A cock-and-bull story
noun [ C ] informal disapproving
A story that is obviously not true, especially one given as an excuse
Give someone a cock-and-bull story.
He gave me some cock-and-bull story about having to be at his cousin’s engagement party.
Cambridge Dictionary
A “cock and bull story” is an idiom that refers to a far-fetched, elaborate, or unbelievable tale or explanation.
It describes a narrative that is unlikely to be true and may involve exaggerations or fabrications.
When someone tells a cock and bull story, they are sharing a fanciful or implausible account that is often difficult to believe or take seriously.
IN THE DUTCH LANGUAGE
Een “apen en beren verhaal” is een uitdrukking die verwijst naar een vergezochte, uitgebreide of ongelooflijke vertelling of verklaring.
Het beschrijft een verhaal dat waarschijnlijk niet waar is en mogelijk overdrijvingen of verzinsels bevat.
Wanneer iemand een apen en beren verhaal vertelt, delen ze vaak een fantasierijk of onwaarschijnlijk relaas dat moeilijk te geloven of serieus te nemen is.
Page Description
A ‘cock and bull story’
refers to an unbelievable,
far-fetched tale often used to deceive
or mislead, stretching credibility
beyond reasonable limits.
Een ‘haantjesverhaal’ verwijst naar een
ongeloofwaardig, vergezocht verhaal
dat vaak wordt gebruikt om te bedriegen
of te misleiden,
waardoor de geloofwaardigheid
buiten redelijke grenzen wordt opgerekt.
The key points or characteristics of a cock-and-bull story include:
Unbelievability: A cock-and-bull story is often characterized by its lack of credibility. The events or details presented are so improbable or exaggerated that they strain belief.
Elaborate Details: These stories tend to include elaborate and intricate details that contribute to the overall fanciful nature of the narrative.
Lack of Plausibility: The story typically lacks realism or plausibility. It may involve events or situations that are highly unlikely or even impossible.
Exaggerations: The storyteller may employ exaggerations or embellishments to make the narrative more dramatic or entertaining, but these exaggerations contribute to the story’s lack of believability.
Absurdity: Cock-and-bull stories often contain elements of absurdity or nonsense, further diminishing their credibility.
Entertainment Value: While these stories may not be taken seriously, they are often shared for entertainment purposes, and the storyteller may not expect listeners to believe every detail.
Overall, a cock-and-bull story is characterized by its fanciful, exaggerated, and often implausible nature, making it more of a tale for amusement rather than a factual account.
1 #badIT: The UK Post Office Scandal, with CNN’s Anna Cooban
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
7 feb 2024 The Last I.T. Podcast In The World
Thousands fired from their jobs and forced into financial ruin or bankruptcy. Ostracized from their families and communities as thieves and cheats. Hundreds falsely accused, prosecuted, and sent to prison. Several died of suicide. An ordeal lasting decades. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩.
The cause? The worst #badIT story you’ll ever hear. CNN’s Anna Cooban joins me on the podcast to discuss this fascinating and tragic story.
Notes:
Anna Cooban’s writing on CNN: https://www.cnn.com/profiles/anna-cooban
“Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office”, dramatization, available in the UK on ITV
“Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office – The Real Story”, documentary, ITV, available on YouTube:
• Mr Bates vs The Post Office – The Rea…
Some video and screenshots from “Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office – The Real Story”, ITV Studios, January 2024
00:00 Intro and Banter
03:36 UK Scandal Summary and History
06:55 Subpostmasters and David vs. Goliath
10:50 The Post Office Responds to Shortfalls
13:15 Dazed, Alone, and Ostracized
17:43 So. Many. Bugs
20:43 A Hero Emerges + Fenny Compton
25:55 The 555 and The Civil Trial
28:41 A TV Drama Awakens the UK Public
34:54 IT/Process Gaps – Reading the Tea Leaves
36:56 Epilogue: Humanizing The Scandal
At minute 19: Kind of software problems
At minute 21: Alan Blakes
At minute 33: Trust in the BPO
At minute 42: Alan Blake’s visa refusal, despite being exonerated.
2 Mr Bates vs The Post Office – The Real Story
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
het komt erop neer dat de 21e eeuw het equivalent is van volhouden dat de aarde plat is
3 Post Office scandal: New concerns raised over second IT system used in branches
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
4 “Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied” Alan Bates Rejects ‘Cruel And Offensive’ Compensation Offer
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
2 feb 2024
The former subpostmaster who has led the campaign for justice in the Post Office Horizon scandal said he will reject an offer of compensation from the Government.
