Things you've always wondered about but couldn't be bothered to find out

[ri Alban]

1 hour ago, Locky said:

Like @been here before I'm sure I've heard it in Still Game. Also when I stayed in the borders, it was said down there too.

 

What about 'puttering about'? My girlfriend always laughs when I say it was she's not familiar with it. She's from Lanarkshire. Had to explain to her the exact meaning. For me, I use it to describe when I'm somewhere, but not really doing anything. 'Aye, I'd love to go for a pint, just been sat puttering aboot in the hoose aw day'.

The old misheard something and go with it, phrase 😆 We've all done that.

[Locky]

3 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

The old misheard something and go with it, phrase 😆 We've all done that.

No idea where I picked it up from or even how, but I've said it for years.  I'll need to start listening out for it more because now I'm conscious that it's just a me thing, although I swear one or 2 of my mates say it too.

[ri Alban]

5 minutes ago, Locky said:

No idea where I picked it up from or even how, but I've said it for years.  I'll need to start listening out for it more because now I'm conscious that it's just a me thing, although I swear one or 2 of my mates say it too.

Keep using it. I use/d stuff for years that was/were wrang. 😆 Bad wire and itchy cubes when I was wee.

Edited May 18, 2023 by ri Alban

[FWJ]

2 hours ago, Meathook said:

I'd say 'footering about' for that.

To me ‘footering’ is when you’re trying (unsuccessfully) to do something / fix something fiddly - as in ‘stop footering about with that screwdriver and just take the car to the garage!’

 

Also ‘a footer’ is something that is tricky or needs dexterity to do - ‘it’s a right footer changing the battery in this watch’

Edited May 18, 2023 by FWJ

[superjack]

1 hour ago, Locky said:

No idea where I picked it up from or even how, but I've said it for years.  I'll need to start listening out for it more because now I'm conscious that it's just a me thing, although I swear one or 2 of my mates say it too.

When you heard it said like that in the borders, to be fair it was Hawick you were in. All a bit backwards there!

[¼½¾]

7 minutes ago, FWJ said:

To me ‘footering’ is when you’re trying (unsuccessfully) to do something / fix something fiddly - as in ‘stop footering about with that screwdriver and just take the car to the garage!’

 

Also ‘a footer’ is something that is tricky or needs dexterity to do - ‘it’s a right footer changing the battery in this watch’

 

It's got quite a few meanings apparently, though when I think about it more, I'd probably use it if someone was making a mess of something, or as you say, something that's tricky to do. So probably nothing to do with 'pottering'. Pottering sounds English to me, there's got to be a Scots equivalent?

 

Quote

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FOUTER, n., v. Also footer, -re, foutre, fut(t)er, f(o)utor, foutar, fuiter; foo(t)ther (Uls.).[′fu:tər]

I. n. 1. A term, orig. of gross abuse or contempt, for a hateful, objectionable person (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Sc. 1888 C. Mackay Dict. Lowland Sc. 62), now much toned down in force, a tedious, exasperating person. Gen.(mostly n.)Sc. Rarely applied to women (Dmb. 1931 A. J. Cronin Hatter's Castle III. viii.) but not infrequently, in a half-scolding manner, to children.ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems 19:
It seem'd thou was a scurvie Futor.Dmf. 1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun 67:
And, swearing he was better stuff Than sic a fouter, Stripp'd, in a twinkling, to the buff, And braved the Souter.Mry. 1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 135:
Ye think yersel' an honest man, Ye snarlin' menseless futer!Abd. 1909 R. J. MacLennan Yon Toon 32:
Ye ken Peter Craigheid, the flooer merchant, the grippy auld footer that he is.Bnff. 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 20:
Ye ill-faurt footer, fat d'ye say?Abd. 1929 Sc. Readings (ed. Paterson) 87:
Peter. Fat seek ye? Jemima. Naething, ye ill-thochtet footer.Gsw. 1947 H. W. Pryde 1st Bk. of the McFlannels viii.:
“You're a wee footer!” declared Sarah. “There never was a family like this for grumbling about their food.”

