BS: British-American cultural differences 2

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Cobble
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 09:24 PM

Who was it who said " we are divided by a common language"?

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Roo
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 08:45 PM

What a mixed up lot we Aussies are! I have been following this thread with fascination. It seems we are more British than American but "Americanisms" have a strong hold here too. Then of course we do have our own Strine words which surface when you least expect them to! eg. ocher - arvo - chook - mozzie - barbie - yobbo - ute - bludger etc etc (how embarassing! - if you need a translation of Aussie English, let me know)

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Brendy
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 05:04 PM

Yo there Gary T.

I was hoping that one of our English Midlands contingent would have jumped in to clarify the 'bits' bit.

I used to share a house on the west of Ireland with a lad from close to Coventry; that place where all the BBC's World Service transmitters are (The name escapes me at the minute).
I was making chicken soup one evening, after we had killed one of the cocks, and had added chopped onion, pieces of chicken, carrots, etc.
As I served up my culinary masterpiece, yer man says to me, "Oh, it's got bits in.....I like bits."

He was referring to the pieces of chicken, onion, etc, and was using 'bits' as the collective noun.
'Bits', as far as I know, can be used to describe the contents of any liquid that has pieces of something floating, or submerged in it - recognisable or not.

I hope this helps.

B.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST,Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 03:13 PM

celticblues5: Sure, you know who Guy Fawkes was, but do you know how they celebrate Guy Fawkes Day in Britain today?

An electric shower is an electric water heater that does not contain a storage tank. It is a plastic-covered box mounted on the wall above the bathtub. You turn it on when you start to take a shower. Cold water flows into it and is heated right before it flows out though the nozzle. You control the temperature with a dial. Some also contain a pump to increase pressure. It saves energy by heating only as much water as you need, right when and where you need it. As far as I know, every British home has one. Americans find it a little scary to be touching a device that carries 230 volts or so while standing in the shower, but apparently they are well insulated and quite safe. (American showers are always connected to the central water heater, which is always on.)

McGrath of Harlow: My reason for mentioning bank holidays was as follows: American holidays are always meant, in theory at least, to commemorate something, and they always have some sort of ritual or tradition associated with them. Maybe the average American doesn't give a rip whether the Italian-American Association places a wreath on a statue of Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day, or whether some high-school student won a prize for the best recitation of the "I Have a Dream" speech on Martin Luther King Day, but those things happen, and are duly reported in the news media. The British attitude seems to be different: we don't need to commemorate anything; we just want to have a day off; so let's close the banks and call it a bank holiday. Thus I think it is a real cultural difference (although you might think it a trivial one) and not just a difference in terminology.

Penny S.: I was told that Brits eat pancakes only on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras). Is that right? And do they eat them for breakfast, or what? Americans have several things they sometimes eat for breakfast with syrup: pancakes, waffles, and French toast. Maple syrup is the best, made from the sap of real maple trees, but cheaper substitutes are more common.

Marymac90: Christmas number one, as I understand, is whatever record (or nowadays, CD) happens to be number one on the pop charts at Christmas. It's a big deal because apparently a lot of Brits buy records as gifts or to play at Christmas parties, so more records are sold right before Christmas than any other time. Bookies take bets on what song will be Christmas number one. And Christmas number one is frequently a "novelty" or comedy record. Benny Hill once made it with his recording of "Ernie."

MMario: While the majority of American bars don't offer free munchies, some do. I know two that always have fresh popcorn available, and there used to be some around here that had salted-in-the-shell peanuts (they encouraged customers to throw the shells on the floor), but I think they gave that up when peanuts became too expensive. Free munchies tend to be salty, so they encourage you to drink more.

Need I mention that, in America, popcorn is served with salt and sometimes butter (or fake butter) but not sugar?

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 01:32 PM

Like Penny said, we have had a number of these discussions before and I remember getting in trouble for suggesting that I'd have a hard time seeing a 6'2" 250 pound redneck asking for a plates of scones and gravy. And if you give that ol' boy what you call a biscuit when he asks for biscuits and redeye, let me get outta' the way before the ass-kickin' begins.

