The Custodian's New Writeups

catwalk (thing)

2009-11-23T14:29:33Z

A catwalk is originally a nautical term. It indicated an elevated walkway on a ship, one which required caution to properly traverse. The user was obliged to walk 'like a cat' - very carefully and sure-footedly - in order to safely pass along it. Modern shipbuilding refers to 'catwalks' as enclosed or covered elevated walkways - used either for bridge access or, on modern ships with large amounts of equipment on deck, to carry their users over the cluttered deck area (Liberty Ship terms). Another nautical reference indicates that long, narrow 'finger piers' are also referred to as catwalks.

The term carried over to refer to similarly constructed passageways in various situations. In a theater, a 'catwalk' is an elevated walkway behind and above the stage, where caution and…

you never felt her hot blood on your face but, hey, who's keeping track (fiction)

2009-11-22T03:46:17Z

<--Younger | The first New York Magician

I got off the number 7 train at 111th st and Roosevelt avenue. Descending from the elevated station, I looked around to get my bearings. A few blocks down, Roosevelt Avenue followed the El across the Grand Central Parkway and into Flushing Meadows where the scenery opened up. I bought a cup of coffee from a handy coffee shop and walked east-northeast along Roosevelt.

Crossing the Grand Central Parkway, sandwiched on the bridge between the rushing traffic below and a rumbling train above on the El, I reached out around me with what senses I had, but felt nothing except the bones of the moving city. The Elevated tracks branched off to the right, spur line heading for the Flushing yards; a short walk later I turned off onto Shea Road, crossing…

barrage (thing)

2009-11-21T23:16:11Z

A barrage is also a coordinated artillery tactic in which the fire of a number of guns is sequenced so as to create a continuous bombardment of a target area. The origin of the phrase dates from only a few years past Webby; in 1916 the French phrase tir de barrage ("barrier fire") was coined to describe this use of artillery. Originally, these bombardment areas were intended to serve as a barrier (barrage) to enemy movement; later, the term came to mean any continuous bombardment. Various types of barrage, including continuous barrage, the creeping barrage and the lifting barrage were used in World War I in various attempts to break the trench warfare stalemate.

creeping barrage (thing)

2009-11-21T23:11:10Z

A creeping barrage is an artillery tactic first used during the trench warfare of World War I. A barrage is the use of a number of guns firing in sequence so as to create an area that is undergoing continuous bombardment. Initially, during that war, artillery was used primarily as a preparatory measure. Prior to an infantry assault on trenches or other fortified positions, artillery would be fired for some period of time at the target area in an attempt to destroy, degrade or disrupt both the fortifications and the defending forces. Once the target had been 'prepared' for the maximum available time or maximum available ammunition expenditure, ground forces would attack.

The problem, as both sides figured out relatively quickly, was that defending troops could in fact learn to survive artillery bombardment. Deep slit trenches and bunkers made it much less likely that troops in the target area would be hit, even with the large numbers of shells used, as the attacking…

waiter's friend (thing)

2009-11-18T22:06:54Z

A waiter's friend is a type of corkscrew tool used principally by bartenders, restaurant waiters and sommeliers. It consists of a hollow handle into which fold two items - the corkscrew itself - a metal helix known as the worm - and a small knife blade. In addition, a small lever arm called the fulcrum folds over one end of the handle, hinged at the end of the device. Some models have a bottle opener either as a separate component folded over the knife blade, or built into the side of the fulcrum. Note: mkb informs me that some of these devices have segmented fulcrums to allow for different separations between the tool and rim. Shaogo adds that this is the type currently in fashion, as this allows you to get the best leverage twice when opening bottles in front of other people, minimizing your chances of looking unskilled.

Rough diagram of the waiter's friend tool:



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whistle-stop (thing)

2009-11-17T22:16:04Z

The whistle stop (or whistle-stop) is originally a railroad term for a listed station or stopping place where trains do not stop unless signaled to do so by passengers or stationmasters. The purpose of this is to save time on the route at stations which have low and/or infrequent traffic. There are two possible origins for the term - the first is that the train would usually signal its approach to the station by sounding the train whistle, so that passengers could move out into view on the platform. The other is that some references indicate that the station itself would sound a whistle or other signal in order to indicate that the train should stop.

The term later came to mean any quick intermediate stop during a journey.