A few days ago, our respected and treasured third moderator raised a reasonable objection to certain crass acronyms which have, of late, become prevalent in posts and comments within The Chariot. As the site’s undisputed coward, I swiftly sidestepped the issue and tossed it upstairs to our leader, who rather uncharacteristically sat on the fence, pleading ethnic corruption.
I fear that I may have detected some disappointment emanating from the South African branch office.
However, as so often happens, the matter has serendipitously arisen elsewhere, and Annabel Crabb (the ABC’s chief online political commentator) has leapt into print to explain. One doesn’t have to read the full article on The Drum or know who Craig Thomson is – although he is currently a reviled political cause célèbre in Australia – to gain an understanding of the contemporary language pool in which Boadicea and I now swim.
Here is an extract from Annabel’s article –
… But I love FFS, for its pithy and very Australian blend of implied obscenity with genuine, palms-to-the-skies, you’ve-got-to-be-kidding exasperation.
Jumped the shark? Look it up, FFS! 😀
Boadicea's Chariot 
Howzit Bearsy,
As one who opted out of swearing years ago to a degree I agree with Soutie’s feelings. In a forum such as this I don’t think there is any need for bad language or the replacement acronyms. We are all educated enough to get our point/s across without lowering the tone.
Naturally, I find nothing wrong with the swear words in tocino’s or other members jokes. Because that’s what they are. Jokes.
As for has the Chariot jumped the shark? I’d say no it hasn’t. There’s a lot of Happy Days ahead. 🙂
JW – thanks for the comment, but I’m afraid that you have missed the point of my post, and probably didn’t even notice the humour tag.
I won’t bother to explain further, but Australian humour – as embraced by the educated, the rich, the experienced and the good, as well as by the common folk – is different and frequently misunderstood by other English-speaking cultures.
The following link is probably barred to access outside Australia, but if it works for you, have a look at the first of the two “pitch” pseudo-adverts (the one produced by Carl), which occurs about two thirds of the way through the program – The Gruen Transfer. And then note the reactions of the (educated, rich and successful) panel members, and the studio audience. You still may think we’re all crazy, but this may demonstrate to you that our humour is not bad – just different.
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/program/818221
Alas, not available! Selfish ABC 😀
Me – I don’t mind the odd profanity! But I do object to text language being used when not in a text message!
I love aussie humour, indeed, I have just shown some Kevin Bloody Wilson youtube clips to my collegues – they were appalled at “living next door to Alan” bless them. They said it was funny but made them feel uncomfortable. Losers!
Hi Cuprum – what a shame, I know that you’d love the pseudo-advert, which is a “public service announcement designed to stop Australians swearing”, delivered in a comforting “broad” Aussie accent with a gentle guitar playing Waltzing Matilda in the background. 😀
Hey! – I’ve found a YouTube version!! 😀
Australians Against Vulgarity.
Enjoy! (or not, as the case may be) –
Fucking excellent 😀
Isn’t it remarkable how a note or comment from a fellow cherished colleague gets one’s grey matter working and then out of the blue an item crops up in completely unrelated circumstances?
Thanks Bearsy, great post. I know that this point is not meant to discuss the Thomson affair but it is always heartening to see that bribery and corruption are not confined to this (once) dark continent as is so often espoused in comments and blogs that I read in the western media!
I had no problem whatsoever with your sidestep nor your ‘hospital pass’ to your partner who as you say sat on the fence, I was actually delighted that my comment stood for all and sundry to read.
I didn’t want to expand my thoughts at the time and side track the subject of the post but would like to add them here.
Unlike most members, I have young children living in my household, I encourage them to read articles here, I had to send Toc’s excellent youtube clip on to a couple of mates.
Which got me thinking about other members with teenage children and the over 300 hits a day that we get from around the world.
For those who haven’t seen my original comment here it is.
Quite clearly there’s a time and a place for everything, I’d just like to see less of it here.
Happy Days 🙂
Since it was my unserious use of the acronyms which prompted Soutie’s comment, I beg to be allowed a comment myself. Many of my of my comments are intended to cast a satirical light on contemporary mores and unfortunately are misinterpreted as serious criticisms of people, events etc. As I said in my post, I do not wish to offend, rather to amuse. 😦
There are some posts on here that I find distasteful – those ‘mocking’ physical attributes and what I, with some advice, consider to be out-and-out porn – I remove. The rest I leave since I am aware that not everyone has the same tastes as I do. I don’t remove posts that ‘mock’ people’s life-style choices, and I include religion in ‘personal choice’.
I am a little tired of being told that I must be responsible for every Tom, Dick and Harry – and their children… It is up to every individual to be responsible for themselves and their family – and that includes what they, and their family, access on the TV, or the internet, or elsewhere.
