I am much taken with the neologism "flathead" coined here among us.
Such a word deserves a plural in the spirit of an "exaltation" of larks or a "murder" of crows.
Nominations are open.
The Indian gentleman is from the Salish nation, sometimes known as the "flatheads." This conceit has nothing to do with this Indian people. (First Nation in Canada) pl
An encrustation (encrustacean?) of flatheads?
Well, I reckon we're gonna hafta burn these goddamn things offa here, they're encrusted so deep.
Posted by: uncle vester | 07 September 2007 at 09:15 PM
I'd suggest a legion of Flatheads, in sarcastic honor of their chickenhawk proclivities (i.e. their willingness to lead from behind the firing line). As in, "In order to conquer Liechtenstein we'll need either a legion of Flatheads or one good VMI graduate."
Posted by: Montag | 07 September 2007 at 09:31 PM
Ok, here's my contribution...
"A Clusterfuck of Flatheads."
Pretty much sums them all up, eh?
SubKommander Dred
Posted by: SubKommander Dred | 07 September 2007 at 11:47 PM
I don't follow the comments here usually, so i don't know how 'Flathead' came to be born. Since Krauthammer is a German name however I thought it appropriate to point out that the term flathead does exist in German: Flachkopf.
Langenscheids dictionary translates it as numbskull.
Posted by: Guthman Bey | 08 September 2007 at 12:10 AM
A duncery of flatheads?
Or, not clever but perhaps accurate:
A corporation of flatheads?
(Sixpack - "Sycophancy" I love it!)
Posted by: ikonoklast | 08 September 2007 at 12:14 AM
When Dorothy first meets the flatheads, in Glinda of Oz, she meets a "throng" of them.
Posted by: Ael | 08 September 2007 at 12:47 AM
In Glinda Of Oz, L. Frank Baum invented the race of the Flatheads, who keep their brains in a can. The rulers of the Flatheads hoard the canned brains belonging to their subjects.
Posted by: joel hanes | 08 September 2007 at 04:13 AM
I liked palaver too. Very nice.
My humble accidents of effort would be:
• A snarl of Flatheads can be seen every morning at the coffee shop, taking tiny sips and exhorting one another. Suddenly, as if on cue, every one their cell phones rang at once. It was Mother.
• A pitter of Flatheads just passed by. I could scarcely hear them gesticulating for all the shuffling.
• Sitting, minding my own business. I suddenly found myself surrounded by a grapple of Flatheads. They didn't notice me there. I had to leave.
• To my mind, the best way to handle a squire of Flatheads is not to engage directly, but to inquire with simple, straight forward questions. Such as, "Did you take _all_ of your meds this morning?," or, perhaps, "Do you always double knot your laces that way?" The momentary silence is sometimes necessary to finish the crossword.
Posted by: ww | 08 September 2007 at 06:44 AM
I would suggest a "D'oh!" of flatheads, but I have far too much respect for Homer Simpson.
Posted by: John O'D | 08 September 2007 at 08:56 AM
A Miasma of Flatheads, that's it.
Posted by: John Shreffler | 08 September 2007 at 11:19 AM
If flathead becomes flattop, there is a hair element. A Mohawk of flatheads would be an offense to the natives.
A buzz of flatheads.
The old Model-T's had flat-head engines, if memory serves, and flat tops are aircraft carriers & both have a buzz about them. Looking back at old yearbook pics, it is creepy how short men's hair had become by the early '60's. Just as creepy that they shave it all off now.
Flatheads buzzing like flies.
Posted by: Dave of Maryland | 08 September 2007 at 12:56 PM
A smug of flatheads
Also like flail o' flatheads above.
#
Posted by: jb vanover | 08 September 2007 at 01:54 PM
A "flatus (flati?) of Flatheads"
"Circus"? Maybe a clown or two short of the mark.
Posted by: Just an ex grunt | 08 September 2007 at 07:31 PM
I'm generally averse to names such as “cretin” and “idiot” that were terms originally used for certain classifications of persons who couldn't help a neurological limitation; the literary references above, however, especially the Baum one, freed me up.
A surge of flatheads (not meaning the ground forces)
A think tank of flatheads
A cut of flatheads
A run of flatheads
A levee break of flatheads
A flathead threat level
A mushrooom cloud of flatheads
Posted by: Teaeopy | 09 September 2007 at 01:08 AM
When I hear "palaver," I think of a certain Irish tenor. I am the only one?
Posted by: david | 09 September 2007 at 02:13 AM
Sirs,
Where I come from a flathead is a fish, a catfish to be specific. I would call these neocon smooth skin fish a noodle of flatheads.
Posted by: robertlewis | 09 September 2007 at 01:17 PM
A Vomitorium of Flatheads?
Posted by: Cloned Poster | 09 September 2007 at 01:43 PM
An infestation of flatheads?
A mould of flatheads?
Posted by: Martin K | 09 September 2007 at 03:32 PM
a leveling of flatheads
a faecolith of flatheads
Posted by: Lee A. Arnold | 09 September 2007 at 05:50 PM
Since flatheads try to flatten out thinking all around them, how about:
a steamroller of flatheads?
Or since they are clownish
in a sinister way, maybe:
a clowncar of flatheads?
or to change the spelling a little to make it look more sinister:
a klownkar of flatheads?
Posted by: different clue | 10 September 2007 at 12:10 AM
a "pride" of flatheads
Posted by: Fred Levine | 10 September 2007 at 04:22 PM
a shirk of flatheads
Posted by: DH | 11 September 2007 at 08:11 AM
There seems to be a type of catfish called a flathead. It's a bottom feeder that eats it's prey live. It's also an invasive species, it's part of the genus Satan and is cannibalistic.
In homage to these kindred beings I suggest "Mess'o Flatheads".
Posted by: Indigestible | 12 September 2007 at 10:35 PM
I invite Montag to select the five most appealing collective nouns for us all to vote on. pl
Posted by: W. Patrick Lang | 14 September 2007 at 11:10 AM
A flotsam of Flatheads
Floating on the Dead Sea
(laughable attempt at Ger. Manley Hopkins Sprung Rhythm)
Posted by: Sidney O. Smith III | 14 September 2007 at 01:37 PM