Date: Tue, 7 Feb 95 10:00:24 MST From: terry@cs.weber.edu (Terry Lambert) To: amurai@spec.co.jp Cc: sysseh@devetir.qld.gov.au, hackers@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD with Bustec BT-542B SCSI interface Message-ID: <9502071700.AA12168@cs.weber.edu> In-Reply-To: <199502070517.OAA01353@tama.spec.co.jp> from "Atsushi Murai" at Feb 7, 95 02:17:36 pm
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> Stephen says: > > I have one happily running - use the bt driver. It goes like the > > clappers considering its age. > > By the way, What "clappers considering its age" means ? > Could you explain for a language handicaper like me ;-)? Well, in American, it's either a reference to "the clapper", or a reference to "Flappers". The clapper is a sound activated switch whose commercial jingle is: Clap on! <clap><clap> Clap off! <clap><clap> The Clapper! These never sold too well, since one of their suggested uses was plugging the TV into it. Once you did that, you'd get to the "Clap on! <clap><clap>" of the commercial, your TV would go off, and you'd never see the 800 number to call to get a second one. The other possibility is a misreference to "Flapper", a 1920's slang term that rebellious youth used to identify themselves. Flappers were typically characterized by vigorous dances, such as the "Charleston" and their consumption of alcohol during prohibition, a period of American history where the "Volstead Act" (sponsored by Andrew John Volstead who died in 1947, probably from the lack of beer) made it illegal to produce or consume alcohol. This made it economically profitable for "Gangsters" (people like "Al Capone") to manufacture and import, even in the face of the penalties for doing so, since the rewards were so high relative to the probability of getting caught. Much as it is economically profitable to manufacture and import illicit drugs today, also because of the artificial scarcity. The "Gangster period" is largely responsible for the mistaken impression the rest of the world seems to have that "all Americans carry guns". So we either get that it runs intermittently (perfectly until you use it), or that it runs vigorously (but drunkenly). Terry Lambert terry@cs.weber.edu --- Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present or previous employers.
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