Web stories are, given the immediacy of the Net’s news cycle, prone to typos.

That’s still no excuse for poor headline writing — especially when it can carry sexual innuendo.

The CBC’s story about a Canadian general’s unauthorized firearm discharge can read like it was written by Bevis or Butthead, and never considered how it could be interpreted.

First, it’s incorrect, unless there was supposed to be a doctor involved. No dice. No other type of probe should ordered into ones’ self. Next (unseen in the screen capture here) there’s a video link that reads, “Ménard orders probe of himself“.

There is also a crude joke that can be found from the story, in a lede from another outlet, about getting the officer essentially getting his gun off (there’s no link because this post is bad enough). Of course, the lead in the CBC story is well played.

Editors sometimes rag on reporters or not simplifying content to meet the demands of a readership/audience that carries the command of a Grade 5, 6 or 7 reading level (take your pick). This, however, forgets that the approach — to some lowest common denominator — leaves wordsmithing open to the interpretation that excludes not certain levels of unintended sexual connotation.

Here, it is too bad the headline did not follow the lead as an example… Pun intended, but puns are for another post on the unexpected consequences found from Internet news reports.

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