LeDuff does it again

**Lonyo exit** · August-14-09, 08:28 AM

Based on the improper grammar, it's highly unlikely that the clown posing as "Elrick" is actually the Freep reporter. You don't sustain an award-winning career by posting at a third-grade writing level, both in terms of grammar and sentiment.

**cloud_wall** · August-14-09, 10:35 AM

Please enlighten us, Lonyo. Give Elrick's post a rewrite. You'll have to live with the 3rd grade sentiment, whatever that means. Just correct the grammar mistakes you see.

**Bobl** · August-14-09, 11:04 AM

The quote:

"...He also writes stories that are enjoyable to read..." might apply to many readers.

The problem I have is the blending of facts and opinions in journalism, and the borrowing from other writers, as in his use of the "Travels With Charlie" title of his column.
Be a journalist and write the facts, Charlie, or write nice stories. Make a choice.

**Lonyo exit** · August-14-09, 12:44 PM

cloud_brain -
If you can't spot the kind of bad grammar that a journalist would be quite unlikely to post on some forum, then I can't write anything to make you less stupid. Sorry.

**cloud_wall** · August-14-09, 12:51 PM

Wow; you're really not going to do it. Impressive retort.

**Lonyo exit** · August-14-09, 01:10 PM

Well cloud_mind,

You can start with the unhyphenated compound adjectives and the lack of capitalization, which, as suggested before but missed by you, is unlikely from anyone who spends their days writing proper English. Not to mention the over-the-top, Leduff-style hyperbole featured in the post and absent from Elrick's writing.

Sentiment-wise, it's hard to imagine [[well, not for you!) that a reporter known for dogged investigative journalism would go on a public forum and praise someone known mostly for dogged plagiarism and melodramatic exaggeration. People like you are best suited for that kind of sycophancy.

I didn't know this was a retort contest. Cool! I haven't been in one of those since grade school. Please keep score for me.

**RealityCheck** · August-14-09, 01:45 PM

Revealing that you bring up grade school, Lonyo.

Meantime, seems I better dust off my AP Stylebook to avoid hyphenation and capitalization slips in these informal posts, lest I get called out as an imposter Daily Orange alum and former DetNews editor.

**Lonyo exit** · August-14-09, 01:54 PM

Of course I bring up grade school Reality Check. Isn't that the usual level of discourse here?

You've just earned a half-retort point! But only half because you shouldn't need an AP stylebook to know to capitalize words that begin a sentence. That's something most of us learned in - you guessed it - grade school.

Somehow I think Elrick knows to do this, the same way I think he knows better than to log onto a public forum to praise a journalist that even you, Reality Check, called out for his over-the-top writing.

**BFoster** · August-14-09, 01:56 PM

I don't have a clue if that's MLE posting or not, but thanks to iphones and blackberries, a lot of folks who know better have given up the ghost on grammar and punctuation in favor of convenience.

**cloud_wall** · August-14-09, 02:01 PM

Lonyo, your retort contest idea is not picking up steam. Maybe someone from your high school who knows what you are talking about will be willing to participate for old time's sake.

I was pretty sure your "grammar" complaints would boil down to lack of capitalization. Good analysis. I guess that rewrite isn't coming.

BTW, are you now suggesting that LeDuff himself is the poster who you claim couldn't possibly be Elrick? The intrigue deepens.

**Lonyo exit** · August-14-09, 02:19 PM

cloud_hole,

I'm guessing you were a DPS student based on your reading comprehension.

You're the one who brought up retorts; I was merely taking your peculiar comment and running with it. I'm in a playful mood!

As for the Leduff conspiracy notion [[speaking of peculiar), I said no such thing; the only thing I suggested is that it's highly unlikely that M.L. Elrick came here to post praise about Leduff in such absurd language.

BTW, there are these things called "compound adjectives" and they usually require hyphens. See if you can spot them in the minefield that is the fake Elrick post. I'm not sure why you skimmed over that criticism in favor of fastening your attention on capitalization, but again, I'll assume you are a product of DPS and I'll go the Eunice Shriver route and try not to expect too much from you, you poor dear.

**cloud_wall** · August-14-09, 02:36 PM

So the sum total of your criticism is that a professional writer should capitalize properly and hyphenate phrases like "cigar-chomping" and "fedora-wearing" when posting on an internet forum. Understood.

I disagree. I think these minor errors are more indicative of the informality of electronic communication than they are tell-tale signs that someone is pretending to be a certain professional writer. Since my disagreement seems to provoke anger and ingenious name-calling from you, I suggest we drop it.

Yours,
cloud_jerk

**gnome** · August-14-09, 02:43 PM

It's never good to poke a caged skunk.

**Lonyo exit** · August-14-09, 02:50 PM

There's no anger, cloud_barf. I'm merely being silly to amuse myself during a very long day at work.

The only "sum total" here is that I find it unlikely that Elrick posted that. If I'm wrong, let's expect "Elrick" to follow up and post some more, thereby putting this issue to rest one way or another.

I'm glad you refer to yourself as "yours" i.e. mine. I'm honored and a bit turned on.

xoxo

LodgeDodger · August-14-09, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Lonyo exit

There's no anger, cloud_barf. I'm merely being silly to amuse myself during a very long day at work.

The only "sum total" here is that I find it unlikely that Elrick posted that. If I'm wrong, let's expect "Elrick" to follow up and post some more, thereby putting this issue to rest one way or another.

I'm glad you refer to yourself as "yours" i.e. mine. I'm honored and a bit turned on.

xoxo

Jesus, you two, get a room

I don't really give a shit if Elrick's posting here or not. If he likes the ee cummings style of writing, good for him. Perhaps his keyboard's Caps key isn't working.

I'm a product of the Detroit schools and must say I've done well.

It's cigar-champing, not "chomping". I'm surprised you two genii didn't catch that one.

**Detroitej72** · August-14-09, 04:20 PM

After all the love taps being past around here, I just wanted to chime in that Chuckles still sucks with his over the top, insertion of personal opinion into a story.

**Dustin89** · August-14-09, 10:34 PM

I'm in journalism [[and college) myself. I think LeDuff is sustaining his career by highlighting Detroit's warts and looking down on the people and institutions here. He might make good points or stake out the right side of an issue, but his writing is often indignant, and I'm starting to think of him as a Debbie Downer. The truth is usually obvious or painful enough...all of the hyperbole is not necessary to catch our attention.

**Detroit500** · August-14-09, 10:36 PM

Overall, the journalism in the news is stunning compared to the Freep. Do they even have one journalist with a journalism career half as illustrious as Rubin or LeDuff over there?

**oldredfordette** · August-14-09, 10:59 PM

Why do you people read his shit? I've added years to my live ignoring that crappy crap.

Stosh · August-14-09, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Jesus, you two, get a room

I don't really give a shit if Elrick's posting here or not. If he likes the ee cummings style of writing, good for him. Perhaps his keyboard's Caps key isn't working.

I'm a product of the Detroit schools and must say I've done well.

It's cigar-champing, not "chomping". I'm surprised you two genii didn't catch that one.

I suppose that all they would have to do is ask Elrick if he posted here.

Contact M.L. ELRICK at 313-222-6582 or mlelrick@freepress.com