How much?
A couple of days ago I was asked by a survey company what I understood the word "bob" to mean. Although I'm only just on the bouncy and youthful side of 50 I can still remember the days before 15th February 1971* when a "bob" was a shilling. A shilling, of course, made up of two tanners or even a tanner and a couple of thrupenny bits. Or for some of my readership, 24 ha'pennies or 48 farthings. Some of you I can see are still a bit perplexed. I'm talking LSD, the kind we used to use in shops to buy stuff with. Round here in the almost far north-west, bobbing is what you do instead of popping. It's all very complicated.
Not as complicated as those twats at McDonalds would have it though and now the reason for the survey becomes clear. Not owning one of those television things, I was unfamiliar with the campaign (just as I am with wanting to do a poo at Paul's, which I had to look up on the google), so apologies to everyone for rehashing what may seem as old news.
Old. Indeed. When the cream of Her Majesty's advertising industry, presumably sporting several sackfuls of media related degrees from the University of Bognor (and no doubt MBAs to boot) between them, can't even be arsed to use their iPodTeccoTouchTabletDSLites to access the greatest reference tool mankind's developed in the last ten thousand years in order to check it was right, we've had it, haven't we. They could have at least asked their grandparents. Or great-grandparents if they live in Warrington. This bit gets me though: "research has shown it is now more commonly used as slang for a pound or money in general". As in?
*D Day. Or Decimalisation Day. We knew all about it in our house because Dad worked for NCR, or the National Cash Register Company. We couldn't move for conversion charts and we were all experts at knowing how much 15/6 was in new money (77.5p). The best bit though was that with the overtime Dad earned from converting all those cash registers, we went on holiday. Abroad! On a plane!! And I got sunstroke!!! Bloody new money.
Not as complicated as those twats at McDonalds would have it though and now the reason for the survey becomes clear. Not owning one of those television things, I was unfamiliar with the campaign (just as I am with wanting to do a poo at Paul's, which I had to look up on the google), so apologies to everyone for rehashing what may seem as old news.
Old. Indeed. When the cream of Her Majesty's advertising industry, presumably sporting several sackfuls of media related degrees from the University of Bognor (and no doubt MBAs to boot) between them, can't even be arsed to use their iPodTeccoTouchTabletDSLites to access the greatest reference tool mankind's developed in the last ten thousand years in order to check it was right, we've had it, haven't we. They could have at least asked their grandparents. Or great-grandparents if they live in Warrington. This bit gets me though: "research has shown it is now more commonly used as slang for a pound or money in general". As in?
*D Day. Or Decimalisation Day. We knew all about it in our house because Dad worked for NCR, or the National Cash Register Company. We couldn't move for conversion charts and we were all experts at knowing how much 15/6 was in new money (77.5p). The best bit though was that with the overtime Dad earned from converting all those cash registers, we went on holiday. Abroad! On a plane!! And I got sunstroke!!! Bloody new money.
posted by Richard at 5:05 pm
6 Vegetable peelings:
I hadn't seen the advert, but I've certainly nver heard a pound referred to as a bob.
A "bob" in Belgium refers to a designated driver after a night on the town....Bob Campaign - mainly used around the end of the year.
Is Bob the chap who sends the email to me (still) every time I make a comment here, about not being able to deliver my email?
Out in Brighton the other day, a Big Issue vendor suggested from across the other side of the street "Oi, mate, you're not short of a bob or two are you?". It quite pleased me since this came immediately after my being caught in a heavy shower, I was on my way to a meeting and I felt like a bag o'shyte.
I don't know about Paul's, but I do know that dooing a Poo at McDonald's without partaking of their lovely fare is referred to as "taking a McDump".
I didn't know about this either.
I wish I had an old ten bob note to take to McDonalds.
I should be able to afford a MacFeast.
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