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What's a crash blossom?
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Author:  Nessie3 [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:34 am ]
Post subject:  What's a crash blossom?

Violinist linked to JAL crash blossoms

Author:  danbloom [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

linked? the hed makes it look like she was a survivor of the crash, but not that case. what do you call these kinds of strangely phrased hedlines? is there a word for them?

Crash blossoms?

Author:  subtle_body [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

I think you answered your own question, Dan. "Crash blossom" would be an excellent neologism for infelicitously worded headlines.

Author:  danbloom [ Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

subtle_body wrote:
I think you answered your own question, Dan. "Crash blossom" would be an excellent neologism for infelicitously worded headlines.


Credit for this neologism must go to Nessie3. Hear! Hear! I love it.

Author:  Nessie3 [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

A lo, a crash blossom to end all crash blossoms:

Man held for attempted murder of policeman after detention for confining girl expires

Author:  danbloom [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

Nessie3 wrote:


That's exhausting to read........ you have an eye for these crash blossoms!

Author:  Nessie3 [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

danbloom wrote:
Nessie3 wrote:


That's exhausting to read........ you have an eye for these crash blossoms!


More like Japan Today and the Kyodo News wire service have a rare talent for them.

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

A pair from the NYT today:

* Names Deal Cracks Swiss Bank Secrecy

* China Shares Regain Some Ground

Author:  danbloom [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blosssom?

jjmoney62 wrote:
A pair from the NYT today:

* Names Deal Cracks Swiss Bank Secrecy

* China Shares Regain Some Ground


Wow! A new journalism term is born: crash blossoms.....

and they are apparently blossoming all over. Somebody should put them in a book or a blog devoted to them...... hey, that's a good idea! Nessie3, with your permission, and giving full credit to you for coming up with this great "catch" and the coinage too, I will create a blog right now called "Crash Blossoms" and start cataloguing these things above and more as they come in. My crash blossom secretary will handle the details.

Nessie3, I set it up here:

http://amafubme.blogspot.com/

Author:  trimtofit [ Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

This sort of enthusiasm for new argot makes me queasy. On the other hand, John McIntyre's incomplete glossary of endangered journalism jargon is an entertaining read.

Author:  Nessie3 [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Fears for Indian tiger after Chinese green light for sale of animal products
(Times Online)

Only about 30 to 40 tigers survive in the wild in China. But about 5,000 live in tiger farms, where they are bred at great speed.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:52 am ]
Post subject:  Shh. People are listening.

• Many Sic! items are newspaper headlines whose brevity obfuscates. A post on Tuesday on the Testy Copy Editors forum led to a suggestion for a generic term: crash blossom. This is from an example posted in the thread, taken from the Japan Today site: “Violinist linked to JAL crash blossoms”. To interpret — Diana Yukawa, who lost her father in the 1985 Japan Airlines crash, has become a successful violinist. Thanks to Chris Waigl for telling me about this. (World Wide Words)

Author:  Nessie3 [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Aussie newspaper’s shock Caster claim (The Times of South Africa)

Author:  Editer [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Saw one a few days ago on the BBC site that said Army makes safe 600lb bomb. I'd have posted then but the TCE site was down, and by the time it was back up they'd changed the hed.

This reminded me of my favorite redundancy flag: What's the difference between a "dangerous weapon" and the other kind?

(Turns out someone had found a large piece of unexploded ordnance from WWII and the army disarmed it, thus making it safe. But the image of a giant bomb suitable for use as an end table did give pause.)

Author:  Lehane [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shh. People are listening.

Phillip Blanchard wrote:
“Violinist linked to JAL crash blossoms”. To interpret — Diana Yukawa, who lost her father in the 1985 Japan Airlines crash, has become a successful violinist. Thanks to Chris Waigl for telling me about this. (World Wide Words)

I'm so glad you specified a little more about the story, as when you click on the article link now you get:

Violinist linked to JAL crash blossoms
By May Masangkay

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

It doesn't exactly make things any clearer! I think a local reader more familiar with the acrononym JAL might have a better chance of semi-understanding the headline, but it just goes to show you should almost never use acronyms in headlines unless they are so common as to be beyond misunderstanding.

Bill.

P.S. Hello from a brand new member - I'm an Irish copy editor in China. There's something you don't hear every day :-)

Author:  KfitzR [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Welcome indeed - I'm surprised there is any demand for editing Irish in China. Or should that be erse?

