Vernacular Hero: "blogosphere"

Vernacular Hero is a new series targeting the worst offenders in the English vernacular - words, phrases, slang - anything overused, abused, outdated, or just plain stupid that should be completely stricken from the language altogether. I am very excited to launch this new series because it lets me exercise my editorial muscle while doing some serious venting. Boom.

First act of vernacular heroism is:

blogosphere
n. The social network made up of the blogging community.
Example: "It caused quite a stir in the blogosphere."

I hate this term despite the fact that I technically exist in it. It sounds amateurish and gives off this pretentious vibe as if the blogging community has somehow reached a level of atmospheric importance.

It also sounds like a quote from Apollo 13: "Houston, we have cleared the blogosphere."

The word is essentially creating an organic entity out of bloggers, which is redundant, except it is a lot easier for pundits to say than "it caused a lot of controversy in the blogging community." If "blogosphere", than why not "webosphere," or "pornosphere," or "newsosphere?"

It is time to retire this snobby term and call the "blogosphere" what it is - a bunch of people that write blogs. I'm cool with that. I don't need some fancy title to feel self assured of what I do here. I just throw some words and images together and post it on the internet. It really is not that glamorous.

Effen Vodka

I don't like vodka - at all. I never drink it, except when it is heavily veiled in a chocolate or lychee martini. But I do love good branding.

Effen Vodka is good branding. Imported from Holland, the name "Effen" is actually Dutch slang for "smooth." It is distilled, designed, and marketed specifically for the club scene - the original 120 year-old recipe was given to a panel of bartenders to refine into a blend that young people would find most appealing and the bottle has a rubber non-slip sleeve around it for when the bartender's hands are wet, which also acts as an insulator, keeping the bottle colder longer.

And let's face it, the name is brilliant. It is the kind of brand name that is so universally-appealing, you can just hear anyone ordering it. Frat boys: "Bro, let's do another Effen shot!" Snobs: "Oh my God, I totally need an Effen cosmo right now!" Or even our favorite vodka connoisseur, James Bond: "I'll have an Effen martini - shaken, not stirred." I think we can all hear ourselves waking up the next morning: "Oh man, I had way too many Effen drinks last night."

Pure genius!

Daily Quote

"I found that Mr. Dziekanski had been compliant and was not defiant or resistant, did not brandish the stapler, did not move towards any of the officers. I concluded that the constable was not justified in deploying the weapon and that neither the constable nor the corporal honestly perceived that Mr. Dziekanski was intending to attack any of the officers."

- Thomas Braidwood, B.C. Court of Appeal justice, ret.
Today, upon releasing his report on the Taser death of Robert Dziekanski by RCMP officers at Vancouver International Airport on October 14, 2007.

Read the full story here.

Rick Mercer turns down job at Sun TV News

Apparently trying to score a coup for the new network, Quebecor Vice-President of Development Kory Tenycke offered Rick Mercer, the wildly-popular host of CBC's Rick Mercer Report, a job at Sun TV News, Mercer confirmed today.

Mercer seems like an unlikely personality for an openly-conservative news network, which will launch in January, but considering he hosts the highest-rated Canadian show in prime time, it is not so surprising that Tenycke would try to get him to jump ship. Mercer says that after considering the offer, he decided that he had no desire to part ways with CBC, a network he has been a fixture of for 15 years.

Of Tenycke, who he describes as a "smart fellow", Mercer said, "I never thought Kory had such good taste until he offered me a job."

Read the full story from the Toronto Star here.

Daily Image

LAKERS WIN!

Kobe Bryant celebrates after the final buzzer as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics 83-79 last night at the Staples Centre to win their second consecutive NBA Championship and 16th in franchise history.

After trailing for most of the game and a weak performance by Bryant through three quarters, the Lakers came from behind in the 4th Quarter to edge out Paul Pierce and the Celtics in a surprising victory.