Styles Sheet

So, last week, we got word handed down from the keepers of the AOL Style Guidelines that the way we write ellipses is changing.

Previously, we did an ellipsis as three dots, followed by a space... like that.

Now, we're supposed to do it as three dots, followed and preceded by a space ... like that.

It now conforms with the AP Stylebook, but I think it's silly and annoying and I don't like it.

Now, I know there's nothing more interesting than arguing about grammar, punctuation and other points of style. And the thing about writing styles is that there are so many to choose from -- many of them contradictory.

For example, for some reason, the New York Times, the Gray Lady, the Paper of Record, the newspaper with a lot of nicknames, insists on making acronyms plural by using apostrophes.

For example, to the rest of the world (ignoring blatant apostrophe abuse, which I will talk about more in a second), you get cash from ATMs, then go buy CDs.

In the NYT world, you instead get cash from ATM's, and then go buy CD's.

I think that this, too, is pretty silly, since the abuse and misuse of apostrophes has now reached epic proportions and I know that Bob the Angry Flower agrees with me:

Anyway, the reason for all this writing styles talk is that I am writing the promo for the Guest Editor's picks, and used an ellipsis.

I wasn't planning on writing this entry. So I guess now I am further behind.

Thanks. -- Joe