Gene Tsudik

The Simpson Family Professor 
Computer Science Department
Mr.Burns School of Information and Computer Sciences

University of California, Irvine
.
Some of my favorite moronic expressions polluting modern-day (American) English:

• Disenfranchised minority -- a tragedy in three acts:
  1. once, there was a minority,
  2. it was then happily en-franchised, and then,
  3. some (evil) force dis-en-franchised it
• Innocent women and children -- either/or:
  1. men are guilty, one way or another, or
  2. there are some women and children who are not innocent
• Vicious assault -- there must be soft, considerate and gentle ways to assault someone
• Brutal murder -- somewhere, someplace murders are comfy, cozy and pleasant
• Aid and abet / rot and decay / cease and desist / lewd and lascivious -- redundancy never, ever, ever, ever, ever hurts in aiding comprehension, right?
• Mean-spirited attack -- when attacking someone, please strive to do so in a kind-hearted and well-meaning manner
• Hard-working people/immigrants/etc. -- as opposed to lazy and slovenly (people/immigrants/etc.)
• Country/nation/ethnic-group with a long and rich history -- in contrast to those others with short, lousy and poor history
• Civilian population -- some populations must be purely military
• Intelligent design -- a mythical alternative to totally stupid, brainless design
• Saggy and droopy -- whatever this phrase refers to is usually sad enough, so why rub it in redundantly?
• Proud nation/country/people/ethnic/group -- better than those who are ashamed of themselves and generally depressed about being what they are