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"What happened?"
Robert
553 Posts
(Offline)
1
2014/03/27 - 11:47pm

Watching Charlie Rose interviewing George Will suddenly sends my mind off to a hilarious situation: A bunch of friends eating; one reminisced for a while about her childhood-- a cute child, super high IQ, clever with everything. Suddenly someone said, real quiet and casual like, "What happened?" The table went quiet for a split second, then broke up in a riot for a whole 5 minutes, including the insulted person.

What was on Charlie Rose was, George was saying how the USA is top of the world, great resources, good schools, health cares, everything. Charlie said, "What happened?" which seemed to cause George to be lost for words for just a moment.

So, do I have a point here? Only that an apparently innocuous expression can magically become loaded with hidden meanings- sad, ironic, hilarious- if you just get the timing right and say it right.

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
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2
2014/04/09 - 11:12pm

Yes, timing is everything (or, at least, very important).

The main character in Lucifer' Hammer obsesses about this idea in the later part of the book. When his group is about to be overrun by the enemy, he finally finds the right words at the right time to rally his fellows to make a final (and successful defense). During his obsession he recalls such phrases (and their specific-group connotation) as: "Remember the Alamo." "Liberté, égalité, fraternité." and others.

Guest
3
2014/04/10 - 4:31am

Lucifer's Hammer:  I recently bought a new copy, as the duct tape holding my original copy together isn't.

deaconB
744 Posts
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4
2014/04/11 - 4:29am

tromboniator said
Lucifer's Hammer:  I recently bought a new copy, as the duct tape holding my original copy together isn't.

Not only that. but it isn't duct tape.   It's not up to the temperatures involved in heating ducts.   It's duck tape, for repairing "duck boats."

I no longer can read books, due to diabetic retinopathy and cataracts.   Unfortunately. duck tape is nigh-on worthless when the non-replaceable batteries of a tablet no longer accept a charge.

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
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5
2014/04/14 - 10:48am

deaconB said

Not only that. but it isn't duct tape.   It's not up to the temperatures involved in heating ducts.   It's duck tape, for repairing "duck boats."

Duck tape is a discussion that does not mention "duck boats." Rather it is made from cotton duck used as a tape on the Brooklyn bridge, etc.

deaconB
744 Posts
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6
2014/04/16 - 1:44pm

EmmettRedd said
 
Duck tape is a discussion that does not mention "duck boats."

Wilipedia is not a reliable source, according to Wikipedia, but even so, it appears that all versions this month contains the phrase the 1942 amphibious military vehicle DUKW which was pronounced "duck" which you did not notice.  

Rather it is made from cotton duck used as a tape on the Brooklyn bridge, etc.

The adhesive tape used for medical purposes is also a cotton duck tape, and the first duck tape was made by the same companies.   Can you imagine GM introducing a unique new 4-wheel vehicle, and calling it "the car"?  

What do they use duck tape for on the Brooklyn Bridge?   And what was used befcire?

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
(Offline)
7
2014/04/16 - 3:33pm

deaconB said

EmmettRedd said
 
Duck tape is a discussion that does not mention "duck boats."

Wilipedia is not a reliable source, according to Wikipedia, but even so, it appears that all versions this month contains the phrase the 1942 amphibious military vehicle DUKW which was pronounced "duck" which you did not notice.  

Rather it is made from cotton duck used as a tape on the Brooklyn bridge, etc.

The adhesive tape used for medical purposes is also a cotton duck tape, and the first duck tape was made by the same companies.   Can you imagine GM introducing a unique new 4-wheel vehicle, and calling it "the car"?  

What do they use duck tape for on the Brooklyn Bridge?   And what was used befcire?

The unreliable Wikipedia Duck Tape entry has a referenced statement: "For instance, in 1902, steel cables supporting the Brooklyn Bridge were first covered in linseed oil then wrapped in duck tape before being laid in place." I would assume the builders were trying to prevent rusting of the steel.

(Concerning "duck boats", I searched only for that literal phrase and it was not in there. Yes, the Branson Ducks are less than 100 miles from here and are well known. I did not consider the DUKWs since I had a reference to "duck tape" that was 4 decades older.)

Robert
553 Posts
(Offline)
8
2014/04/16 - 5:24pm

Cotton duck, the kind of cloth used to make duck tape, goes back to the Dutch word "Doek." It is pronounced 'doock,' pretty close.

Now it would be pretty wild if "Doek" might have something to do with the water bird, or with piping, but luckily  for sanity, no luck there .

So 'duck' in 'duck tape,' is really for 'cloth.' That's what I believe.

Guest
9
2014/04/16 - 8:07pm

Robert said

So 'duck' in 'duck tape,' is really for 'cloth.' That's what I believe.

All the evidence I have seen points to this as the origin.   But nearly every article on this subject says that nothing is conclusive.

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