Hi Soutie
First of all, a couple of things I don’t understand.
Secondly, a statement. This post is tagged ‘Humour’ and ‘Australiana’.
Thirdly, and most emphatically, having checked with Boadicea, The Chariot is not intended to be suitable for children. Were it to be so, there are many of our members who might feel unduly constrained, and many posts and comments would have had to have been removed. Even Boadicea and I find some of the jokes, cartoons and videos posted by some Charioteers to be a little strong and hard to take, and we would never have allowed them if we were attempting to run a site suitable for minors.
We firmly regard protection of minors as a parental responsibility.
Charioteers are, as always, free to debate any subject in robust terms, however near the knuckle, within the WordPress Ts & Cs and without more than the occasional personal insult, as summarised in the Lex Icenorum.
I note that while I was writing this response, both Boadicea and Janus have commented. I endorse both comments.
The ‘hospital pass’ is a rugby term, when a player passes the ball to a team mate who we all know is going to get clobbered, a bit like passing the buck if you will.
Toc’s post of the army in Afghanistan singing along in the shower and elsewhere to some song that I’ve never heard of (oops, I now see that it was Bravo’s 😳 )
I’m well aware of the tags, as I mentioned I enjoyed the links.
I agree with your third, my original comment was a simple personal observation, the acronyms in question do in my opinion lower the tone of the site. The comment is there for all to read and react accordingly, I don’t have a strong opinion either way just a preference.
And lastly, if I may address Boadicea’s comment here at no stage did I suggest that it was the responsibility of the site owners to ban their use from these pages, in fact my exact words were “I’m all for free speech and the odd expletive does in fact sometimes add value but perhaps a bit more infrequently please” if anything it was a plea for a bit of self restraint from authors and commentors.
By the way, no ‘disappointment’ here at all. In fact I’m delighted that we can freely make points and observations as and when we feel necessary.
Thanks, Soutie. 🙂
Two MID’s in one post and I haven’t a clue why. Is it time for Old Toc to hang up his stylus?
I didn’t really think there was, Soutie; this post was not meant to be taken seriously, that’s why it’s tagged ‘humour’. Doh! 😦
I’m with Soutie on this, except that I’m only just catching up on what most of these acronyms actually mean. If they had been spelled out in full and with more regularity,I would be offended. As it is , I can understand the emphasis that they add (a sort of acronymic emoticon).
Not at all Toc, why ever should you think that?
Does MID mean ‘mentioned in dispatches’?
That is correct Bearsy.
Sorry Toc, my fault, mistaken identity as corrected in my #11.
😳
and
My sentiments precisely. I was sorely tempted to start this comment with an acronym… perhaps I should have done so – to add ‘value’ to my thoughts!
No one need hang up their stylus – or modify their chosen form of expression – it might help, Janus, if both you and Backside had a couple of smiley faces so that you intend to be humorous!
Hello again Bearsy,
I always miss the gist, it’s my trade mark. It was 1 AM in the morning and I was feeling serious. 🙂
Sadly, can’t access the TV programme. Will check tags with a tooth pick in the future.
Thanks for the MID acronym, toc, a new one for me. Surely the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. 🙂
couple of smileys in there, Boadicea 🙂
JW – the relevant clip is in comment #5.
Watched it. HO, HO. Much better than Billy Connolly, Bearsy. 🙂
The clip gave me the best laugh of the week, the comments and follow on posts were almost as funny, the rule of unintended consequences in action.
Bearsy:
There is a little back story to “Jumping the Shark” it was coined by John Hein (sp) who later started a website (Jumptheshark.com) in which contributors nominated TV shows that had jumped the shark, it gathered many contributors and nominees (a reflection on the sorry state of US TV). Hein then selfishly sold the website for a great deal of money to the owners of TV Guide who promptly closed it down. Hein was said to have “Boned the Fish” (sold his asset at the peak of it’s success and value).
Reminds me of a joke my mother told, “How many ‘f’s in egg?” Answer: “there’s no effin eggs.”
PS Bearsy, I enjoyed the full flavour clip on comment 5. In ya face mate!
PapaG – No, no, no1 The joke goes, “How many eggs does it make to make an omlettte? One, because one egg is an oeuf.”
🙂
OZ
“Thats How many eggs does it take to make a FRENCH omellette?” ya dozy wolf. 🙂
Boa, I’ve had a word with Backside and he has promised me solemnly that he will in future do smily things whenever he thinks he’s being amusing – just to help those who can’t recognise the obvious. 🙂
What’s the Spanish for egg?
huevo