I had mentioned over in GD that the stock political catchphrase in the 2008 campaign (throwing someone “under the bus”) needed to be urgently retired. Apparently commentators and politicians have so fallen in love with this expression that it is constantly recycled, after the fashion of “gravitas” and “soccer moms” in previous election years. “Under the bus” must be ground to scorched bits under the wheels of enlightened discourse. Enough!!!
Another expression that’s gotten ridiculous is “on the ground”. “Almost everyone was not killed by a suicide bombing in Iraq today, so things are looking better on the ground.”
GWB is quoted in the paper today as calling the Zimbabwe election runoff a sham. Says George: “The Mugabe government has been intimidating people on the ground in Zimbabwe.” Wow, I had thought Mugabe’s thugs were only intimidating people hovering several feet in the air or perched on rooftops. But you say people on the ground are being affected too? That’s a whole 'nother kettle of fish! Time to act!!*
*Of course this is the guy who can’t stop saying “nu-cu-lar (power)”, but I’ll let him have that one if he’ll just stop blathering about what’s happening “on the ground”. :rolleyes:
The 2008 Banished Words List includes “under the bus” and so many more horrific phrases. I am glad to see “webinar” there because I keep getting emails inviting me to one. I’d like to invite the inventor of “webinar” to a “shootinar”.
“Robust” in anything describing computer software or hardware. Your mother’s authentic italian cooking is robust. Your enterprise antivirus security software is not.
I have a long-time friend who recently took a corporate job with a large corporation. We both came up through the ranks and spent years running crews throughout the hinterlands of the western U.S. In other words, we’re both crusty old ex-shovelbums who have become project managers. Anyways, Jim and I were on the phone the other day and he used the term “action item.”
If there hadn’t been several other project people on the line I would have laughed out loud.
The thing that pisses me off is it doesn’t make any sence. It’s used in the meaning of sacrificing someone so you can get away. But how the hell does that makes sence? If you actually threw someone under a bus it would be a pointless psychopathic manuever of kill and a random stranger on a sidewalk. It’s not like it’s gonna slow a bus down so it won’t hit you.
“Throwing to the wolves/lions” or “leaving for the sharks”, or even something like “hobbling for the hyenas” might fit. “Throwing under the bus” was assinine the first time it was said.