We’ve gotten some good entries in the Great OEI Contest of 2006. If you don’t remember and are too lazy to click on this link, the SLOP staff is currently holding a contest for the best translation into English of the following mission statement of the mayor’s $1.4 million Office of Ethics and Integrity (or the motto on the new laminated bookmark sent out to employees, at least):
- The Office of Ethics and Integrity’s mission is to strengthen the City’s Ethical Climate so that HONOR is cherished, personal integrity and ethical courage are the cultural norms and all employees are supported and encouraged to use their judgment and initiative in the conduct of ethical practices in the workplace.
We really, truly, honestly don’t know what that means. Maybe we’re unethical prigs…
The submitted translations so far:
- From reader GS: The mission of the Office of Ethics and Integrity is to provide all-weather cojones to all city employees so that they will be able to say “no” to cloying councilmembers, thuggish union leaders, a benighted mayor and a looney city attorney and just do the right thing.
- From reader L: They are saying that the money is being spent so that they don’t have to worry about lawsuits when people do things that they should have learned not to do by the time they were 6 years old.
- From reader PD: This statement is meant to confuse city personnel so as to justify the OEI’s position – gibberish that is difficult to understand causes some workers to believe the author is intelligent and worthy of their extravagant salary.
Add yours to the list and we’ll consider it for the prize: The shiny voiceofsandiego.org travel mug.