Libertine: On the Prowl
Vidi, vici, veni -- I saw, I conquered, I came. _______________________________________________________________
Late Fee Games
Recently, I wrote about one of my creditors twice assessing late fees on my account when I'd actually paid on time on each occasion.Today, I thought I'd warn my readers about two other possible credit pitfalls that are now becoming common in our sagging economy.
The first is randomly changing the due date on one's account. I've had a card with JC Penney for several years now and my payment date had always been on the 15th, without variation. It was such that I never checked the due date on the bill when it came in each month.
Imagine my surprise when I got this bill a couple of months ago and saw that a late fee had been assessed on my account. I looked closer at the bill and saw that the payment date had been moved back six days, hence the late fee.
Last month, I got the bill, and saw that it had been moved back yet again another day.
I'm convinced that credit card companies are doing this quite purposely, knowing that people who have had cards for years with the same payment date all that time aren't checking the due date each and every month, hoping to be able to slap late fees on unsuspecting customers who are in the habit of paying their bills on time. After all, it's not as if they're moving payment dates ahead, so that the customer ends up paying early.
Another change is that of eliminating payment grace periods. Most of us have had accounts that we know allow a couple of days grace on payments, not assessing late fees until the bill is past due five days more or so. And with money being tight and with paydays sometimes not matching up well with due dates, we've known which bills we can let slide a few days until the paycheck comes in, and others which must be paid strictly on time.
Well, those days are pretty much over.
I paid one of those relaxed "grace period" accounts one day late last month and the new bill came in with a stiff late fee that doubled the monthly payment for that month. This was an account that I've paid up to five days past due in the past without assessing late fees.
So, to all of you who have credit card accounts, carefully check your due dates each month from now on, as they're likely to be bouncing them back more than once, hoping to catch you in a late fee. If you pay any accounts in person, save those receipts, in case they try to slap a late fee on you, even when you've paid on time. And, lastly, eliminate the idea of "grace period" from your credit vocabulary. Credit card companies are now more predatory than ever and are looking for ways to get more money out of you, especially in the assessment of late fees.
Don't let them get away with it. Monitor your bills carefully and don't allow yourself to fall into one of their traps.
Tax Money and "Those People"
Many times I hear people talking disdainfully about those who are any sort of government assistance, saying that they don't want their tax dollars paying to support these people. Sometimes, they're talking about people in general on assistance, but more often I hear such comments in reference to a particular person or family in the news.
Though I realize that there are some people accepting aid that really don't need it and they should be weeded out, I'm not quick to judge everyone who gets assistance of any kind. Even in particular instances, I realize that I don't know their entire life situation and to jump to the most obvious conclusion (they're lazy and they don't want to work), is rarely helpful and really isn't my place to pass judgment, anyway.
I always roll my eyes when I hear people self-righteously say that they don't want "their tax money" going to help "those people".
For one thing, any one person's particular share of taxes they pay don't go directly to another family. It goes into the general fund, where it may used for numerous various tax-funded purposes, quite a few of which have nothing to do with aiding the less fortunate.
Secondly, even among those who resent paying taxes in general, I never hear them say, "I don't want my tax money going to help build more bombs" or "I don't want my tax money going to build another prison" or "I don't want my tax money going to big corporations". They always reserve their ire for poor people, who may be neighbors and members of their own community.
Many of these conservative people take great pride in being Christians. So much for love thy neighbor and "what you did for the least of these, my brethren, you have done unto me." Such "Christian conservatives" often speak of "family values" and protecting children, particularly the unborn, but are seemingly oblivious to the fact that the people on assistance they seek to prevent their tax money from assisting, more of then than not contain children, who are innocent regardless of their parents' faults, real and imagined.
After asserting that they don't want their tax money going to help others to maintain a minimum stnadard of life, they are quick to add, "It's their own poor choices in life that put them in that situation," leaving unsaid the second part of that sentiment, that if one has made mistakes and not made perfect choices in life with perfect foresight into the future, then they deserve to starve, be homeless, be denied medical care, and so on. Again, how wonderfully Christian of them.
Conceding that in some instances that this is at least partially true, it denies the truth that everyone's situation in life is because of a variety of factors, some chosen, some circumstantial beyond any one person's ability to control. Taking the view that what happens to any person, rich or poor, fortunate or unfortunate is one hundred percent within their ability to control and thus one hundred percent their responsibility is simplistic and naive at best.
