By Keith
Time for “Ticking Time Bomb” (aka “TTB”)
Dear readers, gentle as you are, twenty-some years ago your correspondent began the “Cliche of the Month Club” betwixt friends, simply for shits and giggles.
“Cliche of the Month” focused on the tired, worn and shabby such as “Recipe for Disaster”, “Straw that Broke Camel's Back”, “Ticking Time Bomb” etc.
But only if used by reputable news sites containing original reporting.
Some turns of speech became unbearable to pursue. Curiously “Ticking Time Bomb” remained durable and useful to interested readers and so I'm sharing this, perhaps my first attempt at blogging back in the day, with WO'C.
It's now early evening, February 7, 2014 and planet Mercury is steadfast in retrograde motion. Do not fear. This is not an indication of imminent doom. (If you have electronic appliances that need repair wait another week or two, 'tho.)
Here's a
respectable example of a “TTB”.
Story originates from WZZM – the local ABC news affiliate in Grand Rapids, MI. Residents are very concerned with the amount of accumulated snow in their hood. And it's not just the snow but the amount of water contained in snow available for run-off in the spring time. These folk are sitting atop a “TTB.” They surely won't be singing “
It Might As Well Be Spring” this year. This is acceptable usage of “TTB.”
Next up:
Ken Krapf of Tuscon, AZ. Upon inspection, readers or viewers might reasonably assume this article is about heart disease in women and, possibly, negligence of women's heart health in clinical studies.
But there's a hidden agenda.
Mr. Krapf's heart was a, well, “TTB.” This report and video content originate from the local NBC affiliate KVOA of Tucson, AZ. This example is one of the worst offenders of “Da Bomb.”
Did you know that the African nation of Kenya contains a Ticking Time Bomb? I didn't until I read
this report from
Al Jazeera concerning unemployment amongst youth. We're getting to the good stuff here as this news organization has money from Allah. “TTB” certainly not appropriate. Where, oh where, are the headline editors? (They're in Northern Iraq, getting laid and drinking wine and spirits, heh-heh.)
But there's even more. And it's from the
creme de la crème of news reporting. Why Gov. Christie of New Jersey—a state renown for sleazy, sketchy individuals elected to public service—would warrant the “TTB” badge is beyond my comprehension, except for the fact that he's in fact probably the best next thing to an unexploded hydrogen bomb at two miles altitude and ready to fuse.
But still, the
Guardian? Wasn't expecting this one.
In conclusion one never knows where the next ticking time bomb might lurk. It will most likely be in an advice column from “about.com” or “answers.yahoo.com” but quite possibly
Le Monde (as
bombe à retardement). If you see one—stay away. Or forward on to Scott.