This is going to fade my curtains

Can you spot the error here? That's right. At the start of daylight savings, clocks are turned forward, and not back. 

 

My finger slipped

There is no such word. Not even in Latin. I don't mind this series, even though I think that the Marvel Universe is oversaturated. Oscar Isaac is a good actor.  I understand there will not be a second series. 

Irreverence

Andrew Cuomo, and not Andrew Cuomos

Who is Andrew Cuomos? I have only ever heard of New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo. 

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/us-politics/covid-map-democrats-claim-trump-administration-hid-reveals-worst-virus-hot-spots-after-biden-publishes-secret-stats/news-story/692584dbd28c7cb8d685fdab3d91c8db

Excellence in newspaper journalism

Whilst reading today's Herald-Sun, my keen eye noticed a small error in the opinion pages. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has earned plaudits for her government's handling of the pandemic. Unfortunately, on this opinion article, the writer's name, Rita Panahi, has been omitted. Perhaps someone in the editorial department went into holiday mode prematurely. 

Worse than Lewinskygate?

 The United States Congress began public impeachment hearings against American President Donald Trump this week. There is a good chance that he may be removed from office. This is a helpful guide that explains what he allegedly did wrong, and how the impeachment process works.

In a report on ABC TV's Planet America programme about the impeachment hearings, it used a news clip from an American cable news show, in which Representative John Ratcliffe, a Texas Republican, spoke in President Trump's defence. Unfortunately, as this photograph shows, Ratcliffe is erroneously identified as being a Democrat.

More fake history

According to brainyhistory.com, on June 11, 1962, former American President, Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted an honorary degree from Yale University. Considering he died in 1945, this achievement is all the more remarkable.

Cross checking Yale's
list of honorary degree recipients since 1702 reveals that Roosevelt's degree was actually awarded in 1934.

https://www.brainyhistory.com/days/june_11.html

https://secretary.yale.edu/programs-services/honorary-degrees/since-1702?field_degrees_value=All&field_year_value=All&keys=roosevelt

The cold war on pedantry

Pictured here is the synopsis from the back cover of a children's visual guidebook about the world of espionage. As you can see, it has pictures of a World War III sabotage pack. Huh? Presumably, an editor at the publishing company messed up here. It's never a good look when a childrens' book is produced with such a glaring and easily avoidable error. Anyone with even the most rudimentary knowledge of history would know that there has been two world wars. By the grace of God, there will not be a third one.

Give or take a few years

Like many conservative Victorians, I am disappointed with the results of yesterday's state election, having to endure four more years of the Andrews Labor government. 

On the lighter side, I found at least two errors in newspaper coverage of the election. Possibly soon-to-be former Liberal Opposition Leader, Matthew Guy visited his old primary school to cast his vote. I recognise the windows in the background. He was not, as the caption in this article says, visiting his electorate of Bulleen. The school is located in the neighbouring electorate of Eltham. 

Secondly, the school received its own indoor swimming pool at least one or two years before he started there in 1979, and not in 1982. At that time, Rupert Hamer, a Liberal, was Premier of Victoria, so the pool is hardly an example of Labor pork barreling. Either Guy or the journalist who wrote this story got his facts wrong.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/on-election-day-smiling-matthew-guy-feels-the-love-and-loathing-at-his-old-primary-school-20181124-p50i3a.html

Thank you very much

The other day I randomly came across a lifestyle and entertainment website aimed at retired people. One of the articles was about Elvis Presley's 1968 comeback special, which was filmed just over 50 years ago. It relaunched his singing career, after years without chart hits, and appearing in low quality movies. 

I noticed an error in one paragraph. Presley's first single was That's All Right, released in 1954. In this article, it is erroneously titled I'm Alright Mama. 

https://startsat60.com/opinion/blogs/relvis-presley-music-comeback-1968-1969

Misleading advertising

I randomly came across this on an online pop culture store. The Bookworm is one of the lesser known Batman villains. I vaguely remember that he appeared in an episode of the 1960s Batman TV series, and that he set a trap for Batman and Robin in a library. He wore a dark brown suit, thick glasses, and a hat, and most definitely did not style himself after the Egyptian pharoahs.

Sweet victory

With his government languishing far behind the opposition in opinion polls, it seems almost certain that Labor will win the next federal election, due to be held in 2019. Labor's controversial plan to remove tax rebates for share dividends will reduce the incomes of self-funded retirees. The unwinnable election that Andrew Bolt mentions here was in March 1993, just over 25 years ago, and not in 1991.

In 1991, the Labor Party was mostly preoccupied with the recession, and leadership tensions between Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and his rival, Paul Keating. Keating successfully challenged Hawke on his second attempt, becoming Labor leader, and Prime Minister, in December 1991.

