Razor-wielding lunatics?

Well now, you can't throw that bit of info out there and not explain what it means! Inquiring minds and all that...

Fallgal, well I'm probably the only one in the history of the world who didn't know this, but here is an old BBC news story that explains...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7758292.stm

I fear that I insulted hms_seahorse's intelligence as her reference to Operation Yewtree shows that she clearly understood the other meaning & was making a joke that I just didn't get. Honestly, I didn't mean to do that (I'm sorry!) - I just didn't want someone else (another unworldly clueless expat like myself!) to bumble along with it, like I did, not knowing any better! I'm usually better about prefacing 'you probably already know this...'  

I got laughed at & teased so much about it by my work colleagues that one time - it's not a word that I'll be using much any longer, in any sense. 

Ah, thanks for this. I had heard the word used in that way before, but it is certainly not my first thought when I hear it. I usually think of the nice lady who comes to beautify our Westie.

I usually think of the nice lady who comes to beautify our Westie.

Your Westie needs to be careful. 

Who me?

Bah, I can never get the photos to work.

There are certain things I still haven't figured out such as why people pronounce "health and safety" as "elf n' safety" in sort of a derogatory way. I understand that it is referencing cockney. But do people who speak with a cockney accent not like being healthy and safe? Or is it a stereotype that people who speak with a cockney accent are work shy and use health and safety as an excuse not to do something. If so that sounds a bit bigoted.

Everytime someone talks about five blades I think of The Onion.  Obviously has cursing so perhaps not safe for work!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/*bleep*-everything-were-doing-five-blades,11056/

Everytime someone talks about five blades I think of The Onion.  Obviously has cursing so perhaps not safe for work!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/*bleep*-everything-were-doing-five-blades,11056/

Hahahha

I guess the censoring works in urls on UK Yankee. 

If you take out the *bleep* and enter the f-word, the link should work. 

Or, you can just click on this link:
http://ow.ly/mtV99

There are certain things I still haven't figured out such as why people pronounce "health and safety" as "elf n' safety" in sort of a derogatory way. I understand that it is referencing cockney. But do people who speak with a cockney accent not like being healthy and safe? Or is it a stereotype that people who speak with a cockney accent are work shy and use health and safety as an excuse not to do something. If so that sounds a bit bigoted.

I think it's that overly zealous application of health and safety rules is stereotypically a pet issue of people who speak with a cockney accent.

Hahahha

I guess the censoring works in urls on UK Yankee. 

If you take out the *bleep* and enter the f-word, the link should work. 

Or, you can just click on this link:
http://ow.ly/mtV99

Heeeeeee. Thanks!

Ah, thanks for this. I had heard the word used in that way before, but it is certainly not my first thought when I hear it. I usually think of the nice lady who comes to beautify our Westie.

Beautify! Reminds me of the Karl Lagerfeld interview about his cat, Choupette, in which he said she has two minders who 'do her beauty jobs'. These are much better turns of phrase than simply 'grooming', I think we can all agree.

Everytime someone talks about five blades I think of The Onion.  Obviously has cursing so perhaps not safe for work!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/*bleep*-everything-were-doing-five-blades,11056/

I actually remember that article! Absolute classic -- made me belly laugh (and then cough, hack, cough ... ready to break up with this cold, now) all over again.

I fear that I insulted hms_seahorse's intelligence as her reference to Operation Yewtree shows that she clearly understood the other meaning & was making a joke that I just didn't get. Honestly, I didn't mean to do that (I'm sorry!) - I just didn't want someone else (another unworldly clueless expat like myself!) to bumble along with it, like I did, not knowing any better! I'm usually better about prefacing 'you probably already know this...'  

I got laughed at & teased so much about it by my work colleagues that one time - it's not a word that I'll be using much any longer, in any sense. 

No, no worries! I'm more peeved that your colleagues would take the piss. I like to cut people off at the pass by just saying, "DO YOU CALL DENTAL FLOSS DENTAL FLOSS, OR DO YOU CALL IT, LIKE, FANG FILAMENT." (I like to use my American voice for these purposes.) Because the simplest terms ::can:: trip you up sometimes. Exhibit A: http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/5/31/14/enhanced-buzz-7535-1370024882-19.jpg

That's why I tried to make a joke about having to ask for a razor, as if I'm up to embarrassing, clandestine business. I know it's silly to want to know, because it ultimately doesn't matter, but that doesn't stop my being curious.

Incidentally, my husband is under the impression that they're behind the counter because the sale of razors is age-restricted. I can't find hard evidence to back this, but there seem to be quite a few anecdotes on the Google search results. 

The razors at my local CVS are behind locked plexiglass cages, and if you accidentally jostle it the wrong way, an EXTREMELY LOUD alarm goes off throughout the entire store, which then causes everyone to look your way and suspect bad things about you. Personally I think it's to alert everyone when the aliens invade, as surely they'll require all our otherworldly 5 blade razors.

The razors at my local CVS are behind locked plexiglass cages, and if you accidentally jostle it the wrong way, an EXTREMELY LOUD alarm goes off throughout the entire store, which then causes everyone to look your way and suspect bad things about you. Personally I think it's to alert everyone when the aliens invade, as surely they'll require all our otherworldly 5 blade razors.

Earth-humans have most certainly reached the pinnacle of cosmic existence when it comes to the art of shaving (although our lack of ability to fly at the speed of light is somewhat disappointing).