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notalwaysright_feedRead Udder Nonsense
Passenger: "Wow, look at all the cows! That's a lot of milk!"
Me: "Those aren’t dairy cows. They’re beef cattle."
Passenger: "How do you know?"
Me: "They don’t have udders."
Read Udder Nonsense
senmut posting in no_true_pairflemmingspegkerrlydamorehouse, hit upon the obvious: why not join her group for a gaming session?
mildred_of_midgardnotalwaysright_feedRead Regretful Ratios
Manager: "We need all of you out on the floor engaging with customers!"
Coworker #1: "We do. We have a store greeter and a pretty large customer service desk that's constantly manned."
Manager: "Who is approaching customers and asking if they need assistance?"
Coworker #2: "None of us. They seem to hate that, so we stopped."
Read Regretful Ratios
adafrog posting in fandom_checkinHow are you doing?
I am okay
11 (44.0%)
I am not okay, but don't need help right now
14 (56.0%)
I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans are you living with?
I am living single
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One other person
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More than one other person
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glitteringstars posting in writethisfanficnotalwaysright_feedRead The Shadiest Pond In London
Parkgoer: "Excuse me, do you work here?"
Me: "I'm one of the park keepers, yes. Can I help you?"
Parkgoer: *Pointing at the pond.* "I was just wondering if you knew why the goldfish always swim underneath the ducks?"
nnozomi posting in guardian_learningnotalwaysright_feed
I was in the process of moving abroad and emptying the house I was living in. I had hired a moving company to do the boxing and loading, and they told me the day and time they would come with the truck. I needed to secure two parking spots near the entrance of the building to ease the whole process.
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Here we go again. After hiking the price of Xbox consoles earlier this year, Microsoft just announced it is already raising prices again—the second price hike in four months. Now, even Microsoft's cheapest console, the Xbox Series S, will cost at least $400.
As someone who got an Xbox Series S for $150 a few years back, that stings. (Granted, I got a really good deal. Still.) Microsoft is blaming "changes in the macroeconomic environment" for the new prices, so read into that what you will.
Here is what Microsoft's consoles will cost after the new pricing takes effect:
Xbox Series S (512GB): $400 (was $380)
Xbox Series S (1TB): $450 (was $430)
Xbox Series X Digital Edition: $600 (was $550)
Xbox Series X: $650 (was $600)
Keep in mind that even after Sony's own price hikes, U.S. gamers can still get a PS5 for $550 and a PS5 Digital Edition for $500. Yes, Microsoft's consoles technically start cheaper, but the Series S is more comparable to the original Nintendo Switch than an Xbox Series X or a PS5, and $400 is a lot to pay for it—although the original Switch also got its own price hike just last month, and the OLED model of that machine will also now run you $400. If you're comparing apples to apples, though, Sony's console is about to be a good bit cheaper than Microsoft's.
Gamers who prize physical media will be the hardest hit, as to get a disc drive on your machine, you have to opt for a non-digital Xbox Series X, which means you're going to get a bigger price increase than your peers. The last jump bumped the Xbox Series S up by $80 and the Series X by $100, while this one increases the Xbox Series S by $20 and the Xbox Series X by $50.
On the plus side, Microsoft said pricing for controllers and headsets "will remain the same," which isn't how it went last time around. Maybe that's a hint at the overall console strategy: Microsoft has been investing a lot in cloud gaming recently, and you technically don't even need a console to play its games. In that case, upping pricing on its hardware is maybe a bit less risky for the Halo folks than the God of War ones.
And I haven't even touched on Microsoft's most expensive machine. If you're an Xbox loyalist and you want to go all-in on its 2TB Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition, that will now run you $800, a $70 bump in the price tag. Honestly, at that point, you could probably just get a PC instead.
There is something you can do about these price increases, even if it kind of feels like giving in to a ransom: They won't go in effect until Oct. 3rd, so if you were still on the fence about getting an Xbox, now is the time to act. You'll still have to deal with the price hike from May, but at least you'll save between $20 and $70.
