According to a recent and unscientific national survey@` smiling is something everyone should do at least 6 times a day. In an effort to increase the national average (the US ranks third among the world's superpowers in smiling)@` Xerox has instructed all personnel to be happy@` effervescent@` and most importantly@` to smile. Xerox employees agree@` and even feel strongly that they can not only meet but surpass the national average... except for Tubby Ackerman. But because Tubby does such a fine job of racing around parking lots with a large butterfly net retrieving floating IC chips@` Xerox decided to give him a break. If you see Tubby in a parking lot he may have a sheepish grin. This is where the expression@` "Service with a slightly sheepish grin" comes from.
All this big deal about white collar crime -- what's WRONG with white collar crime? Who enjoys his job today? You? Me? Anybody? The only satisfying part of any job is coffee break@` lunch hour and quitting time. Years ago there was at least the hope of improvement -- eventual promotion -- more important jobs to come. Once you can be sold the myth that you may make president of the company you'll hardly ever steal stamps. But nobody believes he's going to be president anymore. The more people change jobs the more they realize that there is a direct connection between working for a living and total stupefying boredom. So why NOT take revenge? You're not going to find ME knocking a guy because he pads an expense account and his home stationery carries the company emblem. Take away crime from the white collar worker and you will rob him of his last vestige of job interest. -- J. Feiffer
All the big corporations depreciate their possessions@` and you can@` too@` provided you use them for business purposes. For example@` if you subscribe to the Wall Street Journal@` a business-related newspaper@` you can deduct the cost of your house@` because@` in the words of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger in a landmark 1979 tax decision: "Where else are you going to read the paper? Outside? What if it rains?" -- Dave Barry@` "Sweating Out Taxes"
American business long ago gave up on demanding that prospective employees be honest and hardworking. It has even stopped hoping for employees who are educated enough that they can tell the difference between the men's room and the women's room without having little pictures on the doors. -- Dave Barry@` "Urine Trouble@` Mister"
By the middle 1880's@` practically all the roads except those in the South@` were of the present standard gauge. The southern roads were still five feet between rails. It was decided to change the gauge of all southern roads to standard@` in one day. This remarkable piece of work was carried out on a Sunday in May of 1886. For weeks beforehand@` shops had been busy pressing wheels in on the axles to the new and narrower gauge@` to have a supply of rolling stock which could run on the new track as soon as it was ready. Finally@` on the day set@` great numbers of gangs of track layers went to work at dawn. Everywhere one rail was loosened@` moved in three and one-half inches@` and spiked down in its new position. By dark@` trains from anywhere in the United States could operate over the tracks in the South@` and a free interchange of freight cars everywhere was possible. -- Robert Henry@` "Trains"@` 1957
The procedure is simple. Think of any three-digit number@` then select the corresponding buzzword from each column. For instance@` number 257 produces "systematized logistical projection@`" a phrase that can be dropped into virtually any report with that ring of decisive@` knowledgeable authority. "No one will have the remotest idea of what you're talking about@`" says Broughton@` "but the important thing is that they're not about to admit it." -- Philip Broughton@` "How to Win at Wordsmanship"
Everybody but Sam had signed up for a new company pension plan that called for a small employee contribution. The company was paying all the rest. Unfortunately@` 100% employee participation was needed; otherwise the plan was off. Sam's boss and his fellow workers pleaded and cajoled@` but to no avail. Sam said the plan would never pay off. Finally the company president called Sam into his office. "Sam@`" he said@` "here's a copy of the new pension plan and here's a pen. I want you to sign the papers. I'm sorry@` but if you don't sign@` you're fired. As of right now." Sam signed the papers immediately. "Now@`" said the president@` "would you mind telling me why you couldn't have signed earlier?" "Well@` sir@`" replied Sam@` "nobody explained it to me quite so clearly before."
I for one cannot protest the recent M.T.A. fare hike and the accompanying promises that this would in no way improve service. For the transit system@` as it now operates@` has hidden advantages that can't be measured in monetary terms. Personally@` I feel that it is well worth 75 cents or even $1 to have that unimpeachable excuse whenever I am late to anything: "I came by subway." Those four words have such magic in them that if Godot should someday show up and mumble them@` any audience would instantly understand his long delay.
Men's skin is different from women's skin. It is usually bigger@` and it has more snakes tattooed on it. Also@` if you examine a woman's skin very closely@` inch by inch@` starting at her shapely ankles@` then gently tracing the slender curve of her calves@` then moving up to her ...
[EDITOR'S NOTE: To make room for news articles about important world events such as agriculture@` we're going to delete the next few square feet of the woman's skin. Thank you.]
... until finally the two of you are lying there@` spent@` smoking your cigarettes@` and suddenly it hits you: Human skin is actually made up of billions of tiny units of protoplasm@` called "cells"! And what is even more interesting@` the ones on the outside are all dying! This is a fact. Your skin is like an aggressive modern corporation@` where the older veteran cells@` who have finally worked their way to the top and obtained offices with nice views@` are constantly being shoved out the window head first@` without so much as a pension plan@` by younger hotshot cells moving up from below. -- Dave Barry@` "Saving Face"