Our failing economy is one prime example of circumstances beyond the individual to control. And that includes millions of people who have been in past years included among the fortunate, what these conservative folks call hard-working people, who have followed all the rules. It might even soon include some of these people who don't want their tax dollars going to help "those people". They may soon one day become one of "those people".
Though it would be prophetic justice for those who remain higher on the food chain to in turn look down their noses at such folks and claim that they don't want their tax dollars going to help them because, as they all know, everyone on assistance is "lazy and doesn't want to work" and that they should be left to suffer the consequences of their own "bad choices" in life, it wouldn't be right.
America should be better than that. In a civilized society, we give a helping hand to those who need it, knowing that one day our turn may come to need that helping hand ourselves. While hard work and thrift are most assuredly virtues to value and cultivate, we should never reserve the basic needs of human dignity and survival: food, shelter, medical care, and education to only those we deem as having sufficient character to "deserve" it. Assure the basics for everyone, then teach the value of hard work and thrift so that people may earn the luxuries for themselves.
Thoughts?
Cats Are Democrats, Dogs Are Republicans
02:40, 2009-Feb-6
.. 3 comments
.. Link
Looking at the typical personalities of cats and dogs, I've always thought that cats are Democrats, while dogs are Republicans. I'm not sure whether this also transfers over to pet preferences among Democrats and Republicans -- do Dems prefer cats and Reps prefer dogs, on the whole?
Following is a list of typical traits of the average cat and the average dog that seem to fit my idea:
Cats
Can't be herded, they are natural nonconformists
Are individualists; they follow the beat of their own drummer
Are harmless when left to themselves
Think of their humans as equals
Prefer a clean evironment
Live and let live
Dogs
Are pack animals; they respect authority
Dogs don't think outside the box
When one starts barking, all the others join in.
Worship their humans
Make a mess wherever they go
Nose into everyone's business
Name That Tune
I haven't done a Name That Tune entry in a long time, so here goes. Same rules apply: 5 points for correct song, 5 points for correct musician. Enjoy!1. When I step out
I'm going to do you in
2. You got mud on yo' face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place
3. I was raised by a toothless, bearded hag,
I was schooled with a strap right across my back
4. If the real thing dont do the trick
You better make up something quick
5. Like a lazy flowing river
Surrounding castles in the sky
6. Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
7. You don't have to put on the red light
Those days are over
You don't have to sell you body to the night
8. It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear.
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair.
9. Your hands build me up when I'm sinking
Just touch me and my troubles all fade
10. Don't sit cryin' over good things you've had,
There's a girl right next to you
And she's just waiting for something you do.
11. You're digging for gold, you're throwing away
A fortune in feelings, but someday you'll pay
12. And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
13. I was cutting the rug
Down at a place called The Jug
With a girl named Linda Lou
14. Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
15. When lonely days turn to lonely nights
You take a trip to the city lights
16. You don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
17. Maybe you'll get a replacement
There's plenty like me to be found
18. Ah so let her go don't start spoiling the show
It's a bad dream
19. You're still the one that makes me strong
Still the one I want to take along
20. They headed down to, ooh, old El Paso
That's where they ran into a great big hassle
21. See, don't ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
22. I really must confess right here
The attraction was purely physical
23. Yeah, I'd like to hear some funky dixieland
And dance a honky tonk
24. And an old guitar is all he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
25. And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
February Odds and Ends
I'm too distracted today to write a proper entry, so I leave you with a few odds and ends.For the last few months, I've had a "dog machine" living directly across the street from me. What is a "dog machine", you might ask?
It's not a machine, of course; it's just a dog on the smaller end of medium. The reason I call this animal a "dog machine" is that it is constantly barking, morning, noon, and night in a precise, measured rhythm. The dog never gets tired of barking and never gets a sore throat. It's almost as if my neighbor has placed a recording of a dog barking in their backyard in a continuous 24-hour loop.
Fortunately, the normal sounds inside my house pretty much cover up the incessant barking.
But I feel sorry for the dog. It's obvious the dog is lonely being stuck in the back yard all the time and simply wants attention. And I have to admit I don't understand the mentality of people who get an animal, then never spend any time interacting with it, other than at feeding time.
