Yes.

They're both right, and I didn't compose the text.

t assumes the vestments of the First Church of the Serial Comma (reformed)

Actually, it's an arbitrary choice.

However, all decent, non-pagan, well-raised writers make the correct arbitrary choice. That of the serial comma.

Fortunately, we of the FCSC(R) do not burn heretics at the stake.

We do, however, empty our pencil sharpenings into their bedclothes.

However, all decent, non-pagan, well-raised writers make the correct arbitrary choice. That of the serial comma.

Though I will point out that in the UK, despite it being the standard at Oxford Press, it is far less common.

I have never beta'd a UK writer who uses them, and I regretfully concede that yes, perhaps they are optional.

Unless I'm writing, in which case, you and me and the comma makes three tonight.

Isn't the former grammatically correct as well?

Not if you attended my strict Catholic school, sir; there, it was the comma, or hell. I didn't even learn about the optionality of the comma until I met the Buffistas.

t edit Which is not to say that the nuns were necessarily right-- just emphatic. t /edit

And I figured that whether ita wrote it or not, she'd be someone you'd not want to offend when you were running commas by your text.

Dude. I tried to make journalists embrace the serial comma. Do you see serial commas in papers today? No, you do not. Did I fail miserably? Yes, I did.

I have never beta'd a UK writer who uses them, and I regretfully concede that yes, perhaps they are optional.

Ahem! I would like to refute that, on the grounds that I was under the impression I used serial commas. It may be that I don't, or that I don't type them, or something, but while I accept they are optional, I think it reads better with the extra comma. My vote's with RL- change, please?

I figure if we just keep talking about Sondheim and Nietzsche and the projectile trajectories of Salad Shooters (as applied to the shows, of course) -- that is to say, keep being Buffistas -- we'll be fine. Those who find such dissertation intriguing will stay, others will flee.

WROD! The best defense is, of course, to continue to be Buffistas. Allyson's worries are very much my worries. Our worries aren't even twins or clones, they are exactly the same.

edited because my brain knows the difference between are and our. Really. I promise.

AP style is no comma before the "and." I get beaten over the head at work if I use one.

I haven't read the post we're discussing, but would it work to move the graph to the Sunnyville Press thread, which is where most Minearketeer, etc. stuff goes now?

And I kind of like the idea of new people. Diversity good, and we would frighten anyone too braindead away pretty quickly.

Kind of early, but Firefly: Josssssss Innnnn Spaaaaaaaaaaace! is at about 8400 posts. Given the news, the support campaign, the influx of new posters and that next weekend is the Serenity episode - we'll soon need a new thread.

I propose Firefly 2: You Can't Take the Sky From Me.