How Not to Be Concise, Succinct, or Pithy

To Ramble, Blather, Obfuscate or Muddy

[digitalghost]

Because of the Veteran's Day Holiday next Wednesday, this release will be published on Friday, November 13th, instead of on Thursday, November 12th. It will be issued on Thursday, November 19th, its usual publication date, but will be delayed the following week until Friday, November 27th, because of the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, November 26th.

Federal Reserve Memo

This document did not concern you. Please erase your initials and initial your erasure.

U.S. Army

The increase in male unemployement for men between 1966 and 1972 can be fully explained by the almost continuous fall in male employement in this period.

Dept. Of Employment

After a thorough investigation, we were able to determine that the late arrival of your mail was due to a delay in transit

U.S. Post Office

Exit access is that part of a means of egress that leads to an entrance to an exit.

Fire Prevention Pamphlet

[Sanenet]

The Foot in Mouth award for 2004 went to Boris Johnson when, on "Have I got news for you" he stated

"I could not fail to disagree with you less."

(I remember scratching my head over that one at the time!)

[plainenglish.co.uk...]

Or Richard Gere: 'I know who I am. No one else knows who I am. If I was a giraffe and somebody said I was a snake, I'd think 'No, actually I am a giraffe.''

[MatthewHSE]

From a children's radio show I once heard many years ago:

I'd say this year's team is twice as good as half the team they were last year.

Or, another one I've heard of: A father speaking to his young children, as they're threatening to begin arguing with one another, on the day after a major disagreement:

If we have a day like today like we had tomorrow . . .

[TheDoctor]

The increase in male unemployement for men between 1966 and 1972 can be fully explained by the almost continuous fall in male employement in this period.

I'm not sure why this is in your list, since it seems to state the explanation clearly. I'm not sure how it could be put better, other than spelling "unemployment" correctly.

If you think that the only reason that male unemployment can rise is that male employment is falling, then you are mistaken. Both can rise, as, for example, if there is an increase in the number of men actve in the labour force but the number of new jobs fals to increase at the dame rate.

Sorry to be boring. Must be because I'm an economist :)

[digitalghost]

I believe it made the list because of the obvious lack of clarity, regardless of the truth of the statement. See Concise, Succinct, or Pithy. ;)