Beware the acronym!

[swee'pea99]

My sis was watching a repeat on Yesterday last night, in which a bunch of politicians including Michael Heseltine, Alastair Campbell, Alan Johnson and SImon Hughes were discussing how close Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister were to real life.

I'll let Sis take up the story:

Amongst the gems - when Blair came to power, somebody decided to rename the Dept. of Trade, to be headed by Alan Johnson. They decided on The Dept. for Productivity, Energy and Industry. The old name plates had been taken down and the new ones were just about to go up when somebody pointed out that they read PEnIs.

 

[AndyRM]

Ha!

I have a similar tale - I was hired by a local charity who wanted to promote healthy travel in the region. They'd come up with the name Tyne Wear Active Transport and had begun work on some promotional materials which required the attention of a designer.

They'd not spotted the acronym and were very thankful when I pointed it out.

 

[wheresthetorch]

I remember when it was suggested Newcastle Polytechnic changed its name to City University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

 

[raleighnut]

The Magazine pub in Leicester had a group that used to organise pub crawls, big ones of 40-50 patrons to towns like Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby and Market Harborough (transport normally by train) we were known as the Voluntary Organisation for the Mass Invasion of Taverns.

 

[vernon]

They'd come up with the name Tyne Wear Active Transport and had begun work on some promotional materials which required the attention of a designer.

Tango were not reluctant to press ahead with their 'Tango With Added Tango orange' drink

 

[vernon]

The Magazine pub in Leicester had a group that used to organise pub crawls, big ones of 40-50 patrons to towns like Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby and Market Harborough (transport normally by train) we were known as the Voluntary Organisation for the Mass Invasion of Taverns.

I was a member of DREGS at Leeds University - Drunken Regular Engineer's Gallon Society. Membership was obtained by drinking a gallon at lunch time and a gallon in the evening.

 

[subaqua]

I was a member of DREGS at Leeds University - Drunken Regular Engineer's Gallon Society. Membership was obtained by drinking a gallon at lunch time and a gallon in the evening.

only a gallon in each session ? you bring shame on engineering !

 

[vernon]

only a gallon in each session ? you bring shame on engineering !

It took two attempts for me to get membership.

I sank two gallons on my first attempt at lunchtime, found that only the first eight counted and was in no fit state for the evening session....

 

[Dave 123]

There is a sports team round this way- CULNC

Cambridge University Ladies Netball Club

Cambridge University Netball Team just wouldn't do.

 

[classic33]

Fast Action Response Transits

First name chosen for the then new police vans. Until it was spotted.

 

[midlife]

Dental implement initial attempt at description by the manufacturer... Finest Universal Clamp Known

I couldn't work out if it was real or some wag in the promo dept was having a laugh. Soon dissapeard

Shaun

 

[NorthernDave]

Ha!

I have a similar tale - I was hired by a local charity who wanted to promote healthy travel in the region. They'd come up with the name Tyne Wear Active Transport and had begun work on some promotional materials which required the attention of a designer.

They'd not spotted the acronym and were very thankful when I pointed it out.

Tango were not reluctant to press ahead with their 'Tango With Added Tango orange' drink

Which all goes to prove the theory that acronym = Tenuous Words Arranged To Suit

 

[Brains]

Haberdasher Askes Girls School was our local, they have now dropped the Haberdashers (150 years late!)

And there is the well known brand new hospital, the Royal Westminster & Chelsea Hospital, which a few months after it's opening had to change its name from the "Royal WC" to the "Royal C&W" (I guess the mental vision of the Queen in a cowboy hat was better than the vision of the Queen on the 'throne')

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology were extremely fond of their acronym and used it liberally for several years before a supply teacher I know pointed out to the regular staff one of the meanings of scat in the dictionary.

It's now known simply as Shrewsbury College.

 

[Pale Rider]

A few years ago the police regional crime squads were renamed by, er, region.

Around here, it was to be the North East Regional Crime Squad, but the coppers in the squad didn't want to be known as NERCS, so it was changed to Regional Crime Squad (North East).