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« “Arrange Those @*%# Flowers, Yo” | Main | Languaging at Its Best »
Monday
Aug292005

Brad & Jen’s Plumbing Clogged by Used Tabloid!

DateMonday, August 29, 2005 at 05:30PM

ImageQuote: "World Exclusive! The Toilet That Destroyed Brad & Jen's Marriage!" Headline in the tabloid Star

Term: post hoc ergo propter hoc, the Chanticleer fallacy

You know Chanticleer, the rooster who thought his crowing made the sun rise? Post hoc ergo propter hoc is Latin for "after this, therefore because of this." Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston may well have debated over an old stainless-steel jailhouse toilet and sink (he wanted them in their bathroom, she didn't, according to Star). And they did break up. But did the toilet cause the split? We'll call a post hoc foul.

Snappy Answer: "Nice going. After you printed that, they both had to use the bathroom."

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