PUGGED UP: Terry Barter provided this picture of one of the bog holes to support his case.
Apostrophes annoy
I WAS simply going to submit a thumbs-down but there are not enough thumbs in the world to express my dismay and frustration. I have stood silent for so long but, after a full-page affront in last week’s Mail, I can take it no longer. People, plurals do not require apostrophes!
Apostrophes are used for contractions – can’t, won’t, isn’t – or ownership – mum’s cooking, dad’s nose, Pete’s beer – they are never required when making more than one of something. It is simply one diva, two divas. One demo, five demos. One photo, two photos.
Every day I walk past a professionally printed window advertising “coverup’s” and countless cafe blackboards selling “coffee’s” and “chip’s”. I used to feel guilty for surreptitiously rubbing out the offending punctuation but I feel the time has come to take a stand and I encourage Margaret River language lovers to set an example for our children and rub, rub away!
Do not fear plurals – more is always better – but just remember:
For a plural, if in doubt,
Leave the poor apostrophe out.
The Punctuation Police, Wilyabrup
Mining whining
THE responses from the Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) are predictable. Despite a full EPA assessment process and rejection of appeal - with State Government backing the EPA decision - we hear nothing but whines of “it isn’t fair” from those who refuse to recognise due process.
Shock, horror, it appears that locking out coal mining in a small zone around Margaret River will jeopardise the entire mining industry. Let’s get a little perspective here. The facts are: no coal mining in a 230-square kilometre zone around Margaret River, all other mining assessed on a case by case basis. On my calculation the ruination of the mining industry is pinned on an area that is 0.0009 per cent of the total area of WA.
Mining anywhere and everywhere, despite the risks, appears to be the only acceptable outcome for those unable to see beyond the almighty mining dollar and the traditional advantage of Section 20 of the Mining Act. Accustomed to sticking a few pegs in the ground to guarantee a home run, it must be hard to accept that some land is out of bounds.
Carole Peters, Margaret River
Rights muddied
PUBLIC Parks and reserves are an important asset for the enjoyment of all. Unfortunately the way some people choose to enjoy themselves can seriously impinge on the enjoyment of others.
A case in point is the picturesque reserve on Yalgardup Brook near Basildene. Of late this area has become a magnet for thrill-seeking drivers of off-road vehicles, who have turned the area behind the pond into a quagmire.
Not only is this unsightly and extremely unpleasant underfoot for those of us who use the area for walking or jogging, it can be hazardous if you happen to encounter one or more of the vehicles in full flight. This is particularly the case for unlicensed, and therefore uninsured, off-road motorbikes, which can appear at high speed out of nowhere.
Clearly there is a need either for more consideration of others on the part of the drivers concerned or for provision of a more suitable facility for them to indulge their instincts.
Terry Barter, Margaret River
