The Pens are cleaning house...
swept Ottawa right outta the playoffs!
swept Ottawa right outta the playoffs!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Brass Monkey Balls
The next time I have meat and mashed potatoes, I think I'll put a very large blob of potatoes on my plate with just a little piece of meat. And if someone asks me why I didn't get more meat, I'll just say, "Oh, you mean this?" and pull out a big piece of meat from inside the blob of potatoes, where I've hidden it. Good magic trick, huh?
–Jack Handey
I thought this was pretty neat, and I'll have to start using the expression more often...
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 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. 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".
–Jack Handey
I thought this was pretty neat, and I'll have to start using the expression more often...
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 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. 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".
Thanks Boolass!
What a great idea, now I can share my wisdom (useless thoughts and trivia) without assaulting everyone's email box on a daily basis. I don't know how you can subscribe, or really what I'm doing at all, so don't bother asking. There is probably a button here somewhere...
Check back often if you want to, because I'm not sending the annoying emails anymore! Okay, well maybe once in a while if no one comes to visit... daily.
There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.
~Ronald Reagan
Check back often if you want to, because I'm not sending the annoying emails anymore! Okay, well maybe once in a while if no one comes to visit... daily.
There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.
~Ronald Reagan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
