Mayor Bans “I can’t”

In an effort to instill a can-do attitutde in his workers, a Russian mayor has "ordered his bureaucrats to stop using expressions such as 'I don't know' and 'I can't.'"

Seems like a double-plus ungood policy. How should they respond if asked, "Can you say 'I can't'?"

Link: cnews.canoe.ca

Literature/Language

Posted on Tue Sep 04, 2007


Comments

Yes, we have no bananas:)
Posted by outeast  on  Wed Sep 05, 2007  at  03:36 AM
'No, I cannot say that phrase'.


... assuming of course they're totally logical automatons who equate speaking the phrase as a reference with actually using it in a gramattical context.
Posted by Robin Bobcat  on  Wed Sep 05, 2007  at  05:17 AM
I'm sorry but that's not possible at the present moment...
Posted by Nettie  on  Wed Sep 05, 2007  at  05:52 AM
"nyet", which is short for "not yet, I'm still drunk from my vodka breakfast". Ah, Russia
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Wed Sep 05, 2007  at  10:00 AM
Here's a Russian Mayor trying to instill self-confidence and a "can-do" attitude in his employees. Just what everyone needs - excited bureaucrats desiring to expand their workload and do whatever it is bureaucrats actually do, if anything. Lets take up a collection and send this guy (it is a guy, right?) to Washington and let him see how real bureaucrats do it - or don't do it as the case may be.
Posted by Christopher Cole  on  Wed Sep 05, 2007  at  09:26 PM
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