The knackerman has finally caught up with me !

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Theres also a Kosher version called Hal Al !!

[SEATAC 400]

Funny. But, what's a knackerman? Knackered means tired I think???

[allardjd 1,853]

Certain Middle East airline caterers use a special blend called El Al.

 

John

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Funny. But, what's a knackerman? Knackered means tired I think???

Yeah, I forgot you guys across the pond would never have heard of it, It's an old colloquialism for a Slaughterman. It comes from the old farming traditions, especially in the north of England around Yorkshire etc. When a horse or cow etc was basicaly worn out ,terminally sick, tired or as it was (and still is), termed Knackered, the farmer would send for the "knackerman" to take it away to the abbatoir. The animals were not fit for human consumption but could be used for petfood or ground into fertiliser.

[PanzerFodder 0]

Could you explain. "The Cricket ball hit me right in the Knackers!" please Alan

Cheer's...Graham...

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Could you explain. "The Cricket ball hit me right in the Knackers!" please Alan

Cheer's...Graham...

I think you already know the awnser to that one Graham, judging by the laugh.

Just a slang word for testicles, not too sure where it came from though.

another phrase you may here related to that is "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!" This nothing whatsoever to do with the unintentional castration of an unfortumnate primate, but is in fact straight from the annals of the 18th century Royal Navy. When a warship was preparing for battle a stack of cannon balls were kept near the guns for easy use. they were stacked in a pyramid formation in a receptacle called a "monkey" . Now as the cannon balls were made of iron they couldn't have the monkeys made of the same stuff as in the salty air the balls would rust to it, therefore the monkey was always made of a non frerrous metal, ie Brass. all well and good but in extremely cold weather the brass would contract and the balls contained within would spill out across the deck as they retained their original size. Hence the phrase, freezing the balls off a brass monkey !

[PanzerFodder 0]

Could you explain. "The Cricket ball hit me right in the Knackers!" please Alan

Cheer's...Graham...

I think you already know the awnser to that one Graham, judging by the laugh.

Just a slang word for testicles, not too sure where it came from though.

another phrase you may here related to that is "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!" This nothing whatsoever to do with the unintentional castration of an unfortumnate primate, but is in fact straight from the annals of the 18th century Royal Navy. When a warship was preparing for battle a stack of cannon balls were kept near the guns for easy use. they were stacked in a pyramid formation in a receptacle called a "monkey" . Now as the cannon balls were made of iron they couldn't have the monkeys made of the same stuff as in the salty air the balls would rust to it, therefore the monkey was always made of a non frerrous metal, ie Brass. all well and good but in extremely cold weather the brass would contract and the balls contained within would spill out across the deck as they retained their original size. Hence the phrase, freezing the balls off a brass monkey !

Thanks for that Alan

If you really want to see Balls getting frozen off a brass monkey you need to go here (see video )

BTW: The band singing are called "The Knackers" wonder if they knew the UK meaning when they chose that name

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aIskq3-mug

Bet Sabre enjoyed this one .

Cheer's...Graham...

[brett 2,310]

This is why I love this site? Where else can you find this kind of intellectual stimulation.

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

A Knacker is also a derogatry term used against someone of percieved lower class, itinerant or generally the lowest of the low. It can also refer to an Irish tinker or traveller, also called a Didicoy. Again not a phenomenon seen in the USA as far as I know. They are a similar sort of thing to the Romany Gipsies and to most of the British public they are percieved as one and the same. This could be where the band took their name from, in which case they must think themselves pretty worthless!

[mutley 4,495]

It amazing what goes on here when I'm asleep!

Old AL, Hal AL,

EL AL

Well done John for nearly getting us back onto aviation!

What about "I'm knackered" for being completely exhausted?

[mutley 4,495]

Shower gel made from knackered cow?

They also sell Bullocks soothing moisturiser.

[jaydor 345]

Joe that sounds like a load of Bullocks to me?

