That's simply offal!!

Did you know Haggis is illegal to import into the U.S.?

True. At least not the real stuff made with traditional ingredients.

"Livestock lungs shall not be saved for use as human food." Federal regulation. Honest.

So, in the USA, people have to either smuggle it in or eat the fake stuff (made with substitutes for the sheep lungs.) The lungs give haggis texture and that marvelous nutty taste.

Have you ever wondered why real Haggis makes you throw up? Even without floating it in whiskey? Fun fact: ground up sheep lung is the main active ingredient in ipecac syrup.

I lie.

Want to make your own authentic haggis? You can buy lamb lung chewy treats at your local pet store. Supposedly, that is the truth. So stock up if you don't want to eat the imitation stuff for Robert Burns night this Saturday.

Cheers.

U.S. Government workers slowly return to work

UK helps by sending Prince Harry to check returning workers' IDs.

More word games

There are British words that don't have American equivalents. Then, there are British words which aren't really used in American English, but which Americans readily understand (or vice-versa.) There are British words that Americans THINK they recognize, but they aren't what they think they are.

The following nouns, things, are interesting because most of them don't even mean anything at all to an American - at least they don't mean what they mean to a Brit.

Americans have their own words for all of these common items, though. Can any of you (Americans or non-Americans) list the American versions of these words?

Note: Wikipedia says all these words are in common British usage. I don't always trust Wikipedia, so let me know if they are lying.

drawing pin

flannel

full stop

paraffin

hob

invigilator

jumper

flyover

kitchen roll

ladybird

elastoplast

reel of cotton

loudhailer

counterfoil

nappy

rasher

turn-ups

electric fire

---------

The answers (American versions of the above words) appear below. Don't look until you've tried to translate on your own first. :)







thumb tack

wash cloth

period (punctuation)

kerosene

kitchen stove burner

proctor

sweater

freeway overpass

paper towels

ladybug

band-aid

spool of thread

megaphone, bullhorn

stub (as in ticket stub or check stub)

diaper

slice (of bacon)

cuffs (on trousers)

space heater