Sky Hook (1971)

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated >  Sat, 20 Dec 2003 18:13:55 -0500,   Seán Fitzpatrick <
> grendel.jjf at VERIZON.NET> writes
> 
> <<Other professions have similar gags.  A one-time boss of mine once, 
> with a straight face, put in a requisition for a "bit bucket".
> 
> Does the digital community have "Go ask the [bo's'n, Scout Master, 
> supply sergeant,] for the <technical chimera>" jokes?  Do geeks ask new 
> guys to do Teoma searches for good prices on accelerated inverted 
> transistoids?

I do not know of any snipe-hunt jokes in the digital community (snipes are 
purely analog?).  Digital novices are so colorfully inept that perhaps there is 
no need of snipe hunts to entertain veterans.  The "bit bucket" is an old gag 
but as far as I can recall is an in-joke among veterans rather than a snipe.  
The boss I quoted was pulling the leg of non-technical personnel in the admin 
office.  This same boss also liked to tell of the "Press Support Detachment" 
with a Table of Organization and Equipment strength of thirty bartenders.

I once perpetrated something similar, entirely without intention.  I put in a 
requisition for a "gender-changer" and got a long-distance call from Division 
asking if this were a joke?  No, it wasn't, I needed to mate two male plugs 
(ADS-Lers, make up your own joke.)

In case you're interested, the US Army standard-issue tall tale is the "Mess 
Kit Repair Batallion".

         - James A. Landau