Instantman points out that Norah Vincent has set up a blog.

I checked it out. I hope she fixes this, because it's permanently part of the page, right at the top. I was disappointed.

Ever wondered what was going on in the deep recesses of Norah's mind? Could care less?

[pedantic rant]

People, people, people (and Norah), the correct expression is "couldn't care less."

Think about it. If you could care less, it means that you care. You are capable of caring less than you do. If you are trying to convey the notion that you don't care, you want to indicate that it's not possible to care less, not that it is.

It's simple logic.

Really.

[/pendantic rant]

That always bugged me, too. And it's worse when people do it on the web, because you can't physically strike them.

Either/or. Actually, they both make sense logically. You're right about "couldn't care less," but "could care less" also works, in addition to being more insulting.

When you say "could care less" it implies that whatever it is that you are refering to is so utterly unimportant to you that you won't even take the time nor expend the energy to care less about it than you already do. Sure, you could care less, but why bother even determining that? You're saying that the thing you are(n't) caring about is so below you that caring less, or, better yet, establishing on a scale how much you care for it, is a total waste. Where as "couldn't care less" implies that you actually put in the effort to establish how much you care for it, which is less than eveything else.

Simple logic.

Really.

"When you say "could care less" it implies that whatever it is that you are refering to is so utterly unimportant to you that you won't even take the time nor expend the energy to care less about it than you already do."

Huh?

How can it require an expenditure of time or energy to reduce your level of caring about something?

Sorry, it still makes no sense.

Iron Man -- you smoke the crack.

Well, whatever. I'm still saying "could care less."

This used to really bug me, too. Now, however, I could care less.

I've always agreed with Rand's point of view on this one, however Iron Man's point is completely valid...

'How can it require an expenditure of time or energy to reduce your level of caring about something?'

Logically you are correct, at some point the time and energy approaches zero; however, to state that you could or couldn't care less is something more than zero... which implies you care enough at least to comment.

So, between something and nothing there must be more something... which is the energy you wouldn't spend (even though you've already spent more energy pointing out that you wouldn't spend less energy)

Quite amusing when you think about it that way ;)
Irony, anyone?

"I couldn't care less about that" : you have reached the maximum amount of apathy possible.

"Could you possibly care less?" said in an appropriately sarcastic tone of voice (mainly used by us women) implies that someone doesn't care but should.

"I could care less" is the illegitimate love child of the two correct phrases and much more popular inspite of its illogicality. I think it's because people want to express that they dislike something instead of just being passive about it (not caring).

The only time it doesn't bug me is when someone is saying they *would* care less about something if it wasn't for some other related thing that keeps bringing it up. In that instance I think they mean they "could care less" but you won't let them.

That said, Norah didn't use any of them correctly.

Hey, the copy-editing masses have spoken ... and Norah has fixed it!

I noticed in the mid-eighties a very sudden change to the use of "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less". Because the latter expression has been used for centuries, the almost complete acceptance of the former in recent years has been a major source of irritation to me. For more than two decades now I have been pointing out to people the logical self-contradition of which Rand wrote. It's great to hear that there are still a number of people who understand the logic behind the original saying.

On a similar note, why do people say "Same difference," when they mean, "same thing"?

Folks. I just accidently stopped by.

The expression is 'I COULDN'T care less' That's the insult. ANY defense if 'I could care less' is simply nonsense.

This IS NOT open for discussion. I'v been an English prof. for 41 years and am currently on the BOD for Websters. Of course, I realize, you couldn't care less'.

PS: Excuse the typing error on the above.