Things that have bothered you for a long time.

[Dirk]

I went to Dover for an interview this morning. While walking along, I was thinking about the song, The White Cliffs of Dover, made famous by Dame Vera Lynn during that dreadful decade, the 1940s, musically speaking anyway. My grandmother used to sing it to us when we went to visit her. The lyrics used to puzzle me even then. It goes, "There'll be bluebirds over, the white cliffs of Dover, tomorrow, just you wait and see." What are bluebirds? Did she mean blue tits? I didn't think blue tits nested on cliffs. Was there a species of blue seagull? I've never seen one or heard of one, at least not one that was native to Britain. If she had sung, "There'll be white birds over the white cliffs of Dover," it would have made more sense, but then there were white birds flying over the cliffs of Dover during the whole course of the war, so the lyric would have been redundant. I don't suppose the air raids would have bothered them enough to drive them away.

The 'Bluebirds' refers to the RAF uniforms.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/(There'll_Be_Bluebirds_Over)_The_White_Cliffs_of_Dover

 

[Yellow Fang]

If the universe is expanding then what's it expanding into?

I've often wondered that. I think I read that because of the way space is shaped, you can't travel off the edge of the universe because that would be like trying to go north from the north pole. Still can't picture it though.

 

[Specialeyes]

What happens to prisoners in transit on the Isle of Wight ferries and their drivers/guards when the vehicle decks are cleared? I know, I could Google it!

Why does Sheryl Crow think that she and Billy are the only ones who want to have fun? That's just bloody arrogant!

 

[Yellow Fang]

The 'Bluebirds' refers to the RAF uniforms.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/(There'll_Be_Bluebirds_Over)_The_White_Cliffs_of_Dover

I am not sure I believe that hypothesis. I think it is rationalisation after the event. Your source says a citation is needed to back up its assertion about bluebirds referring to the RAF.

 

[NorthernDave]

Why are butchers and greengrocers always "High Class"?

What about a low class butchers for someone on a budget who just wants some scrag end? I can understand why there are no middle class butchers, as all their customers now go to Aldi but use Waitrose bags for life to carry stuff home...

To be fair, I'm also slightly concerned about how many of them claim to be 'Family Butchers' too - what's all that about?

 

[Yellow Fang]

[media]

]View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VARboWFOldA[/media]



".....she knows just what it takes to make a crow blush......" ?????????

That makes more sense. Crows cheeks are covered in thick, black feathers. They would have to be very embarrassed for you to notice them blushing.

 

[stephec]

If you listen to it all the way through there is a line that says, 'tomorrow, when the world is free.'

As in, once the war's over then the birds will start to fly again. depending on how deeply you want to look at it then it might be a metaphor for a sign of happier times.

Put in the context of it's time they're quite moving lyrics, I've seen old veterans get very emotional listening to it.

 

[slowmotion]

Why tradesmen alway say "Free Quote" like ever anyone would pay for one.

The only time I phoned Pimlico Plumbers they said they would charge £100 per hour (plus VAT) for working on our boiler. I asked if they would give me an estimate........" Certainly. The estimate will cost £100 per hour (plus VAT)".

 

[jefmcg]

The 'Bluebirds' refers to the RAF uniforms.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/(There'll_Be_Bluebirds_Over)_The_White_Cliffs_of_Dover

What part of "citation needed" do you not understand?

Bluebirds were a popular symbol of hope and happiness, particularly in 1930s popular music. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebird_of_happiness?wprov=sfla1

Partial TMN to TMN.

And full TMN to Yellow Fang. But I've typed it, so I will post it.

 

[swee'pea99]

How come flammable and inflammable mean the same thing?

 

[Yellow Fang]

I think it's more likely a reference to the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow, from The Wizard of Oz (1939), the song that Dorothy sings when she wishes that all her troubles would be over.

I think I heard something about that on the radio once. Blue birds are mentioned in that song. They make more sense in that song, being an American bird and cheerful to look at.

 

[classic33]

If the universe is expanding then what's it expanding into?

The space that we know isn't there. What else?

 

[steven1988]

The Toys R Us advert - mainly the lyrics thereof

For years now, I have been unable to decipher the part that sounds like "there's millions of debris all under one roof"

I know I could Google it, but......

I do believe it is there's millions says Jeffrey all under one roof

 

[Dirk]

What part of "citation needed" do you not understand?

How condescending.

 

[tyred]

Which came first - the chicken or the egg?