>>>Something that has always puzzled me:
>>>
>>>When I was a kid I was taught to clean my teeth last thing before going to school. That way my breakfast wouldn't be rotting my teeth all day (esp. as cereals etc have sugar content). And this is the way I've raised my kids.
>>>
>>>But according to just about every US film, TV show, etc all US kids rush their breakfast, their parents never having got them started on it in time, and have to abandon it half-eaten and rush out immediately to catch the school bus, or get in the car with whichever parent is leaving for work (having just snatched a mouthful of coffee).
>>>
>>>Furthermore, there are only 5 jobs they do: lawyer, copper, high-flying engineer, owner of a construction company (with financial problems), or a realtor.
>>
>>You forgot the shrinks.
>>
>>>The last one puzzles me in that it is viewed as an honourable profession. In the UK estate agents, as they are called here, are among the most hated profession, second only to traffic wardens.
>>
>>It's not a profession. Estate agents are. Realtors are a tautology club - those estate agents who are members of the realtors' club are realtors, and those who aren't, aren't.
>
>Real-a-tors, you mean. That seems to be the way most people say it, at least around here.
>
>The other thing that amuses me about realtors is how they capitalize the word in their own literature -- Realtors. Talk about inflation!

"Realtor" is a registered trademark of the National Association of Realtors. If you're not a member, you're just a real estate agent.

Tamar