# Major acronym fail
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [March 27, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631 "2019-03-27T20:55:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/1 "2019-03-27T20:55:03Z")
_“Our team SWASTIK (Scientific Works on Advanced Space Technology Investigators for Knowledge) is group of researchers working on ancient science and technology.”_
> **[Elsevier looking into how “unorthodox” paper featuring ancient astronauts was...](https://retractionwatch.com/2019/03/27/elsevier-looking-into-how-unorthodox-paper-featuring-ancient-astronauts-was-published/)**
>
> Elsevier is looking into how one of its journals published a paper which makes bizarre claims about the knowledge of the ancients and contains an acronym with unmistakable and horrific historical s…
As the article notes, this “research group” is in India, where use of the swastika long predated Adolf and his gang. But c’mon guys, not cool.
SWASTIK now enters the pantheon of [really bad acronyms](https://worldwideinterweb.com/20-worst-acronyms-ever/).
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/2 "2019-03-27T20:56:58Z")
couldn’t have added “agency” or “associuation” to that name?☹
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### Author:  [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/3 "2019-03-27T21:22:05Z")
Am I alone in thinking that Northern Virginia Gamers wasn’t an accident?
But, oh, what a subject. I’ll pile on with a couple.
First - this fails the too-good-to-be-true test and may be an urban myth. There is a town in the North of England called Newcastle Upon Tyne, and this town was blessed with both a University and a Polytechnic. Now, a Polytechnic was kinda a cheap and cheerful University, but the distinction was really rather lacking in justification, so at some point the decision was taken, at government level, to just do away with it and classify everything as a University.
In the normal course of events, Newcastle Poly would have just become Newcastle University; but as there was already one of those, a new name had to be thought up. The story goes that right up until the point that someone read the letterhead for the Central University of Newcastle upon Tyne - aw, you know the rest…
This one is real, though. When I worked in Labs, automation was the coming thing, and with it acronyms. You may have heard of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). It was an early biggie, and spawned a host of related names like Production Ordering Management Systems (POMS), for example. But my love is reserved for the people who thought up (and actually had a publication on) Quality Information Management Systems. I think we are blessed to have such innocent souls.
j
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### Author:  [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/4 "2019-03-27T22:50:57Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> _“Our team SWASTIK (Scientific Works on Advanced Space Technology Investigators for Knowledge) is group of researchers working on ancient science and technology.”_
>
> [https://retractionwatch.com/2019/03/27/elsevier-looking-into-how-unorthodox-paper-featuring-ancient-astronauts-was-published/](https://retractionwatch.com/2019/03/27/elsevier-looking-into-how-unorthodox-paper-featuring-ancient-astronauts-was-published/)
>
> As the article notes, this “research group” is in India, where use of the swastika long predated Adolf and his gang. But c’mon guys, not cool.
>
> SWASTIK now enters the pantheon of [really bad acronyms](https://worldwideinterweb.com/20-worst-acronyms-ever/).
I’m assuming the KKK piano method in your link plays everything in the key of C.
mmm
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2019, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/5 "2019-03-27T23:25:17Z")
I’ve worked for a company where the ACE System Support group was part of Corporate Utilities Management (ACE being the name of their desktop PC build).
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### Author:  [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/6 "2019-03-28T00:03:15Z")
George Mason University initially (pun intended) proposed using the name [Antonin Scalia School of Law](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/03/31/george-mason-law-school-to-be-renamed-the-antonin-scalia-school-of-law/?utm_term=.5759373dea01) to honor the late justice. They settled on the Antonin Scalia Law School, marginally better.
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### Author:  [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/7 "2019-03-28T00:24:17Z")
I did a year of study at Cambridge University in the 90s. Several of my musically talented friends were members of the Cambridge University Musical Society.
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### Author:  [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/8 "2019-03-28T08:41:37Z")
The Wisconsin Tourism Federation changed their name after their initials became a crude internet slang.
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/9 "2019-03-28T09:40:01Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> I’m assuming the KKK piano method in your link plays everything in the key of C.
> mmm
😃 It took me a beat, but I got it. 20 internet points to you.
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### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/10 "2019-03-28T13:01:54Z")
On the south side of Milwaukee we used to have a group called Community Leaders Of District Six ([CLODS](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS838US842&ei=DMWcXLT0IZK4tQXyp5_QBw&q=Clod&oq=Clod&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l6j0i67l2j0i10j0.96976.97519..97680...0.0..0.64.245.4......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i131j0i131i67.aB-OoNuaoDY))
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/11 "2019-03-28T13:06:39Z")
I still can’t believe that a pro-Nixon group actually called themselves the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (or the Committee to Re-elect the President). They officially called themselves **CRP** , but their opponents rapidly re-branded them as **CREEP** , which they shoulda seen coming. Even if that hadn’t happened, though, their original acronym suggests **CRaP**.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/12 "2019-03-28T13:42:22Z")
A Johnny Cash biography I read stated his father belonged to The Southern Tennessee Farmer’s Union. I immediately thought of the acronym, and I laughed so hard I dropped the book.
