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Definitions by eighthofseven

goon show 

The funniest radio show ever made. Transmitted by the BBC in the 1950's. Starred Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe, playing a variety of madcap characters.

You have to listen to it ... tends to provoke strong reactions, i.e. you either love it or hate it.
"He's like something off the Goon show".
goon show by eighthofseven November 9, 2007

blood wagon

An emergency ambulance, paramedic vehicle, or other medical assistance vehicle. Especially applicable when said vehicle has flashing lights on and sirens sounding. The passing of a Blood Wagon in full cry is usually very bad news for someone.
"Shit, I got blue flashing lights on my tail !"
"Chill out, it's just a blood wagon".

"Sorry I'm late - there was a crash on the way here, must have been nasty 'cos there were a couple of blood wagons there."
blood wagon by eighthofseven November 8, 2007

die-by-wire 

Intentional corruption of the term "fly by wire", i.e. an aircraft who's flight control system has no physical link between the pilot's controls and the external control surfaces, relying instead on computers. A complex and malfunction-prone system, leading to a certain background amount of low-level panic amongst those required to fly such aircraft, either as crew or passengers.
"These damned die-by-wire Airbus jobs give me the Brown Trousers every time I get in one"
die-by-wire by eighthofseven November 8, 2007

Q branch 

1. The special equipment unit in the James Bond novels and films by Ian Fleming. They provide all manner of outlandish gadgets, often of a bizarre and highly destructive nature.

The unit's head is known as "Q" and was portrayed in many of the films by actor Desmond Llewelyn (2nd film to the 19th).

2. By inference, a specialised higly technical department within a much larger organisation, often staffed by geeks whose work is little understood but none the less admired and respected by other employees.

Also known as "Q Section"
"Can you come to the meeting ?"
"Yeah... but I'll be a little late, I have to go up to Q Branch and get them to look at my GPS, it's playing up."
Q branch by eighthofseven November 8, 2007

Obersturmbannfuhrer 

1. A military rank in the German Army during the Nazi (WW II) era, roughly equivalent to Lieutenant-Colonel in other armies.

2. By derivation, a tight-assed, imperious, arrogant, autocratic bastard of a boss or manager, usually middle-ranking, who also arse-licks his superiors and denigrates his team.
"The Obersturmbannfuhrer's knocked back my request for a bigger hard drive. Bastard bastard bastard."
Gasoline fuel intended for piston aircraft engines. It has a relatively high Octane number compared to fuel for road vehicles; AVGAS is usually 110 (110 LL) whereas road fuel is in the 89 to 93 Octane range.
"This damn engine pinks under load !"
"You tried running it on AVGAS ?"
AVGAS by eighthofseven November 8, 2007

heisenberg 

The last great German airship of the 1930's. It crashed because they could say where it was, or how fast it was going, but never both at the same time........

A Physicist's joke, based on a combination of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and the German airship Hindenburg.
"He's had three beers at lunchtime and now he's wandering round the office like the Heisenberg."
heisenberg by eighthofseven November 8, 2007