Jeff Deck is a man after our own hearts. The 28-year-old Dartmouth graduate has made it his mission to make our country a smarter place, one typo at a time. He travels from coast to coast, spotting and correcting misspelled words and forlorn grammar on signs in public places, chronicling his progress for the Typo Eradication Advancement League (TEAL). In his journeys, he's uncovered blooper advertisements for "beefstake tomatoes" in Lansdowne, PA and a sign warning "no smoking are dogs allowed" in Albuquerque, NM. Since his odyssey began, Deck has become something of a folk hero to NPR listeners, English teachers and, yes, editors all over America. 

There's potentially some big fun here for families who travel. Typos present a fabulous opportunity to teach kids how funny grammar can be. On your next trip, consider starting a family typo collection. Begin taking pictures of the goofs you spot in your travels. Make a scrapbook. Pretty soon, your kids will start picking up the difference between "its" and "it's" and "there" and "their." They'll become more aware of errant apostrophes and dangling participles. And best of all: Your family will be doing its part to raise the national IQ.