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From: gam@proper.UUCP (Gordon Moffett)
Newsgroups: net.legal,net.nlang
Subject: Re: `FUBAR' etymology (potentially offensive)
Message-ID: <962@proper.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-Feb-84 23:28:12 EST
Article-I.D.: proper.962
Posted: Wed Feb  1 23:28:12 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 08:35:11 EST
References: <1175@sdccs6.UUCP>
Organization: Proper UNIX, San Leandro, CA
Lines: 18

I am fascinated to read that California's DMV allows FUBAR/FOOBAR on
license plates.

Because I thought you'd want to know (whether you do or not), I herein
provide you with the history of FUBAR:

"In World War II there ... appeared the very popular acronym `snafu'
(situation normal, all fucked up), meaning a mistake, bungling, or
confusion, as well as other less common acronyms based on it, as:
`fubar' (fucked up beyond all recognition), `fubb' (fucked up beyond
belief), `tarfu' (things are really fucked up), ... and `fubis' (fuck
you buddy, I'm shipping out)."

[From "I Hear America Talking", by Stuart Berg Flexner]
-- 
Gordon A. Moffett
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