Author:  Lehane [ Sun Sep 13, 2009 3:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

KfitzR wrote:
Welcome indeed - I'm surprised there is any demand for editing Irish in China. Or should that be erse?


Hi there Katie. I can only assume you're joking - I'm Irish, the copy editing is in China, and I thought it would go without saying it was through English! The new company I'm going to be working for - China Radio International http://www.crienglish.com - does also have services in Arabic, French, Spanish and German as well as Mandarin Chinese though, so I guess it's worth specifying. :-)

Bill.

Author:  KfitzR [ Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I CAN tend to be terribly literal at times, and it IS part of my sense of humour, Bear with this testy lot and you will get to enjoy us.

Author:  Nessie3 [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

KfitzR wrote:
Welcome indeed - I'm surprised there is any demand for editing Irish in China. Or should that be erse?


Able was I erse I saw Albion.

It would be "Irish" or "Irish Gaelic."

Author:  Editer [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

There once was a man of Dun Laoghaire,
Who propounded an interesting thaoghaire:
That the language of Erse
Has a shortage of verse
As its spelling makes poets too waoghaire.

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Alle righte, alle righte.

Author:  Lehane [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Editer wrote:
There once was a man of Dun Laoghaire,
Who propounded an interesting thaoghaire:
That the language of Erse
Has a shortage of verse
As its spelling makes poets too waoghaire.


Hilarious! Although a fastidious editor back home would definitely add an accent called a fadha to Dún Laoghaire. As to the language, it's generally known simply as 'Irish' within Ireland, or 'Gaeilge' which means Gaelic in the language itself.

Bill.

P.S. My partner - a New Mexico native who high schooled in Lubbock - asks if your name means you edit'er!

Author:  Editer [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I'll edit'er if she's game. Might be fun.

Author:  fev [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I used to work in Boston
In a big department store
I used to work in Boston ...

Author:  Nessie3 [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

No health coverage tied to 45,000 deaths a year (MSNBC)

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

AT&T complains Google Voice blocks calls it can't

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

jjmoney62 wrote:
AT&T complains Google Voice blocks calls it can't


The entire story is incomprehensible.

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Quote:
AT&T Inc. says Google Voice curbs costs by refusing to connect calls to places where some local carriers give phone numbers to adult chat lines and conference-calling services to draw long distance calls.


Quote:
The company asks the FCC to stop rural carriers from boosting incoming calls and charging high fees, or to hold Google to the same rules.

Author:  Docsdoctor [ Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Framingham officer shot back at work

Author:  Wayne Countryman [ Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Docsdoctor wrote:


Appearing beside that story on the website:

Top articles in News & Opinion

1. Tufts University bans nookie if roomie ‘is present’

Author:  Nessie3 [ Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Motorway bones are missing woman

Author:  Nessie3 [ Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Man donates rape reward to victim

**It's not what you think.**

Author:  Nessie3 [ Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

FYI
RICE FARMING
Rice — a staple of unstable future, funds?

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

No Social Security COLA could prod $250 payments

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Wigeon painting tops stamp art contest [UPI]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Many angry man wouldn't marry interracial couple [AP] hat tip: wsj.com

Author:  Editer [ Thu Oct 22, 2009 2:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Angels need bats to rise from dead to stay alive (USA Today)

Author:  JT [ Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Us and them department - from BBC News...

Flat body murder probe launched

Deck = A murder investigation has been launched after a woman's body was discovered in an Edinburgh flat

Author:  hound [ Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Pay Czar to Slash Compensation

Author:  Heartodixie [ Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Y'all do know that most of these are intentional and thought to be clever by the writers?

Author:  gdcfa [ Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

That's what makes them egregious.

Author:  Editer [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Feet from suicide blast, student survives

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I think that's more two-faced than crash blossomish, but it is pretty damned funny. It must've taken me upward of two minutes to figure it out. But I'm kind of tired.

Author:  Heartodixie [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Multiple crash blossoms daily is the standard here. Here are two front-pagers that caught my eye this weekend:

"Dothan quilt
show honors
heritage"

(It's a wire story, so the paper didn't archive its version and its hed. The online version wouldn't have shown the breaks that make it blossom anyway.)

Online now, "Tide defensive lineman’s blocks salvage game."

