What’s wrong with (insert illegal activity here)? What’s wrong with it is * it’s against the law.*
Wow… no one put the Fox “Fair and balanced” !
Anyone who starts talking to me by saying “Listen” immediately loses my attention. (Although sometimes I simply interrupt them and say “No.”)
“by now, you must be thinking…”
“conversate”
“don’t think of this as…”
“there’s no obligation”
“Educate” or “Enlighten” when what the speaker really means is “brainwash.”
“healing process”
“bourgeois” or “military-industrial complex.”
“If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” This phrase indicates colossal arrogance on the part of the speaker and an inability to see things in shades other than black or white.
“To make a long story short.” When people say that, the story has already gone on way too long.
“IMO”
“IIRC”
“IANAL”
.
“To make a long story short…”
“going forward…” (I hate this dumb phrase! It usually precedes the announcement of some type of ungodly demand, policy change or belt-tightening measure.)
“Irregardless…” (Meaningless non-word)
“We…” (And who appointed you God, King and Emperor?)
“This won’t hurt a bit.” (9 times out of 10 it will hurt.)
“I’ll look into it.” (they never do)
“Let me get back to you on that.” (they never do)
“I read it in an email someone sent me.”
“I read it in the Enquirer.”
“Have you ever heard of Amway?”
Re: “No offense…” Do people actually use this in a serious way? I’ve always used it to say things like: “No offense, but you’re a stupid jackass, I hate you, your mother is a whore and I wish you were dead.”
“It is self-evident” (because I can’t think of reasons)
“Judeo-Christian” (I’ve never heard anyone Jewish use this; it is almost always a fundamentalist trying to sound a little inclusive)
“right-thinking Americans”
“support our troops” (while cutting most veterans benefits, hazard pay, etc.)
“we have a mandate” (from politicians elected with under 30% of the total vote possible)
Here’s three from football:
“A rookie mistake” (as if they don’t have an offsides rule at every level of the game)
“in this league” (when it’s something which applies to ALL of football, such as, “in this league, defense wins championships.” This is almost always said by a former player who wants you to remember he played in the NFL)
“The New York Football Giants” (buddy, they’re the only Giants in NY for a few decades now)
In the want ads, these are BS lines to watch out for:
“Rock and Roll atmosphere!” or “Wild and Crazy office!” (Means a telephone boiler room with a radio playing in the background.)
“Earn UP TO $15,000.00 weekly!” (Up to could mean anything between 0 and 15,000.)
“Motivated” and “Team Player.” (The company wants you to keep dialing phones and knocking on doors no matter how many times you get screamed at. If you fail to sell whatever it is the company is selling then it’s your fault for having a bad attitude, not the company’s for selling something no one wants.)
This thread sounds like a source for *Bull St Bingo!
To play, make a box grid 5 boxes square, in each one write one current catch phrase. In boring meetings, when a phrase is used, cross it off. When you get 5 in a row, jump up and yell, "Bull St!
Actually, both of the usages that irk you here are supported by M-W Collegiate, 11th ed. (Granted, MW is descriptive rather than prescriptive, but it’s a standard reference.)
Oh yea. Like, say, “No offense, but you look awful wearing that orange shirt with the pink tutu.”
Anal Scurvy muses
This might be the most successful thread I’ve ever started that doesn’t revolve around my ass, genitals, or sexual misadventures…
:eek:
For some reason, I’m disgustingly interested in… oh, nevermind.
Anyone who uses the phrase “the only group that it is still politically correct to chastise” is automatically full of shit in my opinion. I’ve heard that phrase applied to at least a dozen different groups of people.
I think you mean “for all intents and purposes”, or curse I could be wrong
“There is some confusion about…” usually comes from an industry or gov’t spokesman. It means “people don’t agree with us; so they must be confused.”
Using “controversial” as a perjorative. People who opine that gay marriage, for example, is too “controversial” are saying they’re against it. As a matter of fact, people who are against things because the’re too “contoversial” are often the same ones who have kicked up the fuss in the first place.