It’s that word we abbreviate with two letters, that in Latin, in the Urban Dictionary, sometimes stands for ‘bulbus stercum,’ and some other words as well, like the college degree, the ‘Bachelor of Science,’ for example.
But, since bulbus stercum has quite a lot to do with bulls, let’s go with the two-letter abbreviation for those two words, as we reflect upon various instances of bulbus stercum, or BS, in our daily lives.
Beginning with one of my personal favorites, the words various officials use when they want us to be thinking – or to be doing – something.
Like the officials in your town and county governments wanting you to vote for a sales tax increase that — if it’s approved by voters— you all will be stuck paying. It will be a higher sales tax than you’re currently paying, and you’ll be paying it, not just for a while, but over-and-over-and-over again, in perpetuity, perhaps.
That’s one heck of a long time, during which your town and county officials can be deciding how all those sales tax dollars, added on to the cost of things you’ll be buying, will be spent. And, conversely, how your dollars will not be spent. They’ll be calling the shots, spending your money as they decide to do. Will their spending decisions, using your tax dollars, your public money, be in the best interest of the public? Will your dollars be used to address pressing needs? Or will they be used for other things, perhaps less pressing?
We have all sorts of ballot measures out here in California, and some of them are confusing as all get out. By design, it seems.
It’s like the ballot measures – and the advertising – urging Californians to vote ‘yes’ or even ‘no’ were written in Latin, like those two words, bulbus stercum.
When I had to take a semester of Latin, at school, I’m pretty sure my Latin teacher wasn’t into bulbus stercum, unless maybe when he was trying to explain why we so briefly were required to study Latin? We were kids, then; we didn’t know.
The problem with officials, their messaging experts and the ad agencies they may be using, is their knack for convincing folks to do things that maybe aren’t so much in the best interest of the public.
As I’m thinking about – and writing – these words, another one of the ads, in what’s been an endless series of them is on TV, for one of the measures that will be on our November ballot. We’re getting pounded with such ads.
And like Latin class, those many years ago, I’m wondering if the ballot measure advertising is for real, or if it’s bulbus stercum.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.