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I've noticed that new fast food restaurants in my area are placing their drive-through windows higher than was previously standard in such places. Previously, when going through a fast food drive-through, I would hand my money straight across; now I'm handing it up to the clerk. No doubt the ubiquity of SUVs in American life is responsible for this new phenomenon.
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I've got a new favorite commercial on the radio. This one is for Frank's Red Hot Sauce, where an elderly woman tells us, "I put that sh-BEEP! on everything!" in a sweet, little-old-lady tone of voice. I'm surprised the morality police isn't foaming at the mouth to get this commercial off the air. Yes, there's a beep, but there's enough of the original word that everyone knows she's really saying, "I put that shit on everything"
Coming Full Circle
The other day, a lover and I were having an odd conversation about the history of women's underwear, when I learned that women didn't wear any sort of bottoms at all until the 19th century. The conversation came about when she groused about a historical novel she'd recently read. The plot took place during the American Revolution and in one chapter the author referred to a female character's bloomers, which my friend said was an anachronism.I laughed, thinking how much easier it was for men back then to get down to business with a woman -- all he had to do was lift her skirt. And then I had to wonder what women did at certain times of the month if they were freebreezing it all the time.
My third thought was about how now, 200+ years later, we've nearly come full circle. I got the idea that this would make a funny blog entry, so I did a bit of research.
To Illustrate:
1. 1776
2. 1876
3. 1920
4. 1940
5. 1960
6. 1970
7. 1990
8. 2000
9 Some time in the near future
From the commando of the 1770s to the commando of the 21st century, we will have come full circle.
Thoughts?
Customer Service Rant
Last month, I opened my bill from Circuit City to find I'd been slapped with a 35 dollar late fee. The bill showed that my payment had been credited to my account one day after the due date.Never mind the fact that I'd paid the bill on time. I'd paid it at the store, and I was fortunate enough that I'd kept the receipt, which proved the date and time I'd made the payment.
I called the toll-free number to sort this out, and while they readily agreed that I'd been improperly assessed a late fee, they told me to go ahead and pay it anyway, and that they'd adjust it on my next bill.
The hell with that! I told them that this was unacceptable; that it wasn't my responsibility that the store screwed up and credited my payment incorrectly. As I'd paid my bill by the agreed-upon time, I wasn't about to be inconvenienced by having to pay a late fee, even if they did credit it back to me next month.
I had to talk to a supervisor, but they eventually saw it my way.
I opened my bill for this month and guess what? They did it again! I'd made a point of saving my receipt this time, so I called the toll free number again, and was again advised to pay the late fee and that they'd credit it to me next month. And once again, I explained why this was unacceptable and why it simply wasn't going to happen. This time, I didn't need the supervisor to get my point across.
No wonder they're going out of business.
Clashing Sexual Desires
In a recent Alternet article, Are Male Fantasies of "Girl-on-Girl" Action Messing with Women's Sexuality? by Simcha, the author explores the dilemma of differing sexual fantasies and fetishes among couples and the difficulties of resolving such differences.My comment follows below
The Author Illustrated One of The Weaknesses of Monogamy
In monogamous relationships, a person's only partner is expected to fulfill all of their sexual needs. This is fine and dandy when both have the same fantasies or lack thereof, the same level of sex drive, and so on.
But, as is frequently the case, couples have mismatched libidos and mismatched fantasies.
And whatever solution any individual couple comes up with will leave one of the partners unsatisfied. Either one partner, usually the woman, will end up doing things she feels uncomfortable with to please her partner, or one partner, usually the man, will have to make do with repressing his fantasies and be satisfied with what he considers a truncated sex life, in order to please his partner. Both solutions suck.
Being non-monogamous, fulfilling my sexual needs isn't completely invested in a single partner, thus I would never expect any one partner to do anything she feels the slightest bit uncomfortable with. Nor do I have to go around frustrated with half a sex life, because I'm free to seek out other partners who are interested in doing things another partner may not, and vice versa. This, in turn, takes the pressure off, and I'm free to enjoy each partner for what she feels comfortable with, and vice versa.
In regards to girl-on-girl stuff, that doesn't do a thing for me. I enjoy engaging in threesomes, both FMF and MFM, but in both instances, I prefer that the two of the same sex concentrate on interacting with the one person of the opposite sex, either alternately or simultaneously, and not with one another, but your mileage may vary.
