Elizabeth Smart thread, August 24-31, 2002

[Neenah]

Hahaha, jengaio, this is so stupid !! Maybe you meant Cracker Jack....

crackerjack

Bob Insley: I'm curious about the origin of the word "cracker jack", Not just the product, but when the term applies to a person.

Stephen Hess: It's a bit of a guess, but cracked or crackers as far back as the mid 1600s was/is a term for crazy or mad or eccentric. Used as an adjective for "genius", it seems to have evolved into a more complimetary descriptor modifying the common "jack" meaning everyman, and coming to signify a certain excellence achieved, perhaps, at great daring or risk. I suspect the brand name followed (relatively closely) the linguistic usage ca. 1880's.__________________

I guess it evolved from 1600 from crazy or mad or eccentric ...to...excellence achieved.

Well, what do I know..I learned something...I am young, you understand ! hahahha. no offense, jengaio.

source

[Sherlock]

I don't understand why people are so quick to dismiss some of the actions that we see have happened.

It's hard for me to believe things like this happen and they're dismissed as "because he trusted him."

What's your point with 'they're dismissed as'. Let me remind you that just because you're intoxicated with hatred for Ed Smart he's not on trial. A lot of people have people that regularly work for them they give a key to from time to time. Whether this was a wise thing for Ed to do, and we're speculating, we don't know that Ed doesn't suspect that he stole and copied one, doesn't make the Smart family the kidnappers. If he did give Ricci a key at some point Ed certainly should have changed his lock after letting him go from his employ. The fact that you hate Ed Smart and want to personally attack him for his judgement is irrelevant to this case and inappropriate and unwelcome.

[Iwo Jima]

""I use the word "moron" like my partner uses the term "crackers." Not as a nasty insult about a person's intelligence, but rather as a way to say, wow, that person's thought process is beyond me. So in my world, it wasn't this big insult."

Anyone who says that calling a person a "moron" is not a nasty or big insult is too "logic-free" to attempt conversation with. That you obviously need to consult a dictionary or a professional linguist to know the meaning of such a basic term WHICH IS ALWAYS AN INSULT is proof positive that you are either 1) not very bright or 2) disingenous (that means lacking candor, or insincere).

[trussell]

I happen to be Catholic, so I guess I'm attacking myself. Get a life.

I am thankful that you are not the first person who is Catholic that I have dealt with. I can at least know that your attitude is a personality flaw and not a product of your choice of faith.

I have a life, what is your excuse?

BTW, I'm not cute, I'm gorgeous.

BTW, I thought people of faith were suppose to be modest!

[Sherlock]

I thought they were pleased with the progress of LE on the case. Ed slithered out of the questions about Boylan by placing the blame on Marc Klaas. Every time they do something and then get questioned on it, they throw the blame elsewhere. Either they trust the cops, or they don't. If they don't they should stop praising them and call a spade a spade. Lee's high profile cases are far from successful. And what exactly is he going to examine? The cut screen? By using Lee's name it gives the appearance of propriety, not the substance.

I don't know how to tell you other than directly that you're just going to have to accept by faith that you don't have the logical perspective and mental reasoning to understand this case and make input.

[Neenah]

O.K. JENGAIO...no harm done...(there is a prize in every package, donchano ! ) I am "sodding off " on this now.

The unofficial derivation of "sod off"

David Roberts wrote, about the idiom "sod off": Just occurred to me that perhaps you wanted to know the origin of this popular phrase. It all started back in the Middle Ages with the turf-dwellers of Romford. These hard working peasant folk lived in low grass covered houses on the banks of the Thames.

In order to enter or leave one of these Squatts as they were known, a piece of turf or sod would be lifted away from the door opening. The term "sod off" was thus coined to mean "The door is open, feel free to leave". This term eventually replaced such phrases as "Well, don't let me keep you", "My, is that the time?" and "We must have lunch together one day". Interestingly the term "sodding" was often used to refer to unwelcome guests due to the work of lifting the sod to see who's there.

This is still in common use today as in "Oh bugger, it's the sodding Jehovah's Witnesses". If you are very interested you could find a copy of "England as it is spoke" by Queen Victoria's brother Albert, written shortly before he was eaten by the lion.

[Iwo Jima]

At last, some intelligent conversation.

[Sherlock]

The logo for 'Cracker Jack' is a sailor in a blue uniform (the blue shirt with the real big collar & big blue bowtie) and a white sailor cap (had some last night).

[Neenah]

BTW, I'm not cute, I'm gorgeous.

BTW, I thought people of faith were suppose to be modest!

Speaking for spore_gasm, I know how gorgeous she is, and I just think she keeps singing that little ditty...

"Oh Lord it's hard to be humble When you're perfect in every way I can't wait to look in the mirror Cuz I get better lookin each day

To know me is to love me I must be a hell of a man Oh Lord it's hard to be humble But I'm doin' the best that I can"

[Neenah]

hahahahhahaha !!

[Iwo Jima]

I think that sherlock just called you a moron, which according to jengaio is not an insult.

[Neenah]

I think that sherlock just called you a moron, which according to jengaio is not an insult.

mo·ron (môr'ŏn', mōr'-)

n.

A stupid person; a dolt.

Psychology. A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education.

The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

[From Greek mōron, neuter of mōros, stupid, foolish.]

mo·ron'ic (mə-rŏn'ĭk, mô-) adj.

mo·ron'i·cal·ly adv.

mo'ron'ism or mo·ron'i·ty (mə-rŏn'ĭ-tē, mô-) n.