Odd Bits or Bits of Oddities
 

These rather useless questions have been bothering me all day. So I thought I'd share them with you all!! :D

1) What is the difference between "now" and "right now?"

2) What does "feck" as in "my feckless uncle" mean? Is my uncle a man with no feck??

3) A Coke and a bag of pretzels cost $1.10. If the Coke costs $1 more than the bag of pretzels, how much is the bag of pretzels?

4) Who makes the better lover, an old F-18 fighter jock or an old F-15 fighter jock? [Yeah, I'm going to keep asking this question until I get an answer, preferably from real, former jocks.]

Also,

What does "pop goes the weasel" mean?

Number 3 appears to be a trick question and I would be interested in knowing the answer and reasoning

It's five cents right?

a "weasel" is a device used to measure a skein (pronounced skane) of yarn or thread. As the thread was wound onto the weasel, a wheel turned turning system of gears. When a skein had been reached, a wooden tab would click or "pop".... and so, "Pop, goes the weasel."

1) What is the difference between "now" and "right now?

I think this is explained in space balls.

Fly........thanks! I love finding out what old sayings mean. Was just on a trip and this one came up (we were discussing "pocket full of posies").

Ferd

The difference between "now" and "right now" is about 20 mmHg of blood pressure for a parent

1) "Right now" is what Mom says because she can't lower her voice the way Dad does when he says "now!" Both (Mom with the extra word, and Dad with the lowered voice) mean Dad's belt is gonna come off it the instruction is not heeded. Without the extra emphasis, it just means you're gonna get grounded to your room.

2) Feck is a form of effeck or effect, which mean efficacy, force, or value. One without feck has no efficacy, force, or value. Your uncle is weak and ineffective.

3) A nickel. Which would make me suspicious, because there's no way you should be able to get a coke for a buck-five.

4) I haven't tried either. I prefer women.






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Sea sayings
 

"The cat's out of the bag" --- it had nothing to do with felines, but referred to the "cat-o'-nine-tails" and the silken bag in which it was kept on the old sailing ships. The Captain might occasionally threaten a flogging, but if he took the cat out of the bag -- :eek:

"Scuttlebutt" --- the barrel of drinking water, around which the crew swapped rumors.

"The devil to pay" --- the outermost deck plank (the 'devil board') needs a coating ('paying') of hot pitch, and the hapless sailor has let it get cold. Obviously, it would be hazardous to find oneself "between the 'devil' and the deep blue sea".

Source: the excellent series of novels by Patrick O'Brian, starting with "Master and Commander".