Touching whose base?

In the headlong rush to seem professional and 'with it', office managers, politicians and executives have long been coming up with some truly bizarre twists on the English Language.

Office Angels, the recruitment firm, has compiled a list of the oddest phrases which include

::We need the right Pin numbers (we need it to work);
:: A lighthouse on a cloudy night (coming up with a good/bright idea);
:: I'm coming into this with an open kimono (throwing an idea out into the open but being open to criticism);
:: Let's touch base about this offline (let's meet up face to face);
:: Finger in the air figure (just an estimate);
:: I think someone needs a bite of the reality sandwich (someone needs to think a bit more practically);
:: Let's run that idea up the flagpole and see if it flies (simply trying out an idea);
:: Let's not try to build a chestnut fence to keep the sand-dunes in (face a problem head on, rather than battling it unsuccessfully);
:: Expecting the moon on a stick (when clients have ridiculous expectations).

Jargon, however, is nothing new, and is almost always a symptom of a mediocre professional attempting to seem 'cool' and 'with it' to colleagues. But jargon - words or phrases whose meaning is not necessarily immediately obvious - has a more sinister purpose;  professions such as Medicine and Law have been using it for years to bamboozle clients and maintain a mystical aura around their work, a tradition harking back to tribal shaman who clearly wanted to preserve their positions of power and influence and stop others muscling in on their act.

For now, however being of a forgiving nature, we'll simply suggest you get on board and smell the coffee, prior to jumping off a very high bridge somewhere.