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Re: Theos-World Cool List of Facts

Jan 16, 2006 10:37 PM
by leonmaurer


Aren't you the spoil sport... Where's your sense of humor?   

Besides, the number 1,001 is spelled out on checks as "One Thousand one" 
(plus the "and xx/xx" for the zero cents). 

So, you ain't so smart after all -- and all your other claims of myth may be 
just as far off the track. :-)

Leon 
(whose real name is Leonardo or Lenny)

In a message dated 1/17/06 12:45:48 AM, bartl@sprynet.com writes:


> 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 stoodfor
> 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
> 
> 



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