One of the aspects of newspapers that tend to get up my nose is the excessive use of adjectives that seem to imply people rushing down the streets, arms waving and screaming. I live in Fish Hoek and when we had the last shark attack, while it was bad news indeed for the victim, the headlines went on about "Terror stalks Fish Hoek" or something to that effect. Utter rubbish. I was never terrified, because I seldom go into the sea - anything over a metre and I am starting to wish I could swim better. In fact, the only sharks I worry about are the two-legged ones disguised as retailers and who operate along our main road - and I stay clear of some of them as well. The latest is the "Panic" that has gripped the nation as a result of the fuel-industry strike. Again, I am not panicking - and I have not seen or heard anyone yelling dementedly about the fact that they cannot fill up with 95-unleaded - nor have I seen anyone sobbing, slumped over their steering wheel, and bereft of hope now that they are down to half a tank. It's more a smile of "Oh well..." and off everyone goes to the next garage to see whether they'll have better luck there. "Panic", "Terror" and similar words share the fate of other overworked adjectives... they come to be so over-used that when they actually are appropriate, they are ignored. Maybe a little less hyperbole is in order?


Rod Baker, Content Manager: Send your news to: retailnews@bizcommunity.com; or visit https://www.bizcommunity.com. Subscribe now!