Corrections or additions?
This article was prepared for the December 5, 2001 edition of U.S.
1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Between the Lines
About a week ago, around 7:30 a.m., one of our editors
sat drinking coffee and reading the New York Times’ bulletins from
Afghanistan. The story was packed with names of unfamiliar men,
cities,
targets, even items of dress. Suddenly our editor was roused from
her early-morning lethargy by a sentence in which the reporter
compared
the splattering of political divisions on that pulverized nation’s
map to a painting by American artist Jackson Pollock — a fair
comparison, except Jackson Pollock’s name was spelled incorrectly.
Our editor’s blood pressure rose. "How can a writer, a newspaper,
and an entire society take an artist and his work as common currency,
and yet not even bother to spell it correctly," she harangued
her semi-conscious family. "It’s happening again. American artists
get no respect. First it was Georgia O’Keeffe, now Jackson
Pollock!"
Failing to get a rise out of the breakfast crowd, she went to her
computer, and fired off an early-morning letter to nytnews@NYTimes.com
The reaction stems from an unfortunate truth: that a simple error,
repeated often enough, takes on the appearance of fact. Newsprint
has a way of conferring credibility.
Fortunately, a publication with a pluralistic readership finds there
is always someone willing to go to bat for a maligned reputation or
careless reference. And within a day or two, the tables were turned.
An alert reader with an above-average knowledge of Chinese history,
wrote to dispute an item in our story on the "Modern Mongolia"
exhibit at the University of Pennsylvania Museum (November 21, 2001).
We apologize if we made Mr. Ho’s blood boil, too. And we thank him,
and all who take a minute or two out of their day to keep newspapers
honest.
Top Of Page
To the Editor
area. We have been enjoying your papers.
In the November 21 issue we read the article "Mongolia Goes
Modern,
Reclaiming Genghis Khan." In the second paragraph, under the topic
"The Conquerors are Conquered," please note that "[by
the end of the 1600s,] Mongolia was taken over by the Chinese Manchu
Dynasty" seems not correct.
According to my studies, when I was in the university in China, the
Mongolia or Yuan Dynasty in China was taken over by the Ming Dynasty
in China. Ming Dynasty controlled over China for more than two
centuries.
Then Ming Dynasty was taken over by Manchu or Ching Dynasty who
controlled
China for more than two centuries, too. Your article may be based
on other historical facts. Please ask the writer of the said article
to clarify the above mentioned point.
Anyway it is an interesting article. We have enjoyed reading it.
Forward V.K. Ho, retired
Monroe Township
her source the book, "Modern Mongolia," edited by exhibit
curator Paula L. W. Sabloff, indicates that the Manchu Dynasty began
its rule over greater Mongolia in 1691, a 275-year rule that ended
with the fall of the Manchu Dynasty, 1900 to 1911.
Corrections or additions?
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