Tabloid Edition

Fifth Tim Worstall Award.

A further installment of this prestigious award, offered to those who have enriched our language by finding a new combination of the same dull old words and thus illuminating the world around us.  From the comments section to this Daily Ablution post:

Imagine a Birkenstock stamping on a human face - forever.

Well done "windowlicker", a fine, fine phrase.
A secret masonic handshake to you, pat yourself on the back and invite a few people ’round for lashings of ginger beer.

Fourth Tim Worstall Award.

As you know, the Tim Worstall Award is given to those who have enriched our language, purely at my discretion, to the person or site where I first see such enrichment. Can be a new phrase or an old one, it’s all about where I first see it. Given the Civil Continegencies Act, the ID Cards, the abolishment of Habeus Corpus and jury trial, the fourth award therefore goes to Andrew, at Don’t Vote Labour.

What's the point of a fascist government if it can't even make the trains run on time?

A secret masonic handshake to you Andrew, pat yourself on the back and organise a party with lashings of ginger beer.

Third Tim Worstall Award Winner

A worthy winner of the third Tim Worstall Award. As regular readers will know this is an infrequent prize for those who have enriched our language awarded entirely at my discretion. (Rules here.)
One could describe this passage as sarcasm, perhaps bitter irony, or as I would, simply speaking truth to power. The Diplomad:

Well, The Diplomad is sorry for its past criticism of the UN.
In these times of gentleness and political correctness, we all must acknowledge that we're all special in our own way. We each do what we can best do. Americans and Australians are good at saving lives and the world; the UN is good at asking for money and going to conferences. We're sure both talents are equally valid; we shouldn't judge one better or worse than the other.

The usual prize, a secret masonic handshake, pat yourself on the back and throw a party with lashings of ginger beer.

Battle of the Bulge.

Cranky Gordon reminds me that today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge in WW II.  I feel it is time to award the second Tim Worstall Award for additions to our language. It’s an old phrase, we’ve all heard it before (and I am therefore breaking all of my self-imposed rules for the award of the, er, award) and, sadly, General Anthony McAuliffe is no longer with us to accept his secret masonic handshake, pat himself on the back and organise a party with lashings of ginger beer. Perhaps in some other realm eh? Still I think a worthy award winner, one of the more famous phrases in military history:

"To the German Commander,     "Nuts!" The American Commander."

   
    General Anthony McAuliffe
    taken on December 27th, 1944

Inaugural Tim Worstall Award.

I have decided to instutute a new award, to be known as "The Tim Worstall Award". This is not merely an exercise in getting my name spread across the blogosphere, ooooh, no. It is rather a modest attempt to provide recognition to those who have enriched the language of the Anglosphere by the invention of a new metaphor, simile, phrase, name, reference, some perfect addition to the way we describe the world around us. There are any number of worthy winners from the past but this award is only applicable to additions from now into the future. I am the sole judge although I will obviously welcome nominations. Whether or not where I see the phrase is actually the originator is irrelevant, the award goes to where I see it first.
The prize? A secret masonic handshake, an injunction to the winner to pat themselves upon the back and the right for that winner to organise their own party with lashings of ginger beer. Valuable as you will no doubt agree.
Awards will be on an irregular basis and purely at my discretion.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the winner of the inaugural Tim Worstall Award, Mr. Dean Esmay:

People who genuinely care what happens to servicemen who come home wounded (and care about their families) have offered a challenge to Michael Moore. I somehow doubt that Tubby Riefenstahl would ever accept that challenge.

Tubby Riefenstahl? A worthy winner I think you will agree.