[Ads-l] new alligator proverb

[Jesse Sheidlower]

There's an entry for this in HDAS, with a first example from 1964, in a military (not specifically Navy) context in Vietnam.

On Sat, Jul 08, 2023 at 02:02:23PM +0000, Peter Reitan wrote:
> When I was in the Navy, it was frequently said during stressful or complicated, difficult situations, that we were "up to our asses in alligators."
> ________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 5, 2023 5:18:40 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Subject: new alligator proverb
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      new alligator proverb
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> CNN This morning:
> 
> "There's a saying in the military: 'You focus on the closest alligator to
> the boat.'"
> 
> JL
> 
> 
> 
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> 
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