On my father's side of the family, construction contractors go back at least three generations. Starting at the age of eight, I worked Saturday mornings for 50 cents per hour to clean the office and shop areas of my old man's plumbing, heating & air-conditioning place of business (always called, by him, "The Shop"). He gave me a choice: that or I could attend catechism classes. I chose dollars over deity. Later, he went solely into commercial sheet metal work. I continued to put in hours for the company. As a family member, I was exempt from union restrictions (although I never was paid anywhere near what our union craftsmen earned).

   I say all this to explain, what many of you know, my rather wide-range of colorful language. My years of exposure to talk on construction sites, combined with membership in a fraternity at DePauw, bestowed upon me a "blue" vocabulary I would be glad to match with anyone's. The content is not the only component of such language. Pronunciation, or as we said in debate in high school and college, "delivery," is nearly as important. For example, my old man did not say certain words. I never heard him drop the "F"-bomb, although a construction site conversation might be carpet-bombed with that four-letter noun or verb or expletive (or gerund, if one adds "ing" and puts the word in proper context or adjective, etc.). He did not say the individual.words that comprise the acronym "s.o.b." He would say That son ..." and let his voice trail off. When spoken properly---as I tried last week in the conversation on "The Roundtable" with Pepper as I mentioned that man who possibly was the worst President of the United States---Ronald Reagan---the right meter and pronunciation of each word carries an appealing cadence with that sobriquet.

   The most troublesome, to me, of his phrases was "bull crap." That did not carry the same flavor as the words that comprise the acronym "b.s." If one wishes to say it, then say it.

   So, I return to last week's merry time on "The Roundtable." Pepper Snyder also hosts a show on "Indiana Talks." She and I sparred, in somewhat colorful and, metaphorically bloody, fashion. She is, as nearly as I can discern, a libertarian---with a little "l." We clashed on the concept of government. I have some idea of what will be discussed tonight, but may be completely incorrect. I would encourage everyone to listen at 8:30 tonight. The conversation should be fun, and probably will be heated. You can tune into the show through this website.