My Inauguration Memory
On January 20, 1973, I was a high school freshman, and I was in Washington DC to march with my high school band in the Inaugural Parade for the second term of Richard Nixon.Two bands from each state were chosen for this parade and mine was honored to be chosen that year. I remember being told that the school paid ten thousand dollars to transport the band of 100 musicians, plus around 50 baton twirlers, flag carriers, etc and our equipment in five Greyhound buses and for meals and overnight accommodations. That's right, the school paid for every bit of it; no parents, rich, middling, or poor had to pay out of their pockets, so that every band member could go.
As well as marching in the parade, our trip included a trip to the Smithsonian, which was, unfortunately, far too brief to really get a good look at the place.
As I watched our new President, Barack Obama, get into his new, heavily-armored limousine for the parade, I could not help but contrast it with the limousine Richard Nixon rode in for the 1973 Inauguration parade. I remember seeing Nixon ride by in a limo that was little different from other limousines. The window was down and I caught a glimpse of him, his arm out the window waving to the crowd. Even though this was ten years after the assassination of John F Kennedy, security was still not yet at the level it would later take.
Have any of you attending an Inauguration in the past? Feel free to post memories in the comment section.
Finally, A Hero
In a time when most of the news is bad, and in this story when the news could have easily been very bad, we have a hero, a man who lived up to every definition of the word.People say what the pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, did was a miracle. Perhaps so, but one glance at his resume will show that it was less of a miracle, but more sheer competence and skill, made possible by many years of experience. He is a graduate of the Air Force Academy,with two master's degrees attained later, who flew F-4 fighter planes from 1973 to 1980. In 1980, he took his present job with US Airways. He is also an expert in airline safety, involved with several organization devoted to airline safety. There could not have been a more qualified pilot to handle the emergency landing of this plane.
It's interesting to note that at 57, Sullenberger would have soon faced mandatory retirement at 60, had the rule not be moved up to 65. It was believed that such pilots were "too old" to continue flying. However, the passengers owe their lives to his long years of experience and this story might not have had such a happy ending with a young pilot with far less experience.
I'm sure I join most people when I say that I would confidently board any plane that Captain Sullenberger would be piloting.
He is the hero of the day, but there were other heroes as well: the rescuers, both professional and amateur, who quickly and competently responded to this disaster. This was the second important role in ensuring that all 155 people on board survived, by limiting the time that the passengers were exposed to the frigid water. NYC should be rightly proud of its Public Safety employees and also the concerned citizens who pitched in to make the rescue a success.
Finally, some good news for a change.
An Ending
I've not written about my personal life in quite some time -- I haven't really wanted to. But I thought it was time for an update.Those of you who have been following my blog for some time know that I have a primary lover, along with several friends with benefits. My most recent primary lover is quite a bit younger than me; just past her mid-twenties.
We'd been seeing one another for a few years, since her last year of college. It had mostly been an agreeable relationship, with us splitting up once and reconciling.
But just before Christmas, we split up again, this time for good. Both times, I instigated it. I've always known that the relationship was of limited duration, largely because of our age difference and my disinclination to commit to an exclusive relationship with anyone.
During the course of our relationship, she several times expressed the desire to have a child. I always told her no, as I've Been There and Done That and have no desire to do it again. That phase of my life is over.
As Christmas approached this year, she mentioned the baby thing again. It's a perfectly normal thing for her to want children of her own, but it just wasn't ever going to happen with me. And I realized that it was time to let her go, so she could find someone else to have children with. I knew that as long as she was with me, she'd not really be open to others, though I'd repeatedly told her to go ahead and see others, considering that I was doing so. '
It was time for her to get on with her life, but I knew she'd not take that step on her own.
So I did it for her. I let her go during the first week of December.
It's for the best, but I'm only able to talk about it now. Damn, I'll miss her.
