AP Editors Taking a Break?

An interesting story on Fox News tells of a Boston man who was robbed while visiting Phoenix.

First, we must remember that Boston, being part of the People’s Republic of Massachusetts, does not allow people to carry concealed firearms for personal protection. Therefore, this man was not armed, unlike concealed carry licensees from the 40 shall-issue states.1 So this is partly a story about self-defense denied, and the consequences thereof. One can also note that the leaders of the State of Massachusetts, who believe that regular, law-abiding folk should not carry concealed firearms, will not endure any personal inconvenience or liability for this unfortunate incident.

More to the point is the AP-authored story on Fox News. It describes how the man was accosted, taken back to his hotel room at gunpoint (by criminals who somehow didn’t realize that they are not supposed to carry concealed firearms), tied up and robbed. He was told to stay in the bathtub where they dumped him, which he did until the maid discovered him 24 hours later.

Unfortunately, his wrists were tied so tight that he lost his left hand. As the AP wunderkind wrote:

Northrup’s [the victim’s] bindings were so tight, it caught of the circulation to his hands, police said.2 [Emphasis added]

Also note that “bindings” is plural, requiring the corresponding pronoun “they” rather than “it”. But let’s not quibble too much over somebody who uses a preposition instead of an adverb to modify a verb, assuming they would have used “cut” had they known grammar.

Do they still require grammar skills in journalism school? Does anybody know if the Associated Press has any employment criteria left?

 

About the Author: Howard Nemerov is an investigative analyst for NRA News. He can be reached at HNemerov [at sign] Netvista.net.

Endnotes

[1] Department of Public Safety, Valid CCW Permits in Arizona, State of Arizona. http://www.azdps.gov/ccw/reciprocity/default.asp

2 Associated Press, Man Loses Hand When Robber Ties Hands Too Tight, Fox News, August 10, 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292836,00.html