Can any USians confirm?
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Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
Keith Barrow wrote:
Is this phrase in common use across the pond?
Yup! Most definitely!
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.-John Q. Adams
You must accept one of two basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not alone in the universe. And either way, the implications are staggering.-Wernher von Braun
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.-Albert Einstein -
Yep. "Good enough for government work." The implication is that you've done something to a barely passable quality, maybe "to spec" but actually pretty crappy. And what the heck does 'wag' actually mean (and, for that matter, 'chav')?
mikepwilson wrote:
And what the heck does 'wag' actually mean
In this context, I doubt it means Wives And Girlfriends[^]; it's more likely to mean a witty person[^].
mikepwilson wrote:
(and, for that matter, 'chav')
A working-class youth, especially one associated with aggression, poor education, and a perceived "common" taste in clothing and lifestyle[^]. Chav is almost certainly from the Romany word for a child, chavi, recorded from the middle of the nineteenth century[^].
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer
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I've used it as "close enough for government work". It is occasionally responded to by "close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades"
CPallini wrote:
You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:
Shelby Robertson wrote:
It is occasionally responded to by "close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades"
Which is itself responded to with "and thermonuclear weapons" Or is that just me?
Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in?
Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels) -
Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
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Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
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Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
Having worked for a north-western state gov't (within in the US), when I questioned spending 7 million on custom software when they could buy commercial off the shelf software (COTSS) for $3.2 million, and that I thought it ridiculous to go through 4 layers of management just to get a static IP address when they wanted me to build a prototype web app and wanted daily demos at a "fixed" internal web IP address, apparently they didn't like my rearranging the acronym for "COTSS" to "COSTS," especially the reduction of expenses kind. You see, with "custom" software, that means "total control" over every feature and not being at the mercy of some software *everyone* was using. Besides, they can ask for a feature and, if they don't like it, "disable" it and no worry because they got the funding to do just that. I was summarily requested to find work elsewhere, which I did (diff. department). I later found out : In this project, of the 1350 original features requested, 327 features were in version "1.0," at the $7 million dollar price tag. The remaining features were "wisely planned" (actual words in the "4-year plan") by the developer (well, company) over the next 3 years, at $7 million a year plus nominal increases. All told, 4 years later, 666 features (I kid you not) were implemented to the tune of $7 million x 4 = $28 million + $1.1 million a year i "nominal" increases = $31.3 million. I guess that'll teach me for wanting to save $25+ million in taxpayer dollars now, won't it! Yup, "close enough for gov't work," alright.
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Shelby Robertson wrote:
It is occasionally responded to by "close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades"
Which is itself responded to with "and thermonuclear weapons" Or is that just me?
Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in?
Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels)Ian Shlasko wrote:
is that just me?
Nope.
Will Rogers never met me.
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Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
It's a common phrase here, and reflects the fact that most government contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, often by law. Anyone who has done source selection work knows that a RFP will result three price groups. The providers who price at the high end have plenty of work, don't need the job, but if you're willing to pay extra, they'll take it. The lowest priced group either didn't bother to read the specs and have no idea what the job really entails, read it and have no idea what all those long words mean, or understood it and intend to do the bare minimum required with no attention to quality and make up their profits from change orders that cost more than the original product. The middle group read and understand exactly what is required, and will probably do an excellent job at a fair price. But they rarely get the job. As a result, products built for the government are usually of shoddy quality, or grossly overpriced after the changes made to make them work as required are paid for. Hence, "good enough for government work."
Will Rogers never met me.
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Quote:
bits for lathes for example
Quote:
A "wit"
You aren't helping much. :)
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
OK, let me have a go. I consider myself multilingual in that, amongst others, I am fluent in both English and American.
Quote:
tool-room
A room for storing tools, such as drills, Spanners (Wrenches) and can also be a workroom (Tool-shed or Garage) containing things like Table Saws, Lathes (a spinning, wood-shaving thingy for making chair legs, Banister struts and the like) and other fixed tools.