But For the Grace Of God, Go I
Last night, while monitoring the Neal Boortz radio show, he went off on a tear about one of his favorite topics: the notion that poor people who accept any sort of government assistance for basic living expenses are nothing but "parasites" who "take money away from honest, hardworking people". He is of the opinion that people are poor always simply because of stupid choices they have made in life and, conversely, rich people always deserve to be rich; that every one of them became so because of their own efforts alone, that all hard working people will be prosperous, and that workaholism is a virtue (In an earlier post of mine, I tell about how he once called people who work only 40 hours a week, "losers".)His focus in his latest rant was Section 8 housing. He resents any of his tax dollars going to help the poor in any way, whining, "Why should I pay the rent of people who don't want to work?" Despite the news all over about our economic woes, he still clings to the fiction that everyone can have a decent job that pays well, if they'll only get off their asses and work for it. Never mind that companies are going bankrupt right and left, downsizing all over and laying people off in droves.
A man called in to the show to calmly disagree with him. He used the situation of his daughter as an example: She is a divorced Navy vet with a child, who is working two jobs while putting herself through college. Unable to find affordable non-subsidized housing, she turned to Section 8 to help get her through until she finished school and could get on her feet.
Boortz was unimpressed. He saw her as no different from the other "parasites"; crack addicts, 'welfare queens' with 8 kids, etc, who "expect hardworking people to pay their rent for them because they've screwed up and made stupid choices in life". He then told the man that he needed to be supporting her because she was his responsibility and not the government's.
Never mind that the woman was an adult and never mind that she'd already served her country and her government by serving in the Navy. As far as Boortz was concerned she'd made a "stupid choice" and thus deserved to be punished for it.
Her stupid choice? She didn't stay married; she got a divorce. Thus, her "sin" is being a single parent.
Never mind that being married is no guarantee of financial solvency or self-sufficiency. Her husband could well have been a deadbeat, which would have made him simply another mouth to feed with too little money, he could have been a drug addict, he could have been abusive, and so on.
And, of course, Boortz conveniently forgets that he's been divorced himself. I'm guessing that as long as you've got money your so-called "screwups" are your own business not to be judged by anyone else. It's only poor people who must be absolutely perfect to avoid being judged, which is impossible to Boortz, because being poor is by definition a proof of having screwed up.
Boortz brushes away the real question in such a situation -- why is affordable housing in the private sector unavailable to a hardworking person with two jobs?
He also refuses to acknowledge that this woman is the type of person for whom such assistance programs were originally created for -- hardworking people who are working to improve their situations, but who temporarily need a helping hand to make future prosperity possible. That is to help people who are working to help themselves.
Boortz sees workaholism, rugged individualism, and properity as moral virtues. While work properly balanced with rest and leisure, self-sufficiency, and prosperity are surely nothing to be ashamed of, greed and lack of compassion are.
The virtuous rich have a sense of noblesse oblige; that to whom much is given, much is expected. To help such a woman as mentioned above is an investment, not a handout, as she will surely give back to the community once she finishes school and continues to be a productive citizen.
And for those who, for whatever reason, will not become productive citizens, to ensure a basic level of living is just plain human decency and are the hallmark of a civilized society. I'm not a Christian, but I was brought up to believe in the idea "But for the grace of God, go I". That is, those of us born healthy to loving parents who could afford to give us a decent, safe upbringing and education should be grateful for it and realize that but for the luck of the draw we could have been born with bad health, to abusive parents, into generational poverty, without families at all and so on. And that given today's economy, we could easily have all we take for granted taken away from us suddenly and be in a position to need government assistance ourselves one day.
Boortz sees no value in government programs to assist the poor. But do we really want a country than simply turns all these poor people out to fend for themselves as in third world countries? Is the picture below what we really want for the United State, just so the rich can get richer?
The Later Than Late Route
For some strange reason, no matter where I've lived over the course of my life (several locations in five states), wherever I've lived has been, without fail, on what I call the Post Office's "Later Than Late" route.That is, my mail delivery never arrives until very late in the afternoon, often not arriving until after dark in the winter. I've seen the mail truck roll by my house as late as six PM.
What are the odds on something like this happening? One would think that given the number of residences I've had during my lifetime, that I would have also had a variety of typical mail arrival times as well.
It would seem that the luck of my Murphy ancestors (as in Murphy's law) is working overtime for me to get stuck with the Later Than Late route yet again with every change of address.
I read today that because of the recession, the USPS is planning to re-organize and consolidate many routes. I'm guessing this will mean my Later Than Late route will change to a Getting Today's Mail Tomorrow route.
