More useless facts for you.............
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."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 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 made from wool. The wigs couldn't be washed, so to clean
> >them they could 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.
> >
> >
> >
> > In the late 1700s, many houses consisted of a large room with only
> >one chair. Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and
> >used or dining. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while
> >everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Once in a while, a guest (who was
> >almost always a man) would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal.
> >To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. Sitting in the
> >chair, one was called the "chair man." Today in business we use the
> >expression or title "Chairman" or "Chairman of the Board."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Needless to say, personal hygiene left much room for improvement.
> >As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The
> >women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their
> >complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
> >stare at another woman's face she was told "mind your own bee's wax."
> >Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a
> >smile." Also, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt and
> >therefore the expression "losing face."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Ladies wore corsets which would lace up in the front. A tightly tied
> >lace was worn by a proper and dignified lady as in "straight laced."
> >
> >
> >
> > 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."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine
> >what was considered important to the people. Since there were no
> >telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local
> >taverns, pubs, and bars who were told to "go sip some ale" and listen to
> >people's conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were
> >dispatched at different times "You go sip here" and "You go sip there."
> >The two words "go sip" were eventually combined when referring to the local
> >opinion and, thus we have the term "gossip."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and
> >quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the
> >customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and
> >remember who was drinking in "pints" and who was drinking in "quarts,"
> >hence the term "minding your "P's and Q's."
> >
