Re: raison d'être

[cpwinter -at- rahul -dot- net]

On 1 Oct 2002, at 19:05, CHEEK1 -at- sbcglobal -dot- net wrote:

> 
> There is a reason that Technical Writers exist!
> 
> In the lunch room where I work there is a ping-pong 
> table with this cautionary note on it, neatly typed up 
> and printed by an engineer:
> 
>   Please do
>   not put
>   food, drink,
>   but, and the
>   other thing
>   on the table
> 
> One can assume they meant to include a second "t" 
> on "but," but how to explain "the other thing?"
> 

    One could assume, as JB Foster did, that "but" means butt, as in 
anatomy -- and "the other thing" also refers to anatomy.

    One could also assume, as I did at first, that "butt" refers to 
cigarettes, and "the other thing" to coffee cups. But the message already 
mentions "drink", and I can't see anyone having trouble recalling the 
common term for "a container used in the consumption of extract of 
Arabica beans".

    Therefore, if "but" means "cigarette butt", what might "the other thing" 
refer to? What kind of butt might be described so vaguely, not because of 
a memory lapse, but due to the need for discretion? Does the name 
"Acapulco Gold" ring any bells?

    Imagine the debacle that could result if a ping-pong ball hit that other 
thing, scattering bits of evidence all over the lunchroom and leaving the 
distinctive aroma wafting pungently through the air. Leaving aside the 
legal repercussions, management would probably close down the whole 
tournament. And, if this company does business in China, that could 
lead to an international incident. I can see the headlines now...

~~~~~~~
NOTE: The above is intended as humor, and not meant to imply that any 
actual breaking of laws takes place at any particular company.

Chris

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