"Scheduled Surprises" -- & Other Oxymorons

Last week, it was "limited surge."

Now this: 'Sarah Palin is scheduled to make a surprise walk-on appearance with Conan O'Brien on NBC's "Tonight Show.'

Are oxymorons contagious??

"Oxymoron" -- Exhibit A

My (almost) 10 year-old son just tripped across the word "oxymoron" this week, and I trotted out the usual examples: 'jumbo shrimp,' 'deafening silence,' etc.

However, it's hard to beat the banner we saw hanging over a shelf of new arrivals at the local Barnes & Noble: 'New History.'