From cachet to cliché

In the Information Age, expressions can become clichés in no time. One of my most (least) favorite is "metrics."

Once upon a time we used terms like measurements, standards and criteria. Now, perhaps to give our presentations a technological or international cachet, we speak of metrics. Ironically metrics has become ubiquitous in a country where we use the term but not the system it represents – a system that is indeed suited to technology and truly international.

Expressions that today seem so cool can tomorrow be so yesterday.

-----

Speaking of the "come-and-gone," dinosaurs have been in the news lately. Archeologists have found the bones of possibly the largest dinosaur ever. They've also determined that a dinosaur could outrun soccer star David Beckham – although they can't say how well it did on penalty kicks. Finally, massive clawprints discovered at the site of an ancient lake bed are thought to be evidence that dinosaurs could swim. Even more convincing are the gigantic Speedo trunks found nearby.