The company I work for, like all large companies, is periodically subjected to inspirational spam from the executive staff. You know the sort of thing- the quarterly shot of pep and ginger calculated to rally all and sundry ’round the old battle standard. Our new slogan is "Simply the Best". Yes, this is a hoary old cliché. Our divisional vice president realized this, though, and took some time to explain why this tired slogan is worthy of a new lease on life.

Unhappily, the imprecise language he used to convey his explanation left the cynics among us smirking, and dullards like me making a hard choice.

In his message, he said, "Being the best almost sounds like one of those phrases like, "I love my country or my mother".  What fool would say anything else?"

Sorry, Mom. My country needs me.