Language corner: My list of annoying words and phrases

Okay.  Here is my list of the words and expressions that I find the most annoying.  This is not just a highly subjective list.  People I have spoken to are also annoyed by some of the words are phrases that are on this list.  So, without further ado, here is my list.

- Joanne

MY LIST OF ANNOYING WORDS AND PHRASES

It is what it is.  That expression means absolutely nothing.

Spinster:  Why isn't there a similar word for an unmarried man or lifelong bachelor?  It's sexist.

Nag:  Another sexist word.  In the world of horse racing, the term "nag" is often used to describe female horses.  With human beings, it's almost always a woman who is described as a nag.  

My bad.  Why can't we just say, "I was wrong." or "I made a mistake?

I could care less.  It should be "I couldn't care less."

It goes without saying . . . Well then, why say it?

No offence, but . . . is usually followed by something offensive.

I'm just saying . . . I'm not sure what message that this expression is supposed to convey.  Is the speaker unsure about how his words will be received?  It sounds apologetic.

Basically is used far too often and unnecessarily. It has become a filler. It should be used to mean "fundamentally" or "in the most essential respects."

Like don't get me started on how like is used in like three or four times in like every sentence.

Literally when it is used to denote something in a figurative or exaggerated sense, not an actual sense.  For example, it's ridiculous to say "I literally died."

The honest truth: If a truth isn't honest, then what is it?  The expression is redundant.

Everything happens for a reason is often meant to provide comfort.  However, not everything happens for a reason.  Some things just happen.  Period.

Why concern about the environment has moved to the backburner

In the American election last November, and in our Canadian election in April, the environment was not a huge issue.  Why not?  Well, there are several reasons.  Let's start with the American election.  Donald Trump doesn't care about climate change.  He thinks it's a Chinese hoax.  He wants to revive the coal industry.  He thinks that wind turbines cause cancer.  He just wants to "drill, baby, drill!"  During the 2024 presidential election campaign, the environment was not a popular topic among American voters.  They were more understandably concerned about inflation and the cost of living.  The price of groceries and gas affected them directly.  Inflation seemed so much closer to home.  So, despite Trump's horrible business record (he has filed for bankruptcy protection six times), many Americans thought he would be better for the economy than his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.  

Americans were concerned about kitchen table issues and immigration.  Trump managed to convince many of them that caravans of undocumented immigrants were about to pounce on their communities, causing crime and havoc.  He repeated this lie over and over, playing into people's fears and bigotry.  What they didn't understand is that climate change, immigration and the economy are inseparable.  Each of those issues affects the other. Pollution is the cause of numerous illnesses and deaths worldwide. Everyone pays with the loss of life and the cost of healthcare.

Many lives have also been lost by the hurricanes and flooding and wildfires caused by climate change.  These disasters not only cost precious live, but they cost millions in tax dollars.  There doesn't have to be a choice between having a good economy and combatting climate change.  A green economy creates green jobs.  Furthermore, many immigrants have been forced to leave their homes due to climate change.  They have no choice but to become refugees.

Since his return to the presidency, Trump has been erratic and unpredictable.  His campaign to impose tariffs and his overall handling of the economy have been disastrous.  Many Americans, with the exception of Trump's brain-washed die-hard MAGA loyalists, regret having voted for him.  Of course the oil companies want to preserve their wealth.  Oil is their cash cow.  They want Trump to promote fossil fuels.  

With regard to the environment, extreme right-wing conservatives are different from their more moderate counterparts.  Moderates believe that conservatives should conserve the environment.  Here in Canada, we call those moderate conservatives "Red Tories."  Regrettably, there aren't many Red Tories left  in this country anymore.  They are a dying breed, replaced by populists and more far f right U.S. Republican types.

