Apostrophe Nazi™ checking in here.
Hang the prisoners slightly higher up the wall please. Thank you.
I know we simulposted, but I just wanted to be clear that we do, in fact, use apostrophe for certain plurals in the States. The stylebooks I cited are all American.
Ahh… caught me.
My sentence should read: “…never use an apostrophe in front of the ‘s’ ending to form a plural noun” - I was referring to the earlier example where the ‘s’ already existed and errantly did not include the exception for abbreviations (actually, in my haste, I simply forgot to mention them). :smack:
I never claimed I was very thorough.
Why, they are teaching Little Johnny to feel good about himself, despite the fact that he can’t read or write.
On the flip side, I was happy to see that a grocery store chain in my area (Publix), in the opening of a new store, now has a couple of lanes marked “10 Items or Fewer” (rather than the standard “10 Items or Less”).
A sign on our rather upscale dining facility at work today.
Deli Special of the Day
Spinach Cal Zone’s
Mmmm, those cal zone’s sure do contain a lot of tasty food.
BTW I’d just like to reiterate that I did “could of” deliberately. That is another one that is high on my list of bêtes noires.
Another one, sighted today: “The manager can be counted on to show his metal in the upcoming game”. Won’t they have taken his “piece” off him at the gate? 
Closest bar/pub/tavern to my home…on the big pole-mounted spinning illuminated sign:
“John and Dougs Liquor’s and Bar”
-Big red letters on white background
-Beautiful
A small victory, indeed, but the war has already been lost because the math-illiterate masses will still clog those express lanes with carts filled to the brim with groceries.
What, me count?
Maybe it’s time for an “I.Q. 75 Points or Fewer” lane.
r_k, you didn’t mention which medium you were complaining about. The written word, and formal web literature are one thing. IM’s and chatrooms are another. Message boards and e-mail occupy a middle ground.
It’s all a matter of response and communication time versus quality. After all, in a real conversation I wouldn’t take 10 seconds to make sure my grammar was correct, unless it were a life-altering expression. Since message boards are somewhat conversational, somewhat literary in nature, I am willing to cut some slack.
1337 speak, of course, is right out 
To do thi’s, apparently.
Actually, I’m rather looking forward to the day when my ability to put together a sentence will make me the member of a privileged élite.
Ludovic, what sparked my initial outburst was passing, in the space of 20 yards, shop fronts advertising “Video’s” and “Stereo’s” (but “Televisions”) and “Pizza’s” (but “Pies” and “Chips”).
Not an apostrophe error, but I saw this hand-written sign at a gas station, posted on a gas pump:
“Receipt printer is broken. Receipt can be gotten inside. Thanks for you’re corporation.”
Rumors of the demise of the teaching of grammar, mechanics, and usage are somewhat exaggerated.
Every 6-12 grade Language Arts textbook now in any kind of a competitive market position covers this in excruciating detail. All states that have written “standards” require it. All “high stakes” tests test it. In fact, it’s probably safe to say that more plans are now afoot to EMPHASIZE such teaching in the US than at any other period in the last half-century. If your friend is actually a teacher and plans to scrap teaching it, odds are good he or she will be canned soon if word gets around.
Yeah, apostrophe abuse bugs me too. But indignation aside, it’s not for lack of teaching that kids are out there abusing them.