Oxymorons
Oxymorons
(OP)
I have enjoyed playing the "Acronym Game".
What about your all-time favourite Oxymorons?
I’ll start with a few of the more obvious ones:
Same Difference (also discussed elsewhere on this forum)
Virtual Reality
The lock on the front door of a 24-hour / 365 day convenience store
Wireless (Have you ever looked inside one?!)
“This page intentionally left blank”
Light-Heavyweight
Unbiased Reporting
Pretty Ugly
Head Butt
Military Intelligence
Train Schedule
Economic Rationalism
Business Ethics
Truth in Advertising
Government Organisation
Tight Slacks
Microsoft Works
Windows NT (New Technology)
Windows XP (Extra Performance)
What about your all-time favourite Oxymorons?
I’ll start with a few of the more obvious ones:
Same Difference (also discussed elsewhere on this forum)
Virtual Reality
The lock on the front door of a 24-hour / 365 day convenience store
Wireless (Have you ever looked inside one?!)
“This page intentionally left blank”
Light-Heavyweight
Unbiased Reporting
Pretty Ugly
Head Butt
Military Intelligence
Train Schedule
Economic Rationalism
Business Ethics
Truth in Advertising
Government Organisation
Tight Slacks
Microsoft Works
Windows NT (New Technology)
Windows XP (Extra Performance)





RE: Oxymorons
- Controlled Chaos
- Organised Mess
- Girlfriend
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
Would someone please explain to me why that is an oxymoron, or are you just poking fun at people in uniform?
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
It's not funny, I suppose, in light of the non-presence of WMD's in Iraq.
It was mildly funny when I was in the service.
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
I would be the first to say that the people I served with in the navy are among the finest to be found anywhere. That does not chage the fact that, as an organization, the military as a whole is all too capable of rendering inert the force of all the genius as its disposal.
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com
RE: Oxymorons
As for "mil intel" as an oxymoron, I don't think it is used to directly attack anyone in uniform serving their country. If anyone has served (6yrs Navy here) a tour of duty, they can relate to a degree.
Ray Reynolds
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
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RE: Oxymorons
I do have to admit, lobbing in the M.I. was a bit trite. We've all heard it; it's old and played.
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
Of course, I can't "read" braile, so I have no idea what is actually posted on ATMs.
Ray Reynolds
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Oxymorons
Secondly, Military Intelligence is a specific function inside the military as a whole and performed by only a few people with special training.
When people say that Military Intelligence is an oxymoron, then I suspect they are doing one of two things. They are either taking Military Intelligence out of context to apply it to across the board of the uniformed services, when they are really just trying to gear it towards those in leadership positions, or they don’t understand what Military Intelligence is.
Since this is a language forum, and we are concerned about the proper usage of words and terms, why should this term be treated differently? So in its proper usage, I again ask, what makes it an oxymoron?
RE: Oxymorons
Who in their right mind would drive up, buy their daiquiri in a styrophone cup with a straw, and not take a sip from it until they get out of the car?
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
On a side note: Can we finally lay the reference of MI to rest? Obviously there are differing interpretations as to whether a subject is humorous or not. For example, as a Canadian, I will enjoy a clever joke or witticism regarding my Country and any associated global stereotypes. However, that does not grant me license to assume that all of my fellow Countrymen feel the same way. (Please refrain from any jokes regarding bleeding-heart Canadians praying that we all just get along!)
RE: Oxymorons
friendly fire.
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
instant classic
double solitaire
exact estimate
extensive briefing
genuine imitation
minor miracle
open secret
original copies
scheduled spontaneity
synthetic natural gas
This year's Oscar broadcast: Live (with a 5 second delay)
RE: Oxymorons
1. Yes, I agree that “Military Intelligence” is overdone, and has become a cliché. But it is still funny! And why are people so much more sensitive to this one than “Business Ethics”, for example? Most of us on this forum who are not in the military probably work for some sort of business. Where are the screams about the imputation that none of us have any ethics? Another example – I am an Australian, but I still get a chuckle out of “Australian Culture”. Develop a sense of humour, and a thicker hide.