There She Goes Again
Ann Coulter is playing the victim card yet again.She was scheduled to appear on the Today show the other day to promote her latest screed of bile, which, considering her latest "poor me" performance, is ironically titled, Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America.
However, the show postponed her appearance in order to devote more coverage to the current Israel-Hamas conflict, including Matt Lauer's interview with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Coulter's reaction was immediate and predictable. She claimed that she'd been "banned" from NBC for life". She also told Fox News Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes that NBC had booked her only as a "charade" to keep her from going on other shows.
Wah, wah, wah.
Coulter's so-called "ban" turned out to be of only one day's duration, as she was interviewed by Matt Lauer on Wednesday's show.
Coulter's behavior was quite predictable. She is a publicity whore of the highest order and though I'm certain she fully understood the reasons why her appearanced on the Today show was postponed, she chose to exploit this opportunity for even more media exposure. By playing the victim, she was assured of being cussed and discussed on the air, over the web, and in print. She'd reasoned it had been far too long since she'd stirred up crap and jumped on this opening like stink on shit.
With Coulter, it's always Same Shit, Different Day
Thoughts?
Why Sleeping Late Is Good For You
While browsing the net the other day for blogging fodder, I found an article that gave three reasons why sleeping late may be beneficial1. Eight hours of sleep might not be enough
Research by Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders Center found that people who slept eight hours and then claimed they were "well rested" actually performed better and were more alert if they slept another two hours. Until the invention of the light bulb, the average person slept 10 hours a night.
2. Night owls are more creative
Artists, writers, and coders typically fire on all cylinders by crashing near dawn and awakening at the crack of noon. In one study, "evening people" almost universally aced a standardized creativity test. Their early-bird brethren struggled for passing scores.
I know this is true for me, as I tend to do my best writing late at night.
3. Rising early is stressful
The stress hormone cortisol peaks in your blood around 7 am. So if you get up then, you may experience tension.
This is also rings true to me. When I was in school and when I've worked first shift jobs, I never could get used to rising early, no matter how early I'd gone to bed the night before. I'd always "drag anchor" until noon each day, feeling vaguely sick to my stomach until that time.
Vacations, Staycations, and Holidays
"Occurrences of this word [staycation] are going up with gas prices.'Vacation' does not mean 'travel,' nor does travel always involve vacation. Let's send this word on a slow boat to nowhere."
--Dan Muldoon
"Staycation" was on Lake Superior State University's recently announced list of banned words for 2009. The above comment is from a man who submitted this word for inclusion into the list.
In yesterday's blog post, I commented that the word "vacation" comes from the root word, "vacate", which means to leave one's current location, so, yeah, "vacation" does imply travel. "Vacation", loosely defined, is a time when you're vacating the places you usually inhabit.
The British -- and other Commonwealth nations, I believe -- use the word "holiday" in the same way Americans use the word "vacation". The word "holiday", however, literally means "holy day", and while people take time off for actual holidays such as Christmas and Easter, not all "holidays" are taken on holidays, i.e. "holy days". Perhaps this distinction is the reason why Americans started using the word "vacation" in place of "holiday". Americans might say they are "going on vacation during the holidays", but they'd never say they're "going on holiday during the summer".
Though the use of the word "vacation" has taken on broader meanings over the years, I grew up during a time when the phrase, "going on vacation" existed alongside "summer vacation". The first phrase had the emphasis on the word "going", which meant traveling somewhere far enough away where you'd not be sleeping at home during the time of vacation. "Summer vacation", on the other hand, just meant time off and away from school; it did not necessarily imply traveling away from home as well, though such trips were quite common, as many parents scheduled time off from work to coincide with their childrens' time off from school in order to take family vacations involving travel. But now with higher gas prices combined with shorter summer school breaks, employers offering fewer days of paid vacation, and stagnating wages, family vacations away from home are becoming less common.
Hence, the neologism, "staycation", where individuals, couples, and families visit things within a day's drive of their homes in order to save on gas and lodgings or simply veg out at home during their time off from work and school. I agree that the term has great potential for being annoying, but "staycation" is a more concise way of saying, "we'renotgoingtogoawayonourtimeofffromwork
andschoolbecausegascoststoomuchandbesidesI
onlyhavefourdaysofffromworkthisyear".
