Today's Daily Dispatch

UNDER A BARREL

Posted September 12, 2009

The definition of kilderkin was used today, and I believe that
the contributed question had an errant answer.  I have checked
several sources, and the term relates to beer containers in older
Imperial measures of volume.  The correct unit appears to be 18
gallons or a half barrel rather than a half gallon.  Other
conversions are:

1 kilderkin = 2 firkins = 4 pins
2 kilderkins = 1 barrel
3 kilderkins = 1 hogshead
2 hogsheads = 1 butt
2 butts = 1 tun

John Gibson of Springville, AL

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SO WHAT’S NOOP?

Posted January 26, 2010

On the definition of “noop"… Every computer programmer who hears your show will be screaming at their stereos (or computers) that a “noop” is a useless piece of code that pretty much does nothing (derivative of Linux “no-op” for “no operation").

Over time, the word has expanded to include co-workers who are beyond clueless. The idea is that a clueless person can be taught, but a noop is useless and beyond help.

With a bit of searching I did find references for the “point of the elbow” definition.  Sir Water Scott used it 200 years ago in “Heart of the Mid-Lothian.”

Brian Wagner of Ashland City, TN

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WITCHY WORDS

Posted November 04, 2009

In the show that aired on Halloween, in the segment where panelists fill in the next line in the lyrics, you gave the clue:
“Raven hair and ruby lips, sparks fly from her finger tips”

The panelist’s answer was: “Wooo hooo witchy woman...”

This is incorrect. The song goes:
“Raven hair and ruby lips
sparks fly from her finger tips
Echoed voices in the night
she’s a restless spirit on an endless flight
wooo hooo witchy woman, see how
high she flies
woo hoo witchy woman she got
the moon in her eye”

Jon Levitt of Houston, TX

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