The blooming of “Crash Blossoms”
One of this blog’s loyal readers coined a name for ambiguous headlines (i.e., Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim): Crash blossoms. Read about it in this eponymous NYT On Language column. The loyal reader is Dan Bloom. Congrats, Dan!
Hello Judd, and thanks for the note. True, this blooming idiot in Taiwan sort of coined the phrase “crash blossoms” but I feel real credit should go to Mike O’Connel in Japan because Mike spotted the headline on the Japan Today website, and posted it as a thread to be as Testy Copy Editors, where I read the headline, laughed and JOKINGLY suggeested the last two words might make a cute newsroom term for these weird headlines, and six months later, it’s in the new york times, who knew, go figure! Funny how things happen. I was joking! I had no idea anyone would take me seriously. nobody ever takes me seriously, so why this time? i have no idea. like is like that! Anyways, as an aside to all this, I wrote THE SNAILPAPER STATEMENT today, and here’s a preview:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that while the Digital Age is upon us fast and furious, the print newspaper — hereafter dubbed the “snailpaper” — shall persevere as a good daily read, a fascinating look at the world around us and a valuable tool for understanding oped pundits and above the fold headlines. Sure, the dear snailpaper will also be seen as a useful tool
for wrapping fish at the Fulton Fish Market or lining the bird cage in the den, but all kidding aside — har! har! — the daily snailpaper can hold its head high and be certain of its place in the culture. While news migrates in pixels and bytes to the Internet at an exponential rate, piling breaking story upon breaking story and turning everyone and his mother into a 24/7 news freak and RSS aggregator, the plodding snailpaper will nevertheless remain the bedrock of analysis and insight, from sea to shining sea, delivered at a snail’s pace, yes, read at a snail’s pace, yes, and absorbed, word for word — on glorius printed paper! white newsprint reflecting inked letters! — at a snail’s pace, yes, as long as the Republic of Letters shall live.”
Full blast here:
http://zippy1300.blogspot.com/2010/02/snailpaper-statement-mini-version-by.html