I wanted to be your first source to bring you the following information you already know: A lot of words rhyme with eight. My desire to give you this insight is really a warning. For the following 366 days (leap year), and possibly beyond, you will be hearing several versions of, and see headlines with, things like: "The Great 2008". On the surface this seems fine, but I have no doubt that some rhyming variation with 2008 or '08' will become entrenched in the national lexicon. While driving, I recently saw a billboard with an Illinois license plate which read: LO LO R8S. Now, this billboard, on the surface, doesn't have anything to do with the year 2008, its just about insurance pricing. However, its existence reminded me of the year 2008's eminent arrival into our collective minds. What does the future hold?...
Phrases for 2008 and the events therein (Based on future occurrences*):
The Great Inflate of '08 - A term to be used to explain rising prices in the U.S. economy. Gas prices will stretch toward $4 and it will once again be a major news story in Chicago. This one doesn't really roll off the tongue, although it won't stop ABC7 news from sending a reporter and a cameraman to a suburban BP station.
[fill in blank] Debate '08 - There will be several debates during the year leading up to the November elections. I'm not sure if anyone really names these things though. If so, I foresee the Overweight Debate of '08 (health care), The 2008 Cheapskate Debate (taxes), and Menstruate Debate '08 (this will involve Hillary Clinton). On a political note, I feel like Obama is running this year because his name is "Obama", and saying "Obama" and "'08" really makes for some memorable alliteration. [try it] Oh and also, think of all of the cool buttons they could/will make with the 0 (zero) and O (letter). The current options dwarf the 2012 button options. I used to believe that presidents were elected based on the quality of their political buttons. This is most likely due to some buttons being in a history book I was supposed to read in grammar school. I actually remember something about Tipppecanoe and Tyler Too. (Note: I pulled that phrase from memory prior to googling it. That would be ATLEAST $600 on jeopardy)
The 2008 Birthrate - There are currently more than enough people on the the bus route I take to work. Let's hope this term is not used to describe a mass increase.
Great Negate of '08 - Coined to describe the movement to have the baseball statistics of Barry Bonds discredited. His court trial is likely to begin at the end of 2008, so this negation probably won't happen.
What will happen is you will hear or read several 2008 phrases during the year. Some will be lame and uncreative, but a choice few will make it onto buttons which will be studied by future generations.
*Not really
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