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Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source.
The Apple Watch Series 11 is now available, and just a few days into using a review unit, I’m happy with the upgrade. But whether it’ll be worth it to you is a different story entirely.
Before the Series 11, I was still using a first-generation Apple Watch SE. Since I don’t need much from my smartwatch, the SE was enough for me: basic media playback with heart-rate tracking and tap-to-pay. What more could I want?
But the Series 11 taught me that I could want much more. Its bigger screen with an always-on display is a nice bonus, as is the thinner and lighter design. The problem is that the Apple Watch Series 11 isn’t the first Apple Watch with those bonuses. If you’re like me and haven’t upgraded in a while, the Apple Watch Series 11 is a great pick. But those with a newer Apple Watch may want to hold off and save their money.
While the Apple Watch Series 11 comes with a new chip and upgrades to both battery life and wireless connectivity, I’ve already mentioned what I value most about it. Essentially, I just like that this thing is super comfortable to wear. At its release, the Series 10 was Apple’s thinnest and lightest smartwatch, but since the Series 11 has inherited its design, it’s now tied with its successor.
Both hardly feel like you’re wearing anything at all (while I don’t use the Series 10 on a day-to-day basis, my husband has one that he’s letting me borrow to write this). While my SE’s circular sensor bump often feels like it’s jutting into my wrist, both the Series 10 and 11 feel flat on my wrist, thanks to their thinner bodies. It's a huge relief over an extended period, and it only gets better with the few grams Apple’s knocked off the weight.
The display also contributes to the comfort. Both the Series 10 and the Series 11 have an always-on display, and while an always-on display has been available as far back as the Series 5, this is my first time using one on a watch. The Apple Watch display also got 9% bigger starting on the Series 10, so the Series 11 screen is a bit more luxurious than anyone on a Series 9 or before will be used to.
The bigger, always-on display helps with comfort because it’s much more glanceable. With my SE, I had to raise my wrist to see my watch screen, and the 10 and 11 don’t need that. At 2,000 nits of brightness, they’re easy to see even if your wrist is at your side and slightly turned, and with OLED and a 1Hz refresh rate, the always-on display is able to update every second without wasting unnecessary battery life. Having my screen turn off was probably the biggest annoyance of using a smartwatch over a traditional watch for me, and now it’s something I don’t have to worry about at all.
I’m pleased enough with the improved comfort to shell out money for a Series 11 after returning this review unit. I was worried that, because the Series 11 starts at 42mm while my first-gen SE is 40mm, it might feel a bit too big. In actuality, while I still prefer a small watch, it’s turned out to be the better size for me.
If you’re upgrading from an older watch, the Series 11 also gives you access to a lot more sensors. But to be honest, most are overkill. For instance, you can use it as a dive computer down to 6 meters (or about 20 feet), which isn't particularly handy for most people. But there are some advanced features worth caring about.
First, it’s easier to control this smartwatch than older Apple smartwatches. With watchOS 26, the Series 9, 10, and 11 got support for both the wrist flick and double tap gestures, and they’re both pretty convenient. Think of them as “dismiss” and “confirm,” respectively. You can use wrist flick to turn down notifications, and while you can customize double tap a bit more, the idea is that you’ll use it to start a song or navigate your smart stack without using your hands.
Essentially, the goal is that these features keep you from having to fumble with your watch screen if you’re otherwise occupied. For instance, I got a phone call while working out with the Series 11 this morning (where it was much more comfortable on my wrist than my SE), and quickly rotating my wrist away from my body was all I needed to do to decline the call. Normally, I would have just let it ring until it went to voicemail, so this was a nice way to save myself the distraction.
