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hah!! this is really interesting stuff:

http://www.daveweinbaum.com/HistFacts.html

Interesting facts..

Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know!

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras.

One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of

George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with

one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and

both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how

many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were

to be painted. Arms and legs are "limbs,"

therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the

_expression, "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."

**************************************************************

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only

twice a year (May and October)! Women kept their hair

covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and

bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs mad

e from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them

they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell,

and bake it for 30 minutes The heat would make the wig big

and fluffy, hence the term "big wig."

Today we often use the term "here comes the Big Wig"

because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.

**************************************************************

In the late 1700s, many houses consisted of a large room with

only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from

the wall, and was used for dining. The "head of the household"

always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the

floor Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be

invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit i n the chair

meant you were important and in charge. They called the one

sitting in the chair the "chair man." Today in business, we use

the expression or title "Chairman" or "Chairman of the Board."

**************************************************************

Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result,

many women and men had developed acne scars by

adulthood. The women would spread bee's wax over their

facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were

speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another

woman's face she was told, "mind your own bee's wax." Should

the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a

smile" In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax

would melt . . . therefore, the expression "losing face."

**************************************************************

Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front.

A proper and dignified woman, as in "straight laced". . . wore

a tightly tied lace.

**************************************************************

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there

was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only

applicable to the "Ace of Spades." To avoid paying the tax,

people would purchase 51 cards instead.

Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were

thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't "playing

with a full deck."

**************************************************************

Early politicians required feedback f rom the public to

determine what the people considered important. Since there

were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their

assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to

"go sip some ale"

and listen to people's conversations and political concerns.

Many assistants were dispatched at different times. "You go

sip here" and "You go sip there." The two words "go sip" were

eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and,

thus we have the term "gossip."

**************************************************************

At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and

quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on

the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay

close attention and remember who was drinking in "pints" and

who was drinking in "quarts," hence the term "minding your "P's

and Q's "

**************************************************************

One more: bet you didn't know this!

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters

carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon

balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon.

However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck?

The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid

with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which

rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be

stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was

only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding

or rolling from under the othe rs. The solution was a metal

plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations.

However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would

quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to

make "Brass Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that brass

contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled.

Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the

brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron

cannonballs would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was

quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass

monkey." (All this time, you thought that was an improper

expression, didn't you.)

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So much wrong although interesting mythical origins - just goes to prove you shouldn't believe everything you receive in email. Just a few examples of etymology of idioms and words with their true origins below:

Gossip:

From the Oxford English Dictionary (the Bible on English language origins and definitions):

O.E. godsibb "godparent," from God + sibb "relative" (see sibling). Extended in M.E. to "any familiar acquaintance" (mid-14c.), especially to woman friends invited to attend a birth, later to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk" (1560s). Sense extended 1811 to "trifling

talk, groundless rumor." The verb meaning "to talk idly about the affairs of others" is from 1620s.

Lose Face: Be humiliated; lose one's reputation.

'Lose face' began life in English as a translation of the Chinese phrase 'tiu lien'. That phrase may also be expressed in English as 'to suffer public disgrace', i.e. to be unable to show one's face in public. In 1876, the consular official Sir Robert Hart published a series of essays - These from Land of Sinim - Essays on the Chinese question which included this observation:

"The country [China] begins to feel that Government consented to arrangements by which China has lost face; the officials have long been conscious that they are becoming ridiculous in the eyes of the people."

Hart was well-regarded in both Britain and China. In addition to his baronetcy he was awarded the CMG, KCMG, and GCMG. China honoured him with several high status awards, including the title of grand guardian of the heir apparent, an honour never before (or after) bestowed on a foreigner.

'Save face' comes later. It has no direct equivalent in Chinese and is merely the converse of 'lose face'. The first known record of it in print is in the June 1899 edition of The Harmsworth Magazine:

"That will save my face in the City."

Brass Monkey:

Phrase doesn't exist in the OED (which it would if it was a real concept) and then you have this.

As for the rest of them...well read up and learn. ;)

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So much wrong although interesting mythical origins - just goes to prove you shouldn't believe everything you receive in email. Just a few examples of etymology of idioms and words with their true origins below: Gossip: From the Oxford English Dictionary (the Bible on English language origins and definitions): O.E. godsibb "godparent," from God + sibb "relative" (see sibling). Extended in M.E. to "any familiar acquaintance" (mid-14c.), especially to woman friends invited to attend a birth, later to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk" (1560s). Sense extended 1811 to "trifling talk, groundless rumor." The verb meaning "to talk idly about the affairs of others" is from 1620s. Lose Face: Be humiliated; lose one's reputation. 'Lose face' began life in English as a translation of the Chinese phrase 'tiu lien'. That phrase may also be expressed in English as 'to suffer public disgrace', i.e. to be unable to show one's face in public. In 1876, the consular official Sir Robert Hart published a series of essays - These from Land of Sinim - Essays on the Chinese question which included this observation:

"The country [China] begins to feel that Government consented to arrangements by which China has lost face; the officials have long been conscious that they are becoming ridiculous in the eyes of the people."

Hart was well-regarded in both Britain and China. In addition to his baronetcy he was awarded the CMG, KCMG, and GCMG. China honoured him with several high status awards, including the title of grand guardian of the heir apparent, an honour never before (or after) bestowed on a foreigner. 'Save face' comes later. It has no direct equivalent in Chinese and is merely the converse of 'lose face'. The first known record of it in print is in the June 1899 edition of The Harmsworth Magazine:

"That will save my face in the City."

Brass Monkey: Phrase doesn't exist in the OED (which it would if it was a real concept) and then you have this. As for the rest of them...well read up and learn. ;)

sad-face.jpg

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Anyone ever play Chip's Challenge? old old computer game...

Playing something ($0.99 on the android marketplace) called Quell Reflect; reminds me of CC... very fun puzzle game.

YES! Just had a flashback to playing that game on the old school computers in middle school. :lol:

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