News report concerning the impending fiscal cliff:  "President Obama said he's 'modestly optimistic'". Um,Sir, do you mean "moderately"?

An NPR host commenting on the rush toward the so-called fiscal cliff: "Just one positive economic factor could create a virtuous cycle." Good on her if she meant it. That's better than a vicious or viscous one.

Who knew?

Some malaphors get so embedded in the family argot that their inaccuracy goes unnoticed for decades.  I have two to confess, and both, I apologize, include scatological words.  First, I said "No sh-t, Shylock" for years before some aurally observant soul pointed out that Sherlock was the focus of that statement.  Who knew? Second, in my family the phrase to ingite action was "Fish or get off the pot." It wasn't until today that the Chief Malaphor Specialist pointed out to me that my family had been involved in a Malaphor Mashup of "Fish or cut bait" and "Sh-t or get off the pot."  Once again, who knew?

Tony Soprano remarked to a henchman who had botched a hit: "Well, you've gotten us into a fine stagmire this time." Still, it falls short of Christopher's remark when Tony suggests the gang get out of the waste management business and into health care scams: "Aw, Tony, garbage has always been our bread and butter."

Greg Gutfeld on "Red Eye", discussing same sex marriage: "No one's talking about the 800 pound elephant in the room."

An author wanted to acknowledge her editor's help in discussions and on the pages of her manuscript: "A big thank you to my editor for all his help both on and off the sheets."

Russell Crowe in MASTER AND COMMANDER: "Don't count your eggs before they're in the pudding."