Long ago, in the print version of the newsletter, I had a department called "The Sign of the Times," and I ran stuff about wacky signs or stuff people spotted -- misspellings on signs, weird grammar from those news crawls on CNN, boo boos on bills, etc. Well, I've decided to revive the department, and I'm looking to put some of this silly stuff on the site. Please do not send me a list of something you've found on the Internet or been sent in some mass E-mailing. I want stuff that YOU actually see! You know, those handlettered signs at the stores that say, "Egg's ... $1.12 a dozzen" ... that kind of thing. Photos of amusing signs (sent as jpgs, please) will also be considered; again, this is something YOU saw, not stuff found on the Internet.

Anyhoo, send them here.

A recent mailing from the Church of God had the following in its standard-mail permit area:

Bulk Mail Permit
Church of Church

- submitted by J. Alec West

"We are in somewhat of a delimenia."

— submitted by Kathy Ptacek. "This is from a history listserv of which I’m a member. Do you think that is some sort of condition brought on by some exotic Southern American parrot fever?"

"If you can't read this, call 1-800-LITERACY."

— submitted by Milt Thomas, who says, "Here's a billboard a few years ago that ended up in one of my editorial columns, Common Sense Management."

"SECTV does not support networking of computers, if their is a problem with service because of any additional equipment SECTV is not responsible."

— submitted by an anonymous market newsletter editor. Ahem. "This was spotted in the cable company’s bill."