USA Today...

Pete Ebbink · 01-20-2005, 08:16 PM

Way off topic...sorry...

In today's edition of our USA Today newpaper, there is a photo of our President and his 1st. Lady. The caption below the photo reads as "...The Presidency has fertilized their marriage...".

Same line is repeated in the article with no explanation...

For as many times as I read and re-read this sentence...I cannot simply figure out what is being said...

Anyone care to make me smarter...

Regards,

Pete...

George Anderson · 01-20-2005, 08:43 PM

Pete, I would suggest that you drop that rag and take up the "Washington Times". They have a great "weekly" delivered anywhere in the USA.

Pete Ebbink · 01-20-2005, 08:59 PM

Actually George...I do not subscribe...

I am a Hilton Honors member and get the paper on my hotel door step each morning when I travel...not much journalism therein...I agree...

Any idea what the sentence means...???

Pete...

Ron Smith · 01-20-2005, 10:04 PM

I would think that it just means, that it's made their marriage stronger. Made it grow. Or maybe it means.... never mind!!!!

susan · 01-20-2005, 11:22 PM

in my Opinion; it is disrespectful to our President, and to the First Lady to describe them in this ambiguous way. without a qualifier for such a random sort of judgement the correlary is inappropriate. it would appear the writer is making fertilizer the topic, rather than attempting to caption the photo in a meaningful way.
in other words....a back hand slam. if the writer intended to say something nice, it would have been easy to do so. if we are left guessing at the meaning, it is clear the writer had nothing nice to say.
these are professional writers; paid to make their meaning clear. when they do not, it is like the writer who answers the hollywood question "does this actor have any talent?" with " he was kind to his mother."
Ron is probably right in his thinking. there is, however, an honor code concerning writing about or speaking of the President of the United States that requires one to be concise, even if not always complimentary.
english composition 101. i'd be willing to bet the writer took the course. i conclude that if the writer is a supporter he is hiding it well.
susan

Edward Tinker · 01-21-2005, 12:02 AM

Susan, I think you are correct, or it could be that the person who wrote it is an idiot...

Heinz · 01-22-2005, 09:00 PM

Both Susan and Ed are right on.

John Sabato · 01-24-2005, 10:38 AM

Ed was right?

(I hope you can see the tongue in my cheek here Ed

)

Navy · 01-24-2005, 11:10 AM

McNews is to journalism as comic books are to literature. Actually, most of the so called "main stream media" is so incredibly biased that many were defending CBS even as the network was axing the hacks that put the story together.
If ya' wanna stay informed, ya gots to spend time checking other sources such as blogs and news websites.

Tom A.

01-20-2005, 08:16 PM	#1
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	USA Today... Way off topic...sorry... In today's edition of our USA Today newpaper, there is a photo of our President and his 1st. Lady. The caption below the photo reads as "...The Presidency has fertilized their marriage...". Same line is repeated in the article with no explanation... For as many times as I read and re-read this sentence...I cannot simply figure out what is being said... Anyone care to make me smarter... Regards, Pete...

01-20-2005, 10:04 PM	#4
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	I would think that it just means, that it's made their marriage stronger. Made it grow. Or maybe it means.... never mind!!!! __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

01-24-2005, 10:38 AM	#8
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	Ed was right? (I hope you can see the tongue in my cheek here Ed ) __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

01-20-2005, 08:43 PM	#2
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,531 Times in 788 Posts	Pete, I would suggest that you drop that rag and take up the "Washington Times". They have a great "weekly" delivered anywhere in the USA.

01-20-2005, 08:59 PM	#3
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Actually George...I do not subscribe... I am a Hilton Honors member and get the paper on my hotel door step each morning when I travel...not much journalism therein...I agree... Any idea what the sentence means...??? Pete...

01-20-2005, 11:22 PM	#5
susan User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 45 Thanks: 4 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	in my Opinion; it is disrespectful to our President, and to the First Lady to describe them in this ambiguous way. without a qualifier for such a random sort of judgement the correlary is inappropriate. it would appear the writer is making fertilizer the topic, rather than attempting to caption the photo in a meaningful way. in other words....a back hand slam. if the writer intended to say something nice, it would have been easy to do so. if we are left guessing at the meaning, it is clear the writer had nothing nice to say. these are professional writers; paid to make their meaning clear. when they do not, it is like the writer who answers the hollywood question "does this actor have any talent?" with " he was kind to his mother." Ron is probably right in his thinking. there is, however, an honor code concerning writing about or speaking of the President of the United States that requires one to be concise, even if not always complimentary. english composition 101. i'd be willing to bet the writer took the course. i conclude that if the writer is a supporter he is hiding it well. susan

01-21-2005, 12:02 AM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	Susan, I think you are correct, or it could be that the person who wrote it is an idiot...

01-22-2005, 09:00 PM	#7
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	Both Susan and Ed are right on.

01-24-2005, 11:10 AM	#9
Navy RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dc 'burbs in Virginia Posts: 2,482 Thanks: 0 Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts	McNews is to journalism as comic books are to literature. Actually, most of the so called "main stream media" is so incredibly biased that many were defending CBS even as the network was axing the hacks that put the story together. If ya' wanna stay informed, ya gots to spend time checking other sources such as blogs and news websites. Tom A.