Gaggle
Encyclopedia
A gaggle is a term of venery for a flock
of geese
that isn't in flight; in flight, the group can be called a skein.
In terms of geese, a gaggle is equal to at least five geese.
In terms of salt, a gaggle is equal to eight fifty pound bags of salt. Usually one layer on a skid.
In military slang
, a gaggle is an unorganized group doing nothing. In aviation, it is a large, loosely organized tactical formation
of aircraft.
In the field of systems biology
, The Gaggle is an open source
software framework for exchanging data between independently developed software tools and databases to enable interactive exploration of data.
which (as used by press secretaries for the George W. Bush administration) is on the record, but disallows videography
. The term can also be used to refer to the informal interactions between the press and the press secretary that occur before a videotaped press briefing.
One former member of the White House Press Corps
provided the following historical context:
The nickname is thought to stem from the idea that these more freewheeling press sessions, where the talk is much more rapid and free-form, are like a "gaggle of geese" honking. For example, the blog maintained by Newsweek
magazine's political reporters is called The Gaggle; on their main page, their definition for "gaggle" when used to refer to the Washington, D.C.
press, is "a flock of reporters pecking
at a politician."
Flock (birds)
A flock is a group of birds conducting flocking behavior in flight, or while foraging. The term is akin to the herd amongst mammals. The benefits of aggregating in flocks are varied and flocks will form explicitly for specific purposes...
of geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
that isn't in flight; in flight, the group can be called a skein.
In terms of geese, a gaggle is equal to at least five geese.
In terms of salt, a gaggle is equal to eight fifty pound bags of salt. Usually one layer on a skid.
In military slang
Military slang
Military slang is an array of colloquial terminology used commonly by military personnel, including slang which is unique to or originates with the armed forces. It often takes the form of abbreviations/acronyms or derivations of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, or otherwise incorporates aspects of...
, a gaggle is an unorganized group doing nothing. In aviation, it is a large, loosely organized tactical formation
Tactical formation
A tactical formation is the arrangement or deployment of moving military forces such as infantry, cavalry, AFVs, military aircraft, or naval vessels...
of aircraft.
In the field of systems biology
Systems biology
Systems biology is a term used to describe a number of trends in bioscience research, and a movement which draws on those trends. Proponents describe systems biology as a biology-based inter-disciplinary study field that focuses on complex interactions in biological systems, claiming that it uses...
, The Gaggle is an open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
software framework for exchanging data between independently developed software tools and databases to enable interactive exploration of data.
Press gaggle
A "press gaggle" (as distinct from a press conference or press briefing) is the nickname given to an informal briefing by the White House Press SecretaryWhite House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
which (as used by press secretaries for the George W. Bush administration) is on the record, but disallows videography
Videography
Videography refers to the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media). The term includes methods of video production and post-production...
. The term can also be used to refer to the informal interactions between the press and the press secretary that occur before a videotaped press briefing.
One former member of the White House Press Corps
White House Press Corps
The White House Press Corps is the group of journalists or correspondents usually stationed at the White House in Washington, D.C. to cover the president of the United States, White House events and news briefings. Their offices are located in the West Wing....
provided the following historical context:
- "Gaggles" historically refer to informal briefings the press secretary conducts with the press poolPress poolPress pool refers to a group of news gathering organizations that combine their resources in the collection of news. A pool feed is then distributed to members of the broadcast pool who are free to edit it or use it as they see fit. In the case of print reporters, a written pool report is...
rather than the entire press corps....they were more or less off the record, and their purpose was mostly to exchange information - the president's schedule and briefing schedule, from the administration side; heads-up on likely topics or early comment on pressing issues, from the news side....When the President traveled, sometimes the press secretary would hold a gaggle with the press pool that travels on Air Force OneAir Force OneAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
- not every time, but sometimes, and always informally.
- In contrast, Ari [i.e. Ari FleischerAri FleischerOn May 19, 2003, he announced that he would resign during the summer, citing a desire to spend more time with his wife and to work in the private sector...
] does a gaggle on the plane every time the President goes out of town, and a transcript is made available for press corps members who weren't on the plane. These mid-air mini-briefings are the "gaggles" you can find transcripts of on the White House website.
The nickname is thought to stem from the idea that these more freewheeling press sessions, where the talk is much more rapid and free-form, are like a "gaggle of geese" honking. For example, the blog maintained by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine's political reporters is called The Gaggle; on their main page, their definition for "gaggle" when used to refer to the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
press, is "a flock of reporters pecking
Pecking order
Pecking order or just peck order is the colloquial term for a hierarchical system of social organization in chickens. It was first described from the behaviour of poultry by Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe in 1921 under the German terms Hackordnung or Hackliste' ...
at a politician."