Saw this article in The Onion today: 
http://www.theonion.com/onion3100/index3100.html

Somwhow seemed appropriate.

FANZINE MARRED BY TYPO

BERKELEY, CA--A clear typographical error
was discovered yesterday in the latest issue of
MangaMash, a fanzine devoted to hardcore
Japanese speed metal bands and Sanrio/Hello Kitty
novelty kitsch products. The error, an obvious
incorrect usage of "your" instead of "you're,"
shocked and disappointed MangaMash's
estimated dozen readers, who for over 11 months
and three issues have come to value the fanzine's
commitment to journalistic excellence.

      "I guess I just missed that one," said
editor/writer/publisher Dave Pelks, 20, who usually
tries to read over the paper before taking it to the
copy shop. "It's 'you're' and not 'your'? I always
mess that up."

      The typo marks the first error for MangaMash
since last year's April/November issue, in which
"New York" was spelled "New Yrrok." "That
wasn't like a real mistake," said Pelks, defending
the earlier error. "That time I just totally typed it
wrong by accident. I know how to spell New
York." Pelks maintains it was late at the time, and he was "really 
tired."

To prevent future errors, Pelks has made significant overhauls in the
fanzine's complex editorial process.

"I think from now on I'm gonna have my sister Anne look it over before
I make any copies," he said. "She's only 15, but she's really good at 
spelling and writing. She's like the brain of the family."

As an added safety check, if Anne is unavailable for editing, Pelks
says he will ask his mother for help.

Because of the typo, future expansion plans have been put on hold. "I 
was hoping do a color cover for the
next issue," Pelks said. "Actually, not in color, but on color
paper. It was gonna be a big picture of Hello Kitty fighting Gamera on
green paper. That would've been so cool."

  According to industry insiders, the
mistake puts the fanzine's  rock-solid reputation in jeopardy.

"This is a serious error," Doubleday
vice-president Margaret Ferber said. "It's MangaMash's most significant
mistake since two issues ago, when Pelks stapled all the cover
pages on upside-down."

 "I totally wasn't paying attention," Pelks said of the incident.
Collectors estimate the value of the
upside-down cover issue at zero dollars.

 Despite the most recent slip-up, MangaMash's two distributors have
vowed to stand behind the
embattled fanzine.

 "MangaMash provides the best coverage around of Japancore bands like
HappyGinzaPoo and
Shoko Ono," said Pat Kwiatkowski, owner of Crush Records, a local record
store specializing in
used LPs and hard-to-find imports. "Their recent feature on 
KyotoFunFun's
tour of New Zealand
was outstanding."

 Paul Scobee, manager of the Stop-N-Pop, also stood by the fanzine. "A
few months ago, this
kid asked me if he could leave a few copies of his magazine thing by the
door," Scobee said. "I told
him yeah, as long as they don't block the entrance. So far, it's been 
okay."


 The fanzine's most recent error has not surprised grammar experts, who
say it ranks among the
most frequently made mistakes. "A lot of people confuse 'your' and
'you're,'" The New York Times'
William Safire said. "If you are unsure, I recommend you actually spell 
out
'you are,' and then see if it
makes sense in context."
-- 
|***********************************|	
| Heather Russell                   |
| http://www.freecloud.com/heather  |
| hrussell@bellsouth.net            |
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