Lake Superior State University published its annual list of “Banished Words” that meet the institute’s qualifications of “Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.”

Recipients of the honor of being shuffled out the lexicon door are

• SHOVEL-READY
• TRANSPARENT/TRANSPARENCY
• CZAR
• TWEET
• APP
• SEXTING
• FRIEND (as a verb)
• TEACHABLE MOMENT
• IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES….
• STIMULUS
• TOXIC ASSETS
• TOO BIG TO FAIL
• BROMANCE
• CHILLAXIN’
• OBAMA-prefix or roots?

Of course, “teachable moment” holds a special place in my heart, by which I mean “stuffed in the Devil’s mouth next to Judas Iscariot”. I do, however, like the recently-promoted-to-verb “friend” as I believe most words could become verbs if we encouragemented it.