How to Beat a Speeding Ticket for Motorists

[Jonathan Scott]

Not running on land, if that helps.

 

[Vagrant]

Ramps?

 

[Travis_King]

The valve on some water bottles that let's you open and close the top without fussing with it?

edit: ooh, or the kicking strap on the boom (sailing)!

 

[Jonathan Scott]

edit: ooh, or the kicking strap on the boom (sailing)!

Yes, well done.

The kicking strap (also called a "boom vang") is a line primarily used to prevent the boom from rising up when sailing directly away from the wind, otherwise known as "running". It is typically referred to as the "kicker" (at least here in the UK).

(I used to enjoy small boat sailing many years ago).

Your turn now, Travis_King.

 

[Travis_King]

Woohoo! I got into sailing a bit a few years ago (can't afford my own boat though, so it's tough to get out there). I had no idea really until I re-read the "running" comment.

Ok, how about:

"Octopus" (suffice it to say, not the animal)

 

[lisab]

Woohoo! I got into sailing a bit a few years ago (can't afford my own boat though, so it's tough to get out there). I had no idea really until I re-read the "running" comment.

Ok, how about:

"Octopus" (suffice it to say, not the animal)

Secondary regulator for SCUBA diving?

 

[Travis_King]

That's the one.

The Octopus, as it is almost universally called in SCUBA diving, is a secondary (or backup) demand valve (or regulator).

The Octopus exists as a safety measure for buddy diving (as one should never dive alone) in case one of the divers runs out of air, or his own equipment is otherwise compromised. Initially, safety procedures included "buddy breathing" which has the out-of-breath diver and his buddy take turns sharing the air through a single regulator. As diving technology and awareness increased, a second second-stage regulator was added so that divers could keep the regulator in their mouths at all times while they make their controlled emergency swimming ascent to the surface. This was especially important for cases where divers found themselves out of air in tight or technical areas; not having to share the same regulator meant that divers could swim to safety together without stopping every few seconds to take a breath.

The origin of the name is somewhat hazy, but a common theory is that the entire hose setup (the first stage, BC inflator, Gauges, primary regulator and safe-second) was called the octopus (just look at the thing, it's not hard to understand why!). Diving literature would, when describing proper procedures in emergency situations point out that if one runs out of air, he should seek out his buddy, signal his trouble, and get air from his buddy's octopus; either by buddy breathing through a single primary regulator, or sharing his buddy's "safe-second".

Since the practice of diving with a safe-second regulator has pretty much become ubiquitous among divers and dive shops, it seems people have simply taken to referring to the safe-second itself as the "octopus".

You're up!

 

[lisab]

Nice one .

OK how about this:

Stickers.

 

[Andre]

The wood will need to be "sticker stacked". Stickers are four foot long 1"x1" pieces of wood, which are used in between the layers of lumber. This allows air flow between the drying lumber. ...

source

 

[lisab]

source

Yep. You're up!

 

[Andre]

Ah yes, seeing your forest nymph avatar, I added 'wood' to the search.

The next word could be difficult.

"Gate"

But none of these gates

 

[Danger]

The next word could be difficult.

"Gate"

The afterburner notch on a military throttle...

Or the thrust-reverse notch on a commercial one...

edit: Or that swingy thing that you Dutch guys have in the front of your wooden trousers...

 

[collinsmark]

Bill Gates?

 

[Andre]

Danger got it, good job.

 

[Danger]

Danger got it, good job.

On the 3rd try, right?

Okay then... this could be very easy or somewhat hard depending upon culture. It's involved in a sport that, while played in the USA, is not nearly as popular there as it is here in Canada or in the UK.
A "Robin Hood".

 

[collinsmark]

Does it refer to a shot in archery, where one hits (or splits) a previously shot arrow (preferably an arrow already in the bullseye)?

 

[Danger]

Does it refer to a shot in archery, where one hits (or splits) a previously shot arrow (preferably an arrow already in the bullseye)?

Soooo close! Think smaller.

 

[collinsmark]

Ahh. Same thing but in Darts?

http://3.7mustang.com/vb/attachments/f19/103255d1157317672-my-robin-hood-darts-%2Apics%2A-picture-004.jpg

 

[Danger]

Ahh. Same thing but in Darts?

Bullseye! One of my former teammates, who was a much better player than me, once managed to stack three of the damned things. Due to them being made of tungsten, and that the law of gravity hadn't been repealed, the 3rd one just knocked the other two out of the board.
Carry on, m'man.

 

[collinsmark]

New word. What is a buyback? In some circles it's also called a backup (or any variation such as "buy back" or "back up.")

But it is neither any of these nor these.

In this context

• it is a noun.
• it is jargon, but it is nothing technical. So if you're thinking about some sort of technical gizmo, scientific device or computer related thing, you're on the wrong track.
• I would not consider it a financial thing, although it technically does involve money, in part, sort of. To say it has absolutely nothing to do with money would be false. But if you're thinking about stocks, bonds, or financial investments, you're off the mark.
• It's existence is typically signified by a particular type of object turned upside down.
• Danger probably knows what it is even without reading this list of bullets. So if you happen to be Danger, you might consider giving others a chance at least for a few minutes or so.

 

[Danger]

[*]Danger probably knows what it is even without reading this list of bullets. So if you happen to be Danger, you might consider giving others a chance at least for a few minutes or so.

