Thursday, May 13, 2010

Yearbook Embarrassment

Just started flipping through this year's Cornellian, which costs around $100.

Who proofreads the yearbook? From glancing through the pages, not even seriously trying to read any of the articles, my eyes kept hitting obvious typos.

Also, there's this gem from the timeline on page 107:
1990: Cornell University's football team wins the national championship.
Between these errors, and the incident a couple of years ago when "Cornell University" was spelled wrong on the cover, I'm wondering whether anyone actually reads this thing before it goes to print.

Edit: Wow. Here's the "recap" of the men's varsity ice hockey season. I realize this had to go to print before much of the season had taken place, but this paragraph is simply terrible. It reads like a middle-schooler wrote it.
This year men's hockey has started with a strong beginning to the season. So far, the team has played seven games, losing only two of the games. The season opened against the University of Windsor, with a 7-0 win. The second game, against the U.S. Under-18 Team, finished with a 2-3 loss over the Big Red. However, this game did not count for the season record. The conference record, to date, for ECAC, stands at 3-1. The first game in the Ivy League Conference was a successful outing against Dartmouth College. Cornell finished the game with 5 goals, letting in only one of Dartmouth's attempts. One of Big Red's biggest accomplishments was the dramatic defeat against Harvard University. Fans came out in full force to support the hockey team's performance against our biggest rival here at Cornell. The Sun printed newspapers for the occasion, and almost every single fan was adorned with Cornell apparel. Cornell also prevailed over Brown University, with a 6-0 loss in Providence. However, one disappointing loss this season was against Yale University. It was the first loss in the ECAC league for Cornell. Cornell will also host Princeton University, Quinnipiac University, and Colgate University. Over Thanksgiving Break, Cornell will face Boston University at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This year, Cornell will also play in the Florida College Classic at the end of December. The first opponent they will face is Colorado College, and the second opponent is to be announced at a later date. The season closes here in Ithaca, against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on February 27. The ECAC Tournament begins on March 5, 2010, and finishes on March 20, 2010.
What's wrong here, aside from the bad English? (Seriously, this isn't meant to be an offensive comment, but these yearbook articles read like the New Haven Advocate when they outsourced an entire issue to India.)
This year men's hockey has started with a strong beginning to the season. So far, the team has played seven games, losing only two of the games. The season opened against the University of Windsor, with a 7-0 win. The second game, against the U.S. Under-18 Team, finished with a 2-3 loss over the Big Red. However, this game did not count for the season record.
Right, and neither did the Windsor game. At the time of writing, Cornell had only played five games.
The conference record, to date, for ECAC, stands at 3-1. The first game in the Ivy League Conference was a successful outing against Dartmouth College.
There is no Ivy League Conference.
Cornell finished the game with 5 goals, letting in only one of Dartmouth's attempts.
So they won, 5-1?
One of Big Red's biggest accomplishments was the dramatic defeat against Harvard University. Fans came out in full force to support the hockey team's performance against our biggest rival here at Cornell. The Sun printed newspapers for the occasion, and almost every single fan was adorned with Cornell apparel.
Surprisingly enough, the Sun prints every weekday during the semester. The Sun had a two-page graphic which was meant to be waved during the introductions. Also, surprising that Cornell fans would wear Cornell apparel to a hockey game.
Cornell also prevailed over Brown University, with a 6-0 loss in Providence.
Wait -- did they prevail, or did they lose? Or both?
However, one disappointing loss this season was against Yale University. It was the first loss in the ECAC league for Cornell. Cornell will also host Princeton University, Quinnipiac University, and Colgate University.
Also the University of North Dakota, Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University, Union College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Yale University, and Brown University.
Over Thanksgiving Break, Cornell will face Boston University at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This year, Cornell will also play in the Florida College Classic at the end of December.
Unlike every other year, when they play in the Florida College Classic at the end of December.
The first opponent they will face is Colorado College, and the second opponent is to be announced at a later date.
Like after the games on the first day.
The season closes here in Ithaca, against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on February 27.
Cornell somehow misses the ECAC playoffs, which involve all 12 teams.
The ECAC Tournament begins on March 5, 2010, and finishes on March 20, 2010.
Which is useful information for fans because the yearbooks are distributed in May 2010.

7 comments:

  1. On the same page, 1962: Cornell begans its involvement in unmanned missions to Mars.

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  2. Ha. I'm going to look forward to reading more of the Cornellian once I'm done with finals.

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  3. Fine, fine. We'll stop outsourcing the Cornellian to middle school newspaper clubs.

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  4. As a middle school teacher, I take offense! The writeups in my school's yearbook are much better!

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  5. So much for Ivy League, maybe we shouldn't take over the Court after all...

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  6. As a University of Colorado alum, I take great offense at the 1990 Football National Championship error. Don't take away our one, fleeting moment of glory!

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  7. But seriously, I recall my middle school also having a better yearbook. SOOO glad I didn't drop 100 dollars on this.

    The stock photography is horrendous ... there are so many great photographers at Cornell constantly sticking better photos on their flickr streams. And student candids are almost absent outside the formulaic "greek life," "clubs," and "sports" sections.

    If I had bought one, I'd demand a refund. But whatever. No harm no foul.

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