After a month away without internet, I am catching up on Gene Pools, and feel compelled to comment on this characterization of Republicans: "They think health care has to make a profit for shareholders."
It's an important nuance, but many Democrats in a capitalist society have always been ok with companies like insurers and drug manufacturers and hospitals making a profit for shareholders. These industries were once more regulated, and delivered predictable profits in the form of dividends. What's changed with modern Republicans is that they believe these companies must be unregulated and have a mandate to deliver QUARTERLY PROFIT GROWTH for shareholders by any means necessary.
It's an important nuance for factual reasons but also for political reasons, in terms of ever hoping to win over moderate thinkers.
Gene Weingarten mentions a haiku he wrote in eighth grade. Back in 2015, I featured that haiku on my website 'A Step in the Write Direction,' which features early writings from notable writers. Gene actually expanded upon it a little more in that post:
What, no fud this week ? Since it's the weekend, permit me to substitute one of the worst tipples I've recently come across, both eye-watering to read about and stomach-churning to imbibe (except for those already well and truly hammered)..
Behold the "Cement Mixer." It's made from Baileys Irish Cream and lime juice. You drink the Baileys and hold the shot in your mouth, then take the shot of lime juice and swirl the mixture around. The juice's acidity causes the Baileys to rapidly curdle, so you have to chew the congealed mass. Do try this at home --- only! Cheers!
You mentioned that one of your favorite expressions was the disclaimer “void where prohibited” which has been around for a long time, but has a more-recent counterpart in drug commercials : “don’t take this product if you are allergic to it, or any of its ingredients”. In other words, if you have a reaction to what we make, it’s not our fault it’s yours for not following instructions.
A) Void as in prohibited, or void as in urinate? Both are hilarious.
B) There's just one way to find out if you are allergic to a drug, and that's to take it. "Please let your doctor know immediately if you have (an anaphylactic reaction)" always makes me laugh. If you could actually reach the doctor in such an emergency, s/he would tell you to call 911 immediately.
Re: the Leopold-Loeb case, I read somewhere that when Loeb was knifed to death in prison by another inmate -- supposedly for making sexual overtures -- a local tabloid ran a story that began, "Richard Albert Loeb yesterday ended his sentence with a proposition."
Just like the canard about the Chevy Nova, there's no evidence that an actual story about Loeb's death ever appeared with that line. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_and_Loeb#Loeb's_death - it was later attributed to "an unknown correspondent in Chicago".
I think I got it from a wonderful book I read years ago -- "The Madhouse on Madison Street," by George Murray, "a rowdy, wonderful account of the deathless newsmen and editorial giants of Hearst's Chicago American."
Last week someone mentioned owning a Ford Fiesta. A friend of mine had one. Hurricane Hugo dropped a large tree trunk on it, like a hot dog on a bun. My friend was downright pleased. She said, "That storm was terrifying, but it was worth it."
As long as we're talking, cars, I used to sell cars back in the 80s in one of the Tyson's Corner dealerships Here are a couple of true stories.
I sold a convertible in a snowstorm. And two days later after all the snow was cleared a guy came wanting to trade in his car, because his wife wouldn't drive it in the snow. While he was out test driving a new car, I sold his trade-in. I had to put off the guy buying the trade-in until we completed the deal from first guy and actually, you know, owned the trade-in.
The funniest thing I saw in the dealership was a move the sales guy that sat next me did. He had been working this "devout" couple for almost a week. They would come in, not complete a deal and come back a day or two later. He worked them on the exact car they wanted, made sure they could finance it. He was doing EVERYTHING he could to get this couple to commit. Finally, he got them to sit down and write up the paperwork. They are sitting across from him and he pushes the paperwork in front of them to sign. The couple looks at each other and the guy says, "I think we need to go home and pray on this." The sales guy immediately puts his hands out across the desk, palms up, bows his head and says, "How about right now?" They instinctively grab his hands and bow their heads. He pauses in silence for about a minute and then lifts his head and says, "Well, I feel pretty good about it. How about you?" And they signed the paperwork.
re: fart jokes. My 7 year old daughter recently was informed though a series of events I won't go into of how one ends up being on the receiving end of a "dutch oven". She carefully pondered this new information as I braced myself for the invevitable attempts to dutch oven us that were sure to follow as she has no young siblings on which to use this knowledge. Instead, later that day, we were laying in my bed watching a movie and relaxing when our little 7 year old, crept into the room (well, a 7 year old's version of creeping so it including obvious giggling), slid up the foot of our bed under the covers, tucked herself all in and let one rip. We had to explain how she had in fact dutch ovened herself and not either of us. She has not given up the hope of one day successfully pulling off a dutch oven of both her parents.
Since leaving well enough alone is clearly not a trait encouraged here, I thought it appropriate to revisit the deliberate or otherwise, Volvo-vulva malapropism (interestingly, both come from the same Latin root) mentioned in the last blog comments. More to the point, it forced me to refresh my memory about the unintentional double entendres of the original names or badges for several past vehicles.
