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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/aug/16/irish-times-subeditor-comes-up-with-a-perfect-pun
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Irish Times subeditor comes up with a perfect pun Irish Times subeditor comes up with a perfect pun | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| I’m about to take a two-day break but I can’t go without mentioning a superb headline I came across in today’s Irish Times. | I’m about to take a two-day break but I can’t go without mentioning a superb headline I came across in today’s Irish Times. |
| It was over a fairly routine story about research at Galway university into the declining numbers of the “dark European honey bee” (apis mellifera mellifera, in case you wondered). | It was over a fairly routine story about research at Galway university into the declining numbers of the “dark European honey bee” (apis mellifera mellifera, in case you wondered). |
| Evidently, according to Grace McCormack, professor of molecular evolution and systematics laboratory at NUI Galway, a subspecies in Ireland “is likely to be the last stronghold of this species.” | Evidently, according to Grace McCormack, professor of molecular evolution and systematics laboratory at NUI Galway, a subspecies in Ireland “is likely to be the last stronghold of this species.” |
| Their population has decreased because many beehives suffer from infection with the varroa mite, necessitating chemical treatment that is itself harmful to the bees’ health. So what’s the solution? | Their population has decreased because many beehives suffer from infection with the varroa mite, necessitating chemical treatment that is itself harmful to the bees’ health. So what’s the solution? |
| McCormack believes wild bees are resistant to the mites that affect beekeepers’ hives so she came up with a plan. She and her her team would find wild bee colonies that are naturally resistant to such infections. | McCormack believes wild bees are resistant to the mites that affect beekeepers’ hives so she came up with a plan. She and her her team would find wild bee colonies that are naturally resistant to such infections. |
| And the newspaper’s headline (in print) was perfect: “University researchers come up with plan bee.” Online, where SEO rules, I am delighted to report that the pun survived in a slightly more awkward form: “NUIG researchers come up with plan bee for survival.” | And the newspaper’s headline (in print) was perfect: “University researchers come up with plan bee.” Online, where SEO rules, I am delighted to report that the pun survived in a slightly more awkward form: “NUIG researchers come up with plan bee for survival.” |
| But let’s appreciate the skills of the subeditor who wrote it originally. And no, I do not intend to come up with a responding pun. I leave that to my readers. Instead, I will go off to the Isle of Innisfree... See you again on Friday. | But let’s appreciate the skills of the subeditor who wrote it originally. And no, I do not intend to come up with a responding pun. I leave that to my readers. Instead, I will go off to the Isle of Innisfree... See you again on Friday. |