Recent Blog Posts
-
Tesla Tests Crossover Market With Model X
Feb 10 20123:50 pm EDT -
Groupon Keeps 'Em Guessing
Feb 09 20128:27 am EDT -
When Business Takes a Same-Sex Marriage Vow
Feb 07 20127:16 pm EDT -
Klout Looks to Take Influence Local
Feb 07 20124:07 pm EDT -
Netflix Faces a Fresh Rival
Feb 06 20122:41 pm EDT -
LivingSocial Losses Shouldn’t Shock
Feb 02 20123:28 pm EDT -
Big Primping at Gilt City
Feb 02 201211:42 am EDT -
How About a Raise?
Jan 31 201211:09 am EDT -
Show Us Your (Wild, Bold, Extreme) Cards
Jan 30 20122:54 pm EDT -
Is Groupon a Daily Deal Bully?
Jan 30 201211:51 am EDT
Cliché Watch: The Devil, You Say!
Lots of things are good ideas: free markets, a clean environment, low taxes, decent housing, competent health care. Figuring out how to achieve those lofty goals without screwing up something else is always the tricky part. We get it.
Headline writers, however, seem to feel the need to pound home the idea that while it's a good idea to keep the economy healthy, the question is how, exactly, to go about doing that in the current environment.
Sure, the succession of ever-more-sweeping plans being put forth by the Bush administration are consistently thin on details, and that's worrisome considering what's at stake.
But can't newspaper copy desks find a fresh way to convey that thought without falling back on the same devilishly trite cliché?
A sample of some recent headlines about efforts to stem the financial crisis:
DEVIL IS IN BAILOUT'S DETAILS
The Wall Street Journal, October 15
ANALYSTS: DEVIL TO BE IN DETAILS OF EXECUTION
Chicago Tribune, October 15
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL OF THIS GOVERNMENT PLEDGE TO SMALL COMPANIES
The Daily Telegraph (London), October 14
DEVIL IN THE DETAIL FOR BANKS RESCUE
The Daily Express (London), October 8
DEVIL LIES IN THE DETAIL OF THIS EPIC BAILOUT
Irish Independent, October 1
DEVIL'S IN DETAILS OF RESCUE SOME THINK WON'T START TURNABOUT UNTIL 2010
Columbus Business First (Ohio), September 29
WHO, WHAT AND HOW MUCH? DEVIL WILL BE IN THE DETAILS
Investor's Business Daily, September 22
GOVERNMENT MIGHT TURN PROFIT, BUT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
Chicago Tribune, September 20
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS OF FINANCIAL BAILOUT PLAN
Canwest News Service, September 19
by Mark Stein
Also on Portfolio.com:
- J.P. Morgan Is Wall Street's "Patient Zero"
- Big Media Is a Bad Bet Unless You're Name Is Murdoch
- Culturati Calendar: The Top Arts Events in November
- Credit Crunched: A Special Report on Wall Street Chaos
Comments
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.