The far right, however, mock efforts to fight climate change.  They don't want to cut down on plastic or make strong efforts to combat climate change.  Remember how Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, ranted during the election campaign that he wanted to get rid of single-use plastics bans and bring back plastic straws.  It's as if implementing any measures to deal with climate change is left-wing radicalism.  The Conservatives criticized the carbon tax so harshly and so relentlessly that Mark Carney's Liberals would likely have lost the election if he he hadn't abolished it. There were endless cries to "axe the tax."

As I write this, two Canadian provinces, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, have declared a state of emergency due to wildfire.  People are being evacuated from their homes.  Flin Flom, Manitoba, a city of 5,000 people, about 631 kilometres (391 miles) northwest of Winnipeg, is engulfed by wildfire smoke.

I must also mention that the Village of Blatten, in the Swiss Alps, was evacuated due to a glacier collapse.  Authorities ordered Blatten's 300 residents to leave.  More than 500 glaciers have already disappeared from Switzerland.

We ignore these warnings at our peril.  Climate change is not going to go away on its own.  It's understandable that people are upset about inflation, but environmental threats can't be ignored.

- Joanne

It's Time to Come Home, Stanley

 Dear Stanley,

Won't you please come home!  It's been almost 32 years, and we miss you dearly here in the True North Strong and Free.  You've been away for far too long.  You were last seen in Montreal in 1993.  We hear that you will decide whether to show up in Edmonton or Florida this year.  Please choose Edmonton.  You went to Florida last year.  Isn't it time for a change of scenery?  Remember, Stanley, you were born in Canada and named after our governor general.  You have a Canadian passport.  Besides, Edmonton is very nice in June.  It's a wonderful place for a parade.    

I know you've been to Edmonton five times - 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990.  It's been a while, though.  The younger crowd doesn't remember much of the Gretzky and Messier years  There's a new guy in town who wants to hoist you.  He's a very fine lad from Richmond Hill, Ontario and his name is Connor McDavid.  

Florida is known for oranges and sunshine.  Football is the number one sport in the state.  It has three NFL teams.  Most of the  people there would rather see the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Jacksonville Jaguars win a Super Bowl than the Florida Panthers win a Stanley Cup.  Edmontonians are far more excited about your possible homecoming. They will line the streets.  They will welcome you with open arms and much celebration.  You can be sure of that.  

Uncle Gary, from New York, will even be there.  He'll be on hand to present you to your elated fans.  Our prime minister will join the celebration with great enthusiasm.  He is a huge Oilers fan, and he was raised in Edmonton.  What a lovely scenario!

Remember, dear Stanley, the celebration won't just take place in Edmonton.  People all over Canada will welcome you home joyfully.  A nation cries out for your return.  The time is right.  It's a perfect storm.  So, please come home!

Sincerely,

Joanne and millions of Canadian hockey fans

Mainstream media treat Trump differently than Biden

There is a double standard in the way mainstream media treat Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Just imagine what would happen if Biden or any other American politician had said or done some of things that Trump has said or done. It would have been completely unacceptable to corporate media.  That politician would definitely not be president of the United States right now  Yet, Trump's sick and outrageous comments are accepted by many. Don't take him seriously. It's just Trump being Trump. He's unpredictable. He boosts ratings for cable networks. Besides, some fear retribution from the mob boss.

Yes, Biden has cognitive issues due to aging.  However, during his presidency, the American economy was the envy of the world.  Biden has always respected the rule of law.  He is not an authoritarian.  He has never treated Canada, and America's European allies, the way Trump has been doing.  Biden would never would have imposed the destructive tariffs that Trump has imposed and destabilized the economies of the United States and much of the world. Kamala Harris wouldn't have either.,

I have posted the following article by Tony Pentimalli because it is well worth reading for those who want a clear picture of what is happening in the United States. It is also must reading for those who believe in democracy and are appalled by America's slide into authoritarianism. People of good will must speak the truth about the Trump regime.

