To “look good on paper” means to look good in theory, but not necessarily in practice. The phrase doesn’t always involve actual paper, but there are jokes.
“The ‘Paperless Office’ looked good on paper” was posted on the newsgroup muc.lists.freebsd.questions on April 3, 1999. “Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper ...” was posted on Twitter by CrankyPappy on April 9, 2012. “RT @funnyoneliners Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper ... RT @CrankyPappy” was posted on Twitter by Karen White on April 9, 2012.
“THE PLANS FOR A PAPERLESS OFFICE LOOKED REALLY GOOD...ON PAPER” (shown on a sign) was posted on Facebook by Indian Hills Community Sign on October 1, 2022.
Google Groups: muc.lists.freebsd.questions
power-user question
Mark S. Reichman
Apr 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM
(...)
+---------------oOO---(_)------------------------+
| Mark S. Reichman FreeBSD |
| Got source? |
| |
| The “Paperless Office” looked good on paper.
Twitter
CrankyPappy
@CrankyPappy
Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper ...
2:25 PM · Apr 9, 2012·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Karen White
@karen_white13
RT @funnyoneliners Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper ...
RT @CrankyPappy
2:45 PM · Apr 9, 2012· HTC Peep
Google Books
5,000 Sidesplitting Jokes and One-Liners
Compiled by Grant Tucker
New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing
2013
Pg. 294:
Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper.
Twitter
laurens leurs
@laurensleurs1
“Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper...”
6:54 AM · Aug 23, 2018·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Colonel AD, SM🇮🇳
@simply_mixed_up
Their plan for a paperless office looked good, on paper…
7:17 AM · Jan 24, 2022·Twitter Web App
Twitter
Paul Macken
@PHMacken
My plan for a paperless office looked good....on paper…
9:34 PM · Sep 11, 2022·Twitter Web App
Facebook
Indian Hills Community Sign
October 1, 2022 at 12:37 PM ·
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
THE PLANS FOR A
PAPERLESS OFFICE
LOOKED REALLY GOOD
ON PAPER
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
•
“I am presently experiencing life at a rate of several WTFs per hour” (6/4)
•
“When someone asks what my dream job is. Literally nothing. Who dreams to have a job…” (6/4)
•
“When the airplane door shuts & the seat next to you is open it feels like you just won the lottery” (6/4)
•
“When the flight attendants close the cabin doors and the seat next to you is still empty” (6/4)
•
“When the plane door shuts and there’s still an empty seat next to you” (6/4)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
This site is edited by Barry Popik.