The Mitsubishi Pajero, for example, was named for a small wild South American cat. "Pajero" is also Spanish slang for someone who repeatedly indulges in, shall we say, self-gratification. So, the SUV was quickly re-badged the "Montiero" in Spanish-speaking countries ("Montero" in the US) --- the Mitsubishi "Wanker" not being a particularly marketable name. GM's plan to re-badge its Buick Regal as the LaCrosse in Canada met the same fate, and for pretty much the same reason, because of Québécois youth lingo. And Honda's decision to name its compact the "Fitta" was changed in favor of the "Fit," when it was discovered that "fitta" means the "c-word" in Swedish and Norwegian slang. This would've made its ad slogan, "small on the outside, big on the inside" all the more memorable.
Not in the same league, but funny to me was Texas Christian University (TCU) and when I was in High School in Texas we knew their mascot as a "Horney Toad." Nobody thought much about it. They ran all over and if you turned one over you could pet its tummy and it would sleep. Later on, they realized what they were saying and now everyone says "Horned Toad." I just laugh.
It's mind-boggling to me that any brand would fail to do all the research possible to make sure their new product name didn't inadvertently make it a target for ridicule. Chevrolet marketing their "Nova" in Spanish-speaking countries comes to mind. I once did graphic design work for a college that was changing its name to become a university. I had to impress upon their copywriters that when referring to the school in print, its acronym (ANU) should never be used in possessive form.
There was a school in Philadelphia called "Beaver College," which was fine until internet searches at high schools added "porn-blockers," and students couldn't search for said school. It is now Arcadia University.
It actually wasn't exactly fine, it was the subject of ridicule IRL long before the internet. I studied abroad with one of their programs. I love reading university history on their websites and seeing the college's official reason for why they changed their name, rather than the commonly accepted one. Sometimes it's legit--big donation, etc., sometimes it's because they realize the original name has a scatalogical 2nd meaning as in this case.
One of the most appropriately inappropriate names was what George Mason first named their law school to honor Antonin Scalia: The Antonin Scalia School of Law. No one considered what the acronym for the law school would spell. BTW, is there an acrornym equivalent to aptonym?
After a month away without internet, I am catching up on Gene Pools, and feel compelled to comment on this characterization of Republicans: "They think health care has to make a profit for shareholders."
It's an important nuance, but many Democrats in a capitalist society have always been ok with companies like insurers and drug manufacturers and hospitals making a profit for shareholders. These industries were once more regulated, and delivered predictable profits in the form of dividends. What's changed with modern Republicans is that they believe these companies must be unregulated and have a mandate to deliver QUARTERLY PROFIT GROWTH for shareholders by any means necessary.
It's an important nuance for factual reasons but also for political reasons, in terms of ever hoping to win over moderate thinkers.
Gene Weingarten mentions a haiku he wrote in eighth grade. Back in 2015, I featured that haiku on my website 'A Step in the Write Direction,' which features early writings from notable writers. Gene actually expanded upon it a little more in that post:
http://astepinthewritedirection.com/2015/10/23/gene-weingarten/
Padma Lakshmi is leaving Top Chef. Perhaps to open a curry bar? Certainly not a comedy club.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/06/02/padma-lakshmi-leaving-top-chef/
What, no fud this week ? Since it's the weekend, permit me to substitute one of the worst tipples I've recently come across, both eye-watering to read about and stomach-churning to imbibe (except for those already well and truly hammered)..
Behold the "Cement Mixer." It's made from Baileys Irish Cream and lime juice. You drink the Baileys and hold the shot in your mouth, then take the shot of lime juice and swirl the mixture around. The juice's acidity causes the Baileys to rapidly curdle, so you have to chew the congealed mass. Do try this at home --- only! Cheers!
My wife prefers a Lime in the Coconut margarita.
I left you the Leonard Cohen quote because of something you said about yourself and the “ugly 70s.”
You mentioned that one of your favorite expressions was the disclaimer “void where prohibited” which has been around for a long time, but has a more-recent counterpart in drug commercials : “don’t take this product if you are allergic to it, or any of its ingredients”. In other words, if you have a reaction to what we make, it’s not our fault it’s yours for not following instructions.
A) Void as in prohibited, or void as in urinate? Both are hilarious.
B) There's just one way to find out if you are allergic to a drug, and that's to take it. "Please let your doctor know immediately if you have (an anaphylactic reaction)" always makes me laugh. If you could actually reach the doctor in such an emergency, s/he would tell you to call 911 immediately.
Re: the Leopold-Loeb case, I read somewhere that when Loeb was knifed to death in prison by another inmate -- supposedly for making sexual overtures -- a local tabloid ran a story that began, "Richard Albert Loeb yesterday ended his sentence with a proposition."
Just like the canard about the Chevy Nova, there's no evidence that an actual story about Loeb's death ever appeared with that line. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_and_Loeb#Loeb's_death - it was later attributed to "an unknown correspondent in Chicago".
I think I got it from a wonderful book I read years ago -- "The Madhouse on Madison Street," by George Murray, "a rowdy, wonderful account of the deathless newsmen and editorial giants of Hearst's Chicago American."
