Memo To Those Who Write Memos:

Art Buchwald

tells of the kid who

visited his father's

office. When asked

what his father did,

the kid said, "He sends

pieces of paper to other

people

and other people

send papers to him."

When you draft a

memo, remember other

people love to "correct"

drafts.

The more textually taut

you keep it, the less

chance for others

to pounce on it.

The Lord's Prayer has 71

words.

The Ten Commandments

have 297.

The Gettysburg Address

has 271.

The legal marriage vow

has two.

General McAuliffe at

the Bulge made his

point in one: "Nuts! "

For practice,

send your memo to

yourself as a straight

telegram at your own

expense.

Chances are,

the less your telegram

costs,

the more effective

your memo is.

A message as published in the Wall Street loumal

by United Technologies Corporation, Hartford, Connecticut 0610l