You can't have too many apostrophe's

Several typos in that last post!

Not because I don't know any better and don't WANT to know any better, though! ;)

And you missed the point of my responce.
What I was trying to say is if others grammar annoys you then get over it, not everyone thinks or expresses themselves like you do.
No offense but as a lousy speller this thread makes me defensive.

Paul,
You've been a good sport throughout this thread, despite tremendous ribbing, and in your defense I must add that there was a time when incorrect punctuation, and grammar, and spelling was/were thought to indicate a lack of education. However, my direct experience with several thousand post-graduates, MBA's, Phd's, proves otherwise. Those with advanced degrees also make the same or similar errors although admittedly less frequently and often in innocence, correcting the errors if they discover them. Interestingly, a great number of them also lack reading comprehension skills despite the fact that interpretation of the written word is a major requirement in their profession. It's something that should have been mastered in high-school or college.

Nonetheless, the emphasis on perfect punctuation and grammar usage is on the wane. Communicate an idea succinctly and clearly and you have succeeded in the use of the language. At least that appears to be the current standard. Should we revert to a standard of perfection in usage?? It would be great, but it's not a reasonable expectation. It's not hard to imagine the Queen's Court in the 19th Century feeling the same distress over Americans common-use of English and the severe damage that would cause to the Commonwealth. Somehow we survived that calamity only to face one of our own making as we watch the evolution with trepidation.

Commcat,
I am not of the "if-you-make-one-mistake-then-the-paper-gets-a-failing-mark" school, but I am also not of the school which says that it's OK for those postgrads and PhDs to make common mistakes again and again when they are teaching my children how to read and write. The fact that they got that far while not knowing how to write using the basic rules of grammar does not reflect well on the system which got them there, and just because they now have the 'qualification' does not excuse it. The fact that they care enough to correct themselves is good. It would be better if they were embarrassed about the mistake. Your comment on lack of reading comprehension ability is a perfect example of the problem. The only reason that occurs is that we as a society have allowed that to happen. In my preferred incarnation, those 'qualified' people with those weaknesses in their field would not have gotten qualified in the first place.

Should we revert to a standard of perfection in usage? I too think it is impractical to expect 100% take-up. However, to dismiss 'proper grammatical usage' as an appropriate target is a great mistake. I too believe the emphasis on perfect grammar and perfect punctuation is on the wane. That does not mean that I find that situation desirable, or laudable. On the contrary, I find that being accepting of a decline in standards is symptomatic of America's issues. We are gradually losing our ability to communicate difficult ideas well to each other, and because it takes effort and humility to bring ourselves back to that table, we are saying it is not important to be at that table. Instead, we spend our free time at the mall for our entertainment and watching Jon Stewart, Jim Cramer, and SNL for our news. Or is it the other way around...?