Author:  TokenBrit [ Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Man held over body in field find

Author:  KfitzR [ Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Officers accused
of inciting violence
to testify before
police ethics panel

(Globe and Mail last weekend)

Author:  TokenBrit [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

This one has me completely baffled:

Tiny tech sparks cell signal find

Author:  KfitzR [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Obviously a story about a development by a tekkie company in Tiny Township (yes really) in northern Ontario. After that, I'm baffled.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Image

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Image

Author:  Docsdoctor [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Technical issues dog schools

Author:  Nessie3 [ Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Thierry Henry clearly handled before playing the ball for William Gallas to score the equaliser which saw France win the play-off 2-1 on aggregate. (BBC Sport)

Author:  Nessie3 [ Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Polanski prepares for luxury Alpine house arrest (AP)

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Hajj devil stoning ritual biggest swine flu risk

Author:  Nessie3 [ Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Man arrested for different crime suspect in Chiba Univ student's murder

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Tacoma Suspect Said to Threaten to Shoot Officers

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

High-rating television show about urban life suspended

Author:  Nessie3 [ Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy (AP, via Yahoo News)

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Children's major player in tumor war

Author:  gdcfa [ Sun Jan 03, 2010 9:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Man injured after party dies; police seek suspect

Author:  KfitzR [ Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Now I know why party poopers have the bad rep.

Author:  hound [ Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

GM plant to save millions from malaria

Yes, this one is regionally specific. But still..

Author:  Lehane [ Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Nessie3 wrote:


You must sit under the sun, drink good wine and eat delicious food for the rest of your life, hahahaha!

Author:  Powderhorn [ Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

From the local rag:
Haitians flee capital seeking food

Author:  Editer [ Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Capital is voracious and amoral.

Author:  Nessie3 [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Not a crash blossom, but certainly a groaner, from the same source:

Haitians mourn as rescuers find another survivor in rubble

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

OK. This about wraps it up.

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Sorry, but this has to be said before we wrap up: What an awful illustration.

Author:  Docsdoctor [ Sun Feb 14, 2010 9:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Billerica plotting solution to grave crunch
http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_14396295"

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Floating college sinks; all safe

(sorry...no link)

Author:  Rio [ Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Hong Kong Auction Prompts Home-Asking-Price Rises, Standard Says

I especially like the "Standard says."

Author:  Lehane [ Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Rio wrote:


Haha! Talk about trying to put the whole story in the headline. There's almost as much info in that head as in the three paragraphs beneath it :-)

Bill.

Author:  tommangan [ Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

ON this morning's WSJ.Com homepage: Firms Tap Record Cash Piles for Deals

(no unfortunate but hilarious double meaning; merely incomprehensible)

Author:  tommangan [ Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Yet another malodorous blossom from the wsj.com homepage:

Likely Fed Picks Back Low Rates

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Bridge Over the Visa Moat for Musicians Trying to Enter the U.S.

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

From Romenesko:

Stuever: Obama speech edits photo 'thrilling, gratifying and also terribly frightening'

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Kudos for the last two, JJ

Author:  Powderhorn [ Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

NYT home page: Parents Reunited With Baby Pulled Rubble in Haiti

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Stimulus funds fuel prescribed burns in state forest [WickedLocalPlymouth]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Sat May 01, 2010 8:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

BP plan deemed major spill from Gulf well unlikely

Author:  Powderhorn [ Thu May 13, 2010 7:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Rogue Thai general aiding protesters shot in head

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sat May 22, 2010 1:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Machine repairs dwarf thieves' haul
[The Scotsman]

Author:  Powderhorn [ Fri May 28, 2010 1:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Dow Surges as Europe Fears Ebb
(WSJ Online)

Author:  Rio [ Sat May 29, 2010 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Hollywood Eyes
Shortcut to TV


(The Wall Street Journal, May 22-23, lede story no less.)

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Jun 02, 2010 12:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

N.Y. man seeking help for stray dog arrested on DWI charges
[silive.com]

Author:  JayByrd [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

FWP relocates grizzly killing livestock at Star Meadow Ranch

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-re ... 002e0.html

Star Meadow Ranch: Home of the meanest cows in Montana...

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Sebelius stumps for anti-childhood obesity plan [AP]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Cop Punches Woman Video Goes Viral! [Right TV]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Paterson police in search of missing 83-year-old woman may have Alzheimer's [N.J.com]

Denver cops kill man with fake gun [Denver Post]

hat tip: fark.com

In Faulty Computer Suit, Window to Dell’s Fall
[Times]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

They fixed that last one. It's now:

In Faulty Computer Suit, Window to Dell’s Decline

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Hold on. They "fixed" it again. This should be clear as a bell:

In Faulty-Computer Suit, Window to Dell Decline

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Suit Over Faulty Computers Highlights Dell’s Decline

The latest is a little klumsy, but understandable. Next time, perhaps someone will think about it before posting a headline. Wait. Never mind.

