It's StandardAero, not Standard Aero

I spent my summer in a co-op position working for StandardAero as a Technical Writer in the Publications department. I spent the bulk of my time there implementing and editing revisions to the existing online and print documentation for a specific aircraft. During that time, I was told to ignore obvious grammatical and structural errors if they were not included in the revision notes.

I found it odd that the senior editor was okay with this, so I asked him about it. He told me that it irritates him too, but leaving things like that alone means more work (and consequently, more money) for us when they realize the errors for themselves. As he puts it, "They never asked us to fix that error. Why fix what they think isn't broken?"

On top of that, I realized that our company specifications and style guides are not likely to be the same as the customer's, so it's safer to leave it untouched, as long as the error does not impact any technical data (part numbers, tolerances, etc.).

The Winnipeg Sun Sucks!

Some of you might recognize this from the Winnipeg Sun a little while back.

"RIDERS SUCK"

How's that for a headline? Personally, I don't think the editor made the right choice. The headline shows poor character and digs a deeper hole for the Winnipeg Sun. Granted, it gets people talking and it gets them to take a second look at the paper, but is really worth putting another scratch in the Sun's already dull reputation?

I suppose we can attribute this to the economy; decreased paper sales equals wavering moral compass, which in turn equates to slightly increased revenues. Do what you gotta do, I suppose. But how does that explain the running Riders Suck article in the Sports section of the Winnipeg Sun website?

Mike's Blog, Too

Does my blog title look right to you? No? That's because it's wrong! Here's a picture I snapped on my phone a few days ago. It's a sign just outside of one of the local Filipino/Asian convenience stores.

The title on its own is grammatically incorrect, since it's a sentence fragment. Well, maybe there's a reason behind the poor grammar, right?

NOPE.

The owner of the store used to work at the original Water Plant at the corner of McPhillips St. and Logan St. When I asked him about the store name, he told me that he decided to open up another store closer to his home, and named it "Water Plant, Too" because it's both the second store and a Water Plant store.

"Why not just call it 'Water Plant 2'?" I asked.

"Well," said the owner, "I wanted the name to be clever and recognizable."

It's certainly recognizable, but not because it's clever.

Also, a bit of a bonus. At the bottom of the sign, under "Chicken," there's a phrase that says "LU2ONG FOOD." Reading that phrase out loud, you might pronounce it "loo-two-ong food" because there's a number two in there. However, spelled correctly, the phrase should read "LUTONG," which means "cooked" in Tagalog, and is pronounced "loo-tong."

So why the extra number 2 in there? Still trying to be clever? You tell me. *shrugs*

Virgin BLOGGER no more!

I have never posted my own blog before. To be honest, the only blogging experience I ever had before this consisted of a few occasional mindless blurbs on a couple of social networking sites. That is where I'm coming from. Where I'm hoping to end up is somewhere completely different.

Throughout the course of my Online Print and Media class with Duncan McMonagle, I'm hoping to develop my writing so that it provokes intellectual conversation. I want to be the kind of writer who leaves an imprint on their reader. I want my readers to understand me, and relate to me, so that if I happen to come across them in the halls, they feel comfortable enough to stop me and engage in conversation. We can have a meaningful conversation about the miners trapped underground in Chile, or just shoot the bull about the latest and greatest installment in the Street Fighter video game franchise.

And of course, I want to get better at finding errors in other people's writing, so I can point them out in the hopes of helping the author(s) grow as a writer/editor. I also do it to poke fun and make jokes, but let's be honest, who doesn't?

Feel free to post comments and critique me and my writing. I have a long way to go, so your help is very much appreciated.