Sunday, October 24, 2010

Cold Stone Stupid

So I get a call last evening from my son, "Dad, you have to check out this photo that I just sent you - it's classic." The photo was indeed a classic snapshot of our continued descent into illiteracy. There was a time when we expected a certain amount proofreading to be exercised before something went public, whether it be a newspaper article or a store sign. It reflected poorly on you if you made gross errors in spelling or grammar. No longer true - today there's no shame in being careless about the English language, nor any effort to correct one's mistakes.

No, it's not that I secretly long to be an English teacher. I grew up in a time when students suffered through learning the difference between affect and effect, imply vs. infer, and understanding why it should have been Winston tastes good as a cigarette should. The purpose was to help keep us from embarrassing ourselves as we started our careers following graduation. What's happened?

I guess part of it is Bill Gates' fault. We expect Word to find all our spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. The sign does make a sentence without spelling errors and conveys meaning (i.e., we do not reject $50 or $100 bills - the opposite of the author's intent). So Word blesses it and away we go to the Signs Tomorrow shop. There's no proofreading skill by the writer to see if the statement really conveys what they are trying to say.

I think we also have to take some of the blame for not responding when we see the language being openly mugged. I'll bet that in today's PC world that very few - if any - customers have bothered to point out to the shop owner that the sign is fodder for Jay Leno.

As we continue down this path I guess this is what our future looks like for communication...

Thursday, May 6, 2010

You Think We're What?


The History channel has been airing a multi-installment special "America -The Story Of Us" this week, and I happened to catch last evening's episode "Westward". I was anticipating a piece about how the west was settled, the challenges that were faced and overcome. I would not expect a sanitized Wagon Train story, and boy did I not get it.

We got to meet the Donner Party, a cursed group of people heading west who are caught in a savage snowstorm and marooned in the mountains for 5 months. Husband ends up eating wife's dead body to survive - you know, classic Americana. We revisit the Trail of Tears where Andrew Jackson and Congress ordered the Indian nations onto reservations out west, one of our darker moments. We get a recap of slavery, complete with scenes of children being torn from their moms, since its spread into the west was a contentious issue as the frontier opened up. We visit the factories up North where women work in textile factories for $2 a week to support their families since dad's a drunk or invalid (with a cameo commentary by that great historian Martha Stewart). We overan Mexican territory and forcibly took it from them, we built the Erie canal with drunk Irishmen who blew themselves up since there was no OSHA around, and - well, you get the picture by now - a film Michael Moore would just adore.

While I'm all for an awareness of our low points since such examinations allow us to become a better society, I somehow have to believe that characterizing America's real history as that of a bunch of druken, slave-owning, racist, misogynist cannibals misses that balance one needs to have an effective, accurate story about us.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Ambiguious Signs


So I'm heading back from a wonderful evening of observing at Tuckahoe State Park, traveling along 404 to the Bay Bridge. I get within reading distance of the box truck in front of me and I'm given the following warning: Caution! Show Flowers.

So what exactly does one do with this piece of information? Is this admonishment issued so that I will keep additional distance between me and the showy flowers? Are the flowers at risk of dropping their splendid petals if they sense that I'm getting too close?

Or perhaps we are talking about show as in Little Shop of Horrors show, and this is more of a disclaimer. Don't even think about trying to steal anything in this truck because you'll be lunch for our man-eating flowers.

This is somewhat like the "Caution - Show Dogs" or even the "Baby on Board!" stickers that you'll see on the back of a car. I've always kinda put those into the "My Child's an Honor Student" classification - the driver wants you to know about their special cargo of which they are very fond. If the intent of these rear end communications is a plea not to run into their vehicle then I have to wonder about the owner's grasp on reality.

Here's a suggestion to the box truck - put your logo and/or contact information on the back - that way you get some advertising out of the effort instead of puzzled looks.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Across the Finish Line


Well it was a long haul but my wife finally did it - she passed her ANCC exam this morning to become an 'advanced practice registered nurse in adult psychiatric and mental health'! You have to admire someone who returns to school and gets their BSN and MSN to achieve the goal of opening their own practice - especially when you commit to that journey in your fifty's. I know that her ability to provide effective treatment honed from experience, training, and natural talent will make her a success. If you want to know more drop by the website to learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and her office in Towson that will be open for business very soon!