Today's Daily Dispatch

QUIT HARPING ON THAT

Posted March 07, 2010

In today’s show you were commenting about the number 47.  The audience and participants all decided that concert harps do not have 47 strings.  They have have obviously never met my Lyon and Healy Full sized concert grand (orchestral) harp, which, as I just confirmed, does in fact have 47 strings, all of which require tuning.  There are multiple sizes of harp, ranging from 12 strings to 47 strings, but the official “concert” harp used in orchestras is a 47 string harp.

Sarah McGinnis of Woonsocket, RI

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HAD OUR FILK

Posted August 21, 2010

When “filk” came up on the bluffing round today, I got excited as I’ve been a filker for over 30 years. But I take exception to the definition provided. Had it been described merely as “science fiction music,” or used only the last part of the definition as music performed at science fiction events, it would have been a little general, but accurate. However, the primary description given as music in science fiction movies (which led the panelists erroneously toward sound effects) is completely off the mark.

Filk came from folk music tunes for which musicians wrote new lyrics based on science fiction/fantasy themes. It has since evolved to include original songs on those same themes as well as parodies on any theme of interest to the science fiction community (such as cats and computers) and Celtic tunes (particularly seafaring and drinking songs). But the only filk I know of in a film is Leslie Fish’s “Banned from Argo,” which appeared in “Trekkies 2”.

Brooke Smith of Houston, TX

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“Says Sprew!”

Posted July 11, 2010

Last week you gave a word that was defined as the empty parking space in front of your parking space that you can pull forward through as opposed to backing up.  We want to help you establish it in the American lexicon but it may be an uphill battle since we can’t remember what it is.  Maybe we need to get out more…

Juju Cooper of Santa Cruz, CA

The Gang says:  We look forward to your efforts on behalf of ‘sprew’ and hope you can galvanize a nation.  And while you’re at it, put in a plug for ‘bolly’ (a now obsolete word which means covered with bubbles).

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