2. Specif.: a worthless, dissolute person, a slacker, a shirker; now mostly in a modified sense, a muddling, bungling, unmethodical, aimless individual. Gen.Sc. Sometimes applied half-jocularly to an old man or to a childless husband (Fif.¹⁰ 1943).Dmf. 1817 W. Caesar Poems 20:
[He] had shown himsel' an unco foutor, An' scarcely fit to be a souter, Let be to ha'e sic great command.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller xvi.:
Better late thrive as never. Better marry than burn; sae ye fouter, Waldie, tak your friend's example.Ags. 1860 A. Whamond James Tacket xxix:
Tibbie said I was growin' a big idle foutar, and no worth my meat.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
“You're a footther and the ducks 'ill get you” is a common saying.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 219:
The breath o' the auld drucken fouter, which was become nocht but a vile-smellin' alcoholic gas, took haud and bleezed like a tarr'd torch.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (30 July):
No da shaep o' a lad ta spaek til frae Sunday ta Satterday aless a lock o' auld futters.Gsw. 1904 “H. Foulis” Erchie vi.:
For a while Jinnet'll say naethin', and then she'll cry, “See's a haud o't, ye auld fuiter!”Abd. 1917 C. Murray Sough o' War 49:
To shame the coordy footers, That winna list, fooever great the need.Ork. 1929 Old-Lore Misc. IX. II. 79:
He waas a coorly footer onywey, an' kentna whit tae lippin.Fif. 1929 St Andrews Cit. (9 Feb.) 9:
Their inspiration's got the dunt. Twa dune auld footers.Ant. 1931 Northern Whig (9 Dec.) 11:
Tell a man he is a “foother” or a “bachal,” and he will not display ill-humour; he recognises it as a good-natured way of saying he is doing something rather poorly.

3. Freq. in an indifferent or playful sense, a chap, fellow, “josser.” Sometimes applied to a young child. Gen.Sc.Lth. 1786 G. Robertson Ha'rst Rig (1801) 23:
A Sutor, Most manfully about does lay — A tough auld fouter.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 246:
If one poor man gang by their style, They'll chace the footre fifty mile.Hdg. 1896 J. Lumsden Battle of Dunbar 2:
For twenty, Tam has been our driver — A willint fouter, and keen striver.

4. A slow, bungling or fiddling job (Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 25; Kcb., Dmf. 1953).

5. A trifle, a thing of little worth (Arg.³ 1953).Dwn. 1911 F. E. Crichton Soundless Tide 306:
Some wee footer of a thing'll please them betther than anny bought toy.

II. v. 1. To bungle, botch (Abd. 1825 Jam.; Mry.¹ 1928); to work in a fiddling, careless or unskilled manner, to potter, to trifle. Gen.Sc. Ppl.adj. fouterin, futtering, bungling, fiddling, clumsy, trifling.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
Don't stan' footthering there.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Vailima Lett. (1895) 273:
Fussy footering German barons.Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 44:
Ye can mout amang the heather And foutre on the hills.Sc. 1927 Scots Mag. (June) 174:
A pair o' auld sinners footerin' awa' wi' cairds on a simmer's day in a hole like this.Abd. 1928 Abd. Press & Jnl. (3 Nov.) 5:
He was footerin' wi' ower mony metres.wm.Sc. 1965 Alan Sharp A Green Tree in Gedde (1985) 324:
Like a taste in the mouth the memory of them, those countless long since Sunday tea-times, with Mrs Cuffee futtering about getting the table laid and 'Children's Hour' on, ...Gsw. 1987 James Kelman Greyhound for Breakfast (1988) 150:
He waited for the kettle to boil then collected the coins with one hand while footering with the plug and the kettle with the other.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 13:
Ay, and sae it micht be
wi mysel, and my foot'rin phraisie style:
snashgab, nocht mair, a silly dashelt screed, ...wm.Sc. 1998 Alan Warner The Sopranos (1999) 316:
I don't know Orr, Fionnula footered the last cigarette out a pack.

Hence adj. fouterie, footery, trivial, footling, paltry; also fussy, inept, of a person, fiddling, time-wasting, of a task. Gen.Sc.; fuiterer, n., a bungler, useless worker (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 248).Lnk. 1930 Hamilton Advert. (8 Feb.):
Maybe folk are jist as anxious to hear the wee footery stories aboot common ordinary folk jist the same.Sc. 1994 Herald 24 Sep 10:
It is a footery job, admittedly, but well worth the trouble. It helps to keep the frost out, and conversely keeps artificial heat in.Dmf. 2000s:
Ma brither was aye keen on daein footery jobs that needed a lot o concentration.

