boondoggle
noun (informal)

- an unnecessary and expensive piece of work, especially one that is paid for by the public

- a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide; a braided hatband or ornament

Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam-Webster

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WORD ORIGIN

The word "boondoggle" was popularized during the 1930s, particularly in the context of the Great Depression. It gained widespread attention when it was used to describe certain New Deal programs that were perceived as wasteful or unnecessary.

The exact origin of "boondoggle" is somewhat unclear. However, it is often attributed to Robert H. Link, a scoutmaster from Rochester, New York. Link claimed to have coined the term in 1925 to describe the braided leather lanyards and other handicrafts made by Boy Scouts. He used it to refer to such craft projects, which were often seen as trivial or decorative rather than useful.

Over time, "boondoggle" evolved from meaning a trivial or decorative activity to referring to any wasteful or pointless project, especially one funded by the government. The shift occurred as people used the term to criticize government-funded projects they believed were unnecessary.

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SUCCESSFUL BOONDOGGLES

While cost overruns are a common factor in declaring a project a boondoggle, that does not necessarily mean the project has no benefit. Overruns are common, even with successful projects, and the benefits of a project may ultimately outweigh even steep costs. For example, the cost of construction of the Sydney Opera House ballooned by over 1,400 percent, but the building has since become an icon for the city and for Australia.

The Hubble Space Telescope was described as a "techno turkey" after its launch in 1990, when it was discovered that a flaw in its optics made it unable to carry out most of its science objectives. A repair mission in 1993 restored its capabilities, and successive maintenance missions have allowed it to be an invaluable tool for observation and the understanding of the universe for decades.

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SYNONYMS

albatross, black hole, BOONDOGGLE, brainless scheme, bridge to nowhere, budget buster, cash cow gone wrong, cash drain, down the drain, endless money pit, epic financial blunder, exercise in futility, financial abyss, financial catastrophe (debacle, disaster, fiasco, morass, quagmire, sinkhole, vortex), flushing money down the toilet, fool's errand, funding fiasco (quagmire), gigantic blunder, lemon, lost cause, make-work project, money burner (devouring labyrinth, down the drain), money-guzzling monstrosity, money pit of doom, money sucker, money-sucking vortex, road to nowhere, senseless spending, taxpayer-funded farce, vanity project, white elephant, worthless venture

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

"The word 'BOONDOGGLE' has a bouncy rhythm that makes it feel less serious, turning a frustrating situation into something almost comical."

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THANKS to Fridolin for suggesting today’s OWAD.

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