Starlin

[Ace]

<!--quoteo(post=81918:date=Mar 7 2010, 06:10 PM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ Mar 7 2010, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=81907:date=Mar 7 2010, 04:21 PM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Mar 7 2010, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=81904:date=Mar 7 2010, 03:05 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Mar 7 2010, 03:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=81902:date=Mar 7 2010, 01:55 PM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Mar 7 2010, 01:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=81900:date=Mar 7 2010, 02:45 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Mar 7 2010, 02:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Who quoted this? I always wonder why writers put things in parenthesis most of the time, if the person they are quoting actually said it or if they are just filling the blank.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It means the person didn't actually say it, and the writer is trying to help the reader out. Brackets, IMO, are better for that purpose than parentheses.
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Parenthesis are correct for filling in a piece of information in a quotation that the speaker didn't actually say. This is useful for clarifying, when a quote taken out of context, doesn't contain a bit of information that's necessary for a reader to make sense of it. It's most often used to complete a name of a person or place that could be confusing without the clarification.
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And brackets are better.
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My understanding is bracket's are used when the writer followed up on the source for clarification and parenthesis are used for the writer to just put in his/her own interpretation of what they think the source meant. Not quite sure on that though.
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I hadn't heard that, but I would love to know for sure. I only know the legal world, and we use only brackets, so I'm partial.