Twisting wrenches for a living on a lot of English cars made me appreciate early on the ability to translate. I used to ride BSA's and Triumphs in the 60's and loved the manuals: "Turn on the main petrol cock and tickle the carbuerettors." Was this for real? The fuel shutoff didn't resemble a cock of any sort and the carbs never laughed.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST,Penny S.(minus cookie)
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 01:18 PM

On biscuits and bubble and squeak we have had discussion before - try a search.

I read that Rowling was told that American children would not understand the reference to the Philosopher's Stone - not many of my 8 yr old addicts would have done, either.

Can anyone tell me why Diana Wynne Jones' books, by a British author, set in Britain, often have not only US spelling but vocabulary - sidewalk, fender, tire, trunk etc, in British editions, while American authors such as Judy Blume and Betsy Byars are available in UK English? One even had the internationally accepted spelling aluminium, which is not used in science journals. We have to write sulfur and do, but aluminum still gets used the other way round.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 02:45 AM

What does "Bob's your uncle" mean? Someone told me this before, but I forgot. == Johnny in OKC

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Burke
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 09:18 AM

An American might find dunking a hard cookie/biscuit in tea a strange idea, but every child knows about dunking them in milk. Studies show that milk is the best for such purposes./a>

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST,Fibula Mattock
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 08:55 AM

I'm with youse on the roundabout thing. Having spent 2 months working in Chicago earlier this year, we encountered only 1 roundabout near where we were living, cleverly named a "turning circle". No one seemed to know how to use it at all - they'd just fly on round it without giving way to other road users. In the end we gave up trying and just took the first chance to get onto the damn thing.
Also, sarcasm. Most people we met didn't get the Norn Ireland black and slagging sense of humour, or any of our "aye, yer ma" jokes.
Bacon. It's different.
Beer. What's going on there? You have to drink gallons of the stuff for it to have any effect. Thanks be that it's cheap!
I praise the coffee though!

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Rana
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 08:04 AM

Lox,

Just a bi'a milk and a couple of bickies is fine with my kipper!

Rana

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Gary T
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 07:26 AM

Hey, Brendy, like those bits? Do you not care so much for the kibbles? (BG)

(Kibbles & Bits is brand/variety of cat food over here. If I remember right it's actually something like "Brand X cat food with kibbles and bits". The kibbles and bits are little morsels of whatever that are supposed to be very appealing to the cats. I had never heard the word "kibble" before, and suspect they made it up.)

Okay, I give up. What, in this context, is a bit?

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 06:21 AM

...and,Lox,ower kid, a bison is a buffalo, except in Birmingham where we wash our face in it.
Tara, each
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: dwditty
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 06:12 AM

You talk funny. We don't. *BG*

dw

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Bagpuss
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 05:39 AM

I just had a big row with an american over biscuits / cookies! She complained that our "cookies" are hard and I replied that not only do they use the wrong name, but they have the wrong recipe too. And she certainly didn't understand the concept of dunking them in your tea.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Brendy
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 01:26 AM

Or some bits.

I like bits, I do

B.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Lox
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 12:33 AM

A kipper tie is a wide lurid necktie, unless you come from Birmingham, in which case just add a little milk and sugar

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: MarkS
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 11:24 PM

Hi McGrath
When you asked about grits I was reminded of the story about Louis Armstrong on a European tour. He was asked by the King of Somewhere
"Sachmo, what exactly are the blues"
To which Louis replied
"King, if you have to ask you will never know."
MarkS

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 08:57 PM

My observation of the differences in titles is that it looks (from the examples given), like publishers use more dynamic sounding titles for the U.S. market than they do for the British market.

This is in keeping with the differences that I see in movies and television programs. The first season or two of "Red Dwarf" seemed more cerebral to me than subsequent seasons. When the show became popular in the U.S., it seemed like they jazzed it up with flashier colors and more explosions, which is pretty much what I would expect if they wanted to market to the majority of people in the U.S.

Carol

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 06:20 PM

People often call moving staircases escalators in England. In fact they probably use the term more often, wgichnis a pity, because "moving staircases" is a magic term

Talking about different levels - I take it people in the States are aware that the first storey in England and Ireland etc is what the Americans (I understand) refer to as the second storey, with the American first storey being called the ground floor. That must get highly confusing at times. Scope for all kinds of entertaining travellers tales...

