Paints and Photographs scenes of Gloucester, Massachusetts Waterfront and Cape Ann. http://capeannpainter.wordpress.com/
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The sign was written by someone who has a learning disability. He is brilliant, but struggles with language and spelling. Despite his disability, he has accomplished amazing things and been recognized for his achievements on a national level. Both signs were corrected earlier in the season, but the corrections have worn off. I think that this post and these comments are incredibly insensitive and mean spirited. What purpose do they serve other than embarrassing someone in a public forum?
There are a whole lot of really brilliant people out there who do not have learning disabilities and can’t spell worth a darn, and others who are just to lazy to bother even though they know better. I don’t think that Paul was intentionally picking on someone with a learning disability, and I’m sure didn’t have any idea.
These comments strive to focus on the positive. No one’s name was mentioned. Given the limitations you describe, perhaps a proofreader or other respinsibilities would be an appropriate choice. The price of public work is public scrutiny.
I hold no ill will towards Paul, and I am sure that it was not his intention to make anyone feel badly. I enjoy his posts and am a big fan of the great things he does for the community. I still maintain that posting the picture was not a constructive way to approach the problem. Instead of calling attention to it publicly, wouldn’t it have been better to stop into our office and let us know that the sign needed to be corrected? My point was that we should, as a community, be mindful of the impacts that our words and actions have on others.
I felt compelled to respond to the post because of the students that I work with here at Maritime Gloucester. We often post student work around the site and sometimes, even when we spell check, there are spelling and grammatical errors that slip through. I know that this type of negative public attention can really impact a person’s self confidence and could make some of our students shy away from participating in projects or posting their work publicly. In my view there is a difference between constructive public scrutiny and negative public ridicule. We strive to create as safe and inclusive atmosphere for all learners on our site and I felt that I would be remiss to not address the issue.
Me too Linda, I only wondered where the boat was. I didn’t catch the spelling error, because I can’t spell very well. Mary Kay had a good point, but things like this can happen. Paul puts up inquisitive posts, which get a large viewership and quite a few comments. I’m sure I’ll post something one day and rile up a lot many people, that I’ll go hide under the bed. In this business, you’ve got to have a fireproof ego. “I don’t care what newspapers say about me, as long as they spell my name right.” PT Barnum
I always try to be absolutely accurate in my posts, in facts, grammar, and spelling. But that’s my own insecurity. It’s on the internet today, and tomorrow it’s old news and buried by newer posts. I’ve learned that people don’t really care so much about correctness, they care about what’s coming from the writer’s pen and heart. Same thing with a sign. Make it, it works. We’re all in a hurry and stressed for time. There have been more than a few times I’ve put up my Open sign with Closed facing the sidewalk. I’m sure my friend Paul intended no malice in this post. He just saw it as a curiosity and a challenge for readers to figure out. I didn’t even get it. So, as my 6’11” sloppy and stinky roommate Chris Lee at Syracuse used to say: “I don’t give a flying nun about this,” and I’m in agreement in this case.
Fred, you nailed it with this: I’ve learned that people don’t really care so much about correctness, they care about what’s coming from the writer’s pen and heart. Same thing with a sign. Make it, it works. We’re all in a hurry and stressed for time.
EJ : it is ” TOO lazy” , not TO lazy ! Tsk , tsk, we all make mistakes ? then, all should go .
back to school to learn spelling, or is it not taught any more ?
Good Morning Gloucester 
License is spelled incorrectly 🙂
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So is passengers.
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Spelling – a lost art!!
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Too many “A’s” eh?
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The sign was written by someone who has a learning disability. He is brilliant, but struggles with language and spelling. Despite his disability, he has accomplished amazing things and been recognized for his achievements on a national level. Both signs were corrected earlier in the season, but the corrections have worn off. I think that this post and these comments are incredibly insensitive and mean spirited. What purpose do they serve other than embarrassing someone in a public forum?
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If anyone should be embarrassed about spelling and grammar it’s me. I’m horrible.
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*it’s
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There are a whole lot of really brilliant people out there who do not have learning disabilities and can’t spell worth a darn, and others who are just to lazy to bother even though they know better. I don’t think that Paul was intentionally picking on someone with a learning disability, and I’m sure didn’t have any idea.
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These comments strive to focus on the positive. No one’s name was mentioned. Given the limitations you describe, perhaps a proofreader or other respinsibilities would be an appropriate choice. The price of public work is public scrutiny.
LikeLike
I hold no ill will towards Paul, and I am sure that it was not his intention to make anyone feel badly. I enjoy his posts and am a big fan of the great things he does for the community. I still maintain that posting the picture was not a constructive way to approach the problem. Instead of calling attention to it publicly, wouldn’t it have been better to stop into our office and let us know that the sign needed to be corrected? My point was that we should, as a community, be mindful of the impacts that our words and actions have on others.
I felt compelled to respond to the post because of the students that I work with here at Maritime Gloucester. We often post student work around the site and sometimes, even when we spell check, there are spelling and grammatical errors that slip through. I know that this type of negative public attention can really impact a person’s self confidence and could make some of our students shy away from participating in projects or posting their work publicly. In my view there is a difference between constructive public scrutiny and negative public ridicule. We strive to create as safe and inclusive atmosphere for all learners on our site and I felt that I would be remiss to not address the issue.
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Well, I am a retired teacher and didn’t even scrutinize the signs, but thought it was meant to be funny that the Ardelle wasn’t there.
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Me too Linda, I only wondered where the boat was. I didn’t catch the spelling error, because I can’t spell very well. Mary Kay had a good point, but things like this can happen. Paul puts up inquisitive posts, which get a large viewership and quite a few comments. I’m sure I’ll post something one day and rile up a lot many people, that I’ll go hide under the bed. In this business, you’ve got to have a fireproof ego. “I don’t care what newspapers say about me, as long as they spell my name right.” PT Barnum
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This Post wasn’t made to ridicule or embarrass anyone.
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I see no problem with your post Paul.
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Yadda, yadda, yadda,,, PASSENGERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES…. Nobody else seems to have gotten the easy one.
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Many famous people cannot spell and turned out pretty well. Most people use spell check these days anyway.
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See. Spell check even put an error in my response!
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There is no rock. Even in high mag.
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I always try to be absolutely accurate in my posts, in facts, grammar, and spelling. But that’s my own insecurity. It’s on the internet today, and tomorrow it’s old news and buried by newer posts. I’ve learned that people don’t really care so much about correctness, they care about what’s coming from the writer’s pen and heart. Same thing with a sign. Make it, it works. We’re all in a hurry and stressed for time. There have been more than a few times I’ve put up my Open sign with Closed facing the sidewalk. I’m sure my friend Paul intended no malice in this post. He just saw it as a curiosity and a challenge for readers to figure out. I didn’t even get it. So, as my 6’11” sloppy and stinky roommate Chris Lee at Syracuse used to say: “I don’t give a flying nun about this,” and I’m in agreement in this case.
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Fred, you nailed it with this: I’ve learned that people don’t really care so much about correctness, they care about what’s coming from the writer’s pen and heart. Same thing with a sign. Make it, it works. We’re all in a hurry and stressed for time.
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Next year they will fix it. We all make mistakes.
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EJ : it is ” TOO lazy” , not TO lazy ! Tsk , tsk, we all make mistakes ? then, all should go .
back to school to learn spelling, or is it not taught any more ?
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