The state of Minnesota currently faces a nearly $1 billion deficit.

3. Langseth owns a dairy farm in Glyndon, Minn.

4. Seventy to 89 percent felt they had an additional eight of the abilities.

5. Erdle's body was sent to the North Dakota Medical Examiner's Office in Bismarck for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

6. He was recently released from the state penitentiary in Bismarck.

7. That includes the pulpit and alter, which were created from trees.

1. Rob Beer developed a spreadsheet comparing budget proposals.
"Various" is unnecessary.

2. The state of Minnesota faces a nearly $1 billion deficit.
"Currently" is unnecessary.

3. Langseth owns a dairy farm in Glyndon.
"Minn." is unnecessary because the story is about Minnesota state Rep. Keith Langseth of Glyndon.

4. Seventy percent to 89 percent felt they had an additional eight of the abilities.

5. Erdle's body was sent to the North Dakota Medical Examiner's Office in Bismarck for an autopsy.
"... to determine the cause of death" is redundant because "that's what autopsies always do," says Forum copy desk honcho Stephanie Selensky. The definition of autopsy: An examination and dissection of a dead body to discover the cause of death, damage done by diease, etc.

6. He was recently released from the State Penitentiary in Bismarck.
Forum style is to capitalize State Penitentiary, State Bank, State Hospital and State Mill.

7. That includes the pulpit and altar, which were created from trees.

Monday, May 5, 2008

More flubs

We have another quiz this week for your enjoyment. See if you can find the flubs.

1. "I never knew Rob Beer was such a know-it-all when it came to using a cell phone," said Johanna Hoff, Qwest media spokesperson.

2. A passerby witnessed the lightning strike.

3. The south side elementary campus will get gymnasium and kitchen improvements.

4. She discovered her three-wheel cycle was stolen from her yard at 1345 Fourth Ave. S.

5. Financial advisors often suggest rebalancing your 401k quarterly.

6. Only nine percent of the 186 respondents said the playing field is equal for men and women.

7. It would normally have been 70 or 72 percent.

1. "I never knew Rob Beer was such a know-it-all when it came to using a cell phone," said Johanna Hoff, Qwest media spokeswoman.

2. A passer-by witnessed the lightning strike.

3. The southside elementary campus will get gymnasium and kitchen improvements.

4. She discovered her three-wheel cycle was stolen from her yard at 1345 4th Ave. S.

5. Financial advisers often suggest rebalancing your 401k quarterly.

6. Only 9 percent of the 186 respondents said the playing field is equal for men and women.

7. It would normally have been 70 percent or 72 percent.