Aside from the new gestures, the Series 11 also has a few new health features. Like with the depth meter, whether you’ll actually use them depends on who you are, but there are a few in particular that I’m happy to have. For instance, like my colleague Beth Skwarecki, I’m not too enthused about Sleep Score, which tries to break down your sleep quality into one number but seems too generalized for me to get much use out of. Hypertension notifications, on the other hand, are a big deal to me. Hypertension notifications weren't available on my SE (and still aren't on any SE, for that matter). Instead, you need an Apple Watch Series 9 or above. What these notifications do is passively track how your blood vessels respond to your heart rate using a PPG, then send you a notification if your watch notices significant irregularities over a 30-day period.
One of the reasons my husband picked up an Apple Watch Series 10 was so he could use the ECG to track his heart rate over time, rather than just when he was working out. This helped him figure out that his heart rate would sometimes be way too high after drinking caffeine or while going to bed, which his doctor eventually diagnosed as AFiB. He might have missed out on this if he didn’t have the data to back it up, but he’s now gotten it treated, and says he feels a lot more stable across the day, with no random spikes (plus, AFiB has the potential to get pretty serious if left untreated, so his doctor is glad he was able to catch it early).
If these Hypertension Notifications, which do a similar thing but for high blood pressure, can help my husband keep his heart healthy, then I’m all for them. He does have to regularly check his blood pressure as part of his ongoing treatment, and while the Apple Watch can’t give him specific numbers, it should help him passively determine what his numbers mean and if he needs to be worried. Plus, I’m interested in trying them, too. The CDC says that “of the 75 million Americans who have hypertension…about 11 million of them don’t know their blood pressure is too high and are not receiving treatment to control it.” Given how well my husband’s Apple Watch helped him diagnose his AFiB, it brings a little extra peace of mind to have it checking for high blood pressure, too.
The catch is that the Apple Watch Series 11 isn’t the only way to get these new features. The thin and light display is on the Series 10, “wrist flick” and “double tap” are on the Series 9 and above, and so are Hypertension Notifications. The Series 11 is a great upgrade over my SE, but if you’ve been more up to date with your Apple Watch, you might not want to get the newest model at all. You'd likely be buying Series 11 for only three things.
First, the Apple Watch Series 11 has a 5G modem. Currently, the Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3 are the only Apple Watches with 5G connectivity, whereas older models use LTE, which is a type of 4G. That means these watches are faster, but because 5G is also more efficient than 4G, will also save some battery life when using online features.
Second, the Series 11 has an improved Ion-X glass display. This uses proprietary tech, and Apple says it’s two times more scratch resistant than the Series 10. It’s only available on aluminum models, as titanium models use a slightly less durable sapphire crystal display instead, but it’s also on the SE 3 (the Ultra 3 instead opts for sapphire crystal).
And third, the Series 11 has a longer battery life. While I haven’t had the Series 11 long enough to test its longevity, Apple is claiming 24 hours of battery life on the Series 11 (or 38 in Low Power Mode) versus 18 hours on the Series 10 (or 36 in Low Power Mode). I have a trip coming up, and I’m curious to see how these claims hold up while I’m adventuring away from a plug for a long period of time.
Still, while all of these are nice-to-haves, none of them are as flashy as, say, the thin new body that came with the Series 10. Additionally, if you have a Series 10 and are already careful about scratching your watch or don’t have a cellular plan for it, then you’re not going to get use out of anything but the improved battery life.
Which brings me to my final point. The Apple Watch Series 11 is a great watch if you’re a few years behind on upgrades, but it's probably worth skipping if you have a Series 10. It’s been a major quality of life improvement for me over my first-gen SE, which came out in 2020, but if it weren’t a different color than the Series 10, my husband might not have been able to tell it apart from what he already has.
That’s why, once I have to return this review unit, I’ll probably spend the $400 to get one. That’s the same price that the Series 10 has been at until now, and while you can currently find the Series 10 at a mild discount at third-party retailers, the new battery life is probably worth the extra $40-50 for me. But my husband, on the other hand, will keep kicking with what’s already on his wrist.
