“Martha Washington Asparagus.”
Why?
Just . . . because. . . now I can.
As we’ve discussed, words mean something. So, it always interests me when a usage seemingly comes out of nowhere to be everywhere.
Today’s example: “Pick six.”
The phrase originally meant this.
And it has now begun to mean this.
(An all-too-rare Detroit Lions’ example can be found here).
It used to be that important deceased governmental figures, like Sen. Ted Kennedy, would “lie in state” while mourners paid their respects.
Apparently, the favored MSM term has become “lie in repose.”
Interesting. Perhaps when you as a media outlet have to write to an audience’s sub-high school reading level, you get your jollies by sounding swanky as often as possible.
Also, the Senator will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery to join some important neighbors who lie amongst our honored fallen: his brothers, of course . . . and my father.
Continuing in the “words have meaning” theme from yesterday, it has been ruled that the unfortunate death of Michael Jackson was a homicide.
After a month-plus of doing everything — or, from another perspective, nothing – to undermine any reader interest or momentum in my little page here (though I was able to keep up a bit on my Twitter page), I am now able to man up and (sort of) explain WTF happened in the following fashion:
No, the blogger in question instead recognizes that the new prescription medicine one was given to brighten one’s mood instead quickly and unexpectedly darkened it dramatically, while also promptly rendering said blogger’s ability to do anything work- or writing-related non-existent (other than the decidedly non-profit Twittering). Personal and professional sturm und drang und embarrassment and anxiety ensued, and after discontinuing said medication (and doing some research and proceeding more naturally), a new day has emerged, mitigation of the fallout has commenced, and it will continue.
Hey, life happens.
From my 2009 Dalai Lama quotes calendar: “When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Governor Sarah Palin strikes again, saying that, swear to God, she wouldn’t resign as president if the going got tough in terms of ethics inquiries, as she has in Alaska, because the White House’s “department of law would. . . automatically throw them out.”
No, there is no federal “Department of Law,” while there is one in Alaska, so to be fair, perhaps she misspoke, as some of the governor’s her wingnut apologists have suggested.
However, in order to misspeak, one must first be able to speak properly, which for Ms. Palin, is seriously in doubt. My favorite from today: “I know I know I know[.]“
Further, it appears that even some of the lady’s supporters have given up:
Is this the new, Springtime variation on “Rocktober?”
“Double down.”
From McCain’s strategy in the stretch run of running for President, to the U.S. expansion in Afghanistan, to Rush Limbaugh continuing to act in a treasonous fashion (based on his standards during the last administration), I worry about the implicit suggestion that our politics exist on the same cultural and moral plane as blackjack.
At least it’s new usage is grounded in the real world, unlike the prior buzzword in this vein, “re-double,” especially when the user hadn’t “doubled” in the first place.
