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Forums => Offbeat Relish => Topic started by: billyfridge on July 16, 2007, 08:26:07 pm

Title: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on July 16, 2007, 08:26:07 pm

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."


 :D
 
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: MinLo on July 17, 2007, 08:20:22 am
 :D :D I always wondered about the arm and the leg expression........
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cissie on July 17, 2007, 07:38:07 pm
Thank you Billy, as they say, you learn something new every day, and that is another lesson learnt.. thank you kind sir. :-*
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on July 17, 2007, 07:55:06 pm
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 mad e 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.

 ;D
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cissie on July 17, 2007, 07:59:09 pm
Yukk... could you imagine the stench.... omg.. thank goodness i live now.
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on July 17, 2007, 08:02:28 pm
well, I have a shower every xmas,....wether I need to or not :D
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: MinLo on July 18, 2007, 05:07:46 am
LOL.....Keep em coming, I too young to know any of these things.........
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cissie on July 23, 2007, 07:22:07 pm
well, I have a shower every xmas,....wether I need to or not :D

oh Billy, i wondered what that smell was drifting over the water.. must be you not having a shower.. Pooooooo!!!!!!! :)
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on July 23, 2007, 07:24:59 pm
put a peg on yer nose Cissie ;)
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cissie on July 23, 2007, 07:28:08 pm
don't want to... you come and do it for me.. :)
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: texasboy on July 26, 2007, 09:28:25 am
 ;D ;D And since Billy is always talking about" the Beckhams"

POSH was a term used by the wealthy passengers on the trans atlantic ships(billy already knows this one)

PO= port out
SH= starboard home.
For you landlubbers  Port is the left side of the ship and Starboard the right.
So when you saiiled from the UK you always had the sun on your side from the south and vice versa on the way back from USA.
Cabins were more expensive this way.
cheers
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: mac117 on July 30, 2007, 08:44:39 am
Think this one is of historical value.

Quote

THE SUN Wed 30th July 2025.

 Just read in the sun from 2025 that Chelsea are the only team to retain the Premiership title for 10 years in a row. Beating Manchester United by 6 years.

Unquote

Does this qualify as Historical???


 :) :) :) :D :D :D
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cissie on July 30, 2007, 07:06:18 pm
No.. doesn't sound like historical, sounds to me like more wishful thinking on the part of the Chelsea supporters..

trust me.. you don't stand a chance.. hehe... but then again.. it's nice to dream  ::)
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on July 30, 2007, 07:09:24 pm
HA HA HA..............dream on Mac.......yer in the same fantasy land as Tex :D
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: texasboy on July 31, 2007, 07:29:31 am
HA HA HA..............dream on Mac.......yer in the same fantasy land as Tex :D

 ;D ;D ;D Keep at him mac, I need friends like you.lol
We also have one of those sympathisers in OZ who keeps chirping away against our BLUE  team, Her name begins with "c" ::)
cheers
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: texasboy on July 31, 2007, 07:42:09 am
 ;D Since we are used to double posting by now. Thought I would share another historical fact to enlarge Billys character.
(http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/5015/img3ju3.th.jpg) (http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3ju3.jpg)



This was followed in 1813 by the Puffing Billy built by Christopher Blackett and William Hedley. This was the first successful locomotive running by adhesion only, and is now on display in the Science Museum, London.
Toussards are putting a wax image of billy alongside this one as he seems to fit the Bill. ;D
cheers

Go on billy I  deserve another karma point for this one.lol



Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cissie on July 31, 2007, 06:48:52 pm
Sympathizer.. well i never.  I am a very loyal supporter of Manchester United thank you.. hehe... someone told me about them, i did my research, and found them to be the most interesting, and gorgeous team in the league, plus they play well.  Chelsea might have beaten them in the premiershipa couple of years, but Manchester just felt that they should be sympathetic towards chelsea and let them have it.. hehe..   
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: yelmertac on August 07, 2007, 04:20:08 am
These are great!  I enjoy learning about how/where expressions originate.

Cat
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: texasboy on August 07, 2007, 07:12:29 am
These are great!  I enjoy learning about how/where expressions originate.

Cat
Greetings.
For that you get your first karma point.
cheers
Just wish some of these other Mods would follow my example.lol
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on August 07, 2007, 07:55:18 pm
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."

hmmmm...i wonder sometimes if Tex is 'playing with a full deck' when he thinks of clues for 'where am l'............ :D
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: texasboy on August 09, 2007, 02:48:54 am


hmmmm...i wonder sometimes if Tex is 'playing with a full deck' when he thinks of clues for 'where am l'............ :D

 ;D Better believe it billy. My deck is full plus I have a few more packs hidden down below, and heres proof.
(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1355/fleetwood001lr6.th.jpg) (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fleetwood001lr6.jpg)

Taken yesterday on way from Larne to Fleetwood double click photo for bigger size . Plus I took a photo of yer farm on the way past if you want to see it ?                                                                                                                   cheers
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: texasboy on August 09, 2007, 06:49:52 am
 ;D Sure you do. He He

This is not a wind up. Main source of supply from Billy ;D
I`m getting better with age,lol
cheers

double click to enlarge photo (or zoom in). or if you prefer another angle.
(http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/1138/fleetwood018in0.th.jpg) (http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fleetwood018in0.jpg)
Lovely breeze.
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: seancwatson on February 17, 2008, 04:19:53 pm
;D ;D And since Billy is always talking about" the Beckhams"

POSH was a term used by the wealthy passengers on the trans atlantic ships(billy already knows this one)

PO= port out
SH= starboard home.
For you landlubbers  Port is the left side of the ship and Starboard the right.
So when you saiiled from the UK you always had the sun on your side from the south and vice versa on the way back from USA.
Cabins were more expensive this way.
cheers

Found this while browsing the web:
Posh, which did not originally stand for "Port Out Starboard Home" (referring to 1st class cabins shaded from the sun on outbound voyages east, and homeward heading voyages west). The musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang popularised this erroneous etymology.

Sorry man, hate to burst your bubble.   ;)
Don't believe me, go here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backcronym#Pure)
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: TheNightWatchman on February 17, 2008, 05:38:35 pm
How did I miss this topic? I actually looked at it thinking, 'wow that's a lot of posts for a new topic' but it's been around for 6 months now!
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: billyfridge on February 18, 2008, 08:03:52 am
WOW!!!!....and I always thought POSH meant a Person Of Superior Hupbringing  [wacko]
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: fuzzytomcat on June 01, 2008, 04:09:34 pm
"Iolite" gemstone of the Vikings -

When Leif Eriksson and the other legendary Viking explorers ventured far out into the Atlantic Ocean, away from any coastline that could help them determine their position, they had a secret gem weapon: iolite. The Viking mariners used thin pieces of it as the world's first polarising filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they were able to determine the exact position of the sun even in the fog, and navigate their way safely to the New World and back.

 ;D
 
Title: Re: Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know
Post by: cgonzales on October 09, 2012, 09:39:14 pm
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 mad e 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.

 ;D

So this is the reason why i saw some old pictures that involves rich ones with lots of lice squeezing out from their wigs.  O0