WHAT DAD REALLY WANTS FOR FATHER'S DAY

Something practical.

(Viua Gizmodo)

Comments

[JT]

SECOND!

[JT]

Crud!!!!!

[jp]

Could I have a price check please?

[CoastRaven]

Yup - that would certainly be exactly the perfect multi functional gift for every dad!

[JT]

Well, with my Yugo trade-in, I should be able to get a pretty sweet discount...

[Annie Where-but-here]

Warning - if you are not hot looking, you WILL look ridiculous driving this car. And the salesman WON'T mention that.

[Eleanor]

So Dave would be OK in it,right Annie? :)

[JT]

Man oh man, I bet that if Dave decided to get one, he'd have to write a new column once a week for three weeks...

[Texas]

If you can afford thus car, you won't care if you look ridiculous.

[CoastRaven]

jp - As JR Ewing once said - If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

[Annie Where-but-here]

El - absolutely, Dave would look terrific in this, although the blue shirt may have to go. ;)

[clark kent]

Will they take my Daewoo as a trade-in? That ought to knock off about half the price, I'm thinking....

[insomniac]

the only guy who could afford it is this guy

and the 3 g's of braking force would cause him to strangle on his own jowlfat!

[Texas]

insom. From the good ole' state of Texas.

[reneviht]

Really, you'd look ridiculous driving that car unless you're already a superhero.

[clark kent]

Did I mention that I just put a new pine tree air freshener in it AND cleaned the ashtray? Let the haggling begin....

[Punkin Poo]

Does it come with the naked blonde lying spread eagle across the hood in the rain, or is that extra?
Like floormats.

[Annie Where-but-here]

insom - eeeew! all that money and he doesn't get his teeth fixed? Nevermind get out of Texas.

[TC]

not this dad

i was thinkin' more along the lines of this

[Annie Where-but-here]

Tiny - at least it's a Dodge. But you'd need the extended cab for all the carseats.

[crossgirl]

mother's day is first. do they do a ball check before they sell these or something 'cause i think i'd look cute in the drivers seat.

[TC]

Annie - if I had that truck, I wouldn't let my kids look at it, let alone actually ride in it

[Brad]

The Caparo was such a girl-car in its day. Is Chevy actually gonna bring it back? At any rate, I'p happier with py Pustang.

[Somewhere North]

Reminds me of the conversation I had with dear hubby this morning while walking the dog. A big dirty truck with enormous tires drove past. Hubby points it out to me. My reaction?

"I know. Looks ridiculous. I mean, why put those huge tires on that old truck?"

Then I got a LOOK that told me I was completely missing the point of the conversation.

I still say the truck looked silly.

[Annie Where-but-here]

Thumper - the carseats are for all your little baby bunnies. *tosses a period up to Tiny's post*

[Annie Where-but-here]

SN - you were probably supposed to admire the custom shock absorbers...but I'm glad you didn't.

[almne]

Somewhere North-

My mom and I always referred to those as people who shopped at Billy Joe Bob's House of Big and Stupid Tires. Of course they occasionally had to go to his cousin Stu's House of Big and Stupid Suspensions as well.

[Texas]

North. Just the difference between men and women. Different realities. It's just amazing that couples find anything in common.

[TC]

Somewhere North - it probably did look silly - it's all a matter of how much is too much

for example, this looks silly (and not just cuz it's a ford

this, on the other hand, is cool

[Tamara Rhymes With Camera]

Try as I might, I cannot get past, "What do you get when a world-class team develop..."

DEVELOPS!
DEEEVEEELLLLOOPPPSSSSSSSSS!

[24-aholic]

I thought mid-life crisis = ridiculous sports car. I, for one, am not going to hurry that along by purchasing the stud-mobile for him! Plus, I'm pretty sure it exceeds my $100 budget

[azred]

hey, I'm dual-hatted as both mom and dad. if I sell my kids on mother's day and invest the money wisely, I can afford to get this in....carry the 2, add 7, ... only 100 more years. darn.

[24-aholic]

azred - bless you! You should be spoiled rotten on both Mom and Dad day!!!!

[Mr. Completely]

Tamara RWC - It's just another one of those British-English oddities. When speaking of a group, the Brits tend to use the plural verb form, whereas we proper-English-speaking Americans insist that a group takes a singular verb. I guess it's because to them, a group is plural because they're referring to the individual members, while we see that "a group" is a single thing, independent of its members.

Today's Silly English lesson brought to you by me.

[fivver]

Dave, when you showed this to Mrs. Blog did she:
a) laugh
b) give you THAT LOOK
c) sigh and remind you to take out the garbage?

