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The Gaian Grammar Guild is a refuge for the literate, a place for them to post and read posts without worrying about the nonsensical ones. 

Tags: grammar, literate, english, language 

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"Typo fixers get probation for damaging rare sign"

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faolan


O.G. Gaian

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:59 pm
I saw this in the paper today and had to share it --
Quote:
PHOENIX (AP) -- When it comes to marking up historic signs, good grammar is a bad defense.

Two self-styled vigilantes against typos who defaced a more than 60-year-old, hand-painted sign at Grand Canyon National Park were sentenced to probation and banned from national parks for a year.

Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson pleaded guilty Aug. 11 for the damage done March 28 at the park's Desert View Watchtower. The sign was made by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, the architect who designed the rustic 1930s watchtower and other Grand Canyon-area landmarks.

Deck and Herson, both 28, toured the United States this spring, wiping out errors on government and private signs. They were interviewed by NPR and the Chicago Tribune, which called them "a pair of Kerouacs armed with Sharpies and erasers and righteous indignation."

An affidavit by National Park Service agent Christopher A. Smith said investigators learned of the vandalism from an Internet site operated by Deck on behalf of the Typo Eradication Advancement League, or TEAL.

Authorities said a diary written by Deck reported that while visiting the watchtower, he and Herson "discovered a hand-rendered sign inside that, I regret to report, contained a few errors."

The fiberboard sign has yellow lettering with a black background. Deck wrote that they used a marker to cover an erroneous apostrophe, put the apostrophe in its proper place with white-out and added a comma.

The misspelled word "emense" was not fixed, Deck wrote, because "I was reluctant to disfigure the sign any further. ... Still, I think I shall be haunted by that perversity, emense, in my train-whistle-blighted dreams tonight."

Deck, of Somerville, Mass., and Herson, of Virginia Beach, Va., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to vandalize government property.

They were sentenced to a year's probation, during which they cannot enter any national park or modify any public signs. They were also ordered to pay $3,035 to repair the watchtower sign.

The TEAL Web site now has only this message - "Statement on the signage of our National Parks and public lands to come" - without a period.
 
PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:43 pm
Why not put the money to good use and fix the sign instead of making these people pay?

While I do not condone malicious graffiti, this was not malicious. It was a repair. I don't see why the government is so picky about who is fixing their signs.  

Patron with a Mission


MyOwnBestCritic

Dapper Dabbler

PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:11 pm
User Image "If this world seeks my destruction,


As I've said before: Grammar is important, but vandalism and defacement of public property is taking it too far. Sure, it was under the best of intentions, but it was still a crime.


It goes with me."
User Image  
PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:57 am
Dameon_Patron_of_Healing
Why not put the money to good use and fix the sign instead of making these people pay?

While I do not condone malicious graffiti, this was not malicious. It was a repair. I don't see why the government is so picky about who is fixing their signs.

On the other hand, grammar isn't static, nor is spelling.

But, by the same token, in a way I agree with you -- the monies they were fined should really be put toward updating the sign so that it contains what is currently correct spelling and grammar... imagine the confusion of someone whose English is coming out of a traveler's book and is trying to understand the sign!  


faolan


O.G. Gaian


xXgoth_girl12Xx

PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:35 pm
Okay, I know how they feel, but vandalism concerning an old, hand- painted sign that is part of The Grand Canyon (In my opinion) Is ridiculous.  
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