Current Threat Level

[prog]

Today's random WP discovery: there actually is a Black Watch plaid.

Comments

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

that icon is still freaky!

[aspartaimee.livejournal.com]

yes, and they have a long and rich history. they are currently (ceremonially speaking) under the command of The Prince of Wales (not Chuck, necessarily, but whoever happens to be sitting in that chair), i think.

plus, there's that kickass bagpipery.

yeah, i have DeBrett's Peerage. sure, i read it sometimes. ok, i guess i can admit it's kind of dorky.

[ahkond.livejournal.com]

My grandmother told us that her father (a British immigrant) was a former member of the Black Watch, so I had a flannel shirt with that pattern (or a very close approximation) for a long time.

Once, I was walking down a street in Los Angeles wearing it, and homeless guy accosted me for spare change by saying "HEY MISTER BLACK WATCH PLAID can you spare some change". It was the first time anybody had caught it.

My father has since cautioned me that my grandmother was probably making it up about her father.

[prog.livejournal.com]

That's nutty... I totally never encountered the phrase before that one (ingenious and unsurpassed) episode of "Harvey Birdman". I can only hear Stephen Colbert saying it, and comparing its intrinsic threat communication with the cover of Rush's seminal "Moving Pictures" album.

[aspartaimee.livejournal.com]

did you give the guy money? because that's pretty impressive and he deserves a little sumpin sumpin for his correct identification of your plaid. i would have given him a $10.

[ahkond.livejournal.com]

No, he was kind of scary aggressive loud.

[aspartaimee.livejournal.com]

that's too bad. impressive, but too bad.

[keimel.livejournal.com]

IIRC, they're the first Scots to legally wear a plaide after the outlawing of same in the 1600's... Only those soldiers of the regiment could wear a plaide for some time.