Good grammar is about as important now as spats, linen handkerchiefs, crinolines, sit down family dinners, etc. Life is too hectic, full of distractions, busy. The young are, like, totally into materialism and care about possessions, not "phraseology" (The Music Man). Look at the caliber of homework now compared to 30 years ago. Now you have to work on a project like a professional writer, editor, photo-layout artist, etc. They have to use spell-check to cut time. And they are impatient with the stupid way words are spelled with so many ending the same but sounding different, etc. We hated it too, but had no choice. And then there are a lot of people from different cultures that have english as a second language. Let's face it. We had TIME to learn spelling. How can you learn it now with satelite TV, DVD's, computer games, internet, chat rooms, and most kids have jobs too.

No wonder spelling has gone down the toilet. It's become a trivial detail that no one has time for or cares about. Like shoe polish.

I am willing to let their spelling slide. When they need to know it, they will pay attention. Some people may be just lazy typists.

Hey....did you ever have to look up a word in the dictionary but you couldn't find it? That happens to me a few times. You can't figure out what the first few letters of the word are.