Trivia

[Riki]

There's nothing wrong with Smurfs, Galvo.. I'd actually like to see that movie.. I used to get up very early on saturday mornings to watch the Smurfs.. plus, I kinda have a thing for Neil Patrick Harris

[kristina]

Thank you galvo and thank you YlGuy.

My question is this:

Can you name ten “slang” expressions for “cash” (money) found in English speaking countries ?
The “slang” expressions can describe cash generally or they can be for a specific amount...

[galvo]

How about: trey, zac, bob, quid, pony, monkey, brick, shrapnel, fiddly-did, deener.

If these fit the criteria, then my question is - what is the meaning of each?

[YLGuy]

dough, fin, saw buck, green, cabbage, dead presidents, moolah, dinero &  plash

[kristina]

Thank you galvo and thank you YlGuy.

YlGuy, I had a big laugh at your answers I have never heard of those expressions before.

Ok,  galvo, you answered first and you win this round.
Unfortunately I have no idea what “trey” and  “zac”, mean,
so it is up to someone else to come up with the answer to your question.

[cariad]

I am going to have a lie-down after hearing cariad's Smurph suggestion.

You need a lie-down?! I'm the one who had to sit through all 90 minutes of it.... with 7 children.... and a delusion person behind us who thought shushing a pair of five-year-olds was actually going to work.


(If all it took to shut them up was an occasional shush, I wouldn't be perpetually so close to a nervous collapse.)

The New York Times called it "surprisingly tolerable" a description which I believe serves as a pitch perfect example of damning with faint praise.

[cariad]

How about: trey, zac, bob, quid, pony, monkey, brick, shrapnel, fiddly-did, deener.

If these fit the criteria, then my question is - what is the meaning of each?

OK, Gwyn and I are going to take a shot at this. Some of these are just wild guesses:

trey - probably three of something or a third of something. Is it a three penny bit?

zac - no idea, sounds like someone's out of money to me. Does it mean broke?

bob- shilling

quid - pound

pony - I think it's a fiver, Gwyn says a 20-pound note

monkey - tenner?

brick - You got me! I keep trying to come up with rhyming slang that might fit this one. Gwyn guesses it's a stack of bills?

shrapnel - coins (change)

fiddly-did - sounds like a five pence piece (those are fiddly alright)

deener - I was thinking an Australian dollar, or maybe a ten-pence piece.

[galvo]

cariad (and Gwyn), you did well. The names refer to Australia's pre-decimal currency. I think most of them originated in the U.K.

trey - three pence

zac - sixpence

bob - shilling

quid - pound

pony - 25 pounds

monkey - 500 pounds

brick - 10 pounds

shrapnel - loose change

fiddly-did - quid - pound

deener - shilling

It would take too long to go into all the origins. So, accept my congratulations and take your turn.

[cariad]

cariad (and Gwyn), you did well.

galvo, sweetie, you are an easy grader! I am not sure how two adults getting four of ten right could be described as having done 'well', but cheers to you and your positive spin! 

All right, from Britain cross the channel into France:

What dish was Francois Mitterand said to have had for his 'last meal'?

And for bonus points (you know you want them!) how is this dish traditionally eaten?

[YLGuy]

IDK. I will Guess escargot out of the shell.

[cariad]

Sorry, Marc. You're going to have to think far grosser than snails for this one....

[galvo]

Francois Mitterrand's last meal has become a legend. The Ortolan Bunting, a bird about the size of your thumb, was on his menu. The bird is prepared by drowning it alive in Armagnac, cooked and then served whole, eaten bones and all. Now, aside from being considered more than slightly cruel, even by the standards of French cuisine, serving Ortolan is also highly illegal, because the bird is endangered. Or so NPR informs me. It would not be my choice for a last meal. I'd go for the kangaroo sauteed in wombat sauce.

[cariad]

As usual, NPR galvo is 100% correct!

The Ortolan is also highly symbolic, meant to represent the soul of France. You would customarily place a napkin over your head to eat it - apparently it helps trap the various aromas that one is supposed to experience, but also there is an element of shame to eating a songbird, so it 'hides your sin from God'. I have read of people throwing up after eating the Ortolan, and it seems that you are supposed to bite off the head and place it on the side of your plate, then eat the rest whole.

Good lord, I just watched that loathsome, self-important Jeremy Clarkson eat one on YouTube. I almost found myself in the upchuck just observing, and I detest childish, overpaid gadabouts, so it was doubly revolting.

Bring on the next question, galvo!

[Riki]

Anthony Bourdain talked about that on The Colbert Report the other night, and just the thought of it was revolting to me

[cariad]

Anthony Bourdain talked about that on The Colbert Report the other night, and just the thought of it was revolting to me

Really? I am several weeks behind in my Colbert viewing, so I honestly have not seen it yet. I probably would not have asked the question if I had known it had just been mentioned on such a popular show. Did he mention Mitterand? I read Bourdain's Kitchen Underground ages ago and it was fascinating yet terrifying.

Oh, and YOOOO-HOOOOO, GAAAALVOOOO. You're on!

[Riki]

Anthony Bourdain talked about that on The Colbert Report the other night, and just the thought of it was revolting to me

Really? I am several weeks behind in my Colbert viewing, so I honestly have not seen it yet. I probably would not have asked the question if I had known it had just been mentioned on such a popular show. Did he mention Mitterand? I read Bourdain's Kitchen Underground ages ago and it was fascinating yet terrifying.

Oh, and YOOOO-HOOOOO, GAAAALVOOOO. You're on!

I don't think he mentioned Mitterand.  I think he was asked what the most exotic thing he'd ever eaten, and he mentioned that.  Grossed me out, and also most of the other people in the TCR twitter feed who were watching with me

[galvo]

What? My turn, is it? Well, it's Saturday here and I have just returned from enjoying the monkey movie. So I'll give you an easy one:
 
Who was the actress who auditioned for the role of Monica Geller on ' Friends', didn't get it, but played another recurring role on the show? She also auditioned for the role of Debra Barone on 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. Once again , didn't get the role but, yep, played another recurring role on that show?

[okarol]

Maggie Wheeler

[galvo]

You are so good, okarol! Take over.

[okarol]

What is the most popular tattoo design among women?

[Riki]

ughhh... 3 things are coming to mind, and no, I'm not googling.. maybe after I post to see how close I am... oh.. to pick just one..... I will say, a butterfly

[jbeany]

I'll say a cross.

[YLGuy]

Heart?

[YLGuy]

...and the one that I would guess as well would be flower.

[okarol]

ughhh... 3 things are coming to mind, and no, I'm not googling.. maybe after I post to see how close I am... oh.. to pick just one..... I will say, a butterfly

You got it! You're up!