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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
addict
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OP
addict
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460 |
I'm fascinated by today's citation: how does one "secure a contestant's seat"? Is this a phrase in common usage? And why is this a prime pursuit of trivia buffs? Is it, perhaps, a reference to some adhesive (like "Tarzan's Grip" here in Australia)? Do tell, please.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
I think it's just a reference to the latest American TV craze, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". Each new player in this most trivial of all trivia games is chosen from a pool of ten (seated in a bunch off on the side of the stage) through the stratagem of being the quickest to answer one (1) question. So just to qualify for this 1 in ten opportunity, you have to "secure a contestant's seat". http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
The phrase used here from the same programme is taking over the everyday vocabulary here. Here's an example from my daughter's school, only last week.
Usual school scene - teacher notices boy staring blankly into space. She asks him if he knows the answer to her last question. Realising that he hasn't heard the question he looks to his friends for a clue. He gets no help. Panic. Facing his desperate situation he thinks hard. A smile crosses his face as he asks the inevitable question ...
(what happened next?
- answers by e-mail to this site)
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4 |
"...can I use a life line ????"
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81 |
More likely "can I phone a friend?" and does he then get his mobile phone out.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81 |
Talking of Australian adhesives do you still have a brand of sticky tape called Durux?
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 140
member
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member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 140 |
I guess you mean Durex, Philip, and yes, it still exists and remains something of a problem for OzPersons shopping in the UK.  rgds, lusy
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81 |
'Durux' what a silly typo or is my unconscious to embarrassed to ask for condoms. There's a brand of paint called Dulux which features an old english sheep dog in it's adverts (has done for decades) these are now referred to as durex dogs in my family since an unfortunate slip by my sister many years ago.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
this thread begs two questions (sorry, couldn't help myself :) 1) Oz? Australia? Old Zealand?? some *other imaginary place?! 2) this Durex stuff, is it anything like 'Duct tape'? thanks, in advance http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
dogtide
Good try - nearly right but you stop at only £250,000.
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