- Joanne

The Misdirection: While They Watch Biden, Trump Unravels the Republic

By Tony Pentimalli

There is an art to distraction. The magician never hides the trick in his hand—he hides it in yours. And in today’s America, the illusion is almost perfect: while Donald Trump descends further into autocratic madness, the nation’s attention has been carefully directed toward the decline of a man no longer in office.

Jake Tapper’s newly released Original Sin, chronicling the final chapter of Joe Biden’s presidency, is a masterclass in that misdirection. With behind-the-scenes accounts of confusion, forgetfulness, and quiet panic among aides, it raises legitimate concerns about transparency—but also reveals a more troubling truth: we are fixating on the rearview mirror while barreling toward the cliff.

Biden, now facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, exited public life with dignity. He acknowledged the limits of age and responsibility, stepped aside, and gave the country a chance to choose its future. That is not failure. That is stewardship.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump—the man who now holds the presidency again—rages incoherently from podiums, forgets what century it is, threatens mass deportations, mocks the disabled, and promises dictatorship “on day one.” He recently described Biden’s diagnosis as “stage 9 cancer”—a non-existent condition—and claimed he met with people who have long since died. He called Milwaukee a “horrible city,” confused Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi, and warned the military about electric boats. These are not gaffes. They are warning sirens.

But you wouldn’t know it if you watched cable news.

Mainstream media, once thought to be the ballast against authoritarian drift, has largely accepted Trump’s incoherence as political theater. Networks air his rambling speeches without editorial framing. Headlines quote him verbatim, without context or correction. Influential voices like Tapper’s delve into Biden’s decline with Pulitzer ambition—while Trump’s delusions are broadcast like late-night punchlines.

What’s unfolding is not a scandal of health. It is a scandal of priorities. The media has become the willing accomplice in laundering Trump’s unraveling into normalcy. By obsessing over Biden’s cognitive descent, they normalize Trump’s descent—from incoherence into autocracy—as if it's part of the show.

This asymmetry reached a new low with the publication of Original Sin. For right-wing commentators, the book is gospel. For centrist media, it’s confirmation bias. For Trump’s camp, it’s the perfect distraction from a presidency sinking deeper into delusion and authoritarianism.

They cling to the illusion that covering Biden's decline is safer than confronting Trump’s radical ascent. But cowardice masquerading as impartiality is how democracies slide into silence.

This is not just about mental sharpness—it is about what each man has done with the power he held. Biden, by all accounts, spent his final year working through limitations, passing bipartisan legislation, managing international crises, and defending democratic norms. Trump, by contrast, has used his second term to erode civil liberties, deploy federal power against dissent, and rule by grievance and paranoia.

His administration is not a sideshow—it is a slow-motion constitutional collapse. Under Trump’s orders, ICE has resumed warrantless raids. DOJ prosecutors have been stripped of oversight when investigating lawmakers. The Insurrection Act is being openly reinterpreted for domestic use. And through it all, the media’s spotlight remains trained on the man who left the stage.

There is cruelty in this deflection. Biden, a man confronting death with grace, has become the straw man for every anti-elderly talking point, every grievance, every fear. And yet, it is Trump who insults Gold Star families, mocks cancer-stricken opponents, and brags that “only he” can save America from itself.

What Original Sin exposes is not just the aging of a president, but the original sin of a political media more interested in the appearance of neutrality than the defense of truth. To treat Biden’s decline as disqualifying, while Trump’s authoritarianism is shrugged off as a personality quirk, is not journalism—it is complicity.

This is the con: we are being told to fear the man who stepped down—so we ignore the one who is burning the house.

So let us be clear. One man stumbled on words. The other has weaponized them into policy. One met the end of his presidency with humility. The other met his second with vengeance.

The true crisis isn’t a man confronting his limits—it’s the one exploiting ours. Trump is the danger in plain sight. And the press, eyes wide open, is choosing to look away.

