Spelling annoyances

Lenin does it. So does Pootergeek. As does Norm.* Politically different, yet the same problem; they all spell 'defence' with an 's'.

Which is an Americanism.

I'm happy for the Yanks to do this but they can't spell, can they? You lot have no excuse.

Other annoyances: Christopher Hitchens spelling Labour party as 'Labor party'. Damn it all, man - even the Americans know to render it Labour party, with a 'u'.

And he has used 'gotten' in the past.

Taken the assimilation thing a bit far - in more ways than one, if you ask me.

Sorry, but it's been annoying me - can't even concentrate on your articles because you spell defence with a goddam 's'. Stop it at once.

Regional usage annoyance: Scottish school teachers calling the headteacher the headmaster. English people call teachers 'masters', which frankly I think is a bit weird. In Scotland we refer to them as teachers, regardless of their rank. Ok, so that's often a misnomer these days but I'm talking tradition here...

*Correction: Ok, so only when he's quoting Pootergeek.