Michael Bates: August 2010 Archives

Ten typographic mistakes everyone makes | Life, Tutorials | Receding Hairline

Hyphens are not minuses are not em dashes are not en dashes. A times symbol is not the same as a lower-case X. Straight quotes should not be used for feet, inches, or quotation marks for that matter. A degree sign is not the same as a masculine ordinal. Plus more typographical hair-splitting.

Flaws aside, Rosty and Stevens put the public first | Washington Examiner

Michael Barone praises Rostenkowski for his work removing tax preferences as part of the 1986 Tax Reform and Stevens for his role in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. Worth reading for the contrast with other ways of addressing the needs of aboriginal Americans: "The corporate form gave incentives to the management of each corporation to pay attention to minority opinion (because minorities could elect a director) and at the same time tended to insure continuity of management. In contrast, some Indian reservations are governed by successive winners of 51 to 49 percent elections, with continued skirmishing and attendant corruption."

Journalism Warning Labels « Tom Scott

Very funny: "WARNING: This article is basically just a press release, just copied and pasted." "WARNING: Journalist hiding his own opinions using phrases like 'some people claim.'" "WARNING: To ensure future interviews with subject, important questions were not asked." (Via Ace of Spades HQ.)