PLEASE, NO MORE "WHAT HAPPENS IN X STAYS IN X"
Despite the bleatings and petty paranoia of many Francophobes, the French have given the world many glorious and wonderful things. High up on this list are Sophie Marceau, Vanessa Demouy, Calvados, Barbarella, the Statue of Liberty, the bikini, Voltaire, and Roquefort cheese.

But let's not forget the contribution to language - which includes the word language itself (from the Old french langue). For me, one of the premiere words that has found its way into the English lexicon is cliche - a trite, hackneyed phrase that has become over-used and common.

And here it is, my award winner for the "Now-It's-Time-To-Wrap-This-Puppy-In-A-Bag-And-Toss-It-In-A-River" award for 2006, which is "What happens in X stays in X." Brought to public attention as a funny tag line for promoters of Las Vegas vacations, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" has quickly spawned a viral plague of irritating imitations, typically used by people whose own sense of wit is stunted to the point of being non-existent. Using someone else's quip with a transparent modification is not humor - it's derivitive and dumb.

So stand up and be counted by refusing to laugh when some uninventive bozo at a drunken party in Bumhole, Arkansas says "Hey dude, what happens in Bumhole stays in Bumhole" and instead, feel free to take any large, vaguely pointed object in the near vicinity and insert it into the bozo's most sensitive bodiliy orifice.