"NC Safety Officials Warn Against Drunk Drinking"
So said the excellent headline from AP.
Even better: the way so many news outlets picked it up and ran it without correction (click images to enlarge them).
Maybe there's hope for human editors after all.
Actually, drunk drinking can be a lot of fun. Just don't get behind the wheel.
Thnx to TB for the pointer.
Well I guess I'm glad I didn't criticize someone for misspelling the name of the American general in the battle of Guilford Courthouse then.
Posted by: Account Deleted | Mar 14, 2011 at 03:43 PM
^^ This. And, comma, usage. Painful, what,
Posted by: Dan | Mar 14, 2011 at 03:52 PM
Seriously.
And that's coming from a real hack with no formal training.
Come to think of it, I didn't get informal training either.
Posted by: Billy Jones | Mar 14, 2011 at 07:51 PM
Last week's AP headline..."Rain causes floods..."
Posted by: Stephen | Mar 14, 2011 at 08:00 PM
They did it again:
Drunk-Drinking Checkpoints Planned
Does anybody know if these made it into the dead-tree versions?
Posted by: Steve Harrison | Mar 15, 2011 at 11:52 AM
As this is a repeat offense, maybe they really mean "drunk drinking." As in, drunks will be drinking on St. Pat's Day. Or, drinking more than usual, I guess. It's not really nice to call people "drunks," but it's probably true that the habitually drunk may be drinking more than usual on that particular day (and some of them will be driving), hence "drunk drinking."
Posted by: my 2¢ | Mar 15, 2011 at 12:09 PM
"As this is a repeat offense, maybe they really mean 'drunk drinking.'"
Actually, "Drinking While Drunk" would be the more appropriate name for the legal offense.
Posted by: bubba | Mar 15, 2011 at 12:35 PM
DWD. Nice.
Posted by: my 2¢ | Mar 15, 2011 at 12:51 PM
"Drinking While Drunk"
Can you state that in the past tense?
Posted by: Thomas | Mar 15, 2011 at 01:59 PM
Drank while drunk.
Posted by: my 2¢ | Mar 15, 2011 at 02:17 PM
But if you are caught behind the wheel with an open container, the charge becomes "Driving While Drinking Drunk".
Posted by: bubba | Mar 15, 2011 at 04:27 PM
I thought it would be "We was drankin'"
Posted by: Thomas | Mar 16, 2011 at 07:34 AM