I assume that’s what a lot of other people will do: Upgrade if you’re a few years behind, but otherwise wait. But there's one other option. (Well, OK, two options if you want to go premium and get the $800 Apple Watch Ultra 3). You could just get an Apple Watch SE 3 instead. Releasing alongside the Series 11, this is a major upgrade over the SE 2, starting at $250 and upgrading that model to include an always-on display, sleep apnea notifications, temperature sensing, 5G, fast-charge, and both the wrist flick and double tap notifications. But it’s not quite as thin as the Apple Watch Series 11, the screen isn’t as big, and it can’t do ECG tracking or Hypertension notifications. I’ve been so thoroughly spoiled by the Series 11 that I’m not sure I can settle for that, but for others, it might be just the sweet spot.
mecurtin
sholio has been posting Murderbot recs! I will double her rec (if you can stand WIPs) for Robbing the Hood by lifehacker_feedWe may earn a commission from links on this page.
Here we go again. After hiking the price of Xbox consoles earlier this year, Microsoft just announced it is already raising prices again—the second price hike in four months. Now, even Microsoft's cheapest console, the Xbox Series S, will cost at least $400.
As someone who got an Xbox Series S for $150 a few years back, that stings. (Granted, I got a really good deal. Still.) Microsoft is blaming "changes in the macroeconomic environment" for the new prices, so read into that what you will.
Here is what Microsoft's consoles will cost after the new pricing takes effect:
Xbox Series S (512GB): $400 (was $380)
Xbox Series S (1TB): $450 (was $430)
Xbox Series X Digital Edition: $600 (was $550)
Xbox Series X: $650 (was $600)
Keep in mind that even after Sony's own price hikes, U.S. gamers can still get a PS5 for $550 and a PS5 Digital Edition for $500. Yes, Microsoft's consoles technically start cheaper, but the Series S is more comparable to the original Nintendo Switch than an Xbox Series X or a PS5, and $400 is a lot to pay for it—although the original Switch also got its own price hike just last month, and the OLED model of that machine will also now run you $400. If you're comparing apples to apples, though, Sony's console is about to be a good bit cheaper than Microsoft's.
Gamers who prize physical media will be the hardest hit, as to get a disc drive on your machine, you have to opt for a non-digital Xbox Series X, which means you're going to get a bigger price increase than your peers. The last jump bumped the Xbox Series S up by $80 and the Series X by $100, while this one increases the Xbox Series S by $20 and the Xbox Series X by $50.
On the plus side, Microsoft said pricing for controllers and headsets "will remain the same," which isn't how it went last time around. Maybe that's a hint at the overall console strategy: Microsoft has been investing a lot in cloud gaming recently, and you technically don't even need a console to play its games. In that case, upping pricing on its hardware is maybe a bit less risky for the Halo folks than the God of War ones.
And I haven't even touched on Microsoft's most expensive machine. If you're an Xbox loyalist and you want to go all-in on its 2TB Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition, that will now run you $800, a $70 bump in the price tag. Honestly, at that point, you could probably just get a PC instead.
There is something you can do about these price increases, even if it kind of feels like giving in to a ransom: They won't go in effect until Oct. 3rd, so if you were still on the fence about getting an Xbox, now is the time to act. You'll still have to deal with the price hike from May, but at least you'll save between $20 and $70.
case posting in fandomsecrets
notalwaysright_feedRead Untitled Juice Game
Husband: "You just like sending me on a wild goose chase, don't ya?"
Boy: "I wanna wild juice taste!"
All three of us adults smile.
Husband: "No, buddy, it's a wild goose chase."
Read Untitled Juice Game
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The Apple Watch Series 11 is now available, and just a few days into using a review unit, I’m happy with the upgrade. But whether it’ll be worth it to you is a different story entirely.
Before the Series 11, I was still using a first-generation Apple Watch SE. Since I don’t need much from my smartwatch, the SE was enough for me: basic media playback with heart-rate tracking and tap-to-pay. What more could I want?
