Re doctors offices and text to speech robocalls, my last name (I pronounce it “Kotch”, rhymes with “watch”) is frequently butchered by text to speech and robocalls, often in a way that is decidedly not safe for work. But at least it’s not as bad as what it does to my sister Leanne’s name. She’ll get robocalls from her doctors reminding her that “Lean Cock” has an upcoming appointment.
To people new to The Invitational: We used to run this information every week in the contest, but we cut it so the "fine print" doesn't go on too long. But there's a venerable and active social community for entrants and fans of the Invite (self-named the Loser Community, long story), with a 2000+-member Facebook group, weekly standings and a complete archive, and in-person brunches and parties around the year.
Sign up for the Style Invitational Devotees FB group at bit.ly/invdev (tell us that you came from The Gene Pool); see all the stats, archives, and coming events at the Losers' website, NRARS.org.
There are so many good entries this week: the references to Hitler (I like the time paradox the best), Rick Astley (Does this mean we got Rickrolled?), Vlad the Wedgie-Giver, Dopart's Trumpian take on the Emperor, the Jimi Hendrix mondegreen, and Robert Frost writing his name in the woods on a snowy evening. If I have to choose only one, it's the Robert Frost reference. By the way, there is a factual error in the entry on Captain Sully. The flight was to Charlotte, NC. Charlottesville doesn't have a runway long enough to land the plane.
Once was an accident. Twice? I'd say you're testing us, but I think you're REALLY making a witty allusion to the Invitational Context/Contest for Week 62. Even Pat the Perfect cannot run the results on March 14, 2 days before entries are due.
1) If you want "vice-like" to be banished in favor of the correct “vise-like,” then pronounce “vise" the way it’s spelled – to rhyme with “wise.”
2) I read the Robert Frost/"Stopping by woods" entry right after I finished today's NYT crossword puzzle, which (spoiler alert) has that poem as its theme.
The poll at the end: I want to say that I did know the Churchill quote but didn't realize that Frank was referencing it in his joke. I didn't click the link until after I had read the poll and answered no.
Strange and perverse anxiety bred of initial shock, when I am now around newly-minted adults of the female persuasion in the family. Full bore swearing and especially f-bomb carpet bombing. I suppose now that many of George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" are being said --- and certainly on cable and in streaming --- I shouldn't be surprised, but it's still unsettling to hear a young woman of my long acquaintance (that would be from about fertilized egg) casually drop the f-word into conversation, several times. And not for shock value. It's become part of the vernacular. In fact, there are studies showing the the use of it among women has dramatically increased some phenomenal percentage over the past several decades, while men's use has dropped. Certainly "ladylike" language is more or less a thing of the past. But now, I find myself waiting a bit anxiously to get past the seemingly inevitable words you never used say in front of an older family member.
Yes, the corresponding word for "avuncular," which means "like an uncle," is "materteral."
However, it's worth noting that "materteral" is not as commonly used as "avuncular," and you may not encounter it as frequently in everyday conversation or writing. Nonetheless, "materteral" is the appropriate term for describing qualities or behaviors that are characteristic of an aunt.
Regarding Superman II: I had a mad crush on the late Christopher Reeve, and I’ve seen that movie a bunch of times. The allusion is that he becomes human, has sex with Lois Lane (which, of course, is the reason for becoming human), and then is shocked that he can bleed. He gives up sex to become Superman again. An interesting addendum: A little girl in the theatre, who is now obviously at least in her forties, when she saw Clark Kent’s exposed chest in bed, shouted, “Look! He sleeps without clothes!”
Regarding “ about half of all marriages are failures and end in divorces.” This stat is generally derived by dividing the number of divorces in some period, say one year, by the number of marriages. Actually 75%-80% of all married folks are married to their original spouse. There is just a group of serial monogamists who enjoy paperwork and screw up the stats.
The Morse Code translation link does not work. It will not permit you to paste in the code from the Invitational entry. It also tries to get you to download an app. No, thanks.
Thank you for saving me from myself by correcting my entry and giving it ink. Minutes after posting it to LoserNet, Jeff Contompassis sent me a message reminding me that four score and seven years ago is in fact 87. I did know this but had what I can only call a brainfart when I typed the entry and never caught it on the numerous read-throughs last week.
