national union of teachers

Probably not the right time for a post poking at teachers and unions (is it ever?), but the National Union of Teachers in the UK is another for our Acronyms in Education series. Thanks to Nam-ho for the submission and attention to detail: "These guys really love their acronym. Look at their footer: NUT jobs."

short term disability

a reader submits this one from Georgetown University Hospital's disability benefits page and adds, "short term disability is definitely not short."

wikileaks task force

SERIOUSLY?



(thanks for the ASS shout out from The Guardian!)

boston redevelopment authority

from their mission statement (emphasis mine:)

The BRA guides physical, social, and economic change in Boston's neighborhoods and its downtown to shape a more prosperous, sustainable, and beautiful city for all.

www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org

thanks to megan from that's punny!

lighting solutions and design

i bet their lights are just magnificent. if you actually see them, that is.

(thanks to natalie from seattle!)

department of health

it's not an exclamation i want to hear in regards to my health, you know?

(thanks for the tip, natalie!)

i heart bellingham musics

thanks to ash in bellingham washington who sends this along and adds, "since when is 'musics' a word anyway?"

washington united single speeders

i dunno. i imagine these folks are pretty tough, don't you?

international builders' show

the international builders' show is coming up in a few days, people. and they have a countdown on their website. because they are excited. about IBS. coming. in, like, 2 days.

district of alaska

The District of Alaska was the governmental designation for Alaska from May 17, 1884 to August 24, 1912, when it became Alaska Territory. Previously it had been known as the Department of Alaska. At the time, legislators in Washington, D.C., were occupied with post-Civil War reconstruction issues, and had little time to dedicate to Alaska.

another in the formerly unfortunate; changed series.

health purchasing victoria

an anonymous submission from a reader down under who says, "Here's one for you: Health Purchasing Victoria (www.hpv.org.au) is an organisation set up by the Victorian state government to operate tenders on behalf of all the public hospitals. You'd think being in the medical game that somebody would've realised that the acronym HPV also means the virus that causes genital warts!"

progressive management systems

so, do they make things progressively better? or progressively worse?

thanks for the submission, scott!

students of women studies

"SOWS is a student organization developed by students for students, which believes in a grassroots movement towards greater social and political change on a micro and macro level within society. SOWS believes that each and every student has a powerful and meaningful voice that should be heard by all within the academic institution of the University and society in general."

another in our intentionally unfortunate, but unfortunate nonetheless, series.

blog action day

one would think that an event intending to raise awareness and do good work wouldn't overlook such a bad acronym.

american symphony orchestra league

not unlike the wisconsin tourism federation, er, the tourism federation of wisconsin.

"Chair of the League announced that as part of the new strategic direction the board had approved a change in the League's name from American Symphony Orchestra League to League of American Orchestras."

looks like we need to start a new ASS series. i think we'll call this one "formerly unfortunate; changed."

breakthrough urban ministries

they do great work for chicago's homeless.

(thanks to Luke in chicago for sending this one!)

Moro Islamic Liberation Front

ohhhhh, this one is painful!

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M.I.L.F.) is an Islamist group located in the southern Philippines. It is one of two Islamic military groups, the other being the Abu Sayyaf, that claim belligerency against the Government of the Philippines, the United States and its supporters for political corruption. These groups are found in Bangsamoro region, an area in Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, Palawan, Basilan and other neighboring islands.

anacortes sewer system

i totally love that the sewer system (ahem, typically associated with noxious odors) has a manhole cover that says ass. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

thanks to amber from anacortes!

wisconsin tourism federation

Mark Freuenfelder explains: Like AYDS and Beaver College, the WTF (Wisconsin Tourism Federation) got tired of being the butt of jokes and changed its name to the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin.

via Sullivan.

i like that they changed their name "to avoid being the butt of jokes," but we are all still making fun of them anyway.

tokyo institute of technology

show us your technologies!