So, I'd not have included "staycation" on the 2009 list, though it does admittedly have great annoyance potential if overused.
Your thoughts?
Banned Words For 2009
Michigan's Lake Superior State University has released its annual "List of Words and Phrases Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness."GREEN
As in "environmentally friendly". This includes "Green" and all of its variations, such as 'going green,' 'building green,' 'greening,' 'green technology,' 'green solutions' and more, drew the most attention from those who sent in nominations this year.
"This spawned 'green solutions,' 'green technology,' and the horrible use of the word as a verb, as in, 'We really need to think about greening our office.'" Mike McDermott of Philadelphia said.
CARBON FOOTPRINT or CARBON OFFSETTING
"It is now considered fashionable for everyone, tree hugger or lumberjack alike, to pay money to questionable companies to 'offset' their own 'carbon footprint.' What a scam! Get rid of it immediately!" Ginger Hunt, London, England said.
Mike of Chicago says that when he hears the phrase 'carbon footprint,' "I envision microscopic impressions on the surface of the earth where an atom of carbon forgot to wear its shoes."
Christy Loop of Woodbridge, Va., says that 'leaving a carbon footprint' has become the new 'politically incorrect.' "How can we not, in one way or another, affect our natural environment?"
MAVERICK
"The constant repetition of this word for months before the US election diluted whatever meaning it previously had. Even the comic offshoot 'mavericky' was terribly overused.
"You know it's time to banish this word when even the Maverick family, who descended from the rancher who inspired the term, says it's being mis-used." Scott Urbanowski, Kentwood, Mich.
When I heard this term all through the election, my first thought was of the junky car model made by Ford during the 70s.
FIRST DUDE
"Skateboard English is not an appropriate way to refer to the spouse of a high-ranking public official." Paul Ruschmann, Canton, Mich. said.
Yeah, First Redneck would have been more appropriate in this instance.
BAILOUT
"Use of emergency funds to remove toxic assets from banks' balance sheets is not a bailout. When your cousin calls you from jail in the middle of the night, he wants a bailout." Ben Green, State College, PA said.
I tend to visualize someone in a leaky rowboat with a bucket trying to get rid of the water, myself when I hear this one
WALL STREET/MAIN STREET --
"The recent and continuing financial failings are not limited to 'Wall Street,' nor should one paint business, consumers, and small investors as ' Main Street .' Topeka (where I work), and Lawrence (where I live), Kansas, have no named ' Main Street .' How tiresome." Kent McAnally, Topeka, KS. said.
"I am so tired of hearing about everything affecting ' Main Street .' I know that with the 'Wall Street' collapse, the comparison is convenient, but really, let's find another way to talk about everyman or the middle class, or even, heaven forbid, 'Joe the Plumber.'" Stacey, Knoxville, Tenn.
It didn't take long for this one to become trite.
Internet and texting blues
MONKEY
"Especially on the Internet, many people seem to think they can make any boring name sound more attractive just by adding the word 'monkey' to it. Do a search to find the latest. It is no longer funny." Rogier Landman, Somerville, Mass.
I've not run across this one until reading this list.
<3
Supposed to resemble a heart, or stand for the word 'love.' Used when sending those important text messages to loved ones. "Just say the word instead of making me turn my head sideways and wondering what 'less than three' means." Andrea Estrada, Chicago.
I hate this one with a passion. I've seen it on people's blogs and it always perplexed me. I'd like "WHAT is less than three?" The heart thing never occurred to me.
Overuse in news and entertainment
ICON or ICONIC
Overused, especially among entertainers and in entertainment news." "Everyone and everything cannot be 'iconic.' Can't we switch to 'legendary' or 'famous for'? In our entertainment-driven culture, it seems everyone in show business is 'iconic' for some reason or another. "John Flood, Bray, Wicklow, Ireland said.
"It's becoming the new 'awesome' - overused to the point where everything from a fast-food restaurant chain to celebrities is 'iconic.'" Jodi Gill, New Berlin, WI said.
GAME CHANGER
"It's game OVER for this clich้, which gets overused in the news media, political arenas and in business." Cynthia, Mt. Pleasant, MI said.
Yeah, we need a channel changer for game changer.
STAYCATION
"Occurrences of this word are going up with gas prices.'Vacation' does not mean 'travel,' nor does travel always involve vacation. Let's send this word on a slow boat to nowhere." Dan Muldoon, Omaha, NE said.
