-By Warner Todd Huston
Here’s how bad writing is in the media. In a Reuters story about unions making concessions is this amusing line:
“Under Gettelfinger, the UAW agreed to allow new workers to be hired at about $14 per hour — about half of the $28 base rate for existing autoworkers.”
Uh, per my math, 14 IS half of 28. It isn’t “about half.” Nice writing there al Reuters!
Now, a better way to say it would have been:
“Under Gettelfinger, the UAW agreed to allow new workers to be hired at about half the $28 base rate for existing autoworkers.”
More precise, less wordy and makes sense. It was pretty poor work by Reuters. I know I make my share of mistakes, but then again, I’m just blogging here. I don’t have editors!