And I can never work out weights in American English - I mean, when they say someone weighs 140 pounds, instead of ten stone. Well I can do it for 140 pounds, but I never learnt my 14 times table so I'm all at sea with other weights like 200 pounds or 180 etc.

Am I right in assuming Australians use pounds and stones? Apart from wimps who go in for kilos.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Burke
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 06:17 PM

Book tiles are changed between US & UK editions for marketing purposes. James Herriot's books had entirely different tiles. Due to many of the language issues mentioned in this thread & spelling differences some books do have different US & UK editions. I think it's mostly in popular works. It would be interensing to compare books where different English & American editions are noted.

Copyrights in one country are recognized in others that conform with the international copyright conventions. This has been the case since sometime in the last 50 years so the copyright issue referred to above used to apply, but so far as I know, no longer.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: celticblues5
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:02 PM

But the explanations of grits have left out the salient point - aside from being flavorless, one is apt to bite down on little gritty bits - hence the name. (People try to add flavor to 'em by mixing in butter, etc.) I politely tasted them in Texas and I politely tasted them in New Orleans and they were pretty much the same - don't plan to again!

Thanks for the explanation about the term "corn" - love the "Corn Rigs" song, but it did always sound a bit odd to think of corn growing in Scotland.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: cleod
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 04:18 PM

kendall, while you've got that maine lingo book, what does 'ayuh' mean? I always come across that in Stephen King's books.

Also, not being from America or England myself, it's fascinating to see what you guys think is different about each other's side of the pond. I used to read both American books and stuff by Enid Blyton, so I'm pretty much familiar with most of the terms here, it's just that I usually have problems with the food names... I mean, "spotted dick"? "bubble and squeak"? "skilly and duff"? -- huh?

And no one's wondered about the "lift = elevator" yet. :) what do you Brits call the escalator, then?

P.S. On a side note, my uncle immigrated to Australia many years back...he had a little problem with his name, as his full name was William, and he told his co-workers to call him, "Willy" ~!

cleod way off in Southeast Asia

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Rana who SHOULD be working
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 03:49 PM

Gary T.

Agreed - it's Philosopher's in UK (and Canada) but changed to Sorceror's in the US. I've no idea unless it is for reasons Sophoclese stated.

Rana

(Also, couldn't understand for a bit why I got quizzical looks from a Vancouver house mate when I asked them to pass my jumper (sweater). Didn't know it was a dress over here.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: MMario
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 02:54 PM

"corn" until the advent of the american maize was whatever was the most prevalent grain in an area.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 02:40 PM

Grits are made from a type of white corn called hominy, ground up and fried in butter, and served at breakfast.

I understand "corn" in Britain can mean wheat, as in the song Corn Rigs are Bonnie. Check me on this ...

== Johnny in Oklahoma City

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Jacob B
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 02:34 PM

When my Morris team toured in England, we discovered that it's the words that mean different things in the two countries that get you in trouble ...

The team's regalia includes black knee-britches. In the U.S., the term for knee-britches is knickers (shortened from Knickerbockers sometime in the first half of the twentieth century.) When a team member referred to his knickers, he discovered that the word means something different in Britain.

A similar thing happened to a college friend of mine who went to teach in Australia. The rubber-soled shoes that are called plimsoles in Britain and Australia are called sneakers in the U.S., and her students were only allowed to wear them in gym class. When she saw them come back from gym still wearing their rubber-soled shoes, she told them to take off their sneakers, all they did was stare at her and giggle. The only way they could make sense out of "take off your sneakers" was to interpret it as an instruction to take off their knickers, which they weren't about to do!

Jacob

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: hesperis
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 01:38 PM

"Remember, remember,
the Fifth of November
Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot!
I see no reason
why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!"

I think I read that in a story by Josephine Tey, but it's at least 6 years since I read it last. It stuck in my head from the first time I read it, as I was rather a misfit then. I still notice when it's Guy Fawkes Day, although I've never actually celebrated it. (I'm a closet pyro, though. Mwaahaahaahaa!)
My Step-dad's a veery eccentric (to us) Englishman, who migrated to Canada a while back.
Fortunately, he brought a good many books over. Anybody else read the Swallows & Amazons series by Arthur Ransome? It was one of my absolute favorites as I was growing up.

