Red Pen Brigade http://www.redpenbrigade.com Editing the world, one post at a time Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:00:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Burlington Coat Factory: At least they’re consistent http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/burlington-coat-factory/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/burlington-coat-factory/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:00:14 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3390 You’ll have to take my word that this comes from a Burlington Coat Factory ad.

Actually, you won’t.  I can provide some evidence.  You can also just click through above to the website and see for yourself…

Plus, I’ve written about them before.  REPEAT OFFENDERS.

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/burlington-coat-factory/feed/ 0 The Food Network makes me sad. And hungry. And sad. http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/the-food-network-chopped/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/the-food-network-chopped/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:00:35 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3381 We love Chopped.  It’s a fun show and we feel adventurous and cultured and foodie-esque when we watch it.

We love Ted Allen.  He wears fun footwear and injects exactly the right amount of host into his game show.

We also love the Arabic language, which is written in a cursive style always.  I mean, it’s also good if you don’t completely misspell things (see previous post), but people working in foreign languages have been known to misspell things.  It’s less understandable how this could happen, repeatedly, again, some more.

June 2011:

January 2012:

Again, the problem is that they have weirdly used block letters rather than, you know, writing this word properly.  That is, this: should look like this:  

But I suppose that given what they did to molokhia last May, I should be grateful that they got the right-to-left right.

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/the-food-network-chopped/feed/ 0 Zen and the art of preserving the future which is our past. http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/zen-and-the-art-of-preserving-the-future-which-is-our-past/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/zen-and-the-art-of-preserving-the-future-which-is-our-past/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:00:06 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3373 I found this one at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, which is really lovely.  It has a lovely little museum and lovely hiking and lovely things to look at.  Here, I’ll set the mood for you with some pictures I took.

The view from the top of the mountain, facing north to Tennessee:

…and looking south to Atlanta.

A miserable schnauzer who does not like hiking, even if the path is lovely.

Oops, sorry, I was trying to put you in a contemplative state of mind so you could properly appreciate this.

Ahhhhhh.

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/zen-and-the-art-of-preserving-the-future-which-is-our-past/feed/ 0 Faith and disgust, Consumer Reports style http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/consumer-reports-microwave/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/consumer-reports-microwave/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:05 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3445 Reporter #1 found this on the Consumer Reports website (a direct link requires a subscription).

I have nothing further to say about this nonsense.

I like your circles, Reporter #1.  I’d add some where we learn the microwave offers “excellent at” and “very good at” things.

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/consumer-reports-microwave/feed/ 1 Your timing is impeccable! http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/your-timing-is-impeccable/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/your-timing-is-impeccable/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:23 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3442 Today is my birthday!  (Or it will be when this is published… I’m writing it a couple of weeks ago!)

In honor of my birthday I am publishing the most cockle-warming submission I’ve received in a while.  It is from Reporter #1.

Reporter #1 admits that she staged this, which is awesome.  But SOMEDAY, people, I tell you — there will be a section of cards for those of us who care about grammar.  (Also, they will be funny and not offensive, but that’s another rant.)

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/your-timing-is-impeccable/feed/ 0 Older does not necessarily mean wiser http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/older-does-not-necessarily-mean-wiser/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/older-does-not-necessarily-mean-wiser/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:52 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3439 Susan and Michael found this sign from a company that’s been around, apparently, for a hundred years… and still hasn’t mastered the apostrophe.

(You have to get a little squinty with this one, but it welcomes “homeowner’s.”)

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/older-does-not-necessarily-mean-wiser/feed/ 0 Overthinking this, I’m pretty sure http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/overthinking-this-im-pretty-sure/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/overthinking-this-im-pretty-sure/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:00:12 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3436 Meg found this, although she didn’t say whether it’s from her own employee software, so I do not know.

Meg wants to know what exactly a “vaction” is.  But I’m kind of more interested in the SICK days.  None of the other designations are capitalized.  Does that mean SICK is an acronym? For what? And if not, does it just mean you have to be really, really REALLY sick to take those days?

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/overthinking-this-im-pretty-sure/feed/ 0 Higher standards for some people http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/higher-standards-for-some-people/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/higher-standards-for-some-people/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:15 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3431 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.

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/higher-standards-for-some-people/feed/ 3 A worldview with which I am unfamiliar http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/a-worldview-with-which-i-am-unfamiliar/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/a-worldview-with-which-i-am-unfamiliar/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:07 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3427 “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.

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/a-worldview-with-which-i-am-unfamiliar/feed/ 0 RPB gets all sophisticated-y! http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/rpb-gets-all-sophisticated-y/ http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/rpb-gets-all-sophisticated-y/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:09 +0000 Alden http://www.redpenbrigade.com/?p=3424 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!

]]> http://www.redpenbrigade.com/2012/02/rpb-gets-all-sophisticated-y/feed/ 1