Misjudged

The producers of the TV show American Idol apologized Thursday for misinterpreting a contestant in Louisville, Kentucky.

After failing his audition, Mark Mudd said: "Take care and be careful."

Paula Abdul told him, "You don't say that to people.... That's just not a normal thing to say."

Apparently it is an expression in the region, one of parting.

The producers say they had been surprised because the expression had not been heard before from other contestants. "We now know better and look forward to visiting Louisville again someday."

How to Use 'Frak' 2

fraud- I got frakked by my insurance agent.

difficulty- I can't understand this frakking business.

benevolence- Don't do me any frakking favors.

agreement- You're frakking right.

ugliness- You're a dumb-looking frak.

ignorance- He's a frakking jerk.

incompetence- He's a frak-up.

laziness- He's a frak-off.

encouragement- Keep on frakking.

etiquette- Pass the frakking salt.

philosophy- Who gives a frak?

How to Use 'Frak'

aggression- Frak you.

passivity- Frak me.

command- Go frak yourself.

confusion- What the frak.

annoyance- Don't frak with me.

identification- Who the frak are you?

agreement- You're frakking right.

dismay- Oh, frak it!

trouble- I guess I'm frakked now. 

despair- Frakked again.

denial- You ain't frakking me.

What the Bleep?

On Thursday, John McCain was back at Letterman. Dave asked him what the change of pace has been like since the busy campaign period. 

McCain joked:

"I don't want to talk about the bleeping campaign. Understand? If you think I'm going to go back to that bleeping situation, then bleep you."

Hello?

My day job is in a call center that houses a newspaper which caters to a certain state in the USA. 

Back in training, we were told never to use 'expiration date.' Supposedly the phrase does not exist ("There's no such word")  and is not used by US Americans (hello, Ms South Carolina) , and that what we should use is 'expiry date' or 'expire date.'

Which was news to me, because I had worked for an international credit card company in my previous call center. For two and a half years, we were all using 'expiration date' and nothing else. I never got corrected by anyone.

Three months later, a co-worker receives a call. She uses 'expiry date' and the subscriber asks, "You're not from here, are you? Where are you located?" She answers, "This call is being handled in Manila, Philippines."

"That's what I figured. 'Cause you know, we don't use that word here. It's expiration date."

Then he hangs up.