Author:  Wayne Countryman [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

But ... but ... the latest hed lacks wordplay.

Author:  Powderhorn [ Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

AP:
Surgeon jailed for killing 3 appeals in Australia

Author:  J Kaufman [ Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

House Inquiry on Waters Tied to Bank [Times]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Favre's stringing us along mars legacy

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Are Americans' worries over the direction of prices inflated?

Author:  Editer [ Tue Aug 10, 2010 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Russian Fires Approach Nuclear Plants

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Council hires ban bid taxi firm

(Pointed out by John McIntyre.)

Author:  Rio [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Malaysia and Jakarta Can’t Hammer Out Deal on Maids

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sat Aug 28, 2010 12:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Rio wrote:


That's a crappy headline, but I'm not sure it's a crash blossom.

Author:  Rio [ Sat Aug 28, 2010 1:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Phillip Blanchard wrote:
That's a crappy headline, but I'm not sure it's a crash blossom.


Didn't you have visions of bizarre carpentry? Or is it just me (and my equally twisted friend who pointed it out to me)?

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sat Aug 28, 2010 4:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I did but I'm not sure that makes it a crash blossom. We may have to work on a definition. Since the term was not my invention, I am unqualified.

Author:  onceahack [ Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Phillip, it seems to me that one essential element of a crash blossom is a word that can serve as either a noun or a verb. In other words, it seems to me that the original and the majority of the follow-ups cited have a word that can serve as either a second verb or the object of the first.

So we have a pattern of subject-verb-ambiguous word pattern that can be interpreted as either subject-verb-object or subject-(verb phrase modifying the subject)-verb. Someone who recalls more grammar than I might come up with better terminology.

And a second essential element seems to be that, without the full story, it's next to impossible to figure out what in the heck is going on.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

From the Washington Post home page:

Attachments:
humanoid.jpg
humanoid.jpg [ 80.48 KiB | Viewed 4073722 times ]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Fri Sep 03, 2010 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

The thing that gets me is that the Internet was supposed to free headline writers from the constraint of tight counts. Yet we still get the inscrutable shorthand that leads to these headscratchers.

Author:  Wayne Countryman [ Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

jjmoney62 wrote:
The thing that gets me is that the Internet was supposed to free headline writers from the constraint of tight counts. Yet we still get the inscrutable shorthand that leads to these headscratchers.


Yes, but there's still room to add "a" or even "is a hit" to this one to add a bit of coherence.

Thank you, Search Engine Optimization, which depends on keywords, not clarity. Presumably, enough humanoid robot fans will find the story and click on the link to make clarity and line-filling less than an afterthought.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I can't disagree but, in fairness, I saw plenty of headlines just as bad before there was a Web.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Image

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Sat Sep 11, 2010 11:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Pro-mosque demonstrators group after 9/11 memorial

Author:  haux [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Religious group's alleged leader held after search linked to mass-suicide fears ends

Attachments:
fearsends.jpg
fearsends.jpg [ 41.02 KiB | Viewed 17533 times ]

Author:  tommangan [ Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Priceless entry from the New York Times home page

Image

"Efforts Meant to Help Workers Batter South Africa’s Poor"

Don't know about the rest of you but I love it when workers are getting help at battering the poor.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Quote:
"Efforts Meant to Help Workers Batter South Africa’s Poor"

Don't know about the rest of you but I love it when workers are getting help at battering the poor.


The print headline had the same flaw, although for some reason "squeeze" doesn't seem to have the crash-blossom power of "batter."

Image

Author:  tommangan [ Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

agreed, but "squeeze" is considerably funnier.

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Wed Sep 29, 2010 1:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Just caught up with the FDA/salmon CB. That might be my favorite one yet. Awful on every level!

Author:  Crabby Editor [ Wed Sep 29, 2010 10:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

We need some sort of crash blossom item in the Testy Copy Editors merchandise store.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Crabby Editor wrote:
We need some sort of crash blossom item in the Testy Copy Editors merchandise store.


Just in time for Xmas, of course.
I think such a product would require design skill beyond my meager abilities. Volunteers, step up!

Author:  Bumfketeer [ Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Fortunately, copyright laws prohibit any logo involved from stealing part of the baffling (and, IMHO, awful) illustration that ran with the NYT crash blossom piece.