So if you wan't a bit of edukayshun, read on:

Where did “piss poor” come from ?

Us older people need to learn something new every day..

Just to keep the grey matter tuned up.

Where did "Piss Poor" come from?

Interesting History.

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot

And then once a day it was taken and sold to the tannery...

if you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor".

But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot...

They "didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature

Isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.

Here are some facts about the 1500s

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May,

And they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell,

Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.

Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.

The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water,

Then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children.

Last of all the babies.

By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.

Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath.

It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals

(mice, bugs) lived in the roof.

When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof.

Hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.

This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings

Could mess up your nice clean bed.

Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection.

That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt.

Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery

In the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing.

As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door,

It would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.

Hence: a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.

Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables

And did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers

In the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day.

Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while.

Hence the rhyme:

“Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old”.

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.

When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off.

It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon."

They would cut off a little to share with guests

And would all sit around and chew the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter.

Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food,

causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes,

so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status.

Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle,

and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey.

The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.

Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.

They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around

and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.

Hence the custom; “of holding a wake”.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people.

So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave.

When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks

on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive.

So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin

and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.

Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.)

to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be,

“saved by the bell” or was “considered a dead ringer”.

And that's the truth.

Now, whoever said History was boring!!!

Nearly as good as FSX

“Smile”,

it gives your face something to do!

:D :D :D

Now it's back to my flying into sumfing..

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Thanks for posting that Jaydor, some of the stuff I knew but others I didnt. I'll have to dig up a few of the more obscure naval terms in every day use. ie when describing a small space as "not having enough room to swing a cat" this comes from the practice of flogging miscreants aboard ship. the accused had to make his own Cat-o-nine tails and it was then checked to make sure it had all the knots and nails in etc to effect punishment. It was checked by the ships mate who, if he decided it wasnt " Up to Scratch" would make the offender re-do it and would get extra lashes for his trouble. because of their size you needed plenty of room to swing them in !

Another phrase is that used when Someone is in a situation that they cannot get out of, they are said to be "Had over a barrel" This too was from punishment time but this time it was the Officers turn. If an officer in the Royal Navy, usually a low ranking one in most cases, was found guilty of an offence he was bent over, and tied to the,barrell of a cannon and his trousers removed. he was then spanked with a wooden paddle for as many times as was deemed fit for the crime. It was deemed a more seeming punishment than flogging for an officer. (Us Brits were often used to our mums shouting at us when we misbehaved, "I'll paddle your arse for you!, ya little bugger !")

If you've ever had a good square meal you can again thank the Navy. At one time the ships mess areas had dining tables that were lined with a raised edge, (they still are on many ships) the seaman were served their meals on a square shaped plate or trencher, these plates could lock together withinn the edges of the table when the ship was rolling so that the seaman could eat without his food rolling away, Hence he got a "good square meal !"

I'll think of some more when I get time, that's if youre interested.

[SEATAC 400]

The wealth of knowledge that I glean from this forum never ceases to amaze me.

[mutley 4,495]

Keep it coming Alan, there is such a depth to our heritage and language that it is humorous, entertaining and educational

Cheers,

Joe

PS how's Bognor today? bl**dy hot and sunny I suspect!

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

It certainly is hot Joe. this weekend we have both a classic car show happening at West Park in Bognor and a Vintage fly-in at Goodwood so I'm hoping to do both. We did the car show to today so tomorrow I'm hoping to see the aircraft. 82 deg here at lunchtime.

