posted by
alexist at 05:24am on 02/06/2004
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I e-mailed the Guardian readers' editor an hour ago with a correction (John Sutherland claimed "all young Americans" were obliged to register for the draft. Not true: Under current law, only men must register with Selective Service.)
Just got a reply from Ian Mayes (readers' editor) saying it would be corrected. Not bad!
Also sent a letter into the New York Times. William Safire wrote a (possibly tongue-in-cheek) column advocating the elimination of the penny. Unfortunately, he claimed that Britain and France had abolished their low-denomination coins. They haven't; they've abolished low-denomination notes. Tongue-in-cheek or not, it won't do to fudge the facts--especially if you're William Safire, who's made a fortune out of being a pedant.
Just got a reply from Ian Mayes (readers' editor) saying it would be corrected. Not bad!
Also sent a letter into the New York Times. William Safire wrote a (possibly tongue-in-cheek) column advocating the elimination of the penny. Unfortunately, he claimed that Britain and France had abolished their low-denomination coins. They haven't; they've abolished low-denomination notes. Tongue-in-cheek or not, it won't do to fudge the facts--especially if you're William Safire, who's made a fortune out of being a pedant.