Author:  Heartodixie [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

"TCE: Tracking the wily crash blossom since 2009"

(Sounded like a good idea till I wrote it down. Too linguistically lame for copy editor gear. Never mind.)

Author:  Heartodixie [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Here's one for the file. More a headache inducer than a crash blossom -- unless you glance at it while walking past the coin box. Made me back up and look again.

Image

(Bonus "infobox" with non sequitur title and narrative text that neither condenses nor expands on what's in the story.)

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Italian Job: Black ops Wiki-Leaked as Afghan war 'fought in denial'

Author:  KfitzR [ Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

A truly serious HUH??

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

From "this day in history," the NYT cover in 1968:

Soviet Bids U.S. Confer; Calls for 'Normalization'


Bonus track: This deck hed from the 'Nixon Wins' main hed:

President-Elect Vows His Administration Will Be 'Open'

(I guess we should have paid closer attention to those quotation marks.)

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Man accused of trying to run down ex-girlfriend after rejected marriage proposal was holding flowers at time of arrest, officials say [LAT]

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Wed Dec 29, 2010 10:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I note that many, if not most, of the headlines at http://www.crashblossoms.com/ are not crash blossoms at all.

Author:  ReporterType [ Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

'Dog'

Pilots' Claims in Crash Files Dog Med Test Company

Author:  Powderhorn [ Fri Dec 31, 2010 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

ReporterType wrote:

I had that on my clipboard on my way here ...

Author:  Rio [ Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Immigration numbers hit by property rule change

[The Standard, Hong Kong]

Author:  JT [ Tue Jan 18, 2011 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

First thought, "only the Brits..." but turns out to be only on The Google. Paper did a bit better.
Whale who swam up the River Thames skeleton put on display

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Disused Amlwch branch line reopening study begins [BBC]

Author:  SeaRaven [ Sat Feb 05, 2011 4:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Senate Race Rape Victim Blasts "Forcible Rape" Redefinition Attempt

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Feb 06, 2011 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Superman Reboot Diane Kruger Involvement Shot Down [HDR]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Free Trove of Music Scores on Web Hits Sensitive Copyright Note

NYT

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Police say man caught choking woman in Montpelier apartment (Burlington [Vt.] Free Press, via Crash Blossoms, which is not associated with Testy Copy Editors. The website often includes headlines that are not crash blossoms at all.)

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Mar 09, 2011 2:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Overheard locker tot outrage [Herald Sun][*]

[*] Yes, the writer meant "overhead," as in "kid put in airline bin."

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Gadhafi forces shell oil town as troops advance

Author:  haux [ Wed Mar 30, 2011 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

NY remains analyzed; search for NJ woman resumes

AP, via Forbes

Author:  tommangan [ Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Academics to dissect Bob Dylan at NY conference

Ouch!

Author:  Editer [ Sun Apr 03, 2011 4:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

I didn't even know he was sick.

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Obama Panel to Curb Medicare Finds Foes in Both Parties

Author:  J Kaufman [ Tue May 03, 2011 8:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Search in NY beach remains to continue [AP via WSJ]

Author:  Editer [ Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Brown Claims Fuel Hacking Scandal ([url=twitpic.com/5oqtsn]FT[/url])

Bonus: Misspelled "Murdoch" in one of the smaller heds.

Author:  Editer [ Tue Aug 09, 2011 9:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

So we all get to this journalism educators' confab in St. Louis, and the Post-Dispatch greets us with:

Stalling economy submarines stocks

Author:  Editer [ Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Same paper, next day:

Fed pledge
on interest
rates jacks
up stocks

Author:  Editer [ Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Third day in a row, above the fold:

End of House pages saddens many

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Police Create Serial Butt
Slasher Task Force


[MSNBC]

Author:  JT [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

40-year-old man hospitalized after being hit by car on stolen bicycle

(From WWMT-TV,Battle Creek, Mich.)

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

We're once again slipping into the territory of misapprehending what exactly a Crash Blossom is. It's not just a bad or unwieldy headline.

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

US converts to Islam consider life since 9/11 [AP via San Jose Mercury News]

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Facebook Wants to Share Media, Improve Mobile and Fuel Commerce

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

For Bloomberg, Waste Mars Another Digital Project

Author:  zythophile [ Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Even YouTube is not immune to crashing blossoms (or is it blossoming crashes?)

