`Surge' and 'waterboarding' makes the banned-words list

By JEFF KAROUB, Associated Press Writer Mon Dec 31, 2:56 PM ET

DETROIT - Resist the urge to say you will "wordsmith" your list of New Year's resolutions rather than write one. And don't utter, "It is what it is" when you fail to meet your first goal.

Those are two of the 19 words or phrases that appear in Lake Superior State University's annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness. The school in Michigan's Upper Peninsula released its 33rd list Monday, selecting from about 2,000 nominations.

Among this year's picks are "surge," the term for the troop buildup in Iraq. "Give me the old days, when it referenced storms and electrical power," Michael Raczko of Swanton, Ohio, said in nominating the word.

The list also included "waterboarding," "perfect storm," "under the bus" and "organic." Also: "It is what it is," which Jeffrey Skrenes of St. Paul, Minn., said "accomplishes the dual feat of adding nothing to the conversation while also being phonetically and thematically redundant."

http://tinyurl.com/2yfn9b

MS:

I see; it did not occur to me that you believed in that. There is no actual quantitative evidence that it is necessary and no mechanism to enable it..

?!?

Mike, you still do not have it.

I have given several very different theories held by scientists in the posts today. So, how do you know what I believe other than my statements that gradualistic Darwinism as taught in secondary schools is codswallop?

The 1998 book intended for the general public by Lynn Margulis presents a view of evolution that I favor at this time, but I always await better theories if they will come forth.

However, I do warmly imagine the effect on the West of moving from dog-eat-dog Darwinism as taught to children to evolution via symbiosis as taught by Margulis. Plus, it would return the teaching of evolution back to science rather than hand-waving just-so-stories. A win/win, eh?

Ah well, I have to leave you with the final comments --- I have to attend to other matters.

Yup. Eyewitnesses say the blood pooled on the seat. The photos seem to confirm that. The head bleeds superficially. It gets very bloody looking, but it doesn't pour out quantity, usually, like, say the chest or neck might.

God knows I'm not a perfect soul-nor do I profess to be.

I'm a firey Arian that's for sure-but I'm trying very hard to channel that energy to positive energy.

Maybe I'll resort to little emotocons :)while I rip into someone!lol

So for anyone on here I've had fueds with this past year-I want to start the game fresh and let bygones be bygones.

Think I've learned that from this past year and I don't want to see the things in others I disagree with in myself. So I'll start with myself first.

Something I'd read in last weeks Raleigh N&O about a theory of Constructal Law(flow theory) says that nature is not without design-lava flow from a mountaintop-then branches off into tiny veins spending equal time there as in one flow. Blood vessels, being round as opposed to square-the same. And there is a reason it branches off-and tine veins are formed-because nature designs it this way to make it easier/more efficient. But constructal law says that while you can go fast in some areas/you have to go slow by design in others. Adrian Bejan, sudying this theory at Duke has said that since Enlightenment-reason overtook faith. science rejected the idea that ther is design/purpose to nature. They compartmentalized into biology, physics geology/creating a wall between them. None recognized the 'similiarity" of all.This would also make it easier to find the imperfections/inefficient parts to the system and move them to make it a perfect fit within the system.So really, you could apply this system anywhere-politics/nature,biology...good ideas, good thoughts-won't clog the "flow".

That's my theory on evolution too-we evolved from zoomastigotes or algae-yet when water dwindled-it may have been a better idea to say-form lungs instead of gills, or feet instead of fins those billions of yrs ago.I can't understand, knowing the complexity of the human body--how anyone would think Adam and Eve were just plopped into the Garden of Eden as the evolved humans we are now.EVERYTHING has shown to have started out as much simpler cell structures and gotten more complex-to make things easier/more efficient as yrs. progressed. We've "gone with the flow" of nature.

I'm trying to "go with the flow" too-negativity I think clogs the natural flow. (And WT don't get me wrong, I'm not siding or not with anyone/not accusing you)I just merely wanted to point out that I don't think thought is a thing-as much as wavelength.We have 3 minds supposedly:the intuitive, the rational, and the subconscious. Within these 3-we have energy layers which vibrate to others--physical,electrical,mental,emotionl,intuitive and soul.Science can detect the first four by vibration.

I guess what I'm saying is that even when we don't realize it-our subconscious influences our thought-many times with negative energy. Many times from negative energy passed on by others. This is not woo-woo stuff-this is whats' been proven. Indian spirituality has proven that vibrating at a higher level-through meditation,prayer, or simply good thoughts helps to overcome those "negaive vibrations"-both from within and projected from others.

I've taken to St Michael the Archangels prayer-a simple prayer really to ask for aid in kicking bad/demonic thoughts to the curb.Not trying to convert anyone here-Michael cuts across many religious lines from Judaism to Muslim.The Pope has even wanting it to be added to masses now. I've glued it to my keychain-because I get so angry and impatient on the road (specially cellphone users,uuugh)-to aid me with my own flaws. I think it helps.

Anyhow, that's my New Years advice-both to myself and others.

I agree with Dave Sirota when he talked about the panic that is reverberating in the halls of Washington and in the corporate boardrooms. This "independent" threat that Glenn talks about and the hit pieces that Stu Rothenberg & Joe Klein put out about Edwards are just the beginning as the entrenched interests use everything in their arsenal to try to cling to power. What a shame that the primary has divided the netroots community. Because NOW is the time we need to join together to fight back. If there was any doubt that Edwards is the outsider in this campaign that is feared the most the vitriol directed at him by corporate hacks should leave no doubt in anyones mind. The question is will our fellow progressives recognize it in time to back the only candidate in the race willing to take on the entrenched interests? I hope so.