Euphemisms! Tell it like it is.

I've mentioned "robust" as the latest euphemistic word for policy or propaganda that requires a certain amount of "strengthening"! Euphemisms can be a bit like a dog chasing his tail.

The best are kept for the things we don't always feel comfortable about. I have always liked the American use of bathroom when it is obvious that in most cases there is no bath in the room! Wedding tackle is one used mainly in the UK, and another favourite of mine is "he kicked the bucket". Remember Benny Hill's cowboy sketch where as a dying cowboy he actually kicked a conveniently placed bucket?

CNN have just coined a new one. Audio difficulties. This is not when a microphone really does break down. No, this is when you're caught discussing your private life or someone else's or even saying something untoward, such as Ron Atkinson's remarks. Kyra Phillips, a CNN anchorwoman, was caught chatting to a colleague about her husband whilst on air. Oh dear! "Yeah, I'm very lucky in that regard with my husband. My husband is handsome and he is genuinely a loving, you know, no ego... you know what I'm saying," she was heard telling the other woman, whose identity is not known. "Just a really passionate, compassionate, great, great human being. And they exist. They do exist. They're hard to find... But they are out there."

This is good news, Kyra! CNN were embarrassed because it happened whilst they were broadcasting President Bush's speech live from New Orleans. But I'm hopeful that Mr.Bush would be happy about this and is in total agreement that there are such men as Kyra tells it!

CNN should make this a newsworthy item, not try to explain it away as an "audio difficulty"!

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