2. To thwart, baffle; to hinder, inconvenience (I.Sc. 1900 E.D.D.; Ork., Per. 1953); to confute by ridicule. Cf. Dumfoutter. Ppl.adj. foutered, frustrated; in 1813 quot. appar. = contrary, cross-grained.Rnf. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 91:
To think on Fortune's scourie gait, Frae ony poor tyke in a strait Her een to steek; And when sae fouter'd, ne'er lat wit She kens sic like.Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 72:
To footre one out of an opinion or argument.

[The word occurs earlier and still survives in slang usage. Cf. Shakespeare 2 Hen. IV. v. iii. 103. Ad. O.Fr. foutre, to lecher, Lat. futuere, to have sexual intercourse (of a man).]

 

[Locky]

9 minutes ago, superjack said:

When you heard it said like that in the borders, to be fair it was Hawick you were in. All a bit backwards there!

Very true  I'm just relieved I didn't lose my Edinburgh accent down there. **** talking like one of them.

[Norm]

31 minutes ago, Meathook said:

 

It's got quite a few meanings apparently, though when I think about it more, I'd probably use it if someone was making a mess of something, or as you say, something that's tricky to do. So probably nothing to do with 'pottering'. Pottering sounds English to me, there's got to be a Scots equivalent?

 

 

Fannying about? 

[Locky]

1 minute ago, Norm said:

Fannying about? 

Fannying about to me would be more in the context of somebody just being nippy and generally up to no good.

[Daktari]

6 hours ago, ri Alban said:

It's probably the same photo, used time and again.

Nope..... definitely different dugs..........

[ri Alban]

1 minute ago, Daktari said:

Nope..... definitely different dugs..........

😆

[superjack]

4 hours ago, Locky said:

Very true  I'm just relieved I didn't lose my Edinburgh accent down there. **** talking like one of them.

I moved away from gala when I wad 17, went down England for 4 years, then a few years in Edinburgh before moving up to lewis. I always thought I had an Edinburgh accent. Over the last few years I've bumped into folk up here in the pub or gym and got talking to them. Instantly a few of them asked if I was from the borders with 1 guy coming straight out and saying I must be a pale merk as I still have a strong gala accent. Told my folks and they said the same!

[Greedy Jambo]

Are you responsible for paying fines when you're out in the works van?

I was sent to Glasgow city centre to do a delivery an hour before i finish work, i couldn't find the shop for the life of me, my sat nav is telling me it's down this road, so obviously i'm looking for the shop and not the sign painted on the road. 

Anyway, It's just fecking annoying, Never been there before, i wouldn't have been if i wasn't sent there. 

Still my fault?

[Tazio]

25 minutes ago, Greedy Jambo said:

Are you responsible for paying fines when you're out in the works van?

I was sent to Glasgow city centre to do a delivery an hour before i finish work, i couldn't find the shop for the life of me, my sat nav is telling me it's down this road, so obviously i'm looking for the shop and not the sign painted on the road. 

Anyway, It's just fecking annoying, Never been there before, i wouldn't have been if i wasn't sent there. 

Still my fault?

Yes. It’s the driver’s responsibility to obey the law. And that includes overweight vehicles as a mate discovered to his great cost. 

[Greedy Jambo]

3 minutes ago, Tazio said:

Yes. It’s the driver’s responsibility to obey the law. And that includes overweight vehicles as a mate discovered to his great cost. 

 

Cheers. 

 

[Greedy Jambo]

Is it safe to eat raw eggs? 

 

I've been hearing that raw egg yokes are a super food that you're not supposed to know about. 

Apparently if you cook them, you might as well chuck them in the bin.

