Any online writing courses recommended?

[BuckeyeDEJ]

Classic example:

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope, and Mother Teresa.

or

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope and Mother Teresa.

That comma, also known as the Fowler Comma, makes a huge difference.

That extra comma makes your parents the Pope, versus one of a series of people or objects:
"I had dinner with my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Board, and Mother Teresa."

However, here's where it can work to clarify things:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board, and Mother Teresa."

Otherwise, Mother Teresa may become a third wheel in your family:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board and Mother Teresa."

I'm only a fan of that comma when it's required to eliminate confusion. It's superfluous.

[SarDragon]

Classic example:

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope, and Mother Teresa.

or

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope and Mother Teresa.

That comma, also known as the Fowler Comma, makes a huge difference.

That extra comma makes your parents the Pope, versus one of a series of people or objects:
"I had dinner with my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Board, and Mother Teresa."

However, here's where it can work to clarify things:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board, and Mother Teresa."

Otherwise, Mother Teresa may become a third wheel in your family:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board and Mother Teresa."

I'm only a fan of that comma when it's required to eliminate confusion. It's superfluous.

In this case, it is NOT superfluous. It defines the specific people eating dinner, and their relationship (or lack thereof). The comma is used as a pause when reading the sentence.

I got this from this guy. He is a retired English professor, who makes his living these days writing books and talking about language.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

Classic example:

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope, and Mother Teresa.

or

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope and Mother Teresa.

That comma, also known as the Fowler Comma, makes a huge difference.

That extra comma makes your parents the Pope, versus one of a series of people or objects:
"I had dinner with my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Board, and Mother Teresa."

However, here's where it can work to clarify things:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board, and Mother Teresa."

Otherwise, Mother Teresa may become a third wheel in your family:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board and Mother Teresa."

I'm only a fan of that comma when it's required to eliminate confusion. It's superfluous.

In this case, it is NOT superfluous. It defines the specific people eating dinner, and their relationship (or lack thereof). The comma is used as a pause when reading the sentence.

I got this from this guy. He is a retired English professor, who makes his living these days writing books and talking about language.

Retired professor. Figures. Well, outside the college environment, it's not used a whole lot. 

[Woodsy]

Classic example:

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope, and Mother Teresa.

or

Last night, I had dinner with my parents, the Pope and Mother Teresa.

That comma, also known as the Fowler Comma, makes a huge difference.

That extra comma makes your parents the Pope, versus one of a series of people or objects:
"I had dinner with my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Board, and Mother Teresa."

However, here's where it can work to clarify things:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board, and Mother Teresa."

Otherwise, Mother Teresa may become a third wheel in your family:
"I had dinner with my parents, Bill and Cuppy Board and Mother Teresa."

I'm only a fan of that comma when it's required to eliminate confusion. It's superfluous.

In this case, it is NOT superfluous. It defines the specific people eating dinner, and their relationship (or lack thereof). The comma is used as a pause when reading the sentence.

I got this from this guy. He is a retired English professor, who makes his living these days writing books and talking about language.

Retired professor. Figures. Well, outside the college environment, it's not used a whole lot. 

I did a "summer camp for college kids" type of thing my junior year of college at The Florida Times Union (big paper in Jacksonville.)  It wasn't an internship; more of a week-long hands-on experience builder.  It's funny what you say about college professors, because within the first 5 minutes of day one at "newspaper camp" the editor leading the class said "Forget everything you learned in college."

[Critical AOA]

I did a "summer camp for college kids" type of thing my junior year of college at The Florida Times Union (big paper in Jacksonville.)  It wasn't an internship; more of a week-long hands-on experience builder.  It's funny what you say about college professors, because within the first 5 minutes of day one at "newspaper camp" the editor leading the class said "Forget everything you learned in college."

Heck, I know people who seemed to have forgotten everything from K through 12 as well.

[Garibaldi]

I did a "summer camp for college kids" type of thing my junior year of college at The Florida Times Union (big paper in Jacksonville.)  It wasn't an internship; more of a week-long hands-on experience builder.  It's funny what you say about college professors, because within the first 5 minutes of day one at "newspaper camp" the editor leading the class said "Forget everything you learned in college."

Heck, I know people who seemed to have forgotten everything from K through 12 as well.

just wut the heck ar u incineratin?

[Critical AOA]

I did a "summer camp for college kids" type of thing my junior year of college at The Florida Times Union (big paper in Jacksonville.)  It wasn't an internship; more of a week-long hands-on experience builder.  It's funny what you say about college professors, because within the first 5 minutes of day one at "newspaper camp" the editor leading the class said "Forget everything you learned in college."

Heck, I know people who seemed to have forgotten everything from K through 12 as well.

just wut the heck ar u incineratin?

nutin'... just sayin' dat sum folks 'round dees here parts seem like dey aint got no edumacation.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

People in Jacksonville know how to read?

I keed. I keed. Jacksonville really isn't in Florida, though. Just in name only. The real Florida starts south of I-4, culturally. Jacksonville's the biggest city in south Georgia.

[Critical AOA]

People say a similar thing about Memphis in that it is a lot more like Mississippi than Tennessee.

[SarDragon]

People in Jacksonville know how to read?

I keed. I keed. Jacksonville really isn't in Florida, though. Just in name only. The real Florida starts south of I-4, culturally. Jacksonville's the biggest city in south Georgia.

Jax is almost big enough to be its own state. It's 75% of the size of Rhode Island, and has a higher population density.

Having lived there for three years, I'd still consider it more Florida than Georgia, though.

[Woodsy]

People in Jacksonville know how to read?

I keed. I keed. Jacksonville really isn't in Florida, though. Just in name only. The real Florida starts south of I-4, culturally. Jacksonville's the biggest city in south Georgia.

Sadly, I can't argue with that.