Adam's Apple
Senior Member
- Apr 25, 2004
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7/4/05
By John Leo for U.S. News & World Report
Double Trouble Speak
It's a living language, but sometimes it's dead on arrival when people toss around euphemisms and gobbledygook. If a hospital charges $58 for a "thermal therapy unit," what is the patient getting for the money? Answer: an ice pack. Suppose a patient spots an "optical illuminator enhancer" entering his room. Should he be alarmed? No. The visitor is a window washer. If a doctor removes a patient's right kidney when he was supposed to remove the left one, no problem. It's merely an "error of laterality." And if a doctor tells you that your medical problem is "supratentorial," back out of the room swiftly and go get a second opinion. He is saying that there's nothing wrong with your body--the problem is in your mind.
Shipments of imported shrimp often undergo "organoleptic analysis," which requires little training. It means smelling food to make sure it's fresh. A recent annual report says that the Walt Disney Co. is targeting "pre-families" (single people and childless couples), though of course it still welcomes "post-family" customers (widows, widowers, and empty nesters).
for full article:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/050704/4john.htm
By John Leo for U.S. News & World Report
Double Trouble Speak
It's a living language, but sometimes it's dead on arrival when people toss around euphemisms and gobbledygook. If a hospital charges $58 for a "thermal therapy unit," what is the patient getting for the money? Answer: an ice pack. Suppose a patient spots an "optical illuminator enhancer" entering his room. Should he be alarmed? No. The visitor is a window washer. If a doctor removes a patient's right kidney when he was supposed to remove the left one, no problem. It's merely an "error of laterality." And if a doctor tells you that your medical problem is "supratentorial," back out of the room swiftly and go get a second opinion. He is saying that there's nothing wrong with your body--the problem is in your mind.
Shipments of imported shrimp often undergo "organoleptic analysis," which requires little training. It means smelling food to make sure it's fresh. A recent annual report says that the Walt Disney Co. is targeting "pre-families" (single people and childless couples), though of course it still welcomes "post-family" customers (widows, widowers, and empty nesters).
for full article:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/050704/4john.htm
