[Ditter]

LOL Is this quest for the origins of "lead pipe cinch" a new one, or did I get you going? I have always thought it was the first one. Meaning, "do it my way or I'll bash you with this lead pipe". Who would not comply to this?

[blam]

"Is this quest for the origins of "lead pipe cinch" a new one, or did I get you going? "

You got me started. I suspected it had something to do with plumbing. When I was a kid, my dad would use flax and melted lead to seal cast iron drain pipes. I liked playing with the melted lead.

[blam]

I'm re-reading James Burke's book, The Day The Universe Changed. I'm amazed at the number of things we still say and do that go back a thousand years or more.

For example: Our 'reading of the will' has it's origins in the king's court where no-one knew how to read and all written documents were read out loud in the court. The king employed a reader and a writer and (According to Burke) the reader could not write and the writer could not read. All reading in those days were read out loud and when a monk was seen reading something without moving his lips, people were astonished.

My grandad used to sit on his porch in the swing and read his bible out loud...even when no-one was present.