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Just an aviation and Naval link. The Navigation lights on an aircraft are the same layout as first used on ships. The Navigation techniques are also the same as shipboard methods just adapted to work in 3 dimensions. Seaplanes of course have to use BOTH methods for their operation depending on wear they are at the time! A ships sail works much the same way as a wing, or vice versa, this is very obvious in the big ocean going racing yachts with their carbon fibre sails. they are more like gliders than boats in the way that they operate. Hydrofoils are even more like aircraft except that their wings operate in a different element but exactly the same way. Submarines take it even further inasmuch as the operate exactly like an aircraft. their only diffference is the way their main dive and climb abilities are partly controlled by water ballast and air, but the dive and turn planes work the same as an aircraft. The Americans often refer to their aircraft as "ships" and of course it was NAVAL aviation that was the precurser of all military operations when it came to fixed wing aircraft. The first military aircraft were in fact tethered hot air ballons used by the French ,and Kites used by the Chinese both used for spotting purposes.

[allardjd 1,853]

The US Navy refers to almost all their vessels as "ships" with the exception of submarines, which are normally referred to as "boats" regardless of size.

 

John

[allardjd 1,853]

Quote

...and Kites used by the Chinese both used for spotting purposes.

 

The German U-Boats in WWII made a few attempts to use kites to put a set of human eyes aloft to increase their horizon when on patrol. It was more of an un-powered auto-gyro than what we think of as a kite, but it was used. It was called the Focke Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze (Wagtail).

 

http://www.uboat.net/technical/bachstelze.htm

 

John

[jaydor 345]

John

What the Focke Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze was that?

In the meantime:

After every flight, pilots fill out a form called a gripe sheet, which conveys to the mechanics problems encountered with the aircraft during the flight that need repair or correction.

The engineers read and correct the problem, and then respond in writing on the lower half of the form what remedial action was taken, and the pilot reviews the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Here are some actual logged maintenance complaints and problems as submitted by Qantas pilots and the solution recorded by maintenance engineers.

(P = The problem logged by the pilot)

(S = The solution and action taken by the engineers)

P: Left inside main tyre almost needs replacement.

S: Almost replaced left inside main tyre.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.

S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.

S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.

S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.

S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.

S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.

S: That's what they're there for.

P: IFF inoperative.

S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.

S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.

S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.

S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.

S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.

S: Cat installed.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.

S: Took hammer away from midget.

[mutley 4,495]

Yep, still funny James!!

[jaydor 345]

I guess it's been posted before then? Sorry Joe..

[mutley 4,495]

He he,! no worries James, here are some more (Sorry if any duplicated.)

ATC: Pan Am 1, descend to 3,000 ft on QNH 1019.

Pan AM 1: Could you give that to me in inches?

ATC: Pan Am 1, descend to 36,000 inches on QNH 1019

Cessna 152: "Flight Level Three Thousand, Seven Hundred"

Controller: "Roger, contact Houston Space Center"

Beech Baron: Uh, ATC, verify you want me to taxi in front of the 747.

ATC: Yeah, it's OK. He's not hungry.

Student Pilot: "I'm lost; I'm over a lake and heading toward the big E."

Controller: "Make several 90 degree turns so I can identify you on radar."

(short pause)...

Controller: "Okay then. That lake is the Atlantic Ocean. Suggest you turn to

the big W immediately ..."

Tower: "...and for your information, you were slightly to the left of the centerline on that approach."

Speedbird: "That's correct; and, my First Officer was slightly to the right"

Controller: "USA353 (sic) contact Cleveland Center 135.60.

(pause)

Controller: "USA353 contact Cleveland Center 135.60!"

(pause)

Controller: "USA353 you're just like my wife you never listen!"

Pilot: "Center, this is USA553, maybe if you called her by the right name you'd get a better response!"

ATC: "N123YZ, say altitude."

N123YZ: "ALTITUDE!"

ATC: "N123YZ, say airspeed."

N123YZ: "AIRSPEED!"

ATC: "N123YZ, say cancel IFR."

N123YZ: "Eight thousand feet, one hundred fifty knots indicated."

O'Hare Approach Control: "United 329 Heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, One o'clock, 3 miles, eastbound."

United 329: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this... I've got that Fokker in sight."

[jaydor 345]

LOL Love em!! :D