The Blaps collection

The blaps is one of the most precious things the media offer their audiences. Few serious stories offer quite as much enjoyment as the unintentional slip. Many a dinner pary hovering on the edge of complete collapse, with conversation listless and boring, has been revived by the recounting of a treasured blaps. Of course, they are not all equal. Some are simply stupid, others reveal delightful unintended meanings.

We are proud to present journalism.co.za's collection of fine blapses. We encourage you to contribute your own favourites, by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . If you can send an electronic image of the page or headline, that would be welcome. But please remember: a misspelled headline won't qualify for inclusion. It needs to be funny in an unintended way.

The Master in Charge of Shooting at Bishops is Mr Rodney Warwick
- From the Bishop's Diocesan College website,  29 October 2009
At least someone is in charge of this: we'd hate for there to be indiscriminate shooting of the clergy...

From The Star, 24 April 2007. Funny, we thought they were generally made that way ...

From SABC 3, exact date unavailable. Thanks to Ryan Fortune, who comments: "Yes, folks, the Incredible Comrade Fidel Castro went to University six years before his birth and spent four years underground before busting out."  At the tender age of 3, he lead a revolution and became, no doubt, the world's youngest prime minister!.....if you believe the SABC!! Pay your TV license fee....and consider it a charitable donation to the mentally retarded that work there - they obviously need even more help!"

Warning: This picture may offend sensitive Republicans. We don't know where it comes from, but we really like it.

(The Ethiopian Herald, Dec 5 2006)

('Tiger Woods' and 'Psychics' from the site http://headlinehumor.com/headlines1.htm)

• Health-e, led by Cullinan, is spearheading a hard-hitting investigation into bizarre vitamin experiments conducted by the Rath Foundation in Khayelitsha. Two people have died.- Mail&Guardian, October 7 to 13 2005
  Must have been a very hard-hitting investigation indeed.

• Chefs' wives, kids join US blacklist
  Zimbabwe Independent, November 25 to Dec 1, 2005
  Something is definitely cooking there ...

• Chefs in fresh land grab orgy in Mat North
  - Headline on website of Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe, Aug 25 2005
  We hope they don't plant Brussels Sprouts

• Today is World Meteorology Day. What does that mean exactly? It doesn't mean very much to those who don't know what it means.
  - Xolani Gwala on SAFM, 20 March 2005
  That's all of us.
  
  
• Great South Africans axed
  - Front page headline in The Citizen, 15 October 2004
  What? None left?
  
  
• Hurricane Ivan wreaked havoc in the Crazyman Islands, three tiny islands between Jamaica and Cuba.
  - The Star, 21 September 2004, spotted by the Financial Mail
  These storms can really drive subs mad.
  
  
• SAA Communications executive Victor Nkosi made a whistle-stop tour of Standard Bank, where he briefly headed its communications division before moving into private enterprise.
  - Finance Week, date unknown, spotted by the Financial Mail
  As the FM points out, it seems the bank is closer to government than we thought.
  
  
• Pilots put balls on line
  - Jeffreys Bay Advertiser, date unknown
  Story about silver balls being placed on powerlines to improve visibility
  
  
• Mud slide missing
  - The Citizen, date unknown
  Gone to the same place as misplaced socks?