Chrysler “Thank You America” Blog B lows Up in Their Face

Or when they talk to each other: "Yes, Bob, the owner of the store said that...". Why are they talking to each other - they should be talking to their audience - I feel like I'm being rude by listening in.

The only explanation that I have been able to come up with over the years that consistently makes sense is this: There are two words spelled "close", and they are pronounced differently ("don't stand so close to me", "close the door"). *If* we routinely said "The door is close" to describe its state, if we were reading a sentence something like "The door is close", our brains would not be able to know for sure which word it was until after finishing the sentence or otherwise getting the context, so thru (I like spelling it like that) usage, to make reading easier, we would say "That door is closed" (vs. "That door is close") most of the time unless we are saying something like "That door is close to the window".

With the word "open", you don't have that dual-pronunciation word battle going on in the brain, so we say "The door is open" (vs. "The door is opened", unless the door is in the process of being opened).

To be sure, for the door that is open, we're almost as comfortable with 'opened' as 'open'. though 'open' is/seems more "correct" to our ears. But to say "The door is close" simply sounds wrong to our ears.

That's the best I can come up with. Haven't heard any better explanation.

I knew you'd remember!! My own theory had to do with the width of the bearing and the moments that it would see....no matter. After our last discussion a few years ago now, I bought a stethoscope.

Friend of mine thought he had the answer to the "their" use as a singular possessive. He invented a few. One was "hesh"...I forget the rest. You get the idea.

I only heard this expression for the first time a few years ago (a small proportion of my life) and I find it a curious one. Does it mean the brain emits a gas? Smelly methane? Does this contribute to global warming...?...

DAS

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How about s/he?

DAS

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OK, but how would we pronounce it? ;)

Purely written form. Cannot be spoken for fear of raising the Devil.

Don't you know about such words?

:-) DAS

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Toyota is circling the drain too- first financial loss in 70 years, quality problems everywhere for the past 7-8 years finally getting through the thick skulls of the Gen-Xers who bought into the myth of superior quality.

Its hardly a "Detroit" problem. People finally just realized they don't NEED a fancy new car every 2 years. Once every 10 years is plenty. The company that can cut production and SHRINK to fit the demand best while remaining profitable will win, NOT the company that tries to continue following the "grow or die" model.

Agreed. I'm an 8 to 10 yr buyer, but still have my '95 Concorde because nothing I desire at Chrysler. So now I'm a 14 yr owner and the old horse still runs beautifully. Great quality in this NA car, but a failure to build a follow on product. At least my Chrysler dealer still makes money from their maintenance business. Companies like Toyota do have a great product line, covering many desires.

Toyota has no rear-drives, so that means they'd have to make something REALLY nifty (like a PT Cruiser) to attract me. Just as a lineup with no front-drives is a non-starter for you. No, I don't want to spend a fortune for a Lexus-branded POS just for rear-drive.

Well, that and the fact that Toyota sucks. ;-)

Rational human beings want a PT Cruiser?

Ja, mein Lehrer. Jetzt haben alle diese irgendetwas. Hell no!

Is that where the phrase "girly man" came from? It did start on Saturday Night Live in a German context.

Pass...

Good theory as any...

:-) DAS

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