But the Series 11 taught me that I could want much more. Its bigger screen with an always-on display is a nice bonus, as is the thinner and lighter design. The problem is that the Apple Watch Series 11 isn’t the first Apple Watch with those bonuses. If you’re like me and haven’t upgraded in a while, the Apple Watch Series 11 is a great pick. But those with a newer Apple Watch may want to hold off and save their money.
While the Apple Watch Series 11 comes with a new chip and upgrades to both battery life and wireless connectivity, I’ve already mentioned what I value most about it. Essentially, I just like that this thing is super comfortable to wear. At its release, the Series 10 was Apple’s thinnest and lightest smartwatch, but since the Series 11 has inherited its design, it’s now tied with its successor.
Both hardly feel like you’re wearing anything at all (while I don’t use the Series 10 on a day-to-day basis, my husband has one that he’s letting me borrow to write this). While my SE’s circular sensor bump often feels like it’s jutting into my wrist, both the Series 10 and 11 feel flat on my wrist, thanks to their thinner bodies. It's a huge relief over an extended period, and it only gets better with the few grams Apple’s knocked off the weight.
The display also contributes to the comfort. Both the Series 10 and the Series 11 have an always-on display, and while an always-on display has been available as far back as the Series 5, this is my first time using one on a watch. The Apple Watch display also got 9% bigger starting on the Series 10, so the Series 11 screen is a bit more luxurious than anyone on a Series 9 or before will be used to.
The bigger, always-on display helps with comfort because it’s much more glanceable. With my SE, I had to raise my wrist to see my watch screen, and the 10 and 11 don’t need that. At 2,000 nits of brightness, they’re easy to see even if your wrist is at your side and slightly turned, and with OLED and a 1Hz refresh rate, the always-on display is able to update every second without wasting unnecessary battery life. Having my screen turn off was probably the biggest annoyance of using a smartwatch over a traditional watch for me, and now it’s something I don’t have to worry about at all.
I’m pleased enough with the improved comfort to shell out money for a Series 11 after returning this review unit. I was worried that, because the Series 11 starts at 42mm while my first-gen SE is 40mm, it might feel a bit too big. In actuality, while I still prefer a small watch, it’s turned out to be the better size for me.
If you’re upgrading from an older watch, the Series 11 also gives you access to a lot more sensors. But to be honest, most are overkill. For instance, you can use it as a dive computer down to 6 meters (or about 20 feet), which isn't particularly handy for most people. But there are some advanced features worth caring about.
First, it’s easier to control this smartwatch than older Apple smartwatches. With watchOS 26, the Series 9, 10, and 11 got support for both the wrist flick and double tap gestures, and they’re both pretty convenient. Think of them as “dismiss” and “confirm,” respectively. You can use wrist flick to turn down notifications, and while you can customize double tap a bit more, the idea is that you’ll use it to start a song or navigate your smart stack without using your hands.
Essentially, the goal is that these features keep you from having to fumble with your watch screen if you’re otherwise occupied. For instance, I got a phone call while working out with the Series 11 this morning (where it was much more comfortable on my wrist than my SE), and quickly rotating my wrist away from my body was all I needed to do to decline the call. Normally, I would have just let it ring until it went to voicemail, so this was a nice way to save myself the distraction.
Aside from the new gestures, the Series 11 also has a few new health features. Like with the depth meter, whether you’ll actually use them depends on who you are, but there are a few in particular that I’m happy to have. For instance, like my colleague Beth Skwarecki, I’m not too enthused about Sleep Score, which tries to break down your sleep quality into one number but seems too generalized for me to get much use out of. Hypertension notifications, on the other hand, are a big deal to me. Hypertension notifications weren't available on my SE (and still aren't on any SE, for that matter). Instead, you need an Apple Watch Series 9 or above. What these notifications do is passively track how your blood vessels respond to your heart rate using a PPG, then send you a notification if your watch notices significant irregularities over a 30-day period.
