Re: Boil the ocean

Posted by ESC on April 19, 2002

In Reply to: Re: Boil the ocean posted by bob on April 19, 2002

: :
: : Who replied, "Boil the ocean," when asked what to do about the problem with the German U-boats? Was it Will Rogers or Mark Twain? I have seen it attributed to both. For example:

: : Mark Twain--
: : http://www.nandotimes.com/special_reports/terrorism/opinions/story/101083p-1176411c.html
: : http://www.reporternews.com/1999/opinion/tuf0104.html

: : Will Rogers--
: : http://www.billrouse.com/Articles/details.htm
: : http://www.mahughes.org/showarticles.cfm?artid=75

: : I'm trying to find an original or reliable source for the story.

: : By the way, it's interesting to note that the phrase "boil the ocean" has been adopted by the computer and business world to mean "to try something way too heroic or ambitious, when a lesser accomplishment would suffice."

: I don't believe U-boats were a problem in Twain's lifetime.

I haven't heard the expression. But it's a good one.