Paddletrucker
04-08-2013, 08:33 AM
You ever wonder where curse words come from? A friend sent this to me and I find it interesting. IT appears to be true.
Back during the time of the colonization of the new world, wooden ships would transport cow manure for fertilizer across the oceans. The manure would be sacked in burlap bags and placed in the cargo holds. Many ships hauling manure exploded. For a while, no one knew why. A scientist figured it out, though. The leaks in the wooded planks of the boat allowed a slight bit of water to enter the cargo hold below decks. It took quite some time for those wind driven ships to cross oceans in those days. During that time, the water would soak the burlap sacks that the manure was shipped in. The water and fertilizer/manure combo would create methane gas, which is flammable. At some point during the trip, someone would check on the cargo hold using an old oil lamp or lantern with an open flame. Open flame + methane gas + closed up and sealed cargo hold = KABOOM!!
Once this was figured out, the solution was simple...make sure the bags of fertilizer was stored up out of the water for shipment on boats. So, crates and burlap sacks containing manure for fertilizer was stamped with the phrase: Ship High In Transit, so that folks loading the ships would know to keep that stuff above all the other freight so that it couldn't get wet and produce the flammable methane gas. It wasn't long before that phrase was shortened to a simple acronym for Ship High In Transit. So, those crates and sacks became known by the acronym, S. H. I. T.
So, now you know that word came from.
Another.
During medieval times, the feudal system was the way of things. Starvation was a problem and religious fanaticism was intertwined into politics for the use and benefit of Kings. "Reproductive relationships" even within a marriage had to be approved. The King didn't need more mouths to feed. So....when a couple was wed, if they were to consummate the marriage, the act had to be approved by the King or his representatives. A sign would be tacked to the door of the newly wed couple to let local officials know that they had the approval of the Crown, just in case someone heard and they were reported. THe sign read : Fornication Under Consent from the King. Later, in this case as well, only and acronym was used for the signs.
And that's where that came from. Useless knowledge, I know, but there you have it.
Back during the time of the colonization of the new world, wooden ships would transport cow manure for fertilizer across the oceans. The manure would be sacked in burlap bags and placed in the cargo holds. Many ships hauling manure exploded. For a while, no one knew why. A scientist figured it out, though. The leaks in the wooded planks of the boat allowed a slight bit of water to enter the cargo hold below decks. It took quite some time for those wind driven ships to cross oceans in those days. During that time, the water would soak the burlap sacks that the manure was shipped in. The water and fertilizer/manure combo would create methane gas, which is flammable. At some point during the trip, someone would check on the cargo hold using an old oil lamp or lantern with an open flame. Open flame + methane gas + closed up and sealed cargo hold = KABOOM!!
Once this was figured out, the solution was simple...make sure the bags of fertilizer was stored up out of the water for shipment on boats. So, crates and burlap sacks containing manure for fertilizer was stamped with the phrase: Ship High In Transit, so that folks loading the ships would know to keep that stuff above all the other freight so that it couldn't get wet and produce the flammable methane gas. It wasn't long before that phrase was shortened to a simple acronym for Ship High In Transit. So, those crates and sacks became known by the acronym, S. H. I. T.
So, now you know that word came from.
Another.
During medieval times, the feudal system was the way of things. Starvation was a problem and religious fanaticism was intertwined into politics for the use and benefit of Kings. "Reproductive relationships" even within a marriage had to be approved. The King didn't need more mouths to feed. So....when a couple was wed, if they were to consummate the marriage, the act had to be approved by the King or his representatives. A sign would be tacked to the door of the newly wed couple to let local officials know that they had the approval of the Crown, just in case someone heard and they were reported. THe sign read : Fornication Under Consent from the King. Later, in this case as well, only and acronym was used for the signs.
And that's where that came from. Useless knowledge, I know, but there you have it.