One of the reasons my husband picked up an Apple Watch Series 10 was so he could use the ECG to track his heart rate over time, rather than just when he was working out. This helped him figure out that his heart rate would sometimes be way too high after drinking caffeine or while going to bed, which his doctor eventually diagnosed as AFiB. He might have missed out on this if he didn’t have the data to back it up, but he’s now gotten it treated, and says he feels a lot more stable across the day, with no random spikes (plus, AFiB has the potential to get pretty serious if left untreated, so his doctor is glad he was able to catch it early).
If these Hypertension Notifications, which do a similar thing but for high blood pressure, can help my husband keep his heart healthy, then I’m all for them. He does have to regularly check his blood pressure as part of his ongoing treatment, and while the Apple Watch can’t give him specific numbers, it should help him passively determine what his numbers mean and if he needs to be worried. Plus, I’m interested in trying them, too. The CDC says that “of the 75 million Americans who have hypertension…about 11 million of them don’t know their blood pressure is too high and are not receiving treatment to control it.” Given how well my husband’s Apple Watch helped him diagnose his AFiB, it brings a little extra peace of mind to have it checking for high blood pressure, too.
The catch is that the Apple Watch Series 11 isn’t the only way to get these new features. The thin and light display is on the Series 10, “wrist flick” and “double tap” are on the Series 9 and above, and so are Hypertension Notifications. The Series 11 is a great upgrade over my SE, but if you’ve been more up to date with your Apple Watch, you might not want to get the newest model at all. You'd likely be buying Series 11 for only three things.
First, the Apple Watch Series 11 has a 5G modem. Currently, the Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3 are the only Apple Watches with 5G connectivity, whereas older models use LTE, which is a type of 4G. That means these watches are faster, but because 5G is also more efficient than 4G, will also save some battery life when using online features.
Second, the Series 11 has an improved Ion-X glass display. This uses proprietary tech, and Apple says it’s two times more scratch resistant than the Series 10. It’s only available on aluminum models, as titanium models use a slightly less durable sapphire crystal display instead, but it’s also on the SE 3 (the Ultra 3 instead opts for sapphire crystal).
And third, the Series 11 has a longer battery life. While I haven’t had the Series 11 long enough to test its longevity, Apple is claiming 24 hours of battery life on the Series 11 (or 38 in Low Power Mode) versus 18 hours on the Series 10 (or 36 in Low Power Mode). I have a trip coming up, and I’m curious to see how these claims hold up while I’m adventuring away from a plug for a long period of time.
Still, while all of these are nice-to-haves, none of them are as flashy as, say, the thin new body that came with the Series 10. Additionally, if you have a Series 10 and are already careful about scratching your watch or don’t have a cellular plan for it, then you’re not going to get use out of anything but the improved battery life.
Which brings me to my final point. The Apple Watch Series 11 is a great watch if you’re a few years behind on upgrades, but it's probably worth skipping if you have a Series 10. It’s been a major quality of life improvement for me over my first-gen SE, which came out in 2020, but if it weren’t a different color than the Series 10, my husband might not have been able to tell it apart from what he already has.
That’s why, once I have to return this review unit, I’ll probably spend the $400 to get one. That’s the same price that the Series 10 has been at until now, and while you can currently find the Series 10 at a mild discount at third-party retailers, the new battery life is probably worth the extra $40-50 for me. But my husband, on the other hand, will keep kicking with what’s already on his wrist.
I assume that’s what a lot of other people will do: Upgrade if you’re a few years behind, but otherwise wait. But there's one other option. (Well, OK, two options if you want to go premium and get the $800 Apple Watch Ultra 3). You could just get an Apple Watch SE 3 instead. Releasing alongside the Series 11, this is a major upgrade over the SE 2, starting at $250 and upgrading that model to include an always-on display, sleep apnea notifications, temperature sensing, 5G, fast-charge, and both the wrist flick and double tap notifications. But it’s not quite as thin as the Apple Watch Series 11, the screen isn’t as big, and it can’t do ECG tracking or Hypertension notifications. I’ve been so thoroughly spoiled by the Series 11 that I’m not sure I can settle for that, but for others, it might be just the sweet spot.
languagehat_feedI saw a reference to bootleg records and wondered, for the hundredth time, why they were called that. Obviously it had to do with bootleg booze, but why was that called “bootleg”? And what was the chronology? So I went to the OED, which happily revised its entry just this year (I’ll interleave the corresponding adjective citations for easy comparison):
1. The part of a boot that covers the lower leg; the leather material used for this. Also: a gaiter or greave that covers the lower leg.
