Bravo! Thanks, Jerry! Betsy Waud --- On Thu, 6/25/09, Jerry Moore <perfinhole@yahoo.com> wrote: > From: Jerry Moore <perfinhole@yahoo.com> > Subject: [MarinGenSoc] For the history buff in all of us > To: "Jerry Moore" <perfinhole@yahoo.com> > Cc: maringensoc-L@rootsweb.com > Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 10:01 PM > There is a bit of history buff in > all of > us. Here are some interesting tidbits that just > maybe you didn't > 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.' (Artists know hands and arms are > more difficult to > paint) > > > > 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 made from > wool. They couldn't wash t he 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 1700's, 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 in > 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 required 52 cards, these people were thought > to be stupid or dumb because > they weren't 'playing with a full deck.' > > > > Early politicians required feedback from > 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 and betting 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 others. 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.) > > > > If you don't send this fabulous bit of historic knowledge > to > any and all your unsuspecting friends, your floppy > is going to fall off your > hard drive and kill your mouse. > > > > ______________________________________ > > A big "THANK YOU" to all of you that give so > generously of your time volunteering for the Society. > --------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://www.maringensoc.org > > Read the meeting notices: <http://www.maringensoc.org/News/newsletters.htm> > > Read the Society's blog run by Gene Pennington: > http://maringensoc.blogspot.com/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINGENSOC-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message >