Sideswipe

Turn of phrase: Jump the shark is now Jump the couch.

The phrase 'Jumping the shark' has itself jumped the shark, according to popbitch.com. The new way to describe something becoming irredeemably awful or past its prime is ... Jumping the couch.

Inspired by Tom Cruise's bout of love-struck couch leaping on Oprah earlier this year. The origin of the phrase 'Jumping the shark' comes from a Happy Days episode in which the Fonz jumped over a shark on water-skis.

According to Happy Days aficionados, this marked the lowest point of the show. Local examples of jumping the couch could include good times at Mark Ellis', the Wallaby front row and the Act Party.

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Language of war: A post on Boingboing.net points to an article in the Army Times which refers to people in New Orleans as 'the insurgency'. The definition according to dictionary.com is ... "an organised rebellion aimed at overthrowing a constituted government through the use of subversion and armed conflict".

The term is often used to refer to armed entities in Iraq and other war zones overseas. Which is why its use sits so uncomfortably in the context of a natural disaster, in America. "Not insurgents. Not refugees. Not enemies. Americans", the blog says.

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The Bush Administration is working hard this weekend to highlight the distress Hurricane Katrina has caused its core supporters, the Have-mores, reports US Press News. On Friday, Bush outlined many of the problems his people, those he called "the forgotten ones," are facing.

"We've all seen the animal instincts of those who chose to stay in New Orleans," said Bush, "But few have heard of the trouble that those who took the responsible action of filling up their SUV's with $70 of gas and evacuating to golf resorts in Arizona have been having. In fact, I just heard from Karl Rove's nephew today and he - he wasn't able to bring his own golf clubs with him when he left his New Orleans vacation home. His friends loaned him some, but he's got a long torso and needs extra length clubs. He tells me his handicap may never be the same. That's a story of devastation that's not being told." (Source: read more satire at uspressnews.com).

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Where's all the cheap labour when you need it? Sideswipe wonders how much response there will be to a flyer left on the seats at the Act launch on the weekend, looking for staff for telephone polling from the Act call centre. The short-term job (13 days part-time) was saying it was offering $15 an hour, which Act described as "good pay". Damn that Helen Clark and her record low unemployment!

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A reader of the Sydney Morning Herald saw a cracker deal at Westfield Bondi Junction: "Spend $300 or more and get your third hour of parking FREE."