Well, to be technical, the word "vacation" comes from the root word, "vacate", which means to leave one's current location, so, yeah, "vacation" does imply travel. And I've never come across the word "staycation" except in language rant articles.
DESPERATE SEARCH
"Every time the news can't find something intelligent to report, they start on a 'desperate search' for someone, somewhere." Rick A. Hyatt, Saratoga, WY said.
NOT SO MUCH
"I wish that the phrase was used not so much," says Tom Benson of Milwaukee, who notes that it is used widely in news media, especially in sports, i.e. 'The Gophers have a shot at the playoffs; the Chipmunks, not so much.'
"A favorite of snarky critics and bloggers." Jeff Baenen of Minneapolis said.
WINNER OF FIVE NOMINATIONS
"It hasn't won an Academy Award yet. It has only been NOMINATED!" John Bohenek, Abilene, Tex.
Yeah, There's no "winning" involved if someone is but one of a group of nominees for an award. The winner is the winner, not the nominees.
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN
Nominated by Kathleen Brosemer of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for "general overuse and meaninglessness. When is it not 'that time of year again?' From Valentine's sales to year-end charity letters, invitations to summer picnics and Christmas parties, it's 'that time' of year again. Just get to the point of the solicitation, invitation, and newsletter and cut out six useless and annoying words."
I have two nominations to this year's list:
BUBBLE
Used to indicate a limited worldview or perception. As in, "She must be living in a bubble", to mean "She's living in her own little world."
I recently heard a talk radio host opine that since the election that Barack Obama has been "trapped in a media bubble".
Urgh. Someone needs to pop this particular use of bubble.
PROFFER
This one is on my list of "weasel words; that is, a pretentious word in which a simpler, more direct synonym exists.
I see "proffer" in novels quite often, though I've never in my entire life heard someone used it in conversation. I'm not even sure how to pronounce it. My mind reads "pro offer", as opposed to "amateur offer", but I'm suspecting it's merely said like its more common synonym "offer" with the "pr" sound in front of it.
So, why not simply say "offer" instead? It's a perfectly good word, along with the verb "hand", another synonym that "proffer" often is used for.
---
To see their lists from previous years:
http://www.lssu.edu/banished/archive...e/2002.php
Ho-Hum Christmas
Christmas was kind of ho-hum and uneventful. A few days before Christmas, my car car chose to break down and I was out of work for two days -- unpaid, of course -- so I was penniless for Christmas.My son and I planned to go see the new movie Valkyrie on Xmas night. But neither of us felt like going -- I'd read a review that panned it -- so we decided to pass on it.
We ate at Denny's and though the food was good, the service was abysmal. We had to wait nearly an hour after ordering our food to get it and I was about ready to eat my shoes by the time the waitress brought it.
That was about it for Christmas. I didn't hear from any family members.
Ho-hum. Yawn.
I Remember Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt, best known for her role as Catwoman on the original TV version of Batman in the mid-60s and her 1953 rendition of Santa Baby, died today of colon cancer at the age of 81.
I met Eartha Kitt as a kid in the spring of 1967 when my family stayed that the same Howard Johnson Motor Lodge in South Jersey. My celebrity-struck mother, spotted her leaving her room as we were leaving our room and wasted no time running over to meet her.
As I remember, she was quite gracious to my mother and they chatted for a few moments. She had her daughter with her, who was somewhat younger than me.
Majel Barrett Roddenberry, R.I.P.
On December 18, the "First Lady of Star Trek", Majel Barrett Roddenberry, died at her home after a short battle with leukemia. She was 76. She was the widow of Star Trek originator, Gene Roddenberry.
She was best known for her roles in the various Star Trek incarnations: Nurse (later Doctor) Christine Chapel in the original series, as Betazoid Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and she provided the computer voice in every Star Trek series and movie. She will be heard for the last time in the latest upciming Star Trek movie.
She was originally intended to play the Enterprise's First Officer, which she did in the original series' pilot episode. However NBC network executives, reflecting the sexism of the times, insisted that viewers wouldn't accept a woman in such a position, so she was reluctantly demoted to the more peripheral role of ship's nurse.
A fan favorite at Star Trek conventions over the years, she will be missed.
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