foo?

[Doug Gwyn]

In article <246 at polyslo.UUCP> mpatnode at polyslo.UUCP (Mike Patnode) writes:
> ... My explanation was a diveration
[derivation?]
> of the acronym "fubar" but since I work for the state this answer was
> unacceptable.  

Does this mean that state employees find the truth unacceptable,
or what?  That really is where this usage of "foo" came from.
(There is an old word "phoo", or "fooey", indicating derision,
that supplies some of the connotation for this usage of "foo".)