Instantly tiresome expressions, cont'd (Jack Bog's Blog)

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« Walter and me | Main | The wimpy brother »

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Instantly tiresome expressions, cont'd

The whole "fail" thing has already gotten on my nerves. Just to show you how out of it I am, I don't even know where that one started. But I wish it would end.

Posted at 2:12 PM | Permalink

Comments (17)

Yeah, I have teenagers...they use it incessantly.

Posted by Jon | July 18, 2009 3:23 PM

From Urban Dictionary:

"Fail--
The real slang fail actually comes from party foul. It is commonly used when something goes wrong or does not fit the atmosphere of the situation. "Party Foul" is basically now being replaced by "FAIL" (Search Party Foul).
if someone spills beer -- "FAIL"
if someone breaks something -- "FAIL"
if someone embarrasses themselves -- "FAIL"
if someone does anything wrong -- "FAIL"

Also used thusly--
""Eat my brocolli and carrots? I DON'T WANT TO. YOU AND
MOM ARE MADE OF FAIL."

Jack, don't worry, you are not made of Fail.

Posted by Mr. Hand | July 18, 2009 4:17 PM

It even has its own set of modifiers!

EPIC FAIL!

Posted by Chris Coyle | July 18, 2009 5:26 PM

So, is that a problem or an issue?

Posted by Abe | July 18, 2009 5:46 PM

Don't blow a fuse, daddy-o! It's just the latest derivative subcultural generational idiom of ridicule or sarcasm (often group/self-reflexive) relating back to personal experience (sometimes only vicarious) with the blatant failures of the public school system educational model inflicted on a wide scale in the U.S. Viddy? And, pathetically & ironically enough, no professional set so often insists on being addressed as "Doctor" as over-educated "Education"-alists with Ph.D.'s.

Give me Prof. Irwin Corey anyday. You're a cool cat, too, Jack. As are many of the participants here.

23 skidoo!

Posted by Mojo | July 18, 2009 5:56 PM

I don't know. I have teenagers and they don't use it. I have seen it ad nauseum in comments from MLS supporters on sites such as the O and the Merc. Usually used in conjunction with "epic" - as in "epic fail," when they proceed to allegedly (in their minds only) "debunk" some sensible comment questioning the MLS fiasco.

I also vote for "oh noes." I frickin hate that.

Posted by Bartender | July 18, 2009 6:07 PM

I haven't heard this one yet. Still haven't got over "sweet", "as if", "Our New Economy", "just sayin'", "shovel-ready", "homeland", "soccer city", and "in the day."

Posted by NW Portlander | July 18, 2009 6:25 PM

Try this... ;-)

http://failblog.org/

Posted by Jon | July 18, 2009 7:07 PM

I second FailBlog... funny, even if the term is getting old.

Posted by TKrueg | July 18, 2009 8:02 PM

TriMet FAIL

Posted by Ben | July 18, 2009 8:52 PM

tram...fail
street cars...fail
condos at south waterfront...epic fail

Posted by portland native | July 18, 2009 9:02 PM

Recall...nano fail?

Posted by Mojo | July 18, 2009 9:29 PM

As far as tiresome expressions go, nothing trumps the righteous invocation of Godwin's Law for sheer willful, malevolent stupidity. It almost universally deployed solely to kill discourse and silence dissent; precisely the sort of behavior that comparisons to Nazis are so useful for.

Posted by ep | July 18, 2009 11:16 PM

i see your Fail and raise you a Lolcat:
http://icanhascheezburger.com/

i can haz cheezburger now?

Posted by ecohuman.com | July 19, 2009 8:52 AM

It seems less threatening than a bit of the old ultraviolence, Clockwork-wise.

Posted by Max | July 19, 2009 11:46 AM

....another one that has me scratching my head is the way kids use the word "gay" as a way of expressing displeasure or disappointment in something. As in, "...dude that's totally gay...".

Yet for the most part they are the most open minded, least prejudiced group I can think of, typically accepting their gay friends without a second thought. Weird....

Posted by T.L. | July 19, 2009 5:58 PM

"Douche" is completely out of control. You could put "Fail" and "Tool" together and it still would not jumped the shark as bad as "Douche"

Posted by yea | July 20, 2009 8:15 AM

In Vino Veritas

Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
La Ferme Julien, Rose 2008
Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, Garnacha 2008
Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
St. Innocent, Pinot Noir 2006
Jigsaw, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
Charles Shaw, Chardonnay 2008
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Rosé 2009
Cameron, Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Il Valore, Sangiovese, Giovane, Puglia 2008
Duck Pond, Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope 2007
Kim Crawford, Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Domaine du Pesquier, Cotes du Rhone 2005
Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006
Domaine Matrot, Chardonnay, Bourgogne 2007
David Hill, Oregon Sparkling Wine, Brut
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs

The Occasional Book

Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 26
At this date last year: 15
Total run in 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269