The Corrections

Taddle Creek strives for perfection. But sometimes even Taddle Creek makes errors. And regrets them. Taddle Creek regrets the following errors. (If you find an error in an issue of the magazine that is not listed below, drop Taddle Creek a line and, if the magazine agrees it is an error, you will be awarded a free subscription.)

In the essay “Peeling Back the Layers,” by Alfred Holden, in the summer, 2011, issue, Paul Martel was referred to as a landscape architect. He is an unmodified architect in private practice. Taddle Creek felt it had checked this fact with Mr. Martel, but apparently some wires got crossed. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The editor-in-chief Conan Tobias’s on-line biographical note long stated his one-time association with the Acta Victoriana literary magazine, “the oldest magazine still publishing in Canada.” This “fact” was derived from a discussion among several industry veterans who couldn’t name a then-current magazine founded before 1878, the year of the Acta’s founding. In early 2011, tweeter Bret Dawson drew to Taddle Creek’s attention that the United Church Observer was founded in 1829, making it older than the Acta by a fact-breaking forty-nine years. Taddle Creek E-regrets the error.

In the Gallery article “Tragic Hero,” in the summer, 2010, issue, a photo caption written by Conan Tobias stated that the roof of the Saint John City Market resembles the inverted keel of a ship. Although that is the locally accepted lore, apparently there is some controversy surrounding this theory, depending on how one defines “resembles.” Reportedly the work of unemployed ship engineers, the roof is indeed flat and, to an expert, most likely does not look that much like a ship’s keel. To others, it may. Taddle Creek regrets the uncertainty.

The small type in the fake ad “Be an Artist,” by Michael Cho, in the summer, 2009, issue, read, in part, “No guarantees, express or implied are made with this offer.” The correct wording is, “No guarantees, expressed or implied, are made with this offer.” Taddle Creek caught this error before press and pointed it out to Mike, but he refused to make the change. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The magazine’s Halloween, 2008, editorial stated that Original Foods was the only company in Canada still manufacturing molasses kisses. A loyal reader presented Taddle Creek with a bag of Kerr’s kisses shortly thereafter, proving otherwise. Taddle Creek took the word of an Original representative while fact-checking and obviously should have dug further. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

In the Gallery article “The Art of Sport,” by Conan Tobias, in the Christmas, 2006, issue, the cartoonist Lou Skuce’s overhead-projector invention was referred to as a “Cartoonoscope.” It properly is called a “Cartoonograph.” Taddle Creek came across both spellings during the fact-checking process and, with only secondary sources at its disposal, opted for the former. It opted wrong. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

In the profile of the artist Sonja Ahlers, “Bunny Heads and Stranger Things,” by Rachel Pulfer, in the Christmas, 2006, issue, Ms. Ahlers was quoted making reference to a “heart” mural. It is in fact a “Heart” mural. When Taddle Creek fact-checked the article and asked Ms. Ahlers if she had indeed made a “heart” mural, she assumed the magazine was referring correctly to the band Heart, and not (incorrectly) to the internal organ, and said yes. It was Taddle Creek’s fault for not assuming someone would ever make a mural with Heart as its focus. It knows better now. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The magazine’s summer, 2006, editorial referred incorrectly to The Taddle Creek Guidebook to Fact-Checking Fiction as The Taddle Creek Guidebook to Fact-checking Fiction. Taddle Creek must have been ill when it let such an egregious hyphenation/capitalization error slip by. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The photograph of the urban guru Jane Jacobs, by Phillip Smith, in the Christmas, 2004, issue, really looked like crap when it was printed, even though the original photo was perfectly clear. (A much better, albeit smaller, version of the photo can be found in the summer, 2006, issue.) Taddle Creek takes equal blame along with the printer for this technical mishap. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The photograph of a small stuffed dog accompanying the story on how much the Japanese love Ian Phillips—“Big in Japan,” by Conan Tobias, in the Christmas, 2003, issue—had a line through it. It shouldn’t have. It was the printer’s fault. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The first paragraph of Taddle Creek Recommends in the summer, 2003, issue, was printed in the wrong font. Taddle Creek thinks it made a cut-and-paste error from an earlier template that went unnoticed. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

