You Don't Say: Surely you jest: The parks department - Veteran drudge John E. McIntyre writes about language, usage, journalism and and other arbitrarily chosen subjects

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Surely you jest: The parks department

Posted by John McIntyre at 7:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Comments

My son spent a couple of college summers working for the State Highway Department. This is more true than you think.

Posted by: Eve | April 24, 2009 11:12 AM

As someone who works in government, I think you are missing some keys steps.

First, you get an environmental impact study in order to dig the hole. Then you have a public hearing to dig the hole. Then you wait for state funding. It comes over a three year period. Eventually, you dig the hole.

You then get an environmental impact study in order to fill in the hole. Then you have a public hearing to fill in the hole. Then you wait for state funding, but you find out that the state only participates in digging holes not filling holes. You then have to wait for County funding. Eventually you fill the hole.

Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | April 24, 2009 11:22 AM

Excellent rendition of a classic.

Posted by: Abigail | April 24, 2009 1:09 PM

So what you got against Swedes?

Posted by: Rollo Pedersen | April 25, 2009 9:15 AM

The same thing I've got against Englishmen, Welshmen, Irishmen, Scots and the butts of the other jokes in this series.

Posted by: John McIntyre | April 25, 2009 9:58 AM

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About John McIntyre

John McIntyre, mild-mannered copy editor for a great metropolitan newspaper, has fussed over writers’ work at The Baltimore Sun since 1986. He is the director of its copy desk, an affiliate faculty member at Loyola College of Maryland, a former president of the American Copy Editors Society, a native of Kentucky, a graduate of Michigan State and Syracuse, and a moderate prescriptivist. If you are inspired by a spirit of contradiction, comment on his posts or write to him at john.mcintyre@baltsun.com.