High praise indeed for a kid still in high school.

---

*****
"In case of flood climb to safety"

Geez, why am I always the last to know these kind of things? If I had known you were looking for a new editor, I would have sent my application in right away. Nuts.

Good luck with the new kid, and if he doesn't work out, let me know. ;)

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Will do. This guy is good though. I was very impressed. I also felt pretty stupid with a lot of the corrections he made, but the thing was way better when he was done.

It is interesting to get humbled by a 17 year old guy.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Tom

I always enjoyed your editorials. I hope that in taking the criticism seriously that you also took it objectively. The freedoms that our country provides are hard fought. Oftentimes people forget that. My impression is that you are never one to forget that lesson.

How do you know when to step aside? Your editorials will be missed (I also miss getting Calvin and Hobbs in the funnies, but for a very different reason) and I'm sure that you are leveraging your time with another opportunity. What you have done is honorable, you've given some high school kid that shows promise a chance. While his political views are still being formulated (hell I'm in my 40s and continue to develop my opinion) I believe that your confidence in this kid will help give him the boost that he needs to be successful in his career.

Far too many of us don't take the time to mentor others. Tom thanks for having the insight and the humility to step aside, but also to show the way.

Rocketboy

...I hope it all goes well for you and the correct decisions have been made.....I really enjoy your words too.....testament to this is what I'm
doing with the Tribe.....inspired by the article....

---

Stephen Perera
Gibraltar, Europe
graphics@gibraltar.gi

Well, I still write them, Ian edits and improves them. It is amazing the difference he made in the draft of this one and the version you will see tomorrow. It is an enormous improvement.

I'm really excited about Ian working with me on this. The guy is sharp. The end product will definately be improved.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

>>>it is a pretty pail simulation or vicarious experience.

That shoule be "pale" simulation.

But I'm just being anal -- does a great idea suffer when improperly spelled? I think not.


Nice writing, as usual.

does a great idea suffer when improperly spelled?

That should be "spelt"!

Live by the sword....

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

dreamed/dreamt

spelled/spelt

smelled/smelt

lots of examples of this. Sadly, we are losing a lot of our irregular verb endings for the mundanity of -ed. And my favourite - smite/smote. Truly magical.

---

kiwipat

per ardua ad astra

Touche! But... I'm american. We use the -ed inflection for most of your words.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences

Doesn't make it right. Or should I have said "So not right"?

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Ummm ...

Deal => dealt

Feel => felt

Squeal => squelt???

Naaaahhh!!!

---

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

> Doesn't make it right.

joking?

American vs. British Usage:

"Or consider the word "spelt," an older participial form of the word "spell." You almost never encounter "spelt" in the United States, but it is actually fairly common in England. On the other hand, the older participial form "gotten" is almost unheard of in England, but in most sentences it is the preferred form in the U.S."
http://www.grammartips.homestead.com/british.html