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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

Circular firing squad

I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning. I'd never heard it before and neither had my husband.

How about you? Have you heard/read/used it before?

I like the phrase and can't wait for a conversation in which to say it. It's plain, and also rather humorous. Perfect.

Maria Conlon
  

Top answer

[nq:1]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning. I'd never heard it before and neither had ... the phrase and can't wait for a conversation in which to say it.

  • [nq:1]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning.
  • I'd never heard it before and neither had ...
  • the phrase and can't wait for a conversation in which to say it.
  • It's plain, and also rather humorous.
  • [/nq] I hadn't heard of it, but it's an intriguing phrase.
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31 Answers
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[nq:1]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning. I'd never heard it before and neither had ... the phrase and can't wait for a conversation in which to say it. It's plain, and also rather humorous. Perfect.[/nq]
I hadn't heard of it, but it's an intriguing phrase. I think it should be enshrined alongside such things as "unauthorized autobiography".
Did someone wr
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[nq:2]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article ... to say it. It's plain, and also rather humorous. Perfect.[/nq]
[nq:1]I hadn't heard of it, but it's an intriguing phrase. I think it should be enshrined alongside such things as "unauthorized autobiography".[/nq]
Isn't "circular firing squad" merely a PC-ized version of "Italian firing squad"?
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[nq:1]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning. I'd never heard it before and neither had ... and can't wait for a conversation in which to say it. It's plain, and also rather humorous. Perfect. Maria Conlon[/nq]
Yeah, as a kid I used to hear the joke:
Did you hear about the (insert ethnic group) firing squad? They formed a circle.
Well it was funny when I w
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[nq:2]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article ... which tosay it. It's plain, and also rather humorous. Perfect.[/nq]
[nq:1]I hadn't heard of it, but it's an intriguing phrase. I think it should be enshrined alongside such things as "unauthorized autobiography". Did someone write a book with the latter phrase in the title or on the cover?[/nq]
Not that I know of. The "circu
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[nq:1]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning. I'd never heard it before and neither had ... and can't wait for a conversation in which to say it. It's plain, and also rather humorous. Perfect. Maria Conlon[/nq]
I've heard it and seen cartoons depicting it too, usually it's used in a political setting where the desire to get somebody outweighs common sense.
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[nq:1]I hadn't heard of it, but it's an intriguing phrase. I think it should be enshrined alongside such things as "unauthorized autobiography". Did someone write a book with the latter phrase in the title or on the cover?[/nq]
Amazon lists 16 books:
Lemony Snicket, Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography Chuck Barris, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography
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Bob Cunningham:
[nq:2]... alongside such things as "unauthorized autobiography". Did someone write a book with the latter phrase in the title or on the cover?[/nq]
Evan Kirshenbaum:
[nq:1]Amazon lists 16 books: Lemony Snicket, Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography Chuck Barris ...[/nq]
The Library of Congress catalog returns 19 entries on a title keyword phrase search for
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[nq:1]I read the phrase "circular firing squad" in an article this morning. I'd never heard it before and neither had my husband. How about you? Have you heard/read/used it before?[/nq]
No, but circle jerks were not unknown to college students back in the 60s, not that I ever participated in one. Much the same as your phrase suggests, when you think about it. Humorous, yes.
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[nq:1]Isn't "circular firing squad" merely a PC-ized version of "Italian firing squad"?[/nq]
When I was a kid it was Polish. But of course such things are infinitely adaptable.
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[nq:1]I hadn't heard of it, but it's an intriguing phrase. I think it should be enshrined alongside such things as "unauthorized autobiography".[/nq]
OK. How does one initiate the official Enshrinement process?

Mike Hardy

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