Slog - Comments on Questions, Questions, Questions http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions 1. How come in sports we say "DE-fense" and "DE-fensive," but in every other context we say "de-FENSE" and "de-FENSE-ive"? What is the answer? This has been bothering me for weeks now. 2. Here is a question my friend posed to me the other month: How come sometimes on an old-timey Looney Tunes, all of a sudden a character will show up with a GIANT fur coat and a TINY ukelele? That has to signify something to somebody (Grandma Winnie? Can you read blogs in heaven?), but it means nothing to me. WHAT does big-fur-coat-with-tiny-ukelele MEAN!? Case in point (minute... Copyright 2008 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:15:07 -0800 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:07:53 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by elenchos 1. Sports fans are cretins.

2. A college BMOC wooing his sweetheart. Furs and ukuleles were a fad. Why furs and ukuleles? No reason. They were a FAD.

3. Meat eaters are cretins.

Ask me another one. These are fun.

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986599 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986599 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:42:43 -0800 Comment by max solomon #2: i think this was a pre-war football game cheerleading stereotype - not a cheerleader, but a rah-rah mascot in the stands type. think yale, harvard, princeton. i believe its supposed to be a raccoon coat.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986600 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986600 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:43:19 -0800 Comment by Alan J. Stein #2 - Raccoon coats were a popular fad amongst college kids in the 1920s, as was ukulele strumming. There was even a song or two written about the fad, as seen here

http://www.heptune.com/lyrics/doinracc.html

]]> Alan J. Stein http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986601 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986601 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:43:45 -0800 Comment by Jo Because if it were pronounced "deFENSE," sports fans who think they are being creative couldn't bring a picture of a D and a picture of a fence to hold up during games?

I'm not sure, but now it's going to bother me.

]]> Jo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986602 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986602 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:44:09 -0800 Comment by Peter F 2. In the 1920s, ukelele-strumming college students made racoon fur coats a fashion craze on campuses. George Olsen wrote a song in 1928 called "Doin' the Raccoon" based on the craze: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uf-AgE0yes

So it was a pop culture reference that 1930s-40s Looney Tunes audiences would get...

]]> Peter F http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986603 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986603 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:44:26 -0800 Comment by twoshoes 1) But do they ACTually say "DE-fensive?" I just asked my co-worker to say it and he said it all "de-FEN-sive" even for football. I dunno...

2)VERY good question! Well it's kind of like how my grandfather used to say "You're so good to me since the baby came!" I mean, what is THAT from?

3)What I'd also like to know is about the Grass Jelly Mousse

]]> twoshoes http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986607 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986607 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:49:02 -0800 Comment by Medina I think Bud Flanagan had something to do with it the Uke, hat, and fur coat.

http://www.thecrazygang.co.uk/gang.htm

]]> Medina http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986611 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986611 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:52:18 -0800 Comment by Sto 1. 'DE-fence': Something to do with chanting the word at football games in large crowds ? I reckon you have to split the the two syllables to make it heard.

I've never heard anyone say 'DE-fencive', and having moved here from England, pronunciation difference like that really stick in my head. I'm not much of a sports fan, but the chants at 'footy' games tend to be little different to american sporting events from what I remember anyway, mostly insults!

]]> Sto http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986621 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986621 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:59:14 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle @3 and @5 are correct. You can still see it in some old movies as well.

3. Actually, in some places you have Fish for breakfast.

No, seriously.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986630 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986630 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:03:42 -0800 Comment by MR. Language Person #1. It's because fans want to be as loud as possible, and it is easier to belt, "DEE" than "fense." Also, most cheers (I think) accent the first syllable to get it started.

]]> MR. Language Person http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986661 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986661 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:47:35 -0800 Comment by Polka Party #2 - The ukelele player is strumming the Charleston--further evidence that this is 1920's fad.

]]> Polka Party http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986667 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986667 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:57:23 -0800 Comment by ecce homo Wow, a SLOG post without the ubiquitous meandering pointlessness of a FNARF contribution.

]]> ecce homo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986674 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986674 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:13:25 -0800 Comment by Bruce Garrett The ukelele player is strumming the Charleston--further evidence that this is 1920's fad.

Right...the joke being what a square the wolf was, acting out a 1920s college fad in a 1950s jazz lounge...

]]> Bruce Garrett http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986676 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986676 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:16:25 -0800 Comment by elenchos @10

And that is not cretinous how?

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986678 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986678 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:19:36 -0800 Comment by kevin jones that is my all-time favorite Warner Bros. piece. The backgrounds are amazing.

]]> kevin jones http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986679 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986679 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:22:31 -0800 Comment by Asa My opinion on #1:

when you're going back and forth talking about DE-fense and OF-fense, if makes sense to emphasize the part of the word that's different, not the part that's the same.

]]> Asa http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986687 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986687 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:45:23 -0800 Comment by J #3: The second character from the left is "niu" which means cow. So I guess it's legit!

]]> J http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986713 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986713 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:44:28 -0800 Comment by Meagan @6: AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA I LOVE YOUR GRANDPA

It is just weird to me that weird raccoon coat/ukelele situation was ALWAYS happening. It was like Looney Tunes' calling card, and it didn't stand the test of time even KIND OF.

]]> Meagan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986714 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986714 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:45:31 -0800 Comment by RainMan The ukelele resurfaced in the late 60's with Tiny Tim. Who can forget his immortal rendition of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips"? I think I would need a frontal lobotomy to get that image out of my mind...

]]> RainMan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986726 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986726 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:30:21 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe I want a frontal lobotomy.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986736 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986736 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:29:46 -0800 Comment by Big Al 23 Skidoo!

]]> Big Al http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986750 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986750 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:23:45 -0800 Comment by Cate B #1: What #16 said.

]]> Cate B http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986768 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986768 ??!! Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:46:55 -0800 Comment by ella 3) it's not exactly dessert, but it is beef and oatmeal: )

and in response to #6, grass jelly is a kind of (herbal)jelly that is a bit bitter, so people usu. mix it with syrup or fruits for dessert!
and actually the word 'mousse' is translated wrongly, it should be 'ice', so grass jelly mixed with ice and i guess some coconut milk.you can find drinks like that in hong kong!

]]> ella http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986786 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986786 ??!! Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:08:10 -0800 Comment by twoshoes Yum, ella, that sounds delicious! Next time I'm in Hong Kong...

]]> twoshoes http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986811 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986811 ??!! Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:44:14 -0800 Comment by Lindy @Everyone: Thanks!

@16: That's my favorite explanation so far.

@23 and 24: I took that pic at the A&B Cafe in the ID (at least I think that's what it's called, but I can't find the address online), where you can also get Hong Kong-style English breakfast, milk tea, and tasty half-tea/half-coffee.

]]> Lindy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986899 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/questions_questions_questions#c986899 ??!! Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:07:53 -0800