2. I have seen a Braille PC touch-screen monitor. A couple of years ago, I vistaed Sweden on business. I was shown around a very high-tech factory, and was introduced to the guy who was responsible for calibrating the machines which check the dimensional accuracy of the machines that actually machined the product components. Extremely high accuracy is obviously required. The fellow had lost his eyesight a few years earlier in an industrial accident at the factory. In America, Britain, Australia, etc, he would have been pensioned off, and someone else would have been employed to replace him. The Swedish corporate business ethic (subtly different usage here!) is very different. The employer felt a moral obligation to keep him in full employment – and not just transfer him to another function where his disability would not impact significantly, but to redesign his workplace so that he could retain his original function, and his self-esteem and sense of purpose. They outsourced the design and manufacture of a Windows computer screen which is effectively one of those pin toys you see, whereby you can mould an image of your face, hand, or whatever. Each pin was driven by a little solenoid or similar, and could replicate the full function of a standard monochrome PC display, in 1024 x 768 resolution. I was surprised that they had not seen the opportunity to patent and mass produce this device - the market would seem to be there. Their response was that they were not in the PC business, and they had undertaken this task only for the benefit of the injured employee. I believe a number of Braille PC devices are available commercially, but I am not aware of a similar full sized PC touch-screen. And the most amazing thing of all for me was that this blind inspector actually had a higher accuracy than several other sighted inspectors performing the identical task. The reason was believed to be that because he was blind, he had to physically reach out and touch the screen every time he had to take a reading, requiring significant conscious interaction. The sighted inspectors could fall into the dazed semi-comatose state we have all experienced from time to time when engaged in a highly repetitive task, and could occasionally miss an item that was out of spec. True story!
RE: Oxymorons
.
"...alleged excapees..." (That is a direct quote from the media and, no I would not have spelled it that way either!)
---refering to three recent Southwest Detention Center inmates that crawled through the overhead vents and slid down from the roof on bed sheets. Two of the escapees were cought the same day at the home of one. The last, a convicted murderer, was picked up the next day at HIS mom's house a few miles from the jail. There is a message in there somewhere, I suppose.
Rod
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
Getting page cannot be dispalyed notice when posting.
Jesus is THE life,
Leonard
RE: Oxymorons
whaa?
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
Excellent!!!
Have a star!
RE: Oxymorons
http://www.oxymoronlist.com/
RE: Oxymorons
To me, the perfect example of Military Intelligence is the classic "hurry up and wait" that pervades the military (USMC, anyway, which is my personal point of reference).
Along with the "lighten up" sentiment: My brother uses the term and few would challenge him about it. He recently retired from the Marine Corps as a Master Sergeant in the Marine Corps special forces (most people have never even heard of Force Recon) having been on the ground in Iraq before the war even started.
He sees the dark humor in the oxymoron "military intelligence."
Other examples of Military Intelligence:
USMC Peacekeepers in Lebanon who had to walk guard duty with unloaded weapons
Prosecuting a war with artificial boundaries - you can shoot at me from across the 38th parallel but I can't shoot back.
Weapons systems bought by Pentagon brass who've never been in an operational environment that don't meet the needs of the guys on the ground.
RE: Oxymorons
civil engineer
RE: Oxymorons
Regards
pat pprimmer@acay.com.au
eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
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RE: Oxymorons
RE: Oxymorons
Since my grammar needs work, I've been thinking of going back to school. Got an email ad this morning for "diplomas from prestigious non-accredited universities." Sound good?
RE: Oxymorons
I have never heard the term "the wisest fools in Christendom". Perhaps you are thinking of "The most learned fool in Christendom"?
Note the singular tense. It is a reference to King James the First of England (KJ VI of Scotland). Definitely, this is a joke. My OED's definition of oxymoron mentions nothing about intent, so I guess this qualifies.
JHG
RE: Oxymorons
To all the military people who might be insulted by the commentary either
a) you are a lifer Drill Sergeant with no sense of humour or
b) you haven't been there long enough.
To all the civilians who might be insulted by the above comments - you don't count.
I once had a retired General explain to me that the greatest shortcoming of the armed forces of the world over is that they have no clue how to deal with peace or civilians.
That is why Peace Corps and Peacekeeping Mission seem to be oxymoronic to me.
RE: Oxymorons
You asked me to elaborate on a posting in this thread. Apparently my answer to you was too flippant and got rubbed by the forum monitor. After posting it, I had second thoughts myself. In case you missed opportunity to read the elaborated version, the silly thought hit me that the nanoworld is diminutive by definition whereas Capital letters are [/b]large[/b] in proportion to lower case letters.
Jesus is THE life,
Leonard