Theos-Talk Archives (January 2006 Message tt00206)

Hey Bart
Who cares, I didn't know it was an intelligence test.
Cass

Bart Lidofsky <bartl@sprynet.com> wrote: leonmaurer@aol.com wrote:
>>Here are some Interesting language origins and factoids:
>> 
>>1. In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was not allowed
>>to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have
>>"the rule of thumb".

Bullshit. It's a myth that was created so that feminists can hit men 
over the head with sticks as revenge. The term "rule of thumb" comes 
from using one's thumb as a measuring device.

>>2. Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was
>>ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF
>>entered into the English language.

Except that the name of the game was originally GOWF, which stood for 
nothing. More methods of creating a false history of victimization.

>>3. The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV
>>were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

According to Snopes, Mary Kay and Johnny, a 1947 sitcom, was the first. 
Ozzie and Harriet and even Lucy and Ricky were depicted as sleeping in 
the same bed in individual episodes.

>>4. Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US
>>Treasury.

That may be true, if you take the value of the money. But, by that 
token, I can print a single bill, that says, "One Trillion Dollars", and 
say that I print more money than the U.S. Treasury (which prints about 
$70 billion a year). On the other hand, if you count number of bills, 
then even high estimates of Monopoly's annual sales makes them print 
only about a third as many bills as the U.S. Treasury.

>>5. Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear better.

Probably.

>>6. Coca-Cola was originally green.

Nope. The original formula had caramel coloring. It was, however, 
originally bottled in green glass bottles.

>>7. It is impossible to lick your elbow.

Pretty much. I'd have to ask Gene Simmons. I've heard that some people 
can, but it's very rare.

>>9. Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

Blond joke.

>>10. The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

Probably should be qualified by the word, "famous".

>>11. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king
>>from history:
>> Spades - King David
>> Hearts - Charlemagne
>> Clubs -Alexander, the Great
>> Diamonds - Julius Caesar

Seeing that Kings in decks predate European card decks, that is not at 
all likely.

>>13. If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both
>>front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one
>>front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in
>>battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of
>>natural causes.

Myth.


>>14. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to
>>go until you would find the letter "A"?......One thousand.

one hundred And one.

>>15. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers,
>>and laser printers all have in common?......All invented by women.

Gary Stackweather, inventor of the laser printer, would be VERY 
surprised to hear that, as would Rev. Casimir Zeglen, inventor of the 
bulletproof vest, and Daniel Maseres, inventor of the fire escape. 
However, Mary Anderson did receive the first patent for windshield wipers.

>>16. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?......Honey

And fruitcake. And refined sugar.

>>17. In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames
>>by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making
>>the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase........."goodnight, sleep
>>tight."

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word, "tight" can be 
used to mean "soundly", hence, "sleep soundly". The above is an old 
tourists guides' story.

>>18. It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that
>>for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his
>>son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and
>>because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey
>>month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

Except that, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term only 
dates back to the 16th Century.

>>19. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in
>>old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at
>>them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." 
>>It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."

The etymology is unknown, but a more likely source is moveable type, 
where lower case "p's" and "q's" are easily mixed up because of the 
reversals.


>>20. Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle
>>baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a
>>refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is
>>the phrase inspired by this practice.

I'd like to see a picture of one; otherwise, I'll accept the version 
that you can't whistle when your mouth is dry.

Bart



 
Yahoo! Groups Links



 






		
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Photos – Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover
Photo Books. You design it and we’ll bind it!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]