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To: Paul678

The "s" word is not a curse. It is an earthy Anglo-Saxon word for something that happens.


5 posted on 08/03/2006 11:24:49 AM PDT by Palladin (Ad in Hezbollah Herald: Human Shields wanted. Free housing.)
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To: Palladin
That's one of my pet peeves-people not distinguishing between curse words and vulgarisms(not that I would ever use either ;D)
8 posted on 08/03/2006 11:27:31 AM PDT by mrsmel (Men possess talent. Genius possesses men. Chocolate cravings possess women.)
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To: Palladin

Subject: Fabulous bit of historical knowledge

Ever wonder where the word "sh*t" comes from. Well here it is:

Certain types of manure used to be transported (as everything was back then) by ship. In dry form it weighs a lot less, but once water (at sea) hit it. It not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas.

As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen; methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern. BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was discovered what was happening.

After that, the bundles of manure where always stamped with the term "S.H.I.T" on them which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit." In other words, high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Bet you didn't know that one.

Here I always thought it was a golf term.


25 posted on 08/03/2006 11:36:34 AM PDT by The SISU kid (You can't beat the disease by treating the symptom)
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