# Strange Date on Staff Report. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 28, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482 "2007-07-28T11:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/1 "2007-07-28T11:03:41Z")
Why is [the following](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmassagetoxins.htm) mailbag staff report dated “2-Aug-2007”. As of now as I write this post, it is July 28, 2007. I have noticed in the past the dates on staff and Cecil Adams reports are **very** recent, like the same day I read them. But I think this is the first time I have seen a future date, although I could be wrong. In any event, what gives with this future date? Thank you in advance to all who reply 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/2 "2007-07-28T11:14:57Z")
If you can thank us in advance, they can write an article ahead of time, right? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/3 "2007-07-28T11:18:49Z")
I’ve seen post-dated articles before. That’s usually the date they’re published on the website. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/4 "2007-07-28T12:26:43Z")
Weekly publications tend to use the last date that an issue will be on sale as the cover date. Thus, a weekly that came out yesterday would probably have a cover date of (checks calendar) yup, August 2nd; the next issue will appear on the 3rd and have a cover date of the 9th. So this is probably intended for weeklies (as most papers carrying the column are, I believe) that appear on Friday. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/5 "2007-07-28T14:59:04Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] If you can thank us in advance, they can write an article ahead of time, right? [/QUOTE] Ha! ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/6 "2007-07-28T15:35:48Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Weekly publications tend to use the last date that an issue will be on sale as the cover date. Thus, a weekly that came out yesterday would probably have a cover date of (checks calendar) yup, August 2nd; the next issue will appear on the 3rd and have a cover date of the 9th. So this is probably intended for weeklies (as most papers carrying the column are, I believe) that appear on Friday. [/QUOTE] It’s something like this, but the online version. The thing doesn’t go up on the front page until Tuesday. If you subscribe to the mailing list you get a preview of next week’s staff reports along with the new SD column. The two most common questions that this raises are: 1. Hey, why is this staff report dated in the future? and 2. Hey, this staff report is full of typos! The reason for 1 is what I just explained; the reason for 2 is that Ed is usually still editing the staff reports when the email goes out. An unannounced benefit (or cost, depending on your views) of subscribing to the newletter is that you get to see Mr. Zotti at work sometimes. You might get to see content that gets cut from the final, watch the report get funnier, or see a really terrible sentence that I wrote before it gets repaired. All for the same low, low price! ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/7 "2007-07-28T16:26:43Z")
Moved this to Comments on Staff Reports. **Gfactor** , General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_British_Shop_Owner)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/8 "2007-07-28T22:29:37Z")
Also those lyrics, while by Pete Townsend, and part of the last song of Tommy (so nothing you’ve said si wrong)… wouldn’t most people consider them to be “See Me, Feel Me” by themselves? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/9 "2007-07-29T06:55:42Z")
[QUOTE=Small British Shop Owner] Also those lyrics, while by Pete Townsend, and part of the last song of Tommy (so nothing you’ve said si wrong)… wouldn’t most people consider them to be “See Me, Feel Me” by themselves? [/QUOTE] What does this have to do with post dated staff reports?? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/10 "2007-07-29T12:03:03Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] What does this have to do with post dated staff reports?? 😕 [/QUOTE] They’re quoted in the staff report that raised the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-date-on-staff-report/413482/11 "2007-08-18T21:03:46Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] What does this have to do with post dated staff reports?? 😕 [/QUOTE] Because it looks real young, but it’s just back-dated.