the pod bay door

:: “Blog” and all its derivations have made the list of the Lake Superior State University 2005 List of Banished Words. If one is to follow the list, and no longer use “blog”, what are the alternatives? How about:

1) Ruws: Regularly Updated Web Site
2) Utbab: Used To Be A Blog
3) Wesilog: Web Site Log
4) Ocab: Once Called A Blog
5) Nolocab: No Longer Called A Blog
6) Rudilwes: Regularly Updated Diary-Like Web Site

I doubt any of these will catch on. Any other suggestions?

Other names deservedly on the list include webinar, erectile dysfunction, “You’re fired”, and carbs. Webinar reflects the pathetic movement of combining two words into one, like docudrama, infomercial, but for what reason? To save time? Can’t we say “web seminar?” I remember watching a comedian on the old Letterman show, who noted, “Do you know what the abbreviation for July is? J-u-l. You gotta be in a hurry.”

:: How bizarre is this: because of the number of tourists missing or already dead, the tsumasi tragedy could become the worst natural disaster in the history of Sweden.

:: Today on CNN, Jeanne Moos showed clips of the year’s worst/best quotes and phrases. My favorite, included in the list, was Jon Stewart calling Tucker Carlson a dick on Crossfire. Oddly enough, when CNN showed the clip, Stewart’s utterance of the word “dick” was bleeped. This from a network in a country which has a Vice-President named Dick.

:: As received in a recent e-mail, illustrating how far we’ve gone (backwards) in ensuring that no one is ever offended, again, in late December (for those who recognize the calendar with the month “December” in it):

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all…. and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2005, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Canada great (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater that any other country), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

In other words, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

:: Happy New Year to everyone, as we begin the second half of this yet-to-be-named decade. In Edmonton we are experiencing -20 to -25C temperatures for the next few days, a deep freeze. I saw The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou yesterday, bringing my Films Viewed in 2004 total to 112 – this figure includes a number of short films as well, not 112 full-length features.

Regarding resolutions, the one I want to seriously tackle this year is losing a few pounds, and getting into better shape. Beyond that, enjoying life to its fullest is a good challenge.