Labor won the 1993 election by relentlessly hammering the Liberals over their proposed Goods and Services Tax. Could Malcolm Turnbull use the same tactics against Bill Shorten's tax plan, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat? Politics never ceases to fascinate.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/can-turnbull-be-a-keating/news-story/7ce59e70b65c6b0e51478ad94b0ba1b5

Colour blindness

Channel 9 News used the New Zealand flag instead of the Australian flag in graphics in a story about Australia Day. It's an honest mistake. It could happen to anybody. It is so easy to confuse them. Both flags are royal blue, and have the Union Jack in the top left hand corner. On the right hand side, the New Zealand flag has four red stars with white borders. The Australian flag has the Southern cross on the right hand side, and underneath the Union Jack is the seven-pointed Commonwealth star, which represents each of Australia's states and territories.

Where were you in 1984?

I have never watched an episode of Stranger Things on Netflix. The Green Guide's exemplary editing standards were once again in evidence in a profile piece about Dacre Smith, an actor from Perth who has just joined the cast of the show.

In a glaring example of sloppy research, we are informed that season 2 of the show begins "a year or so after the events of last season, It is Halloween, 1984, a month out from the election that would sweep Ronald Reagan to power."

In actual fact, Reagan was first elected President in 1980. In 1984, he secured a second term in one of the largest landslide victories in American political history. Anyone who was alive at the time, and who has a passing interest in either politics or history would know this.

By Walter Mondale presidential campaign, 1984 - http://ronwade.freeservers.com/BumperstickersA7.html, Public Domain, Link

Posthumous correspondence

History Revealed magazine is a fun and engaging read on my long train commute to work. Among the facts I learned from this month's issue, an article about Martin Luther stated that Katharina von Bora wrote a letter to him in "1923." This is no mean feat, considering that Luther and von Bora were married in 1525, and he died in 1546, and she in 1552. This letter actually dates from 1523. Did the author or subeditor make this error?

Secondly, each monthly issue features a regular section listing significant historical events that took place in that particular month. Apparently, on 21 October 1905, Horatio Nelson was mortally wounded by being shot in the shoulder with a musket. Nelson died on that day in 1805, aged 47, and not in 1905, aged 147.

Attention to detail, please. 

Quite quiet

With the closure of Toyota, Australia no longer has a car manufacturing industry. This article from the business section of today's Herald Sun noted positively that at least some former automotive workers have transferable skills that can be used in other industries. On the other hand, some graduates needs to improve their skills. An industry figure is quoted as saying, "we regularly find that graduates are not quiet as well trained in these areas as is needed."

While employers often report that graduates lack verbal communication and people skills required in the modern workplace, and may be quiet people, this is clearly a typo by a subeditor. The graduates are not quite as well trained as they need to be.

Suspicious minds

It is forty years to the day since Elvis Presley died. By the time I was born, his career and personal life was already in decline. This is how the Daily Mail reported on the commemorations, with Elvis fans from all over the world descending on Graceland to mark the occasion.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4788290/Elvis-fans-flock-grave-40th-anniversary.html

Two things stand out to me in this article. Some of his fans worship him as a religious figure. Secondly, on a somewhat lighter note, it contains a link to a video of his legendary Las Vegas residency. It says that it dates from 1960. This was actually the same year that he was discharged from the army, and filmed three movies. Elvis's Vegas residencies did not commence until 1969, and this footage actually dates from 1970.

Tilts head quizzically

It's an easy mistake to get Lorde and Bill Cosby confused. I do it all the time. I don't know if this error is the fault of the Sydney Morning Herald, who published the story, or the Google News aggregator. 

Slaps hand on forehead

Just when I thought The Age had lifted its game in its production quality, it managed to print an article in which the printing of the writer's name is completely illegible.

War is still hell

I've just finished watching the DVD of The World Wars, a mostly excellent docu-drama about the First and Second World Wars. The History Channel's reputation has taken a bit of a battering in recent years, broadcasting programs of questionable quality, such as Ancient Aliens.

I found it mostly riveting, but it isn't without flaws. It took some licence with the reenactment of the death of Adolf Hitler. The actor playing him is shown standing alone in a room, taking a cyanide pill, and then shooting himself. He actually committed suicide with his mistress, Eva Braun. They died sitting on a couch in a small room in the Fuehrerbunker in Berlin.

The DVD contains additional material, which includes 5-minute biographies of the major players in the Second World War. Hitler's biography has a whopping mistake. It shows a picture of what it asserts is Hitler's dead body after he committed suicide. This picture has been in circulation for years. The man in it, who had a "Hitler" moustache, has never been identified, but it has been conclusively proven that it is not of Hitler. This is very sloppy research, and inexcusable.

Close, but no cigar

I almost read an entire edition of The Age without finding one production error, and thought that their editorial department had lifted its game lately. Alas, no. I noticed this error in the AFL football tips ratings table. It seems that the Gold Coast Suns are going to be playing against both Fremantle and Port Adelaide this round. Port Adelaide's match is actually against the GWS Giants, and not the Suns. Attention to detail, please, Fairfax editorial department.