us Institute guys shooting our shit

 

How about this as a creation of those madmen?  First of all it looks like he lost the fight, not something you normally brag about, and secondly who is going around giving out shiners to Tareyton smokers?  But maybe the slugger is doing the smokers a favor because look how happy this guy looks.  One would have to suspect that one cannot truly enjoy the rich taste of fine tobacco strained through that revolutionary dual filter, one of them with world famous activated charcoal, without pain emanating from one's eye socket.

But this did not seem unreasonable back in the days of the madmen.  What did get them into a bit of hot water however was that phrase: Us Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch.  Should be We of course.  As in we men of Harvard will kick your butts in a jolly game of polo.  But consider this us ruffians from the wrong side of the tracks will kick your butts in a jolly game of polo.  Has a little more zing no?

 But still, bad grammar, bad grammar. It is the subject and not the object of the sentence and should perforce be we.

But what can you do?  You can't arrest a guy for using bad grammar.  That's the problem with guys like those yoopers, they have no power.  But for guys in far northern Michigan, where the air is known to be thin and crazy ideas abound, they are pretty savvy, because they know putting up this dog and pony show will get them some notice in the American press.  

So they get their publicity, Beagles gets to feel like he is striking a blow against the ogre, Uncle Ken gets to write a couple pretty spiffy columns that the followers of the Institute get to enjoy, so it looks like a win-win-win-win to me.

And now it is team to lean back and enjoy that fine rich taste with activated charcoal as soon as I can get these boxing gloves on the paws of my kitty so she can give me a shiner so I can have the compleat* experience.

*Merriam Webster approves.