Notes on language, admittedly random

The tired old "no problem" has become "not a problem."

"On the ground" has enjoyed a meteoric rise since the beginning of the Iraq war. "The situation on the ground" in New Orleans when Katrina hit may or may not have been known to President Bush. (Where was Bush if not "on the ground" too? OK, never mind . . .)

"Push back" is pushing out. This one is harder to quantify, but it seems to me that there is more "pushing back" going on now than before. Maybe there's more to push back against.