Yowza Yowza Bowza is a corruption of "Yes sir, Yes sir, bowser." Bowser is the slang term for a tanker truck (which, of course, delivers the fuel to the filling station). It was once used in the trade name, "Bowser Boat," of a boat equipped with fuel tanks for refueling seaplanes.
Yowza is a 1920s U.S. corruption of "yes sir," typically used by announcers of musical numbers. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:owner-usma@;colostate.edu]On >Behalf Of Mike Joy >Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 16:55 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Subject: [USMA:23127] Farmer's problems > > >Pat, > >Maybe you can identify with this! > >Mike > > >>From "The West Australian" 16 May 1992:- > > > TRAVELLERS on the Bussell Highway between Bunbury and Capel (2 hour's >drive south of Perth) have been puzzled by the name of the Yowza Yowza >Bowza petrol station for years. > >But if they stop to fill up, they are unlikely to be any wiser. The name >came with the place when proprietors Aubrey and Minetta Lovelle took it >about five years ago and they have been unable to trace its origin. > >Customers will, however, get a good laugh at some of the petrol station's >unusual signs, ride a pedal chair while dining in the restaurant and learn >why farmers find themselves in their current predicament. > >It reads: "The trouble started back in 1966 when they changed from pounds >to dollars, that doubled my bloody overdraft. Then they brought in >kilograms instead of pounds and my bloody wool clip dropped by half. > >"After that, they changed rain to millimetres and we haven't had an inch of >rain since. If that was not enough, they brought in Celsius and now the >temperature never gets over 40 degrees. No wonder me bloody wheat won't >grow. > >"They then changed acres to hectares and I ended up with only half the land >I had. By this time I had decided to sell out and put the farm in the hands >of an agent. They then changed miles to kilometres and now I am too far out >of town for anyone to buy the bloody place." > >The words came from an old farmer Aubrey met about 10 years ago. They >appealed to Mr Lovelle who once farmed a property just across the road from >the service station. > >The Lovelles have created a fun place. Restaurant diners sit on pedal >chairs at a long table. The chairs were made by Mr Lovelle from old bicycle >parts. The restaurant is billed as the "home of the pedal chairs". > >Before leaving it is worth dropping into the tiny Earth and Fire Shop where >reasonably-priced pottery is on sale. The shop is run by five local women >who make the pottery in the shop. > >Yowza Yowza Bowza service station is at Stratham, 10km north of Capel. > > > >(Note - Bowza comes from the Aussie word 'bowser' meaning a petrol pump). >Mike. >