Well... I was going to say that it's the money you receive when you sue your chiropractor for malpractice, but now you have me intrigued...

edit: For the record, I honestly have no idea. It's not a common word in any field that I've been involved with (unless it's regional). No worries about me popping a spoiler. If I think that I've figured it out before anyone else, I'll PM you to check.

 

[collinsmark]

Well... I was going to say that it's the money you receive when you sue your chiropractor for malpractice, but now you have me intrigued...

It does not involve lawsuits or law. I mentioned that money is involved, but we're only talking a few bucks* or so.

*(dollars, euros, etc. Whatever currency is used in the country where you happen to be in at the time.)

[Edit: Maybe it is regional. In the places I frequent, it's called a backup, but a little research shows that that's probably the less common term. I find that buyback seems more common elsewhere. Now Danger has me wondering if there are more names for this thing than I mentioned, but I'm not sure.]

 

[collinsmark]

Okay, maybe I should give a few more clues.

• If you receive a buyback/backup, a particular type of upside down object will be placed in front of you. This upside down object signifies that you have a buyback/backup. Sometimes the upside down object is called a buyback or backup, but it really isn't; it just serves to signify that a buyback/backup exists.
• Buybacks/backups are abstract, i.e., they are not tangible objects (although the associated upside down objects are tangible). Buybacks/backups can be exchanged for certain tangible things. When a buyback/backup is exchanged, the upside down object is removed in the process.
• It is possible to have more than one buyback/backup at a time. If you receive a new backup before you exchange an existing one, a new upside down object will be placed in front of you in addition to anything else that already might be there, including any existing upside down objects.
• It is possible to purchase buybacks/backups. Normally, one only purchases buybacks/backups for other people. It is not normal for one to purchase a buyback/backup for oneself. [Edit: it is more likely that one would purchase the certain class of tangible object directly for oneself, without dealing with a buyback/backup.]
• It is unlikely that you will receive a buyback/backup if you presently have nothing in front of you in the first place. If somebody purchases a buyback/backup for you, and at that time you don't have a tangible thing that you are presently working on, you would probably just be given the tangible substitution directly instead.
• Buybacks/backups are not part of a game.

So I guess the real question is, for what is a buyback, or backup exchanged? And what specifically is that upside down object?

 

[collinsmark]

My goodness. Nobody?!

Okay, over the last 16 or so hours, I've just polled several friends who are familiar with the subject, on both the employee side and the customer side, who have traveled across the western world (experience with at least four countries and three continents), and I asked them for their feedback on the commonality and frequency of usage of backups (aka. buybacks.)

Feedback shows that buybacks/backups are somewhat common, but not as common as I originally thought. I honestly thought their usage was more common, but that could just be a strange coincidence between me and the universe. So I suppose even more clues are due:

More clues (some of these clues are based on recent feedback):

• Buybacks/backups are only applicable within the boundaries of a certain type of business establishment. But buybacks/backups are not universally common in all such establishments. In some establishments they are common, in some they are not.
• Those business establishments where buybacks/backups are common are likely patronized, to at least a significant fraction, by people who are well acquainted with each other and are regularly returning customers.
• It is less likely to encounter buybacks/backups at those business establishments that function on a more touristy level, where the customers are typically, completely different from day to day. (But even in these such establishments I have seen buybacks/backups in use first hand, so I know they exist! But then again maybe this is the same, strange coincidence between me and the universe.)
• The upside down object is transparent and can fit in the palm of your hand. It is just large enough so that you can grip it and completely close your fingers around it, but just by a little.
• Additional research shows that in some establishments, this upside down object is substituted with a smaller, wooden or plastic, easily stackable disk. But I find that this is even less common, but it might be worthy of mention.
• If the establishment itself purchases you a buyback/backup, it can go by a different name (a name which I have not mentioned). The term buyback or backup is a more general term, since a buyback or backup can be purchased for someone by anybody, the establishment and other customers alike.

 

[Vagrant]

Buyback of shares?

 

[collinsmark]

Buyback of shares?

No. It doesn't involved stocks, bonds, or financial investments at all. A backup/buyback does involve money to some degree, but only a few dollars or so (roughly).

 

[collinsmark]

More feedback coming in. A "marker" is also an acceptable term for what I speak. "marker", "buyback", "backup" are all the same thing.

 

[Danger]

More feedback coming in. A "marker" is also an acceptable term for what I speak. "marker", "buyback", "backup" are all the same thing.

The more you explain it, the more confusing it gets. Where I live, a "marker" is a felt pen, or once in a rare while an IOU.

 

[collinsmark]

New word. What is a buyback? In some circles it's also called a backup (or any variation such as "buy back" or "back up.")

Well, hell. I don't want to hijack this thread with a word that's too obscure, so I'm just going to answer my own move, and move on to a new one. In all honesty, I didn't think it was an unusual term at all, but maybe it was. Let's just move on. My bad, I guess.

http://www.myspace.com/Garreytheyankee/photos/38487464

http://digloss.wordpress.com/travels/bar-etiquette-buy-backs-and-earning-them/

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=buy%20back

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/02/from-behind-the-bar-buybacks-free-drinks.html

(The above links refer more to the "comp" specific version of the buyback/backup, but that's what's easiest to find on the Internet. See a few posts below for details.)

Is the establishment a bar?

Is a buyback/backup a temporary substitute for a drink (typically with alcohol)?

Is the upside down object a upside down shotglass?

 

[collinsmark]

Is the establishment a bar?

Is a buyback/backup a temporary substitute for a drink (typically with alcohol)?

Is the upside down object a upside down shotglass?

Yes, yes, and yes. Good job.