> I believe C Northcote Parkinson said it first, referring to Givernment
> committees that he had sat on. In his case it was bike sheds and nuclear
> reactors. It can be found in "Parkinson's Law - The Pusuit of Progress",
> published 1957.
>
A fine and excellent volume! ISTR there was another item on the agenda of the illustrative meeting - a Mr Droneful brought up the cost of tealadies (maybe under AOB), and those who - guilty over not taking part in the nuclear reactor discussion, but unable due to lack of technical knowledge to contribute to the earlier bicycle shed discussion, being unsure of the relative merits of galvanised metal construction compared to the alternative, were confident enough to offer an opinion on tea, its cost, and the profligacy of having a tea lady circulating therewith. The meeting concludes with all present believing they have done Great Things in saving departmental/corporate/public monies.
Just as well that it's purely satirical, and nothing like that would ever happen In Real Life, right?
Stefek