May 2012
25 posts
4 tags
#52: a number of
Which number?
3 tags
#51: it's all very 1984
This is such a booooring comparison, think of some other dystopian fiction.
5 tags
#50: ironic
There are many misuses of this word, but one I have noticed is when people want to say the opposite of ironic. The word you want is “apt”.
3 tags
#49: it is what it is
…and what it is, is, vacuous.
4 tags
#48: it's not a religion - it's a relationship!
It is a religion, though. Are we clear on that?
Such a creepy slogan.
I awoke to a horrible thought this morning.
Imagine if you will, a room full of deaf-dumb people. I don’t know why they are there, it could be a set-up for a punchline or a meeting for a charity. The atmosphere is overwhelmed by a deafening silence… and a blind person walks in. The deaf folk can’t hear him and, more importantly, can’t tell him they’re deaf, and the...
6 tags
#47: 110%
How can you put in 110% effort? That is an unhealthy and impossible amount. If you get 100% of the marks correct, it wasn’t because you gave it 110%. You gave it 100%, tops. Probably less.
6 tags
#46: fairly certain
This is another contradictory use of the word “fairly”, at least how I see it. If you’re certain of something you’re 100% sure of it. One cannot be a little bit 100% certain. That is called being uncertain.
5 tags
#45: to lose one's virginity
I have never understood the wording of “losing your virginity”. It implies virginity is a thing that you have, but it’s only talking about something you haven’t done before, usually sex.
The most creepy usage of this is by people who think virginity is beautiful or a gift from god. A gift in the form of something you haven’t done yet? This is a mightily shitty gift,...
Ah, now this is exactly what I mean about the word “war”. Fox News is now saying Obama has declared a war on marriage. No, I’m not going to read the article.
4 tags
#44: can I put you on hold?
This should not be worded as a question. Say “I am going to put you on hold”.
Next time someone asks you this, say no and see what happens.
4 tags
#43: fairly unique
WHAAAAAAAAAAT?
4 tags
#42: specificity
Anyone who can say this impossible word as part of a fluent sentence has obviously rehearsed that sentence and is showing off.
Lordy, I think I’ve used up too many good awful words. I need to wait for some new slang-fad to catch on. Ah well, YOLO.
5 tags
#41: whatever doesn't kill me makes me stronger
Think about this for about thirty seconds. Please let me know if you can think of something that both doesn’t kill you and doesn’t make you stronger. This was probably first written for irony but it is oft-quoted by people who thinks it makes sense.
?
3 tags
#40: militant
I thought of this after my post on “war” in which I used a popular news-phrase “militant atheists”. I’m sure atheism/secularism isn’t the only example where you hear this.
My point is: the requirement for an atheist to be considered militant/extremist is a lot less than for a religious person/theocrat. Not fair.
3 tags
#39: war
MILITANT ATHEISTS ARE DECLARING AN ALL-OUT WAR ON CHRISTIANITY!
Be quiet, Fox News. I think they said “attack” instead of war but it’s a likely headline either way.
The word “war” works so well in the media because it turns complicated issues into exaggerated black-and-white issues where the stance you should take is obvious.
Am I the only non-communist who calls their friends “comrade”? This needs to catch on.
5 tags
#38: university of life
just-finished student: Hmm yes I just finished blah MA at Oxford and blah blah blah
boring guy: Yeah, and I’ve got my degree from the university of LIFE!
Translation: I do not really have a degree and I have a lot of uninteresting anecdotes.
4 tags
#37: like
I'm guilty of using this myself. Now, I don't like the movie Transamerica, but I will quote from it just for this example.
Toby: Yeah, I'd probably be, like, disemboweled by a ninja.
Bree: You don't have to say "like". "Probably disemboweled by a ninja" is sufficient. And please don't put your feet up on the dashboard.
4 tags
#36: coloured people
I don’t think people who use the term “coloured” to describe someone non-white are racist, as it is an ostensibly neutral word and not derogatory. They have not thought through what it implies though. If there are only white people and coloured people, this sounds like “normal” and “different/weird” people.
Y’know?
4 tags
#35: must-see
Oh it’s a must-see? I’m convinced. Come along everyone, it’s essential that we see this: the trailer says it’s a must see.
4 tags
#34: natural
“95% of our ingredients have a natural origin”
100% of everything ever has a natural origin! Give yourself more credit, Pantene!
1 tag
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