TTFN,
hesperis

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST,Colwyn Dane
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 01:06 PM

G'day,

On the theme of name changes, some movie titles have also been changed on the trans-atlantic journey westwards:

"The Chiltern Hundreds" to "The Amazing Mr Beecham"

"The Card" to "The Promoter"

"Fanny By Gaslight" to "Man Of Evil"

"The Rake's Progress" to "Notorious Gentleman"

"Tomorrow We Live" to "At Dawn We Die" - most odd.

There are many examples of title changing the US, or British, product for overseas customers
and I'm sure the reason is to promote business if not understanding.

We call different things by the same name, and the same thing by different names.
-G.

Toodle-pip.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: sophocleese
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 11:06 AM

Books can suffer name changes and changes in the cover design between the US and Britain because of copyright issues not philosophical ones. For some titles and companies the US and the British copies come out at similar times but one company is supposed to get the revenue from the British market and a different company or branch of the same company is supposed to get the revenue from the US market. Canada has an advantage here as often, but not always, it can get either copy.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Mbo
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 10:34 AM

Hence "Brill-O".

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: MMario
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 10:31 AM

it also means "shiny"

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Mbo
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 10:14 AM

I still find it hard to believe that Americans have no idea what a snog is! And I keep getting bizarre results whenever I mention crumpets. I've also found the "brill" thing funny too. I've never really though before of the word brilliant meaning good. Always used it like "smart."

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: MMario
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 10:03 AM

mincemeat - which is now made mainly with fruit USED to be made with meat, and still is by some old recipes. And yes, it still tasted like the fruit version! I have had both types - heck, I have MADE both types; the difference wasn't so much in taste or texture as nutritional content. The meat version was MUCH higher in calories and protien

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Gary T
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 09:53 AM

You've gotten me curious, Rana, did they change the title of one of the books for the stateside market?

I remember the Philosopher's Stone being a concept of alchemy, a stone that would help in changing base metals (lead, etc.) into gold. It was sought for with the same fervor (and same results--never found) as the Holy Grail.

A "Sorceror's Stone" would just be a rock owned by a wizard--no particular meaning beyond the literal.

If I'm not mistaken in my understanding of the two phrases, it would seem rather, well, stupid to substitute one for the other.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Rana who SHOULD be working
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 09:46 AM

Don't know why this difference:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

vs.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Rana

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 09:41 AM

Brits seem to have problems with the notion of "their" culture. See http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/england.htm

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Gary T
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 09:36 AM

Nah, Gervase, they serve mediocre food (so I hear--never ate at one) brought to you by young ladies in short T-shirts and shorts (gotta show that midriff). It's the kind of place where waitresses are hired for their looks. My favorite aspect is their signs, which feature an owl. Owls are said to hoot (their call), and some species are called hoot owls. So the sign has the two O's in the word "Hooters" serving as the owl's eyes, instead of the obvious female parts that everyone knows are really being hinted at (I've never heard owls actually called hooters, but it's common slang for breasts, not as gentle as "boobs" but less raw than "tits"). I guess you could say that in a metaphorical sense they serve the concept of breast milk, largely partaken of by the male libido.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 09:28 AM

Hi Gervase.......I'm honored to think that if I say it, it must be smut. I think cousin Micca has a similar affliction so it may be genetic.

Hooter's is a chain that now advertizes a family thing as well, although they really started as just another fern bar with large breasted girls in tight t-shirts. Awhile back they got trounced in one of the sexual discrimination lawsuits by some guy who wanted to be a waiter. They started the family image thing after that.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 09:16 AM

"Mince pie is quite common here in Maine. It is made with either wild rabbit or venison." (Kendall) Now there lies an interesting intercultutral confusion.

The distinction we have is between mincemeat, which is made up of fruit and fat and stuff like that, and is very much a sweetmeat, without any "meat" at all (unless you count suet, which is the fat), and minced meat which is chopped up meat.

