Interesting Facts

[Jaylen Brit 0]

Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?

A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push the left. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Q: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called "passing the buck?"

A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If the person did not wish to assume the responsibility, he would "pass the buck" to the next player.

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be "in the limelight?"

A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theater, performers on stage "in the limelight" were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.

Q: Why do ships and aircraft in trouble use "mayday" as their call for help?

A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning "help me" -- and is pronounced "mayday."

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great "on cloud nine"?

A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Q: Why are Zero scores in tennis called "love?"

A: In France, where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on a scoreboard looked like an egg and was called "l'oeuf," which is French for "egg." When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans pronounced it "love."

Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?

A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense, orange clay called "pygg." When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as "pygg banks." When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

Q. Where did the word 'caddy' (as in golfing term) come from?

A. When Mary, later Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl (for education & survival), Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scot game "golf." So he had the first golf course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into "caddie."

Q. Why do Brits use a two-fingered V sign as a swear word?

A. back in the days of Agincourt - the french and brits were always fighting each other and the french had promised that on winning they would cut off the fingers of the brit bowmen. As they did not win, the Brits felt moved to show them their still-attached bow fingers. The gesture stuck and became a physical symbol for the crude version of 'go away'

There now!!!

We all are a little bit wiser!

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Cool Jay! I always wondered about the Love in Tennis one..I played it for a couple of years in HS, but I still didn't know why...never bothered to ask either I guess, but always wondered it!! And the cloud nine one was cool to find out..and I LOVED!!! finding out about the British 2 fingered swear...Craig told me about it, but I didn't know where it originated..he prob. doesn't either and he loves trivia like this..so for once I know something he likely doesn't...yay! I'll have to fill him in..thx..I feel a bit smarter now! hahahah M.

[LiszyandKenny 5]

Dang, girl... where is your interview date ??

Edited May 9, 2006 by Lisz

[Jaylen Brit 0]

Im stuck right now waiting for my vaccination report from my GP - can't book anything til I get it - and the paperwork of ALL the patients at the surgery has been sent elsewhere for scanning Its a big annoyance.. hopefuly get it soon tho *sigh*

[munchkins 0]

Enlightening Jaylen, funny how you often think of things and do not know the answer.

Always wondered about the buttoning of clothes

[Dixie_Peach 1]

good job! answered some questions that i didn't know i had... lol

to be honest... i was always curious about the buttons... hehe

[sowens 0]

Very cool post, I love learning interesting little facts, tho one I already knew, the V sign!...he he, I learned it from watching a Brit show and my husband explained the meaning, so now when he aggravates me, I give him the V!

[nayalamb 0]

as a collector of useless and little-known bits of information... you just made my day!

[Garfield fan 0]

Interesting !!

I like the glass 'clink'-ing one

[almaty 19]

that was interesting..and good info...i like trival

[Jaylen Brit 0]

Very cool post, I love learning interesting little facts, tho one I already knew, the V sign!...he he, I learned it from watching a Brit show and my husband explained the meaning, so now when he aggravates me, I give him the V!

You know I had NO idea that wasn't a 'universal' sign for ages - and I do love the bowman's figners explanation but Im sure there's another one out there - if I find it I'll add it in

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Why were pistachios colored red?

[j&js 0]

I had always heard a very similar story about the 'V' gesture - that during the Hundred Years' War the French would cut off Brits fingers when they caught them so that they would never again be able to use a longbow and/or pay them back for previous longbow use. Then that other British people would give the gesture to say 'haha, i still have my fingers and can kill you with my longbow'

I always tell my students that one when we talk about the Hundred Years' War and they love it and do well on the Hundred Years' War part of the test!