Never try to teach a pig to sing : still more urban folklore from the paperwork empire / Alan Dundes, Carl R. Pagter.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dundes, Alan.

Contributor:

Pagter, Carl R., 1934-

Series:

Humor in life and letters.

Humor in life and letters series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Urban folklore--United States.

Urban folklore.

Xerography--Folklore.

Xerography.

Office practice--United States--Folklore.

Office practice.

American wit and humor.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (436 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Detroit : Wayne State University Press, c1991.

Summary:

Dundes and Pagter clearly demonstrate the existence of folklore in the modern urban technological world and refute the notion that folklore reflects only the past.

Contents:

""Cover""; ""Contents""; ""Preface""; ""Introduction""; ""Abbreviations""; ""A Word to the Wise""; ""1. Medical Terminology for the Layman""; ""2. The Electrocardial Guide""; ""3. Employee Evaluation Form""; ""4. Terms Used in Writing Fitness Reports""; ""5. A Glossary of Nautical Terms""; ""6. Useful Arabic Phrases""; ""7. Official Polish (Italian) Sex Quiz""; ""8. Definition of Diplomacy""; ""9. Hell!""; ""10. Patience""; ""11. God, Grant Me Patience""; ""12. The New Priest""; ""13. The Play""; ""14. The Pissed-Off Cowboy""; ""15. What Not to Name Your Dog""; ""16. Lost Dog""

""17. Stress""""18. Twenty-six Ways to Relieve Stress""; ""19. Stress Diet""; ""20. Recipe for Stuffed Camel""; ""21. Elephant Stew""; ""22. Best Ever Rum Cake""; ""23. Fishin' Line""; ""24. In Honour of National Condom Week""; ""25. This . . . Really Bothers You""; ""26. T-Shirt Quotes""; ""Signs of the Times""; ""27. Never Try to Teach a Pig to Sing""; ""28. It's Difficult to Soar with Eagles""; ""29. The Rat Race Is Over""; ""30. Don't Drink Water""; ""31. Be Like a Duck""; ""32. A Moving Experience""; ""33. The Only Difference""; ""34. Tell Me Again""; ""35. Of Course I Want It Today""

""36. Poor Planning""""37. Proper Planning""; ""38. Plan Ahead""; ""39. All Skill Is in Vain""; ""40. No Amount of Planning""; ""41. Christmas Has Been Cancelled""; ""42. The Floggings Will Continue""; ""43. When You Throw a Little Dirt""; ""44. Old Age and Treachery""; ""45. Use Your Head""; ""46. I Work Better Under Pressure!!""; ""47. Your Rush Job""; ""48. As Soon as the Rush Is Over""; ""49. We Welcome Your Problems""; ""50. We Welcome Advice""; ""51. This Office Is Open""; ""52. Employees' Cooperation""; ""53. Suppose We Refund Your Money""; ""54. Please Don't Ask for Information""

""55. Answers Price List""""56. Labor Rates""; ""57. lust When I Knew All the Answers""; ""58. When I'm Right""; ""59. If We Can't Fix It""; ""60. Security is Like Virginity""; ""61. Be Sure to Work Eight Hours""; ""62. A Day Off""; ""63. I'm Tired""; ""64. This Life Is a Test""; ""65. No Physical Fitness Program""; ""66. Quitting Time""; ""67. In Case of Fire""; ""68. This Property Protected""; ""69. Be Tolerant""; ""70. People Who Think They Know Everything""; ""71. Nobody Is Perfect""; ""When Things Go Wrong""; ""72. Don't Quit""; ""73. Oh No!""; ""74. Lonesome?""; ""75. What Went Wrong""

""76. God, I Love This Place""""77. I'm 51 Percent Sweetheart""; ""78. Before Work/After Work""; ""79. When I Woke Up This Morning""; ""80. So You Think You Got Troubles""; ""81. Doing the Job Alone""; ""82. The Revised Revision Revised""; ""83. Dear Mr. Jefferson""; ""84. Four Score and Seven Years Ago""; ""85. All He Rites is Buzniss""; ""86. What the Admiral Wanted""; ""87. The Way You Ordered It""; ""88. The Plan""; ""89. Problem Solving Flowsheet""; ""90. Warning!""; ""91. To Err Is Human""; ""92. I Want My Data Back""; ""93. Hit Any Key to Continue""; ""94. You'll Never Get It In""

""95. Operation to Make Me Sterile""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

ISBN:

9780814337400

0814337406