1575 [Paid for o]n paire of boote ledges to make [bawdricks] withall.
in J. E. Farmiloe & R. Nixseaman, Elizabethan Churchwardens’ Accounts (1953) 63
[…]2.a. Alcohol that has been illegally produced, distributed, or sold, esp. during a time of prohibition. Also: a club or establishment selling such alcohol.
Now chiefly in historical contexts.
[On the origin of use in this sense see discussion in Etymology.]1844 9 Puncheons of Old Rum (real New England ‘boot-leg’), the balance of a very large stock that has gone off very freely.
Subterranean & Working Man’s Advocate 16 Nov.[adj.] 1861 The vials of wrath spoken of by the sacred writers, as at some future time to be poured out upon mankind, are supposed to be bottles of boot-leg whisky.
Topeka (Kansas) Tribune 9 February
[…]1928 Gradually I’m becoming acquainted with all the brands of bootleg that the Westcoast offers.
H. Crane, Letter 31 January (1965) 315
[…][adj.] 2019 More than 100 people have died after drinking bootleg alcohol in northern India and hundreds more have been put in hospital.
Times 12 February 34/42.b. An unauthorized or illicitly traded item; a counterfeit.
Frequently with the implication that the item is a poor quality imitation of a superior product.[adj.] 1921 War against ‘bootleg’ milk, in an attempt to make all milk sold in the city properly inspected.
Oklahoma News 4 January 1/11923 The printing on the base of the tube is frequently badly smudged on the bootleg, whereas on the genuine it is quite clear and readable.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle 12 August 8c/5
[…]2.c.i. An unauthorized audio or video recording, esp. one that has been illicitly recorded at a live concert or cinema screening. Also: a record, DVD, etc., that has been distributed or reproduced without authorization.
[adj.] 1926 Bootleg jazz records with risque verses distributed.
Dothan (Alabama) Eagle 12 June 2/2 (headline)1951 Victor presses bootlegs!
Record Changer (New York) November 1 (heading)1971 This album of the Experience recorded at the Albert Hall in ’69 is not a bootleg (although there’s an inferior bootleg in mono selling at the same price), it’s an official German release.
It 2 June 18/1
[…]2.c.ii. A piece of music created by merging two or more existing pieces of popular music, esp. the isolated vocals of one piece and the instrumental backing of another. Cf. mash-up n. 2.
1998 Holiday New Bootleg!.. Thomas Bangalter..put out this amazing song called Music Sounds Better With You… There is a bootleg mix that has the vocal from [sc. Madonna’s] Holiday on it.
alt.fan.madonna 30 August (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 13 Aug. 2024)
There are further senses (coffee, football, trousers), but they don’t interest me at the moment. So let’s “see discussion in Etymology”:
The original motivation for use in sense A.2a is unclear. While the term may originally have referred to the use of the leg of one’s boot to hide contraband (compare quot. 1883 at bootlegger n. 1a), there is also earlier evidence describing the practice of mixing alcohol with various adulterants including leather (from e.g. boots), strychnine, and tobacco, evidently to impart a flavour or colour resembling that of an aged spirit. Compare:
1863 The liquor..was nothing more than twenty-two cent whisky colored with logwood, tan-bark, tincture of bedbugs, old boot-legs and copperas; that he sold this vile stuff at retail to his customers; that they died.
Knight’s Landing (California) News 24 October
It’s more complicated than I guessed. (As an Old, I was not aware of the “mash-up” sense. Also, I love the name Subterranean & Working Man’s Advocate and think it should be revived.)
lovelyangeltielantimeasmymeasure
