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Reader reaction to Reuters news

November 6th, 2009

The word is fort…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Ford Hood shooting suspect still alive, Army says

KILLEEN, Texas, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The suspect in a shooting rampage at Ford Hood Army post on Thursday in which 12 people were killed and 31 wounded is in a hospital in stable condition, contrary to previous reports he had been killed, an Army general said.

Shooting at “Ford Hood”? I believe the Army uses the alternate spelling, F-o-r-t. This was a featured link on Google News highlights so I am sure lots of people saw it.

I had to look three times to make sure it wasn’t a joke on purpose. You know, hood possibly being an automobile component and Ford being an auto manufacturer just made it funny to me.

J.B.

Ouch. Not a great week for headline editing, if you look at the two items before this one as well. Yes, this one did get noticed: GBU Editor

Major Nidal Malik Hasan. REUTERS/Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences/Handout

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November 6th, 2009

The word is buy…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Brussels set to complain over Oracle’s deal to by Sun-FT

I am sure someone has made you aware of this ERROR…. The word you want is BUY.

Kelly

Yes. Readers did, as you say, make us aware of this one: GBU Editor

REUTERS photo Robert Galbraith

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November 6th, 2009

The word is gun…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Canada takes step to scrapping long-run registry

OTTAWA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Canada took a step on Wednesday to scrapping a controversial gun registry, though rules will still remain much tougher than in the United States.

It’s Canada’s long-GUN registry, not “run.”

Tim

Indeed: GBU Editor

Ziad Richa, a Lebanese marksman, takes aim during practice at a club in Dbayeh area, east of Beirut, July 26, 2008. REUTERS/Cynthia karam

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November 5th, 2009

Phyllis who?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Phyllis manager backs Hamels, may start a Game Seven

Seriously, Phyllis manager? Who is doing your editing, are you outsourcing it to some third world country?

It should read Phillies……the mispelling of words and misused phrases in sentences or just sentences that do not make sense seems to be an ever increasing problem here and on other sites…..keep the work in this country please

Nik

It’s Phillies!!! Wow, who let that one get by???

Opus

What kind of headline is this? ” FIX THE HEADLINE!

WXCBS

Lots of readers noticed this error, which was introduced in an online news feed. Understandably. We corrected: GBU Editor

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel makes remarks during a news conference at the ballpark in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 30, 2009. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer
November 3rd, 2009

Has that store stopped moving?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Thousands line up for last Big Mac in Iceland

In a nearby stationary store, Thora Sigurdardottir, a 35-year old nursing assistant, said she had no intention of going for a final McDonald’s meal.

In your article “Thousands line up for last Big Mac in Iceland,” the word should be “stationery” not “stationary,” unless it is important that the store remains still?

S.Z.

You’re right, of course: GBU Editor

A McDonald’s in Arlington, Va. REUTERS/Jim Young

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November 2nd, 2009

Taunting children?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Members of the protest group Code Pink taunt local school children with chants about the war in Afghanistan as the children and their families arrive for a Halloween reception by U.S. President Barack Obama and his family at the White House in Washington, October 31, 2009. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst   

I must strongly protest your caption on the photo of protesters outside the White House. Using the verb “taunt” with “local school children” as its object is inaccurate, pejorative and unwarranted.

Who is paying you to run such captions?

L.S.

Nobody is paying us to “run such captions.” Our photographer says the protesters said things to challenge and confront the children and their parents. For example, one protester dressed as a Wicked Witch was saying things like, “More pretties to die in my war! More pretties!”

He said they were not just protesting the war in general but were, in effect, telling these families that their children were going to die at war. That sounds pretty much like taunting to me: GBU Editor

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November 2nd, 2009

Veneration, not worship…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Irish turn out for apparition, defying church plea

The head of the local Roman Catholic archdiocese issued a statement on Monday urging the faithful to disregard the forecasts by Dublin-based “spiritual healer” Joe Coleman that Mary, worshipped by Christians as the mother of God, would reappear.

Your report on Knock shrine in Ireland states that Catholics worship the Virgin Mary. This is incorrect.  Catholics venerate Mary , which is completely different than worship.

Thomas W.

Mary is never worshipped. She is a creature like us. Worship is only given to God. We do honor her, though, as the Mother of God.

Gill

Several readers pointed out this one. We corrected: GBU Editor

A woman lights a candle in front of a shadow of the Virgin Mary in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin in a 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor

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November 1st, 2009

Fleshing out the photo information…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Wow, who wants to see that picture of a man with his flesh eaten away in your lead story on www.reuter.com?

Seriously, even on Halloween, one should have the option on clicking on something that makes it obvious that something gruesome follows.

It makes me question your judgment in general…I may change your site from being my home page. I can guarantee I won’t be going back to your page today.

C.J.V.

Yours was the only complaint I saw regarding this photo. As the photo caption made clear, it was a man in makeup - not “a man with his flesh eaten away…”

Happy Halloween! GBU Editor

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October 29th, 2009

Many believe?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Israeli police, Arabs clash near Jerusalem mosque

The compound is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, where many believe the Jewish Temple stood until it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.

My 10 year old niece and I were working on a homework assignment yesterday. We saw the original MSNBC article (crediting Reuters for some of the reporting) with the astonishing phrase that “many people believe” that Temple Mount was the home of the ancient temple in Jerusalem.

When the article was “updated” at 2:15 PM, this phrase was curiously removed. Even more interesting was when we found the Reuters version of the article wherein it states, “The compound is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, where the two destroyed biblical temples once stood.” This is a pretty radically different sentence than “many people believe….” and makes it clear that the existence of the biblical temples on this precise spot is a historical fact.

How does this happen? Was it a MSNBC editorial decision to change the phrasing in their original post (and then quickly retreat when they realized they had egg on their faces)?

Allyn

The “many people believe” phrase was included in our original version of the story, but we removed it from the later update you found.

We normally write that Jews revere the Temple Mount as the site of two destroyed Biblical temples: GBU Editor

A Palestinian woman shouts at Israeli police during clashes in Jerusalem’s Old City October 25, 2009.  REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

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October 29th, 2009

Before or after?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Madoff friend Picower dead, found in pool

MIAMI, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Palm Beach billionaire Jeffry Picower, described as the biggest beneficiary of Bernard Madoff’s fraud, died on Sunday after he was found lying at the bottom of the pool at his home, police said.

I think you will find that he died *before* he was found at the bottom of his pool, not “after”.

John

I appreciate the amusing point you are making, but I think our wording was fine. This story - and subsequent ones with more detail - went on to say he was pulled unconscious from the pool and later pronounced dead: GBU Editor

Bernard Madoff in a 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/Files

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