There's a lovely anecdote on a thread a few months back about a visitor to a foreign country (maybe Australia), who goes into a restarurant, and asks for the wrong kind of mince pie, the meaty one, to be served with custard, which is very tasty with the fruit type of mincemeat. Then when he gets served, after having to insist that this is what he wants, he has to eat it up, as the only way to avoid humiliation, while the incredulous waiter looks on, highly impresseed.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Gervase
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 07:10 AM

A chain of restaurants named after breasts? What a hoot! Do they serve kiddy food?

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: kendall
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 07:05 AM

Mince pie is quite common here in Maine. It is made with either wild rabbit or venison. I have had it outside Maine but it is a poor imitation full of sour fruit and all.

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 06:51 AM

Gervase, you are correct. We have a whole chain of restaurants named after them.

McGrath of Harlow, grits are a sort of thick gruel made of ground up corn.

Carol

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: death by whisky
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:58 AM

Squash is what Americans call TANG.

Black pudding,made from pigs blood.

Dare I mention the SHHHH!(fanny).

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Penny S.
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:49 AM

See grits thread. Or come to Bluewater, find Jerry's Home Store, and buy a £5 packet of Quaker Instant Grits. Or not, as I chose.

Our chippy doesn't batter the saveloys. They are a bit like hot dog sausages, aren't they?

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:45 AM

At school any kind of sweet/dessert would be referred to as being the pudding. Ice cream for example.

Saveloys are also sold in chippies (fish and chip shops) covered in batter and fried. But then so do all kind of things. Mars Bars in some places.

And could someone say what "grits" actually are in a culinary context?

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Penny S.
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:24 AM

1. A kipper in a tin is not a proper kipper. These are traditionally bought in pairs. The best I know are from Loch Fyne, or from Craster in Northumberland. One of my Open University geology Summer Schools ended up at the smokehouse at Craster for students and staff to load up with them. You could tell the geologists on the train home! So could the cats.

2. Pantomime is a presentation in text and song of a traditional story, now from a narrower range than in the past. They are usually selected from Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow-White, Jack and the Beanstalk, Puss in Boots, Dick Whittington, Mother Goose & Aladdin. They include popular songs and others appropriate to the story, topical references, sometimes jokes inappropriate for a child audience, though less so recently, transformation scenes, messy scenes with clowns in kitchens, audience participation "Oh no he didn't", "Oh yes he did," "Look behind you", singing a silly song from a drop down sheet, dancers, a few variety acts, a Dame - think the Betty from Morris dancing rather than drag queen, the hero played by a girl in tights and long boots (less so now), the endless struggle between good and evil "Boo, Hiss", and actors sending themselves up something rotten with really hammy acting. Why do you think our actors are so good at villains? Magic.

3. More on squash. It's whole fruit, plus sugar (and colouring and preservative... No fizz. There are technical requirements as to what is described as squash or fruit drink. Not like Orangina. More like lemonade concentrate, but the lemon version is sweeter than that. Do you have lemon barley water? More like that.

4. Pudding - has a very wide definition. Savoury puddings, such as Yorkshire, Steak and Kidney, suet pudding as an accompaniment to lamb or mutton. Sweet puddings which are obviously the same sort of thing as steak and kidney - Sussex pond, marmalade, jam roly poly, spotted dick (and the real thing has been nowhere near fish oil!), bread based puddings such as Queeen of puddings, bread and butter pudding or bread pudding. All solid carbohydrate flour based dishes, cooked. There are cake mixture based puddings, custards (egg type), and gradual movement to the jelly, blancmange, cold type of dessert as mentioned above.

Penny (feeling hungry)

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: Gervase
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:12 AM

Can someone enlighten me? I cam across 'Spaw using the word 'hooters', so it must be smutty. But what are hooters? I'll take a guess at breasts, but am I right?

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 04:59 AM

Yes, Johnny, the last one I had said: "Help, I am a prisoner in a fortune cookie factory" (please send that joke an anniversary card, 40 years at least and still going strong!)
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 04:51 AM

We learned a lot from the Beatles. But what I need to know is whether they have Chinese fortune cookies in Britain. == Johnny

Subject: RE: BS: British-American cultural differences 2
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 03:35 AM

I have a can of Heinz spotted dick that I use to prop up books on my book shelf. (Friend of mine brought it back from England as a gift.) What I want to know is, why the fish oil in what appears to be a bread/puddingish desert-thing?

Carol