 

 

[Morgan]

On 17/05/2023 at 11:46, Ribble said:

 

Nope not having that at all, a real Carbonara has guanciale rather than pancetta, no cream or parsley just eggs, pecorino cheese and black pepper, a lot of black pepper (clue is in the name, carbon = coal/black)

 

To make

Boil water for your pasta, 1ltr of water per 100g of pasta and once boiling 1/2 tablespoon of salt per ltr of water, add the spaghetti 

 

While the water is coming to the boil cook the guanciale in a frying pan (no need for oil) strirring occasionally until it's brown and crispy, remove from the heat until the spaghetti is al-dente

 

Sauce, beat the eggs, pecorino and fresh cracked black pepper in a bowl 

 

Once the pasta is al dente add to the cooked guanciale and return to the heat with a spoonful or two of the cooking water, once the spaghetti and guanciale are sizzling remove the pan from the heat and stir in the egg and pecorino cream and stir until the sauce stops being runny and serve

 

If the sauce is too thick add more cooking water, too thin then add more pecorino

Follow this chaps advice.

 

That’s what should be in a Carbonara.

[Mr Sifter]

Freedom of Information requests. Who exactly has to comply with them? Reading the thread yesterday about the mike’d up refs/VAR decisions, it got me wondering. If we were to make a request under the FOI to the SPFL, would they have to release the video/audio footage of Collum deciding to send Cochrane off the other week? Or…would they even have to respond? Would the fact that I am a part owner of Hearts compel them to provide me with the information? 
 

Still ****ing angry about that decision to be honest. If I thought there was a way to expose Collum as the cheat he is, I’d explore it 100% 😊 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Mr Sifter

[Greedy Jambo]

Does pure rosemary oil cure hair loss?

[Norm]

30 minutes ago, Mr Sifter said:

Freedom of Information requests. Who exactly has to comply with them? Reading the thread yesterday about the mike’d up refs/VAR decisions, it got me wondering. If we were to make a request under the FOI to the SPFL, would they have to release the video/audio footage of Collum deciding to send Cochrane off the other week? Or…would they even have to respond? Would the fact that I am a part owner of Hearts compel them to provide me with the information? 
 

Still ****ing angry about that decision to be honest. If I thought there was a way to expose Collum as the cheat he is, I’d explore it 100% 😊 

FOI requests only apply to public bodies and ALMOs. The SPFL is a private organisation so could tell you to bolt. 

[Unknown user]

Why do dock leaves work? I had to retrieve my arsehole dug (username withheld) earlier, got stung by nettles, and sure enough dock leaves sorted it.

[Mr Sifter]

23 minutes ago, Norm said:

FOI requests only apply to public bodies and ALMOs. The SPFL is a private organisation so could tell you to bolt. 

So, could Hearts as a club ask then, given that they’re a member of said organisation? 

[Dick Dastardly]

11 hours ago, Smithee said:

Why do dock leaves work? I had to retrieve my arsehole dug (username withheld) earlier, got stung by nettles, and sure enough dock leaves sorted it.

I've always just presumed there was a chemical in the leaf that neutralised whatever chemical caused the sting... 

[Dawnrazor]

21 minutes ago, Dick Dastardly said:

I've always just presumed there was a chemical in the leaf that neutralised whatever chemical caused the sting... 

Apparently there's nothing in a Doc leaf that could counter the sting of a nettle, it's the vigorous rubbing that brings blood to the sting that cases the shooting effect, can't remember where I heard that.

[cheetah]

2 minutes ago, Dawnrazor said:

Apparently there's nothing in a Doc leaf that could counter the sting of a nettle, it's the vigorous rubbing that brings blood to the sting that cases the shooting effect, can't remember where I heard that.

Pretty sure I also read that any old leaf would do. 

[mrmarkus1981_1]

This is a bit dark but bear with me!

 

After watching the documentary about the Las Vegas shooting I got to thinking. What happens if your caught up in something like that and don't have insurance? Do you get whisked away to a hospital and have life saving treatment only to be hit with a bill into the tens/hundreds of thousands?

[Dick Dastardly]

29 minutes ago, cheetah said:

Pretty sure I also read that any old leaf would do. 

Na, I'm not having that

32 minutes ago, Dawnrazor said:

Apparently there's nothing in a Doc leaf that could counter the sting of a nettle, it's the vigorous rubbing that brings blood to the sting that cases the shooting effect, can't remember where I heard that.

Na, not having that either. Its chemicals and all that, i tell you

[Dick Dastardly]

30 minutes ago, mrmarkus1981_1 said:

This is a bit dark but bear with me!

 

After watching the documentary about the Las Vegas shooting I got to thinking. What happens if your caught up in something like that and don't have insurance? Do you get whisked away to a hospital and have life saving treatment only to be hit with a bill into the tens/hundreds of thousands?