Pssst Annie, what's this about TC missing a period?

[Texas]

Mr. C. I assume you are sort of English or American English teacher. However, my head DID spin when I read your post.

[Tamara Rhymes With Camera]

Thank you, Mr C!

But it's still WRONG! ;)

[Texas]

Ohhhh. English fight ! English fight !

[Annie Where-but-here]

fivver - Thumper has a tendency to miss them. I mentioned it on another thread, and people wanted to give him a baby bunny shower for his upcoming wee ones.
p.s. - whenever this is mentioned, Thumper seems to hop away.

[Annie Where-but-here]

Texas - since you're unarmed, you'll just have to watch.

[Betsy]

TRWC...I am absolutely on your side in this fierce battle. It delayed me by several seconds while I contemplated all the various "rules" I've encountered in my years of editing. There is a faction that believes that if a group functions "together", it takes a singular verb; but if it is characterized by internal disagreement and strife, it becomes plural. Thus, "The committee agrees that the sentence looks silly." But "the committee disagree about whether it's wrong."

[Texas]

*zips in*

Ahhh, Annie, my favorite crabby-old-woman-with-bad-grammar from New Yawk. Hey, that WBAGNFARB.

*french-kisses annie to make up*

*throws up*

*zips out*

[Eleanor]

Yay!
*takes sides*

I'm with Tamara!! Go Girl!

Punkin, that's one of my pet peeves. Why, why, why, can't they throw in the damn floor mats? But they won't, no matter what you offer to do in exchange for them *sigh*.

[Sarah J]

WooHoo! Another for TRWC's side. When I saw that I had to close the window because it was bothering me so much. I wonder, does reading this blog makes these tendencies worse?

[Mr. Completely]

WELL!

I'll just take my Strunk & White's and go home.

Booger.

[Bumble]

That thing is so very ugly. But I guess looks aren't everything. To a guy. In some cases.

[Beth]

Just in case anybody doesn't believe that men and women are different, when I first saw this, I thought (exact words) "Stupid web site is putting an ad before I can see what to get my hubby for Dad's day!!! I wonder if it's a tool."!! It took me a couple seconds to realize he actually meant the car.

[Kathy P.]

The he** with Daddy- I want that car!!!!

[Moe]

I was actually curious enough to look through the press kits, etc. and found a blurb about the price coming in at a cool £150k.

Caparo Dealer (happily pecking away at computer): "At current exchange rates, that would be $265,391.72. A bargain at twice the price, trust me.* With floor mats? $265,466.72. And of course, you'll want the undercarriage coated. Gotta protect that investment, don't you? - which will run you another $1103.83. Then there is the delivery fee, dealer prep, stocking fee, advertising reimbursement assessment, double secret port entry tariff premium. Look, why don't you just cut me a check for $300K, and we'll call it even.

* When a car dealer says "trust me", protect your wallet immediately.

[Moe]

"

[WriterDude]

Mr. C., I wasn't aware that you are fluent in both Brit and Merkin. If you're also proficient with Canadian and Aussie, you have earned membership in the Wordwhipper's Club, which I am just now forming. I need an excus-- erm, a valid reason to gather with like-minded individuals for social interaction, after all. Whaddya say?

[Mr. Completely]

W'Dude - I am SO there!

[CoastRaven]

WriterDude - I have a LOT to learn in matters of wordsmithing, could I join as an apprentice member? I was thinking mebbe I could help in organizing Wordwhippers as a non-profit (since all the profits from dues would go to beverages) or as a religion (since many members would be at one form of an altar or another after the meetings).

[WriterDude]

OK, who else is game? Here's the test for membership:

1) The hood of a car is known as a ______ in England.

A. lid
B. hatch
C. bonnet
D. more famous

2) What Australians call a "barbie", Americans call:

A. a doll
B. a grill/barbecue
C. a phone sex operator
D. an incompetent teacher

Please hand your papers in at the end of class today. Once we have a few more members, we can haggle over times and places and who buys the social interaction.

[WriterDude]

CR: Excellent thinking. You're in. Maybe this can be our altar.

[TC]

OK, even I know the answers to those questions, which means they are way too easy to be considered an actual test

a better test would be: "let's see who can drink at least 8 social interactions

[Olo Baggins of Bywater]

*looks up at the bookshelf to see Strunk & White, Chicago Manual of Style, and Lapsing Into a Comma.*

Can I sit around and soak up the atmosphere?

I can bring some of this.

[WriterDude]

Well, TC (where'd your K go?), we're nothing if not inclusive. Welcome to the club.