Re doctors offices and text to speech robocalls, my last name (I pronounce it “Kotch”, rhymes with “watch”) is frequently butchered by text to speech and robocalls, often in a way that is decidedly not safe for work. But at least it’s not as bad as what it does to my sister Leanne’s name. She’ll get robocalls from her doctors reminding her that “Lean Cock” has an upcoming appointment.
To people new to The Invitational: We used to run this information every week in the contest, but we cut it so the "fine print" doesn't go on too long. But there's a venerable and active social community for entrants and fans of the Invite (self-named the Loser Community, long story), with a 2000+-member Facebook group, weekly standings and a complete archive, and in-person brunches and parties around the year.
Sign up for the Style Invitational Devotees FB group at bit.ly/invdev (tell us that you came from The Gene Pool); see all the stats, archives, and coming events at the Losers' website, NRARS.org.
Materteral is attested as referring to relationship between aunt and nephew/niece. Its use seems to be medical.
There are so many good entries this week: the references to Hitler (I like the time paradox the best), Rick Astley (Does this mean we got Rickrolled?), Vlad the Wedgie-Giver, Dopart's Trumpian take on the Emperor, the Jimi Hendrix mondegreen, and Robert Frost writing his name in the woods on a snowy evening. If I have to choose only one, it's the Robert Frost reference. By the way, there is a factual error in the entry on Captain Sully. The flight was to Charlotte, NC. Charlottesville doesn't have a runway long enough to land the plane.
Once was an accident. Twice? I'd say you're testing us, but I think you're REALLY making a witty allusion to the Invitational Context/Contest for Week 62. Even Pat the Perfect cannot run the results on March 14, 2 days before entries are due.
1) If you want "vice-like" to be banished in favor of the correct “vise-like,” then pronounce “vise" the way it’s spelled – to rhyme with “wise.”
2) I read the Robert Frost/"Stopping by woods" entry right after I finished today's NYT crossword puzzle, which (spoiler alert) has that poem as its theme.
Putting in a vote/LOL for Tim Livengood's entry, about baby Adolph.
Kevin Dopart's "Big, beautiful wall" is my winner.
Extra credit for getting me to laugh at that joke in 2024.
The poll at the end: I want to say that I did know the Churchill quote but didn't realize that Frank was referencing it in his joke. I didn't click the link until after I had read the poll and answered no.
Strange and perverse anxiety bred of initial shock, when I am now around newly-minted adults of the female persuasion in the family. Full bore swearing and especially f-bomb carpet bombing. I suppose now that many of George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" are being said --- and certainly on cable and in streaming --- I shouldn't be surprised, but it's still unsettling to hear a young woman of my long acquaintance (that would be from about fertilized egg) casually drop the f-word into conversation, several times. And not for shock value. It's become part of the vernacular. In fact, there are studies showing the the use of it among women has dramatically increased some phenomenal percentage over the past several decades, while men's use has dropped. Certainly "ladylike" language is more or less a thing of the past. But now, I find myself waiting a bit anxiously to get past the seemingly inevitable words you never used say in front of an older family member.
Yes, the corresponding word for "avuncular," which means "like an uncle," is "materteral."
However, it's worth noting that "materteral" is not as commonly used as "avuncular," and you may not encounter it as frequently in everyday conversation or writing. Nonetheless, "materteral" is the appropriate term for describing qualities or behaviors that are characteristic of an aunt.
Regarding Superman II: I had a mad crush on the late Christopher Reeve, and I’ve seen that movie a bunch of times. The allusion is that he becomes human, has sex with Lois Lane (which, of course, is the reason for becoming human), and then is shocked that he can bleed. He gives up sex to become Superman again. An interesting addendum: A little girl in the theatre, who is now obviously at least in her forties, when she saw Clark Kent’s exposed chest in bed, shouted, “Look! He sleeps without clothes!”
Regarding “ about half of all marriages are failures and end in divorces.” This stat is generally derived by dividing the number of divorces in some period, say one year, by the number of marriages. Actually 75%-80% of all married folks are married to their original spouse. There is just a group of serial monogamists who enjoy paperwork and screw up the stats.
The Morse Code translation link does not work. It will not permit you to paste in the code from the Invitational entry. It also tries to get you to download an app. No, thanks.
Thank you for saving me from myself by correcting my entry and giving it ink. Minutes after posting it to LoserNet, Jeff Contompassis sent me a message reminding me that four score and seven years ago is in fact 87. I did know this but had what I can only call a brainfart when I typed the entry and never caught it on the numerous read-throughs last week.
The Jimi Hendrix one beats all the original ones