Random
Source Code
Random
The opposite of the Midas touch. A person for whom everything turns to crap, if (s)he gets involved.
Named after jewellery magnate Gerald Ratner, who infamously declared his proudcts to be "total crap" and wouldn't last much "longer than a M&S {Marks & Spencer} prawn sandwich", during a speech to the Insitute of Directors (1991).
Although his comments were meant to be tongue-in-cheek, shares in his company drastically plummeted and he almost bankrupted the company. The speech is often heralded as an example of the value of branding and image over quality.
It's a nightmare working with with Cheryl, she always bodges things up-- she's got the Ratner's touch.
A phrase that is popularly attributed to a person, even though that person didn't (originally) say it. Rather it was invented for the person, by satirists/impersonators.
Named after veteran impressionist Mike Yarwood, who is famed for invented such phrases.
Examples of yarwoodisms include...
"Billions and billions". Carl Sagan insists he has never said this, and it originates from a Johnny Carson impression.
"I can see Russia from my house". Sarah Palin has said words to that effect, but it was impersonator Tina Fey who said this famous quote.
"Elementary my dear Watson". Not said in any of the original novels, but still regularly used to impersonate Sherlock Holmes.
"Beam me up Scotty". Never said in any of the Star Trek editions (closest was "Scotty, beam me up" in one later episode)
"My name is Michael Caine". A common way of impersonating said film star; it was not until 1983 that Caine said it on film, in Educating Rita (as an in-joke)
"Why can't I quit you?". Not said in Brokeback Mountain, but the product of Russ Parr's parody of the film (on his Morning Show)
"Super smashing great". Although Jim Bowen frequently said each of those word in isolation, he never said that phrase on Bullseye-- it was supplied by Spitting Image. Bowen has used it since then though, as self-parody.
"There's been a murder". According to Alex Norton ('DCI Burke'), this has never been said on Taggart-- frequently used in parodies of the show though.
"Crisis? What crisis?". Jim Callaghan never said that, The Sun newspaper paraphrased him for a headline-- the phrase is still popularly associated with him.
"Let me tell you a story". A catchphrase for Max Bygraves, invented by Mike Yarwood.
"Ssssilly billy". Denis Healey never originally said this, another Yarwood invention.
A cult scale that some British gay men use to assess the cuteness or 'hotness' of a potentially attractive man in their presence. It runs from zero to ten.
The scale is named after gay sex-symbol, the Polish-born BBC meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker. The scale his named after him, since his cuteness is commonly considered to be beyond 10.
"Brad Pitt gets a 10 on the Schafernaker scale from me"
"You're not wrong there... whereas Gordon Brown or John McCririck would get 0 from me"
A deep-brown or orange tan. Named after the Marshall Islands, where the first H-bombs were tested.
The implication being that the tanned person, looks as though (s)he has been in the presence of a thermonuclear detonation.
I see Clive has been out in the sun. He's got a right Marshall Islands tan on him!
Acronym= "So CRap It's Good". Something that is so naff, tasteless or of poor quality; it has kitsch value or cult status.
"I used to love watching Bullseye on a Sunday evening, it was scrig"
An idiom meaning to stubbornly quibble over something inconsequential, irrelevant, minor or off-topic. A cavilling dispute.
Another way of saying "to argue for the sake of it".
Unfortunately the meeting didn't go well. Eric starting getting pedantic, and decided to argue the toss over a trivial detail of the plan.