Tornado Alley (PROG)

[janice shell]

What does "kinetic" mean now? According to Merriam Webster:

Ever watch a top spin? Or see one pool ball collide with another and send it across the felt? When you do, you’re witnessing kinetic energy—the energy of something in motion. Kinetics is a branch of science that deals with the effects of forces upon the motions of material bodies, and something described as kinetic has to do with the motion of material bodies and the forces associated with them. Both words were adopted in the 19th century from the Greek word kinetikos (meaning "of motion") for use in the field of physics, but the adjective kinetic proved too apt for broader application, and by the 1930s it was being used to describe people and things full of literal and figurative energy as well.

But recently, every time we blow up a fishing boat, it's a "kinetic action". And then yesterday:

Hours later, Mr. Lee said that Mr. Rubio had called him to tell him that “the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.” He added: “This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack.”

So perhaps now "kinetic" does not mean "of or relating to the motion of material bodies and the forces and energy associated therewith." It's evidently become just a nice way of describing the action of "blowing shit up".

Amirite?

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinetic