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Warpy

(112,767 posts)

5. Buncombe County, why am I not surprised?

Reply to 47of74 (Original post)

Mon Aug 1, 2016, 07:37 PM

Aug 2016

Bunk, bunkum, buncombe

As a noun meaning empty talk or nonsense, bunk has a well-documented origin. In 1820, when U.S. Congressman Felix Walker gave a long, irrelevant speech solely to delay voting on the Missouri Compromise, he said it was “for Buncombe,” referring to his constituents in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Buncombe instantly came to mean nonsensical talk.

Bunkum later become the more common spelling, though many writers still honor the word’s origins by spelling it buncombe. In any case, it’s usually shortened to bunk.

http://grammarist.com/usage/bunk/

So the next time somebody tells you "what a load of bunk!" you know where it's coming from and that Don Yelton is keeping tradition alive.

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29 replies

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Highlight:

Ex-GOP official goes bonkers after court cites his ‘Daily Show’ remarks to kill NC voter ID law [View all] 47of74 Aug 2016 OP

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Aug 2016 #1

Technically, it was Aasif Mandvi who interviewed this idiot and got him to put his Chakab Aug 2016 #14

Aasif Mandvi is pretty cool too! Simeon Salus Aug 2016 #15

That is one amazing clip. I can't believe he elicited spooky3 Aug 2016 #22

Had forgotten that clip. benld74 Aug 2016 #23

Wow, the typos...I wonder what his DI username is? Rex Aug 2016 #2

Tunnel visioned bigot asshole. lpbk2713 Aug 2016 #3

if the court hurts angry racists that want the government to give them a political victory, so be it unblock Aug 2016 #4

one of trump's alter egos, no doubt: Gabi Hayes Aug 2016 #16

Buncombe County, why am I not surprised? Warpy Aug 2016 #5

Good stuff, Warpy! MyOwnPeace Aug 2016 #7

who said "History is BUNK!" Gabi Hayes Aug 2016 #17

Buncombe County is Asheville, NC. Although there are a great number japple Aug 2016 #20

New enlightenment imposed on old Buncombe. We have Hortensis Aug 2016 #27

He rants about the clip being a cut and paste job SticksnStones Aug 2016 #6

That made me laugh! deurbano Aug 2016 #9

Gotta laugh at such a ridiculous defense SticksnStones Aug 2016 #11

I remember that show and couldn't believe that moron admitted what the amuse bouche Aug 2016 #8

Yeah Gothmog Aug 2016 #10

You know what they say: If the hood fits... Salviati Aug 2016 #12

And it's said The Daily Show isn't real news. dflprincess Aug 2016 #13

Exactly. I stopped watching 60 Minutes when Hortensis Aug 2016 #29

Then wet bed, ya big baby! amb123 Aug 2016 #18

You fixed the sheets and blankets! Now go take a nap!! Coventina Aug 2016 #19

Official statement: "Yelton and his cronies are like a chronic case of hemorrhoids" muriel_volestrangler Aug 2016 #21

Here is part of his ranting about TDS segment being cited in court. BobTheSubgenius Aug 2016 #24

That's a rather Palin-esque world salad there. 47of74 Aug 2016 #25

Lemme guess: Yelton's excuse will be that what he said was satire, he wasn't serious. muntrv Aug 2016 #26

Right it was just, you know, comedic racism jcgoldie Aug 2016 #28