# Possible Euphemisms in the News

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 29, 2015, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204 "2015-01-29T05:51:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204/1 "2015-01-29T05:51:46Z")

</div>

Going back a couple of years - “Hiking the Appalachian Trail” was popular. Today I saw, " show off his drone to a female companion", in regard to the drone landing near the White House. Just struck me as funny.

What else have you seen for witty writing lately in the news?\*\*

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204/2 "2015-01-29T06:11:46Z")

</div>

Definitely not witty, but when we had some American Ebola patients, commentators would talk about them having “GI symptoms” or “they were nauseous.” Um, hello, they were puking their guts out (although Nancy Writebol has said she never did that) and in some cases were not only incontinent, they were blowing out their diapers to the point where it was running over the sides of the bed and dripping onto the floor.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204/3 "2015-01-29T06:49:01Z")

</div>

On a similar but much lighter note, Iowa’s governor collapsed a couple days ago during a public appearance and was said to have “flu-like symptoms.” Same thing there, but not as drastic.

:o

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![H2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@H2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H2.0)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204/4 "2015-01-29T07:10:11Z")

</div>

“Climate change” is not really new. But it is a convenient generality for those who wish to extrapolate. By design, I’m sure.

I saw a new one today: “Peak food”. Sounds scary.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-euphemisms-in-the-news/711204/5 "2015-01-29T08:13:02Z")

</div>

Every week or so the rail line I commute on is out of service for an hour or two due to _Notarzteinsatz am Gleis_ (emergency doctor working at the track). Meaning the doctor in question says ‘yes he’s dead all right, now let’s treat the driver for shock’, police say ‘no third party involved it seems’ and then some poor funeral home workers get to collect the sucide’s remains from the hundreds of meters of track they were distributed over.