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DID YOU KNOW?
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DID YOU KNOW?
Posted by
PEGASUS
(VIP) 8 Mar 2005 9:51am
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. The wigs couldn't be washed, so to clean them they could 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.
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In the late 1700s, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Once in a while, a guest (who was almost always 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. Sitting in the chair, one was called the 'chair man.' Today in business we use the expression or title 'Chairman or! Chairman of the Board.'
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Needless to say, 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 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 could crack, hence the term 'crack a smile.' Also, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt and therefore the - expression 'losing face.'
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Ladies wore corsets which would lace up in the front. A tightly tied lace was worn by a proper and dignified lady as in 'straight 'laced.'
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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.'
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Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what was considered important to the people. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars who 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.'
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At local tavern's, 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.'
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Also: 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, but 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 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. But, 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 cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.' And all this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?
You must send this fabulous bit of historic knowledge to at least ten unsuspecting friends.
If you don't, your floppy is going to fall off your hard drive and kill your mouse.
where?
Posted by
(VIP) 9 Mar 2005 11:04am
these are good just wondering where do you get them from?
Sources 
Posted by
PEGASUS
(VIP) 9 Mar 2005 8:01pm
I search the internet for some of them Mr_moneyman, and some come as forwards. If I feel they are acceptable for GameColony I put them into a folder and use them.
Thanks for your comment.
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At GameColony.com you can play games of skill only -- play for free or play for $prizes!.
According to the statutes of most states in the United States, gambling is defined as: "risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance". (Also see No Gambling!). The skill (as opposed to chance) is predominant in games of skill. Playing games of skill for $prizes, therefore, has nothing to do with gambling as it is not a contest of chance -- the more skillful player will win far more often. The chance element of a 'gamble' is either insignificant or missing. When players compete in tournaments or games of skill for $prizes -- it is "competitive entertainment" rather then "gambling". The more skilled winner will always win more matches, tournaments and $prizes.
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