I think, from watching American medical dramas, that emergency treatment can be given in certain circumstances. This would probably fall into that category 

[hughesie27]

1 hour ago, mrmarkus1981_1 said:

This is a bit dark but bear with me!

 

After watching the documentary about the Las Vegas shooting I got to thinking. What happens if your caught up in something like that and don't have insurance? Do you get whisked away to a hospital and have life saving treatment only to be hit with a bill into the tens/hundreds of thousands?

A lot of Hospitals in America do offer free emergency care.

[Ribble]

1 hour ago, mrmarkus1981_1 said:

This is a bit dark but bear with me!

 

After watching the documentary about the Las Vegas shooting I got to thinking. What happens if your caught up in something like that and don't have insurance? Do you get whisked away to a hospital and have life saving treatment only to be hit with a bill into the tens/hundreds of thousands?

I’d presume the shooter (upon being found guilty) would be liable, whether the hospital would wait for a verdict to be paid is another matter

[bairdy]

What do the letters G O A T stand for ?

ps.

This is one of my favourite threads, bloody brilliant !

[ri Alban]

5 minutes ago, bairdy said:

What do the letters G O A T stand for ?

ps.

This is one of my favourite threads, bloody brilliant !

Coz it couldn't get a seat. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greatest of all time.

[FWJ]

6 minutes ago, bairdy said:

What do the letters G O A T stand for ?

ps.

This is one of my favourite threads, bloody brilliant !

Greatest Of All Time (I think)

[bairdy]

12 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Coz it couldn't get a seat. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greatest of all time.

Nice one !😄

Thanks for the replies.

[ri Alban]

30 minutes ago, bairdy said:

Nice one !😄

Thanks for the replies.

👍

[milky_26]

3 hours ago, bairdy said:

What do the letters G O A T stand for ?

ps.

This is one of my favourite threads, bloody brilliant !

 

3 hours ago, FWJ said:

Greatest Of All Time (I think)

you are correct and an interesting fact the term GOAT was coined by muhammad ali

[ri Alban]

8 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

 

you are correct and an interesting fact the term GOAT was coined by muhammad ali

He coined GOATS. You know how these Americans like to pluralise everything. Anyway(s) back to the topic.

[FWJ]

37 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

 

you are correct and an interesting fact the term GOAT was coined by muhammad ali

👍

[Norm]

6 hours ago, Dick Dastardly said:

I think, from watching American medical dramas, that emergency treatment can be given in certain circumstances. This would probably fall into that category 

They'd get emergency life saving treatment but as I understand it, any aftercare relating to the treatment (drugs, follow up visits etc) all need to be paid for, even if not receiving the follow up treatment could be life threatening. 

[Dick Dastardly]

10 minutes ago, Norm said:

They'd get emergency life saving treatment but as I understand it, any aftercare relating to the treatment (drugs, follow up visits etc) all need to be paid for, even if not receiving the follow up treatment could be life threatening. 

I have no idea at all. Like i said, my knowledge about it is from tv! 😂 😂 

[ri Alban]

Why do they not make mouse/bird flavoured cat food.

Edited May 20, 2023 by ri Alban

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

6 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Why do they not make mouse/bird flavoured cat food.

All ingredients are used to make spam, instead.

[ri Alban]

8 minutes ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

All ingredients are used to make spam, instead.

[¼½¾]

57 minutes ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

All ingredients are used to make spam, instead.

Isn't spam a contraction of sparrow and mouse?

[ri Alban]

Why are white people in America called Americans, while Native ,Asian , Hispanic, Africa etc...have these put in .

[RobboM]

3 hours ago, ri Alban said:

Why do they not make mouse/bird flavoured cat food.

Like chicken/turkey/duck?

[RobboM]

Sorry double cat food 🙂

Edited May 20, 2023 by RobboM

[superjack]

17 minutes ago, RobboM said:

Sorry double cat food 🙂

That would keep me cats happy.

[ri Alban]

5 hours ago, RobboM said:

Like chicken/turkey/duck?

I meant sparrow or Robin😆

[bairdy]

Who invented 'soccer' ?

Did it originate from rugby ?

What is the earliest it has been recorded?