Quote:
the wag
"A wit"... a jokester, someone who can be amusing in conversation.
Quote:
programme
Program
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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OK, let me have a go. I consider myself multilingual in that, amongst others, I am fluent in both English and American.
Quote:
tool-room
A room for storing tools, such as drills, Spanners (Wrenches) and can also be a workroom (Tool-shed or Garage) containing things like Table Saws, Lathes (a spinning, wood-shaving thingy for making chair legs, Banister struts and the like) and other fixed tools.
Quote:
the wag
"A wit"... a jokester, someone who can be amusing in conversation.
Quote:
programme
Program
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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No, "The Pond" is always specifically the Atlantic Ocean. The other side of our small but great island is either "The Channel" which is the English Channel between civilisation and the rest of Europe (mostly France in this case) and is called "THE channel as it is the only one that counts, all other "channels" have their own names and are referred to by them. Above The Channel is the North Sea which is referred to as bloody cold! There are other bits of water here and there but we don't worry about naming them properly in normal conversations. [edit]: I just noticed you put:
Quote:
across the pong
...so you must have been referring to Belgium?
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Bassam Abdul-Baki wrote:
Isn't the entire world, technically, across the pong from you? You are an island after all.
Technically, I'm a human being, not an island. Though I could understand the confusion if someone saw me swimming on my back and thought this :laugh:
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
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It's a common phrase here, and reflects the fact that most government contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, often by law. Anyone who has done source selection work knows that a RFP will result three price groups. The providers who price at the high end have plenty of work, don't need the job, but if you're willing to pay extra, they'll take it. The lowest priced group either didn't bother to read the specs and have no idea what the job really entails, read it and have no idea what all those long words mean, or understood it and intend to do the bare minimum required with no attention to quality and make up their profits from change orders that cost more than the original product. The middle group read and understand exactly what is required, and will probably do an excellent job at a fair price. But they rarely get the job. As a result, products built for the government are usually of shoddy quality, or grossly overpriced after the changes made to make them work as required are paid for. Hence, "good enough for government work."
Will Rogers never met me.
My personal favorite is a contract for several million dollars must be given to a small business - by law - that the moment it takes the contract it becomes no longer small.
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Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
I have never used that term. However I say Looks Great, from my house.
David
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Crush: Okay. Squirt here will now give you a rundown of proper exiting technique. Squirt: Good afternoon. We're gonna have a great jump today. Okay, first crank a hard cutback as you hit the wall. There's a screaming bottom curve, so watch out. Remember: rip it, roll it, and punch it. Marlin: It's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it. [to Squirt] Marlin: Look, you're really cute, but I can't understand what you're saying. Say the first thing again.
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I use that phrase all the time. In my book, "Close enough for government work" === "half-assed, barely works, is not in any way elegant or tasteful, but fulfills the requirements" In case you can't tell, I have a very dim opinion of my government.
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No, "The Pond" is always specifically the Atlantic Ocean. The other side of our small but great island is either "The Channel" which is the English Channel between civilisation and the rest of Europe (mostly France in this case) and is called "THE channel as it is the only one that counts, all other "channels" have their own names and are referred to by them. Above The Channel is the North Sea which is referred to as bloody cold! There are other bits of water here and there but we don't worry about naming them properly in normal conversations. [edit]: I just noticed you put:
Quote:
across the pong
...so you must have been referring to Belgium?
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
-
Was talking to my Dad about stuff that used to go on in the tool-room he used to work in. If a job went wrong it was thrown in the scrap me.tal bin, the wag pitching it would often say "Oh well, good enough for government". Then he watched a TV programme ("American Chopper", or "Tank Kings") where exactly the same phrase was used. Is this phrase in common use across the pond? I told my dad I'd ask. [Edit] Thanks. And to all those who replied with an explanation, it means the same here (ie shoddy work only the government would accept and pay for). The US may think it leads the world in incompetent government, but by jingo Blighty is more than giving it a run for its money :)
PB 369,783 wrote:
I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]
People use it all the time in the US too.
