[BITList] Historic trivia

[franka]

            _HISTORICAL TRIVIA_
            Did you know the saying "God willing and the Creek don't
            rise" was in reference to the Creek Indians and not a body
            of water?  It was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late
            18th century.  He was a politician and Indian diplomat. 
            While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President
            of the U.S. to return to Washington .  In his response, he
            was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." 
            Because he capitalized the word "Creek" it is deduced that
            he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of
            water.
            *********************************
            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 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 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 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 phrase '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.)





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