Every year, some place called Lake Superior State University releases a list of what they call "banished words." These are usually phrases they deem to have passed their usefulness.

I'm not sure what makes them the authority on what we shouldn't say anymore, but it gives me an easy column, giving me at least one week a year where I don't have to try very hard on this thing. And before you even think, I do put thought into these things... Mostly.

Without further ado, here's the list, with political phrases outnumbering everything else. All smarmy comments are mine.

FISCAL CLIFF: The thing we apparently just avoided. All over the news, mainly used as a scare tactic to make us think we're suddenly going to be anywhere from $2,000 to $50,000 poorer this year. I'm not sure where they got those figures, but when those tax cuts were instigated a few years ago, my pay didn't go up anywhere near $2,000, yet it's supposed to go down that much?

KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD: A really old saying that was co-opted by politicians to say that the "other party" was putting off a decision on a really important....whatever.

DOUBLE DOWN: Another old phrase apparently co-opted by politics, but I don't recall hearing it, and I watch and read a LOT of news. Maybe it was used a lot in that televised poker stuff?

PASSION/PASSIONATE: Were these words used any more than normal last year? Maybe I don't hang around people who jump on the latest trends?

YOLO: Abbreviation for "you only live once." I only heard of this in recent weeks, but it was used enough last year to drive the eye rollers crazy.

SPOILER ALERT: Probably everyone has heard of this one. It's used to let people know you're fixing to be a jerk and tell either an important plot point or the ending of a movie or TV show.

BUCKET LIST: The things you want to do before you kick the bucket. Been around forever, but really jumped into pop culture after a movie starring two old actors used it in the title. I'm surprised it took so long to make the list.

TRENDING: A modern day usage meaning something is being talked about by a large group of people. Almost completely internet based.

SUPERFOOD: I've never heard this, but it supposedly refers to food that is super healthy and good for you. If Doritos is on that list, I'm good to go.

BONELESS WINGS: This one seems kind of stupid to me. It's a descriptive phrase. I suppose "red car" will tick somebody off and it'll be on the list next year?

GURU: Apparently there are a bunch of people out there calling themselves guru's because they're knowledgeable in a certain subject and this makes other people upset. Kind of reminds me of the old saying (joke), "Those who think they know everything are really annoying to those of us who do."

The list this year seems kind of weak. I'll agree that fiscal cliff is getting a little annoying, but most of these are either passing internet age fads or old sayings that become popular right after they've been dormant for just the right amount of time.

I can't think of too many words or phrases that are popular, yet annoy me. There are some, like "Packers win," that I wouldn't mind never hearing again. And I really get tired of hearing somebody who makes $15 million a year (or more) saying a tax increase would hurt them as much as it would hurt me.

Speaking of that, how is it that a year ago, when that social security tax "vacation" was put in, I didn't notice any difference in my take home pay, yet raising it back up 2 percent is supposed to cost me $1,000 a year?

But that's a topic for another time.

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com | 442-4575