My Vocabulary Words for 2008

“SHOED” is a newly coined word.  Some media outlets say “Bushoed”; while others use the word “shoo” or “shooed” (i.e., to scare, drive or send away by).  Of course, who wouldn’t know the “shoe-ing” incident in Iraq where President Bush showed his quick reflexes by ducking his head so as to avoid the soles of the pair of size-10 shoes supposed to bid him farewell as he leaves the White House.  To me, it means a legitimate – although illicit by the bourgeois standard – and very patriotic expression of disgust (the tamest word) or rage (the more correct word) against the leader of the invading country. 

“GLOBAL WARMING” is obviously a part of my annual vocabulary.  Especially this is so in relation to the continuing hard line stance of the US not to sign the Kyoto Protocol.  This is in effect the arrogance of the largest consumer of fossil fuel in the world refusing to cut its greenhouse emission.  Yes, global warming is principally contributed to by the United States of America.

“PRAYER” is a subtle propaganda.  In the Philippines, to formally open one of the Cabinet meetings of Macapagal-Arroyo, her spokesperson made this prayer: “Bless the President so we will have the forbearance, good health, and tolerance to lead this nation up to 2010, and perhaps, who knows, even beyond.”  The possibility of term extension for the sitting Philippine President is a hot topic in the country.  For one, there is a wide perception that Arroyo cheated her way to the President after she was caught making  a call to a controversial Commission on Elections official – whom she appointed, in the first place – as she made a demand to ensure that she should win by at least a million votes.  Likewise, her regime is to many respect comparable to the late dictatorial rule of Marcos – even surpassing it in terms of violations of human rights.  Not to mention that she once had broken her own words, when prior to the 2004 elections, she even made a promise – swearing before a monument of Jose Rizal in Baguio City – that she would relinquish the presidency.

Formerly, we have the phrase “Kiss of Death” is originally the “Kiss of Judas,” for whatever it means.  In Southern China, a “KISS OF DEAF” is coined after a young girl loses her hearing after a passionate kiss from her boyfriend.  The kiss from the boyfriend ruptured the girl’s eardrum, as the kiss reduced pressure in the mouth, pulled the eardrum out, and caused the breakdown of the ear.  At least, it was how the doctor explained what happened.  In Hicksville, N.Y., a similar incident transpired to a mother whose four-year old daughter’s kiss left her with hearing loss and tinnitus.  What must have caused the mother misfortune?  It was the suction force of the kiss, which displaced the eardrum and paralyzed a trio of bones.  To me, then, “KISS OF DEAF” is a reminder for everyone not to hurt the ones we love.