Nomenclatura part 3
Two new terms from the techy world, in this case from the sound industry.Roadies loading a truck with flight cases will often be heard instructing each other to 'ozzy that box' or 'belgium that one'. To 'ozzy' a box is to turn it upside down on top of another, and is fairly self-explanatory. To 'belgium' is to turn a box onto its side, and I haven't a clue why. Suggestions gratefully received.
For those who are not in the industry, I present for your mild entertainment one of the rare lighting jokes. In order to understand why we call certain little lanterns 'birdies', it is necessary to know that a staple unit of the lighting business is called a PAR lantern (If you wanted to know PAR stands for polished aluminised reflector), the birdie is a smaller version and is thus one under par.
There are other jokes, but they are not as funny, trust me.
posted by Lampy @ 10/14/2005 11:49:00 am
3 Comments:
Re 'Belgium' - I'd suspect a contrived and obscure '80s reference to Zeebrugge & the 'roll on, roll off, roll over' ferry . . .
I think you'll find that the instruction to "Belgium" a flight case is a reference to the famous chocolate industry of that country. The best chocolates are sold in exquisitely decorated cardboard boxes, generally with a picture of a traditional Belgian hovel stuck to the front under an enormous polyester ribbon but crucially they are packed so that the boxes are kept ON THEIR SIDES. This makes for more efficient loading during transportation; a better decorative display on the chocolatier's shelves, and improved protection of the individual sweets - particularly those with soft centres, which were often squashed when packed in the standard top-loading configuration.
both these theories work for me; ro-ro chocolates a new concept. This may also explain the collapse of the belgian egg industry.
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