Erik Deckers blogged about unacceptable words

[Amy Stark]

I can’t find the original post, but I read something on Erik Deckers' Blog, Laughing Stalk regarding words that should be banished due to their OVERUSE. From Erik’s blog, I went to the original article published on LSSU’s website.

Before announcing the offensive 17 or so words, the last paragraph in the original article states,

“In this spirit, LSSU presents its 2008 list, a PERFECT STORM of overused and abused words and phrases that POPS ORGANICS, to a POST 9 /11 world DECIMATED by WEBINARS.”

In the above paragraph, the words in all caps were among the doomed 17. I’m just glad groovy wasn’t on the list =)

That got me thinking. The authors missed out on the following three sentences.

“Social Media participants” ARE THE NEW “Bloggers” and their SWEET and EMOTIONAL WORDSMITHING – well--- IT IS WHAT IT IS. Don’t throw them UNDER THE BUS just yet.

BACK IN THE DAY, before we knew about the BLACK FRIDAY—post-Thanksgiving SURGE, RANDOM articles AUTHORED by philosophers encouraged all to GIVE BACK .


I couldn’t fit the word WATERBOARDING in-- I just don’t like that word, anyhow.

I must admit, there are three I use: AUTHORED, SWEET—I love Napoleon Dynamite, and WORDSMITHING. Thanks for the post, Erik. That was fun.

[Doug Theis]

You rock Amy. The SYNERGIES from PARTNERING with Eric and grabs more of our MINDSHARE, meets your GOALS and shows a real WIN-WIN PARADIGM. Congrats on THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. I admire your abilities to use your CORE COMPETENCIES to ACHIEVE BEST PRACTICES. Keep on PROACTIVELY LEVERAGING your GAME PLAN. Let's use our combined KNOWLEDGE BASE to REVISIT this soon. I'll KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP.

[Amy Stark]

LOL... You rock, too, Doug. Thanks for the laugh!

[Patric Welch]

@Doug You had me at WIN-WIN PARADIGM.

[Doug Theis]

It seemed like the best STRATEGIC FIT to FAST TRACK a RESULTS-DRIVEN message.

[Doug Theis]

Have you seen the Action Item comic? This may be the pinnacle of this sort of nonsense.

[Patrick Sullivan]

I think Action Item really takes it to the next level-- a good example of a vendor who's really uniquely qualified to deliver best-of-breed services 24/7, 365.

[Doug Theis]

You found me out. My source for all the above buzzwords was Meeting Bingo, almost exclusively. Great VISION, Patrick, and TACTICS to support your STRATEGY.

[Amy Stark]

I just invited you to be my friend. I want as many friends as possible who can make me laugh. Victor Borge said, "laughter is the closest distance between two people."

[Amy Stark]

"best of breed services" is a new one on me. I kinda like it. If I use that, should I quote you, Patrick? Thanks for another fun sentence.

[Patrick Sullivan]

I'd hate to be quoted on that one! Fortunately I didn't make that one up- think I heard it at a conference or trade show ("So, your email filter is some kind of livestock, then?"). I used to have a colleague who used all of the cliches- wanted to throttle him every time he said "first to market, best in class." I did ask him once how many clients in the same industry he thought he could promise to do that for... went right by him. Guess he couldn't DO THE MATH...