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### Author:  [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/13 "2019-03-28T13:50:37Z")
From the Naked Gun 2 1/2.
The Society of Petroleum Industry Leaders (S.P.I.L.); the Nuclear Power industry’s Key Atomic Benefits Office Of Mankind (K.A.B.O.O.M.), and the Society for More Coal Energy (S.M.O.C.E.; that is meant to be pronounced “smoke”).
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/14 "2019-03-28T14:02:45Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> _“Our team SWASTIK (Scientific Works on Advanced Space Technology Investigators for Knowledge) is group of researchers working on ancient science and technology.”_
>
> [https://retractionwatch.com/2019/03/27/elsevier-looking-into-how-unorthodox-paper-featuring-ancient-astronauts-was-published/](https://retractionwatch.com/2019/03/27/elsevier-looking-into-how-unorthodox-paper-featuring-ancient-astronauts-was-published/)
>
> As the article notes, this “research group” is in India, where use of the swastika long predated Adolf and his gang. But c’mon guys, not cool.
>
> SWASTIK now enters the pantheon of [really bad acronyms](https://worldwideinterweb.com/20-worst-acronyms-ever/).
I’m not sure exactly what rule you expect them to follow. The word “swastik” is commonly used in Indian Hindu society for an auspicious sign. There are even people who name their children Swastik. It literally means “auspicious” in Sanskrit and related languages, and is literally understood. Various symbols with the name “swastika” commonly decorate religious art, residences, and general architecture.
I don’t really think it’s up to you to declare this “not cool” for an Indian group to avoid what to them is in their daily lives not only a common word, but a religiously positive one.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/15 "2019-03-28T14:17:21Z")
**Operation Iraqi Freedom** was apparently called **Operation Iraqi Liberation** at first, until they realized that this resulted in an unfortunate acronym\*.
Some have tried to make this out to be a myth, but it apparently was captured on broadcasts: [https://thecoincidencetheorist.com/political-corruption/the-iraq-war-was-called-operation-iraqi-liberation-oil/](https://thecoincidencetheorist.com/political-corruption/the-iraq-war-was-called-operation-iraqi-liberation-oil/)
[http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=next\_topic;f=48;t=000434;go=newer](http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=next_topic;f=48;t=000434;go=newer)
\*or, as some would suggest, too close to the Truth. Certainly Trump would have thought seizing the oil was a good idea – he’s said so.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/16 "2019-03-28T15:22:44Z")
There’s an entire segment of the business management software industry called Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP for short.
It’s an innocuous acronym to most people, but to players of “massively multi-player online roleplaying games”, or MMORPGs (such as World of Warcraft), particularly those who are more into the role-playing side of those games, ERP is a well-known acronym for “Erotic Role Playing.” 😃
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/17 "2019-03-28T15:31:16Z")
Hey, the KKK Piano Method plays both kinds of music, C major and A minor!
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### Author:  [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/18 "2019-03-28T15:35:37Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> There’s an entire segment of the business management software industry called Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP for short.
>
> It’s an innocuous acronym to most people, but to players of “massively multi-player online roleplaying games”, or MMORPGs (such as World of Warcraft), particularly those who are more into the role-playing side of those games, ERP is a well-known acronym for “Erotic Role Playing.” 😃
And, in Argentina “Ejercito Revolucionario del Pueblo” (People’s Revolutionary Army) a guerrilla organization in the 70’s.
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### Author:  [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/19 "2019-03-28T15:43:46Z")
I’ve known several security system companies who have had False Alarm Reduction Teams/Task Forces.
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### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-acronym-fail/831631/20 "2019-03-28T15:53:12Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> The word “swastik” is commonly used in Indian Hindu society for an auspicious sign. There are even people who name their children Swastik. It literally means “auspicious” in Sanskrit and related languages, and is literally understood. Various symbols with the name “swastika” commonly decorate religious art, residences, and general architecture.
>
> I don’t really think it’s up to you to declare this “not cool” for an Indian group to avoid what to them is in their daily lives not only a common word, but a religiously positive one.
I agree, especially considering that the Nazi symbol we describe as a “swastika” was generally referenced by the Nazis themselves using the German term “Hakenkreuz” or “hooked cross”. I don’t think we should grant the Nazis permanent ownership of the ancient and widespread swastika motif or its Indic name.
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