The Life Cycle of Slang

Rejoice! For you are here to witness the EXACT MOMENT in which a modern bit of street slang died an icey death in the killing fields of mainstream consciousness. The billboard above, blogged by Andrew Sullivan here represents the final resting place of "bling bling" (originally a Jamaican phrase), as popularized by Cash Money Records and countless VH1 "The Fabulous Life of..." documentaries ever since.

Fastforward 50 years, when elementary schools throughout the Latino Republic of the Americas, the Eurabian Theocratic Union, the Free Catholic African Alliance, the Dubai Celebrity Cash-Commune, and thirty independent states of the former Republic of China are all celebrating, with tiny tongues firmly implanted in tiny cheeks, "Naughties Nostalgia Week". Though 9/11 will garner but a 5-second lip service sound bite, and Al-Qaeda a few rude whacks to a turban-festooned pinata, Gangsta rap will earn a two hour musical in the school cafeteria, replete with 4000-kt "ice" chains around the neck of every performer. (Given that diamonds will be mass-produced, this will be as easy as giving the kids plastic Hawaiian leas.)

Word.