If allowed to pace myself I'm sure I could handle eight of the first social interactions I put up, but if I attempt eight of the second sort there'd better be an ambulance on stand-by.

[WriterDude]

Olo: You're in, if only for the high quality of your social interaction. But your bookshelf qualifies on its own merit as well.

[TC]

OK, I was talkin' about social interaction #2

8 of the first type wouldn't be much of a test either - more like a warm-up

OK, maybe I drink too much - either way, I'm all for social interaction

and last I heard, my K was either on El's key-chain, or southerngirl had it

[WriterDude]

Remember the immortal words of Dorothy Parker:

"I love a martini,
But two at the most.
Three, I'm under the table.
Four, I'm under my host."

I shudder to think of what I might be under after eight -- a bus, most likely.

[TC]

I'm not sure I could drink 8 martinis either - never actually tried - but I do love a challenge

[Annie Where-but-here]

WriterDude - I believe Mr. C said he was "EFFLUENT in both Brit and Merkin," not 'fluent.'

Tiny, El sold your "K"....to KMart...it's been discounted already.

[KKDF]

I have it! Bought it on sale. Thought it would be fun to yank Tiny's K since he's been chasing me around the blog on his back today.

[TC]

ah, there's my K

so, KDF, darlin' - are ya gonna wear that K on a chain around your neck, so it's near to your heart?

or will you keep it in your pocket, so it's near to your...

what?

oh yeah, family blog

well, I'm sure you know my preference

[KKDF]

Oh, I think you know where it will be, Tiny. Your K's been stolen, traded, sold, and bought for less than retail today.

I'm either in possession of evidence, or a future yard sale item. But I'll hang onto it for now because it's really kinda cute.

judi? want a turn with TC's K?

[TC]

yeah, that's what I thought

it'll be in your pocket, so as to be near your...

what!

I know, I know - family blog

[KKDF]

*snork*

Aren't all families dysfunctional?

Thought so.

[southerngirl]

ok, I was gonna remind everyone - again - that I picked up the "K" hours ago, FIRST, and that it can't be sold, or auctioned, or anything of the kind, unless I say so.

but, after catching TC blatantly flirting with KDF, I've decided to let it go.

*goes off in search of Blue, since KDF is apparently busy chasin' off T "whatever his name is" - I forget...*

;D

[TC]

oh, good job KDF!! now ya got me in trouble

no worries tho - she won't forget my name for long - not if I have anything to say about it

[KKDF]

Oh, don't you go blamin' it on me, skirt peeker! You're on your own, darlin'!

[TC]

skirt peeker?

*snork*

(oh yeah, I was gonna be indignant)

take 2:

Hey! I'm not the one that was standin' up on the soapbox, with that short skirt, and those long legs, where everyone that cared to look could see my...

what!?

oh yeah - family blog

anyway, where was I again? somethin' about legs, right?

[O. the U(manity)]

Mr. C, WD an' them others ...

Try as I may, I am unable to discern with any hope of reliable guesswork, what any of the three editions of Fowler's have to say about this question of usage, which you have so effectively framed into an interrogative communication.

The same can be said about looking it up in my copy of the AP Stylebook.

Mostly, 'cuz they're all on my bookshelf at home, next to the desktop PC ... all of which are about 498 miles away from Sue Trips and Falls, Sodak ...

Irregardless (!) of that fact, or of those facts, I'd be sorta interested in watchin' y'all discuss these questions, and any others that might arise or develop ... I'd prolly best just sign up with "audit" status tho, with werk intrudin' into my blog time -- sometimes as often as every day ... merely sayin' ...

[Mr. Completely]

Annie - I never said any such thing - W'Dude said it!!!

Sheesh.

And why do "effluent" and "affluent" mean things so completely different?

Just askin'....

[Kev]

Mr. C et al.: I've always gotten a kick out of those British plural-isms when they apply to rock bands (ex.: "Yes are performing tonight" or "Genesis are Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Michael Rutherford).

And for my fellow musicians out there: the Brits refer to a sixty-fourth note as a "hemidemisemiquaver"--IANMTU. They also call a quarter note a "crotchet."

[Annie Where-but-here]

TC - shouldn't you be looking for your "K" instead of "T" & "A"?

[Mr. Completely]

Kev - Yes, indeed.

[Layzeeboy]

Crossgirl: They don't do a ball check but your weenie has to be less than 2 inches to be interested in this car. (Psych 101).

Mr. Completely: I believe it's called a collective noun which takes the third-person singular form of the verb. (English 101)

Does that qualify me for the social interaction? (Shaken not stirred).