Last week someone mentioned owning a Ford Fiesta. A friend of mine had one. Hurricane Hugo dropped a large tree trunk on it, like a hot dog on a bun. My friend was downright pleased. She said, "That storm was terrifying, but it was worth it."
I was the one, Connie! Worst car I ever owned!
As long as we're talking, cars, I used to sell cars back in the 80s in one of the Tyson's Corner dealerships Here are a couple of true stories.
I sold a convertible in a snowstorm. And two days later after all the snow was cleared a guy came wanting to trade in his car, because his wife wouldn't drive it in the snow. While he was out test driving a new car, I sold his trade-in. I had to put off the guy buying the trade-in until we completed the deal from first guy and actually, you know, owned the trade-in.
The funniest thing I saw in the dealership was a move the sales guy that sat next me did. He had been working this "devout" couple for almost a week. They would come in, not complete a deal and come back a day or two later. He worked them on the exact car they wanted, made sure they could finance it. He was doing EVERYTHING he could to get this couple to commit. Finally, he got them to sit down and write up the paperwork. They are sitting across from him and he pushes the paperwork in front of them to sign. The couple looks at each other and the guy says, "I think we need to go home and pray on this." The sales guy immediately puts his hands out across the desk, palms up, bows his head and says, "How about right now?" They instinctively grab his hands and bow their heads. He pauses in silence for about a minute and then lifts his head and says, "Well, I feel pretty good about it. How about you?" And they signed the paperwork.
re: fart jokes. My 7 year old daughter recently was informed though a series of events I won't go into of how one ends up being on the receiving end of a "dutch oven". She carefully pondered this new information as I braced myself for the invevitable attempts to dutch oven us that were sure to follow as she has no young siblings on which to use this knowledge. Instead, later that day, we were laying in my bed watching a movie and relaxing when our little 7 year old, crept into the room (well, a 7 year old's version of creeping so it including obvious giggling), slid up the foot of our bed under the covers, tucked herself all in and let one rip. We had to explain how she had in fact dutch ovened herself and not either of us. She has not given up the hope of one day successfully pulling off a dutch oven of both her parents.
Since leaving well enough alone is clearly not a trait encouraged here, I thought it appropriate to revisit the deliberate or otherwise, Volvo-vulva malapropism (interestingly, both come from the same Latin root) mentioned in the last blog comments. More to the point, it forced me to refresh my memory about the unintentional double entendres of the original names or badges for several past vehicles.
The Mitsubishi Pajero, for example, was named for a small wild South American cat. "Pajero" is also Spanish slang for someone who repeatedly indulges in, shall we say, self-gratification. So, the SUV was quickly re-badged the "Montiero" in Spanish-speaking countries ("Montero" in the US) --- the Mitsubishi "Wanker" not being a particularly marketable name. GM's plan to re-badge its Buick Regal as the LaCrosse in Canada met the same fate, and for pretty much the same reason, because of Québécois youth lingo. And Honda's decision to name its compact the "Fitta" was changed in favor of the "Fit," when it was discovered that "fitta" means the "c-word" in Swedish and Norwegian slang. This would've made its ad slogan, "small on the outside, big on the inside" all the more memorable.
Not in the same league, but funny to me was Texas Christian University (TCU) and when I was in High School in Texas we knew their mascot as a "Horney Toad." Nobody thought much about it. They ran all over and if you turned one over you could pet its tummy and it would sleep. Later on, they realized what they were saying and now everyone says "Horned Toad." I just laugh.
AKA "Horned Frog."
It's mind-boggling to me that any brand would fail to do all the research possible to make sure their new product name didn't inadvertently make it a target for ridicule. Chevrolet marketing their "Nova" in Spanish-speaking countries comes to mind. I once did graphic design work for a college that was changing its name to become a university. I had to impress upon their copywriters that when referring to the school in print, its acronym (ANU) should never be used in possessive form.
There was a school in Philadelphia called "Beaver College," which was fine until internet searches at high schools added "porn-blockers," and students couldn't search for said school. It is now Arcadia University.
It actually wasn't exactly fine, it was the subject of ridicule IRL long before the internet. I studied abroad with one of their programs. I love reading university history on their websites and seeing the college's official reason for why they changed their name, rather than the commonly accepted one. Sometimes it's legit--big donation, etc., sometimes it's because they realize the original name has a scatalogical 2nd meaning as in this case.
One of the most appropriately inappropriate names was what George Mason first named their law school to honor Antonin Scalia: The Antonin Scalia School of Law. No one considered what the acronym for the law school would spell. BTW, is there an acrornym equivalent to aptonym?
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/06/473228688/plan-for-antonin-scalia-school-of-law-is-tweaked-over-unfortunate-acronym
Of course, now that it's the Antonin Scalia Law School instead, only ASLS chaps attend.
there was once a company called COPRO.
i do, alas, believe the nova story was not true.
Correct. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chevrolet-nova-name-spanish/
Really? Well, good.
Btw, do you remember, many decades ago, MAD magazine had a parody of Auto Trader-type mini-tabloids? I loved their made-up car names. Dodge Polyp.