Alan Bates, whose two-decade fight inspired the ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, told The Daily Telegraph the offer was “offensive” and “cruel”.
The Government confirmed plans for “full and fair compensation” to subpostmasters affected by the IT scandal in 2022.
But Mr Bates said the compensation offer had been “around a sixth” of what he requested.
TalkTV’s Dr David Bull and Sarah Hewson discuss the story with Albert Harwood from Howe and Co solicitors, who represent 75% of Horizon scandal victims, and former subpostmaster Chris Head.
.
Hanen- en Stierenverhalen
In elk stadje is er wel een verhaal of twee,
Van een haan en een stier die zouden kibbelen en koken.
Ze kraaiden en loeiden, fladderend met hun vleugels,
Verzonnen hanen- en stierenverhalen, verspreidden hun dingen.
De haan beweerde dat hij kon vliegen als een vliegtuig,
Terwijl de stier zei dat hij kon zwemmen in de regen.
Ze kibbelden en pochten, zonder einde in zicht,
Spleten het stadje en veroorzaakten een gevecht.
Maar iedereen wist dat ze gewoon leugens vertelden,
Want de haan kon niet vliegen, en de stier was te wijs.
Hun sterke verhalen waren niets meer dan mythes,
En de stadsbewoners wisten dat het gewoon geschenken waren.
5 “It’s All Just A Bit Too Close” 2014 Photo Shows Former Post Office Boss Cosying Up To MPs
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
31 jan 2024
A 2014 photo taken at the private members club the Carlton Club shows the then-Post Office boss and non executive chairman of Fujitsu cosying up to MPs and Conservative parliamentary candidate.
On the left is Simon Blagden who was the non executive chairman of Fujitsu, which ran the Post Office Horizon IT system. He’s now left the company.
On the right is Paula Vennells who was the CEO of the Post Office and has since hnded back her CBE.
In the middle is Kevin Hollinrake who was a parliamentary candidate for the Conservative Party at the time. He’s now the Post Office minister.
In the middle is Liz Truss, who at the time was a Government minister. Either side of her are Andrea Jenkyns and Lucy Frazer who were both Conservative Party parliamentary candidates.
Journalist at Private Eye magazine Richard Brooks brought the photo to light and joins TalkTV’s Nick Wallis and Rosie Wright.
Here are a few examples of cock-and-bull stories:
The Talking Frog: Once upon a time, I met a frog by the pond. To my surprise, it started talking and claimed to be a prince cursed by an evil witch. It asked me to kiss it to break the spell.
The Alien Encounter: Last night, I had an encounter with extraterrestrial beings. They landed in my backyard and communicated with me through telepathy, sharing the secrets of the universe.
The Magical Hair Growth Potion: I discovered a secret potion that made my hair grow six inches overnight. I found the recipe in an ancient book hidden in the attic.
The Flying Bicycle: I modified my bicycle with some secret technology, and now it can fly! I soared over the city and had an amazing aerial adventure.
The Time-Traveling Adventure: I built a time machine in my garage and traveled back to ancient Rome. I had tea with Julius Caesar and even gave him some advice on conquering new territories.
These stories are intentionally exaggerated and fanciful, showcasing the typical elements of a cock-and-bull narrative. They are not meant to be taken seriously but rather to entertain or amuse.
6 Post Office Scandal Explained
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
11 jan 2024
How did they get away with this for so long? For this video, WatchMojoUK explores the Horizon Post Office Scandal in the UK. We’re looking at how this problem has gone unaddressed for so long, and explaining what’s happened since ITV’s bombshell drama came out. Let us know if anybody in your life was affected by this.
Check out these other brilliantly British videos from WMUK:
10 TV Shows with the Most Scandals –
• 10 TV Shows with the Most Scandals
Top 10 WORST British Cars of All Time –
• Top 10 WORST British Cars of All Time
7 ‘The Most Widespread Miscarriage Of Justice’ Mr Bates vs The Post Office | Good Morning Britain
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
2 jan 2024
ITV Drama ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ began airing this week. The Horizon scandal, described as “the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history”, resulted in more than 700 post office operators being prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 for theft, fraud and false accounting because of faulty accounting software installed in the late 1990s.
We speak with Alan Bates, founder of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, who is portrayed by Toby Jones in the series, about his experience and fight against t the Post Office, resulting in a £58 million settlement for postmasters.
Broadcast on 02/01/24
8 Victims Get Tricked into Smuggling Kangaroos
7 sep 2020
Just in case you were wondering, the punishment for kangaroo theft is at minimum 10 years behind bars.