Wordsmiths Unite!

I am reading my copy of Stunk and White's Element of Style. I've always been bothered by the very first rule:

Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's.
Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write,
Charles's friend
Burns's poems
the witch's malice

I've always written possesives of nouns ending in s with just an apostrophe, for example:

He added that the tense situation is being further fueled by Justice Sec. Raul Gonzales’ “psychotic statements.”

I've been taught that it is sufficient to form possessives of nouns ending in s with an apostrope in grade school by all of my English teachers. In my university, my professors did the same, even if Strunk and White's bible was recommended reading in journalism school.

What gives? I'd like to conduct an opinion poll to get rid of the doubt that forms at the back of my head every time I need to form a possessive of a noun ending in s!

UPDATE: Thanks, to Anansi Girl, I discovered that Jessica Zafra now has a blog.
Even if I'm not much of a fan, she still is an interesting read.



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