Political sessions can be dull and boring, but legislators in the US have moved to commemorate the humdrum with colleagues in Scotland.
Based on their mundane names, the communities of Dull in Perthshire and Boring in Oregon formed an international partnership last year to build cultural and commercial connections.
Oregon House politicians took that a step further today, voting to make August 9 Boring and Dull Day, putting the name of the US town first despite mild objections from their Scottish counterparts.
The plan, which will now head to the state Senate, is intended to boost tourism.
Republican Representative Bill Kennener, the proposal's sponsor, announced the Bill with a 10-minute speech, but never got around to saying what one might do in observance.
A fellow Republican, Representative Kevin Cameron, later joked that he spotted an intern falling asleep during the address.
The listless partnership was the brainchild of Elizabeth Leighton, who lives in Aberfeldy, near the Scottish village, was on a cycling holiday in the US and passed through Boring, Oregon.
Soon Dull and Weem community council was in talks with Boring community planning organisation, to discuss a loose twinning arrangement.
Dull, which is thought to have derived its name from the Pictish word for fields, has only around 80 residents, while Boring, named after William H, an early resident of the town, has more than 10,000
Determined to cement the links forged by the two names, the places have now become "sister communities", and could carry signs such as "Dull, in association with Boring" or "Dull, in sisterhood with Boring". Residents of both places wait with bated breath as officials in Boring, which is six hours behind the UK, voted on whether they could be officially linked. Any fears were quickly assuaged though as the Boring Community Planning Organisation in Oregon voted to make the two communities "a pair for the ages".
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