*Tony Pentimalli is a political analyst and commentator fighting for democracy, economic justice, and social equity.                                                                                

Why the Leafs lost

 

On Sunday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs to the Florida Panthers. They didn't just lose.  They lost ignominiously.  They played without heart.  What kind of team comes out flat for a decisive seventh game playoff in their home arena?  Thousands of fans were cheering for them.  They should have been pumped.  They were not.

The Maple Leafs, as presently constituted, are not built to prevail in the post-season.  They do very well in the regular season, but they can't seem to get past the second round of the playoffs.  They lack something.  Depth?  A winning spirit?  They certainly lack the ability to rise to the occasion.  

As members of the team pack their bags and head to golf courses, it's time for a post-mortem.  The Leafs' defeat may finally signal the end of the Core Four, and it's about time!  The Leafs were never going to win the Stanley Cup with so much of their cap devoted to four players.  As for team president Brendan Shanahan, his future with the Leaf organization is very much in doubt.  The "Shanaplan" is effectively dead.  It has failed to bring home Lord Stanley's Jug, a feat that has not been accomplished by Toronto's NHL team since 1967.  

Mitch Marner is expected to be the first member of the Core Four to leave the team.  It's doubtful that the Leafs will pay him the kind of money he'll be asking for.  Number 16 (my favourite number) was booed off the ice on Sunday night.  He has likely played his final game in a Leaf uniform and will seek free agency.  However, I don't think Marner deserved so much of the blame for the team's poor performance.  Where was Captain Auston Matthews?  He seemed to be missing in action.  I am not questioning Matthew's talent as a goal scorer.  He's a great player.  He scored 69 goals last season.  Unfortunately, he has never been a prolific scorer in the playoffs.  He has never dominated when it's all on the line.  He's no Sidney Crosby or Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky or Connor McDavid.

On August 23, 2023, Auston Matthews signed a four year, $53,000,000 contract with a cap hit of $13,250,000 per season.  His contract expires at the end of the 2027-28 season, when he will be 30 years old.  So, he's going to be around for a while.

Matthews' performance this season has not been as strong as it was last season because he has been plagued by an injury.  I doubt he is 100 per cent.  However, it is not Matthews' injury that really concerns me.  It's his lack of leadership skills.  He doesn't seem able to rally his team.  I don't understand why he has replaced John Tavaras as team captain.  Tavaras is much more mature and far more experienced,  He demonstrated his maturity by not whining and complaining when the "C" was taken away from him.  He just continued to help the team.  He scored 34 goals as a 34-year-old this season.

Mitch Marner

Auston Matthews

William Nylander will also be around for a while, too.  In January of 2024, Nylander signed an eight year, $92,000,000 contract with a cap hit of $11,500,000 per season.  His contract expires at the end of the 2031-32 season when he will be 36 years old.  

On July 1, 2018, John Tavares signed a seven year, $77,000,000 contract with a cap hit of $11,000,000 per season.  His contract with the Leafs expires at the end of this season.  He will turn 35 in September.  After the Game 7 loss to Florida, Tavares said that he wants to remain in Toronto.  That's not surprising because he's married with a family, and he wouldn't want to uproot them.

When asked about his future, Mitch Marner replied, "Pretty devastated.  I don't have any thoughts right now . . . I've always enjoyed this team.  I haven't thought about anything [with my future].  Just trying to put my best foot forward and come here and try to win hockey games and help try to win that ultimate goal."

Ah, yes.  Mitch knows that ultimate goal is not a great regular season.  The ultimate goal that Marner alluded to is the Stanley Cup.  It has eluded the Toronto Maple Leafs for 58 long years.  Now that they are officially eliminated from this year's competition, I'll be cheering for the Edmonton Oilers.  A Canadian-based team has not won the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, almost 32 years ago.  It's about time we brought Stanley home to a city and a country where hockey really matters.

- Joanne

EDITOR'S UPDATE: On May 22, 2025, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Brendan Shanahan's contract would not be renewed.