Video: FBI Probes Hate Package Left at Illinois Mosque - YouTube

Author:  JT [ Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

From Bloomberg:
China’s Love of Sleeping U.S. Cherries Fuels Chilled-Cargo Surge: Freight

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Spain: arrests at anti-labor market reform protest [Boston.com]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Romney wins mask lingering questions
about his candidacy
[CNN]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Does Paternity Leave Hurt Women? [WSJ]

Author:  Lehane [ Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Dutch prince hurt in avalanche flown out of Austria [Reuters]

Author:  Lehane [ Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Blaze at Moscow skyscraper set to be Europe's tallest [Reuters]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Mob attacks women at anti-sexual assault rally in Egypt [USA Today]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Gun Suspect Shot by Officer Expected to Die [WSJ]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Tattoo Checks Trip Up Visas [WSJ]

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Doubts dog art auctions as North Jersey sellers cite Madoff links (Bergen Record)

Author:  Editer [ Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Dems seek to sharpen message on whether Americans better off

I'm having fun imagining that the elided word comes after "better" instead of before, and what it might be.

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Shootings accused smiles in court [Belfast Telegraph]

Author:  Editer [ Mon Oct 01, 2012 7:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Immigrant Advocates Blast Brown Vetoes in Calif.

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Thu Oct 04, 2012 6:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

California to protect wandering gray wolf from Oregon

Author:  Editer [ Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Woman charged in fatal stabbing was dating victim

Author:  J Kaufman [ Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Former teen who had sex with Polanski writing book [Huffington Post]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Michelle Obama's motorcade escorts injured in Ohio crash [Reuters]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Report on British news media abuses calls for new regulator [LAT]

Author:  hound [ Fri Nov 30, 2012 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Woman charged for sex with human skeleton

How much? Inquiring minds etc etc.

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Boston U. Killed on Bike Student Wrote Own Obit

ABC News

Author:  haux [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Phoenix police at home connected to shooting

Any number of Google hits.

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Gut bugs up malnutrition risk in kids [Times of India]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Behold Movement Conservatism's Information Disadvantage: Chuck Hagel Edition

Author:  J Kaufman [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

South Africa suspends taxi driver arrest 'drag' police [BBC]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Assad bombs risk destroying alliance with Moscow [The Australian]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Georgia executes man who killed 2 college students after temporary stay [AP via Fox News]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Fri Mar 22, 2013 3:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Attachment:
Capture.JPG
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[National Post]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Is Giving the Secret to Getting Ahead? [Times]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Va. Senate abortion coverage fight outcome toss-up [AP via Virginian-Pilot] Hat tip: WSJ.com

Author:  J Kaufman [ Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Calif. man killed by explosive called eccentric [AP via ABC News 13]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Letter sent to Miss. senator believed to be laced with poison [Washington Post]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Driver jailed over naked, vacuum cleaner part-wielding police pursuit [The Courier, Australia]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Then pick him up and give him some bird food.

Bald eagle found in western NY ditch recovering [Houston Chronicle]

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Sunlight Foundation’s new plagiarism-detection software launches, claims a bust

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Attachment:
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG [ 16.76 KiB | Viewed 14135 times ]
[Talking Points Memo]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Fugitive charged with kidnapping 10-year-old California girl caught in Mexico
[Fox News]

Author:  Lehane [ Wed May 22, 2013 10:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

White House threatens veto of bill to bypass Obama on Keystone

[Reuters]

Author:  Editer [ Thu May 23, 2013 10:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

...

Attachments:
shrinks.JPG
shrinks.JPG [ 27.3 KiB | Viewed 14180 times ]

Author:  Lehane [ Fri Jun 21, 2013 10:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Concern over rough sleeping gypsies [ BBC ]

Author:  J Kaufman [ Sat Jun 29, 2013 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Had they taught him Arabic, he could have said, "Don't shoot!"

American Killed in Egypt Taught English [Times]

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Trayvon rallies across U.S.

Author:  J Kaufman [ Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

No way to treat a hero.

'I wasn't trying to be a hero': plumber who saved tourist hit by cab [New York Daily News via Google]

Author:  jjmoney62 [ Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Emerging Stocks Decline After Fed Minutes as Real Tumbles

Author:  Phillip Blanchard [ Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

City may wash hands of sewer line laterals

Author:  J Kaufman [ Thu Aug 29, 2013 6:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's a crash blossom?

Man says he shot wife with cancer to end her suffering [USA Today]

Hat tip: Fark.com

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