MORE QUESTIONABLE HISTORY LESSONS!
- From: old.salt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:28:24 -0800
Got in e-mail, don't know if they are all true or not, don't
belive the one on gosip.
MORE QUESTIONABLE HISTORY LESSONS!
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 made 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 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 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 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: 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 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?)
--
I hope you like my photos at www.myspace.com/osalt
If you would like to buy one, e-mail me, prints up
to 30x20 inches.
.
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