Page 24 of the summer, 2003, issue was printed off-centre. The copy should be slightly higher and to the right. It was the printer’s fault. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

In the most ironic of errors, the title of “Proofreader” was spelled as “Proof Reader” from the summer, 2003, issue through to the Christmas, 2005, issue, even though the magazine’s style is the former. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The photograph of the cartoonist Joe Matt, by Phillip Smith, in the Christmas, 2002, issue, really looked like crap when it was printed, even though the original photo was perfectly clear. Taddle Creek takes equal blame along with the printer for this technical mishap. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The photograph of the cover star Ken Tobias on the Christmas, 2002, issue was credited to Ian MacEachern and Gordon Anderson. Mr. MacEachern deserves sole credit. The stamp on the back of the original print credited both gentlemen. Taddle Creek has met Mr. MacEachern since and learned that his was the only finger on the shutter. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The cover of the summer, 2001, issue was printed with a matte finish. It should be a smooth gloss. It was the printer’s fault. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

In the Gallery article “Art Waiting to Happen,” by Conan Tobias, in the Christmas, 2000, issue, the subject of Greg Holman’s photograph at the top of page 43 was identified as Telford Fenton. It is not. The subject is unidentified. The magazine has no good excuse for this. It was simple sloppiness. Taddle Creek regrets the error. 

In Andrew Loung’s biography in the Christmas, 1999, issue, the name of the journal Ça Met Égal was spelled without accents. Taddle Creek could not find a copy of or contact information for this obscure journal in those days of information superhighway infancy, so it asked Andrew if he was really, really, sure of the spelling, and to please look at a copy to be super-extra sure. He swore there were no accents. The twenty-first-century Web calls you a liar, Mr. Loung! Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The cover of the Christmas, 1999, issue looked like it was printed in black and white. It is actually a blue duotone. It was supposed to be printed with a deep blue, much like the summer, 2002, issue, but came out so light as to appear to contain no colour at all. It was a printing error, but the magazine takes blame for this one. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The first three issues of Taddle Creek—Christmas, 1997, 1998, and 1999—were not very good. There’s some great stuff in them, but the issues are pretty sloppy in general. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

Page 36 of the Christmas, 1998, issue was printed off centre. The copy should be slightly to the right. It was the printer’s fault. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The contents of the Christmas, 1998, issue identified the cover star as Francis Tobias. It is not. There was a long discussion between those in the know about this person’s identity, and opinion was somewhat divided. The magazine is now satisfied that the information provided originally is incorrect. The cover star is apparently a very close (now deceased) friend of those in-the-know people, so close, apparently, that no one remembers his name. He is likely also the unidentified cover star of the Christmas, 2000, issue. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The Christmas, 1997, and Christmas, 1998, issues were not fact-checked in any kind of trustworthy way. They should have been. Taddle Creek wasn’t yet at the top of its game. Readers are cautioned not to believe a word in these issues without proper verification. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

In the essay “The Forgotten Stream,” by Alfred Holden, in the Christmas, 1997, issue, “courtesy” was spelled as “courtsey” in the photo credit on page 3. It was a typo. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The cover photo of the Christmas, 1997, issue was dated circa 1962. It is circa 1958. The magazine made an educated guess and since has realized it was wrong. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The spot colour on the cover of the Christmas, 1997, issue came out a pinkish orange. It should be a bright red, like the Christmas, 1998, issue. The magazine told the printer what colour it wanted, but the printer didn’t oblige. Taddle Creek regrets the error.

The cover of Christmas, 1997, issue—the magazine’s first—contained cover lines. It should not have. The magazine caved to peer pressure and bad advice and never made the mistake again. Taddle Creek regrets the error every single day.

The Christmas, 1997, issue—the magazine’s first—was eight-and-a-half inches wide by eleven inches high. It should be eight inches wide by ten-and-three-quarter inches high, just like all the rest. The magazine knew better, but somehow, inexplicably, it still happened. Chalk it up to gross stupidity. Taddle Creek regrets the error.