I'll drink to that

People do care about how to spell. The New York Times editors say their readers know the difference between whiskey and whisky, and the paper has changed its style to accommodate them.

The dog that bit me

... and other tales of woe.
After I told the editing class always to use the relative pronoun "who" for people, not "that" or "which," one student asked me about how to refer to dogs. Are dogs "who" or "that"?

I've been looking for an answer to that one. I'm going to save "who" for people and let the dog be the one "that" ... . Ardent pet lovers would disagree. Go ahead. Even some grammar experts do. For example, Big Dog's Grammar at http://aliscot.com/bigdog/pronouns.htm. You can't believe everything you read on the Internet.

Students blog about editing

Students created the following blogs to fulfill an assignment in JOUR420, News Editing, at the University of Illinois. I'll be following them. And they'll be following each other.

Morning Lab, JOUR420, SP09
Tom Cyrs, http://tcyrstheloon.blogspot.com/
Terrell Starr, http://grammarking-terrell.blogspot.com/
Chris Sienza, http://theconcernedjournalist.blogspot.com/
Lindsay Ignatowski, http://redinkeverywhere.blogspot.com/
Regina Hernandez, http://reginajh.blogspot.com/
Amanda VanDyke, http://amandasanecdotes.blogspot.com/
Betsi Freeman, http://betisfly.blogspot.com/
Mayra Carranza, http://mayracarranza.blogspot.com/
Jing Gao, http://jinggao1.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Scarabello, updated Feb. 16, http://kimbereli.blogspot.com/
Schuyler “Sky” Opila, http://skyopila.blogspot.com/
Justin Hemenway, http://justinhemenway.blogspot.com/
Jean Kim, http://j420blog.blogspot.com/
Ann Colletti, http://annie-thoughtblog.blogspot.com/
Kate Leifheit, http://kateleifheit.blogspot.com/
Lisa Chung, http://www.lisaechung.blogspot.com/

Noon Lab, JOUR420, SP09
Keith Hollenkamp, http://apopcrisis.blogspot.com/
Patrick Wade, http://wittyandfun.blogspot.com/
Marie Wilson, http://mariewilson9.blogspot.com/
Brittney Foreman, http://editingbsblog.blogspot.com/
Erica Yuenger, http://ericayuenger2.blogspot.com/
Carly Rakes, http://letstalkediting.blogspot.com/
Rachel Stuart, http://rachstu87.blogspot.com/
Kayla King, http://editit420.blogspot.com/
Stephanie Murphy, http://stephaniej420.blogspot.com/
Katie Kritzberg, http://katienewseditingblog.blogspot.com/
Michael Carpenter, http://life-and-times-of-mike.blogspot.com/
Amanda Cornish, http://amandacornish.blogspot.com/
Kara Beach, http://kbeach2.blogspot.com/
Angelina Cole, http://angemangeolina.blogspot.com/
Jacob Hurwith, updated Feb. 16, hurwith2.blogspot.com
Tricia Ravelo, http://fortwonty.blogspot.com/