Wikipedia talks about it this way, “RAS syndrome (short for “redundant acronym syndrome syndrome”), also known as PNS syndrome (“PIN number syndrome syndrome”, which expands to “personal identification number number syndrome syndrome”) or RAP phrases (“redundant acronym phrase phrases”), refers to the use of one or more of the words that make up an acronym or initialism in conjunction with the abbreviated form, thus in effect repeating one or more words.”

The most common encounter with this syndrome in my world is the reference to CAC card which expands to Common Access Card card. Firesign Theatre’s reference to a variant syndrome  not based on an acronym was, “Department of Redundancy Department.”

Another allied bit of semantic abuse is the use of the acronym without a preceding article. When is it that the CIA, the FCC, of the DoD become simply CIA, FCC, and DoD? Is it simply by sufficient use and familiarity?

WWSJHS? That is What Would Sydney J. Harris Say?

Perhaps, “The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers.” To this we might add, ” or to lose the ability or inclination to think.”