Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site proper.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!intelca!proper!gam 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 { allegra, decvax!decwrl } !amd70!proper hplabs!intelca!proper!gam