Dr. Weevil had a post a few days ago about ambiguous warning signs, like
Slow Down
Get Ticket
In the lobby of the building where I work there’s a sign that reads
No Soliciting
Violators Will
Be Prosecuted
Which not only lets the beggars off the hook, but encourages non-begging violators to start begging if caught in the act.
(Update: Dr. Weevil comes up with the best sign yet.)
An early finalist is Lileks:
The fact that [Gangs of New York] was Martys dream project, sixty-seven years in the making, was never good news. Dream projects long deferred usually bite the wax tadpole. Ill call it the Saucy Jack syndrome, and leave the obscure reference at that.
Points off for calling attention to its obscurity, but still.
One doesn’t call one’s own jokes funny, one’s own face handsome, or one’s own sarcasm biting. Our exemplar is a recidivist.