On thiinskinned teachers and naval officers...

Meanwhile, back in the People's Republic of Taxachusetts (H/T to Always On Watch);

DANVERS -- A local school has a warning to students: No more 'meep-ing.'

Any student at Danvers High School who uses the word 'meep' will be suspended.

"Meep," a nonsense word, was first made popular by Beaker from The Muppet Show, and increased in popularity thanks to the Road Runner.

Senior Alex Buzzi takes credit for starting the craze. (This boy has a great future if someone doesn't hang him first.)

"You see someone in the hall and you go 'Meep' and they go 'Meep' back and nothing, it's harmless," Buzzi said.

Putting First Amendment concerns aside, the principal banned the word, threatening any student who uses it with suspension.

An automated call went out to every parent informing them of the ban.

Students said a freshman biology teacher felt threatened by the word. ("Threatened"? Is said teacher just a bit paranoid?)

"They like to anger him and walk by his class and say it so people get suspended for it now," said Brianna Lapointe, a junior. (Teens intentionally pulling a teacher's chain. Who'd a thunk it?)

Many parents are not upset with the ban.

"The real issue here is that they were asked to do something to stop doing what they were doing and they disobeyed," said Linda Colinsmith, a parent. (Hey Linda, I'll bet you were the "goody twoshoes" of your class.)

Danvers superintendent Dr. Lisa Dana issued a statement that read in part, "The principal was exercising his responsibility to maintain order so that an environment conducive to learning could be maintained." (Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer!)

The school said it just wanted to move on and no further disciplinary action is expected. (Meaning they know they screwed up bigtime.)

This reminds me of my shore duty tour at the sub repair facility in Connecticut. At that time the USS Tullibee (SSN 597) was permanently moored there. It wasn't SUPPOSED to be permanently tied up but it was so old and unique in so many areas that it kept breaking down with no way to repair the one-of-a-kind propulsion plant and associated systems.

Sailors being what they are, it was quickly given the sobriquet "Building 597" since buildings never go to sea and neither did the Tullibarge (another nickname). Seems the Commanding Officer had a thin skin about the whole thing. The repair facility got the word that he would have any sailor mentioning the above cited nicknames (and others I can't remember now) written up for prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

For the benefit of my civilian readers, that little gem covers everything you could possibly be charged with. That includes getting too much of a sunburn and no, I'm not making that one up.

Anyway, Capt. Thinskin didn't have much luck. Seems every time he went to the Officer's Club a bunch of cocktail napkins would somehow surface in his view. Napkins with all the current nicknames for his luckless craft scribbled in place. Good motivation to give up going to the Club.

"Meep, meep" my ass!