Comments on: Usain Bolt = worlds fastest man. Ferrari California = world’s most challenging butt http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/28/usain-bolt-worlds-fastest-man-ferrari-california-worlds-ugliest-butt/ Drew Smith: design strategist, journalist and host of CreativeMornings/London Wed, 02 May 2012 16:08:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: admin http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/28/usain-bolt-worlds-fastest-man-ferrari-california-worlds-ugliest-butt/comment-page-1/#comment-204 admin Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:45:47 +0000 http://downsideupdesign.com/?p=1368#comment-204 Dear English Language Police, Firstly, I know who you are. You speak American, so any debate with you on the topic of the English language is a moot point. The choice of challenged or challenging depends on whether one wants to communicate: a) that the butt is challenged in the euphemistic, special olympics sense and no further debate can be entered into on the subject or b) that the butt is challenging the observer to find the beauty within, without or, indeed, anywhere about it's person. The first one shuts debate down by suggesting a fait-accompli. The second leaves the question of beauty or otherwise open to questioning. And questioning is what this is all about. I'd hate to become to arbiter of all that is good and bad in automotive design. In such a situation I would have come right out with my own opinion in the headline: that the Cali has the ugliest butt in the industry right now. Debate is much more enjoyable and, one hopes, useful. Thus we arrive at my choice of words. I hope you enjoyed English Semantics 101. Kind regards, English Language Pedant Dear English Language Police,

Firstly, I know who you are. You speak American, so any debate with you on the topic of the English language is a moot point.

The choice of challenged or challenging depends on whether one wants to communicate:

a) that the butt is challenged in the euphemistic, special olympics sense and no further debate can be entered into on the subject

or

b) that the butt is challenging the observer to find the beauty within, without or, indeed, anywhere about it’s person.

The first one shuts debate down by suggesting a fait-accompli. The second leaves the question of beauty or otherwise open to questioning. And questioning is what this is all about. I’d hate to become to arbiter of all that is good and bad in automotive design. In such a situation I would have come right out with my own opinion in the headline: that the Cali has the ugliest butt in the industry right now. Debate is much more enjoyable and, one hopes, useful. Thus we arrive at my choice of words.

I hope you enjoyed English Semantics 101.

Kind regards,

English Language Pedant

]]> By: admin http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/28/usain-bolt-worlds-fastest-man-ferrari-california-worlds-ugliest-butt/comment-page-1/#comment-203 admin Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:29:36 +0000 http://downsideupdesign.com/?p=1368#comment-203 Max, my dear Max. I'm so glad I can always rely on you to blow diplomacy clear out of the water. While I dabble around the edges, you just jump right in. Your analysis of the graphics had me both laughing and crying at the injustice of it all. That your national pride can be put aside in dealing with such a crime is most refreshing. Let's see if the 458 Italia can redress this horrible imbalance. Max, my dear Max. I’m so glad I can always rely on you to blow diplomacy clear out of the water. While I dabble around the edges, you just jump right in. Your analysis of the graphics had me both laughing and crying at the injustice of it all. That your national pride can be put aside in dealing with such a crime is most refreshing. Let’s see if the 458 Italia can redress this horrible imbalance.

]]> By: English Language Police http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/28/usain-bolt-worlds-fastest-man-ferrari-california-worlds-ugliest-butt/comment-page-1/#comment-201 English Language Police Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:23:34 +0000 http://downsideupdesign.com/?p=1368#comment-201 Don't you mean "challenged" as opposed to "challenging", Mr Smith? Don’t you mean “challenged” as opposed to “challenging”, Mr Smith?

]]> By: Massimo http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/28/usain-bolt-worlds-fastest-man-ferrari-california-worlds-ugliest-butt/comment-page-1/#comment-179 Massimo Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:18:09 +0000 http://downsideupdesign.com/?p=1368#comment-179 California has not the world’s most challenging butt.....California has the ugliest ever seen on earth butt....(of all genre)..... Just consider the rear face....then make a similitude with a human face or any face (animal, etc)....what you get is: - a pretty fat guy with the eye looking nowhere (the rear lamps), - the mouth as sad as is somebody in the family just died (the fascia that integrates the plate), - a very long jaw not even David Coulthard, (look how low goes the lower mask) - and finally with 2 big tears dropping off (the exhaust)... ULTIMATELY the ugliest and the sadest (most sad), page in Ferrari design history.... California has not the world’s most challenging butt…..California has the ugliest ever seen on earth butt….(of all genre)…..

Just consider the rear face….then make a similitude with a human face or any face (animal, etc)….what you get is:

- a pretty fat guy with the eye looking nowhere (the rear lamps),
- the mouth as sad as is somebody in the family just died (the fascia that integrates the plate),
- a very long jaw not even David Coulthard, (look how low goes the lower mask)
- and finally with 2 big tears dropping off (the exhaust)…

ULTIMATELY the ugliest and the sadest (most sad), page in Ferrari design history….

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