Ok...why not cardigans? Very practical. A button up (or zip or velcro or other fastening) front jersey. An alternative for those who cannot or will not pull a pullover over their head. Or...for those who simply like cardigans.
I don't.
Not on me anyway, but they can be very fetching on (or off) the right individual.
So..."how?", really, is the question.
I checked it ahhht.
It appears to have been the clothing of choice for James Thomas Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan (1797-1868). Some sources say he created the cardigan. I was unable to clarify whether or not he was the first ever wearer of the button up front loaded jerkin, whether he invented it, or whether he just favoured them. My feeling is: surely he wasn't the first ever....but then, someone was the first ever. What's for sure is that it was named after him. Good for him.
Q - Cardigans vs Balaclavas - in a fight....who wins?
A - Cardigans!
Really?
Indeed!...James Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, led the charge of the Light Brigade against the Russians at the battle of Balaclava and won!
Balaclavas: bad ass.
Cardigans: bad ass-er!
Katflaps, who posed this 'ere check it ahhht to be checked ahhht, asked what it had to do with Cardigan in Wales. Seemingly, nothing. In the far-too-long that I spent researching this, I couldn't find any information indicating a link with Cardigan in Wales. The official residence of the Earls of Cardigan appears to be Deene (or Dean) Park in Northamptonshire, England.
I feel sure that the Earlship of Cardigan did stem from the town of Cardigan, but certainly the link with the garment comes much later.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Sunday, 17 October 2010
From sammiches to sliced bread.
During World War II, bakers in the United States were ordered to stop selling sliced bread. It was never explained how selling only un-sliced bread helped the war effort.
Really?
I don't particularly doubt the 'fact'. Many industries were requested or ordered to change procedure during the war. But was it never explained? This feels like sensationalism designed to elevate a 'fact' which stands just fine on its own.
I'm going to check it ahhht!
Indeed, the 'fact' checks out, so I can drop the sarcasm marks. This was a wartime conservation measure. According to the New York Times, officials explained that "the ready-sliced loaf must have a heavier wrapping than an unsliced one if it is not to dry out." (I ripped that directly from Wikipedia, so it's probably good form to credit them at this stage). Thus, heavier paper is more expensive, and the reduced demand would save paper, labour, energy and money and other splendid war related resources.
I can't comment on the reliability of the New York Times' correspondence, but if 'officials' explained it, then it was explained. My checking of it ahhht would be finished at this stage, had I not found an answer which I prefer infinitely.
I don't know who to credit this to, so I won't. I just won't claim any (especially since it's not true).
It was speculated that this order was issued prior to America's involvement in WWII as a propaganda measure. The US government needed backing to join the war effort. In line with the phrase "...the greatest thing since sliced bread", it followed that sliced bread was the previous greatest thing. So: abolish sliced bread and blame the Nasties and the Japs for taking away great things. A week or two of having to slice their own bread would have the Americans lobbying for war.
In fact, the USA had been at war for over a year when the sliced bread ban was issued, triggered by a far less trifling matter than the sliciness of bread - by the inclusion of 'sliciness' in the dictionary! (if I recall accurately)
I occasionally ponder the greatest thing before sliced bread. I shan't be checking that ahhht, but your suggestions are welcome.
Sliced toilet paper?
Really?
I don't particularly doubt the 'fact'. Many industries were requested or ordered to change procedure during the war. But was it never explained? This feels like sensationalism designed to elevate a 'fact' which stands just fine on its own.
I'm going to check it ahhht!
Indeed, the 'fact' checks out, so I can drop the sarcasm marks. This was a wartime conservation measure. According to the New York Times, officials explained that "the ready-sliced loaf must have a heavier wrapping than an unsliced one if it is not to dry out." (I ripped that directly from Wikipedia, so it's probably good form to credit them at this stage). Thus, heavier paper is more expensive, and the reduced demand would save paper, labour, energy and money and other splendid war related resources.
I can't comment on the reliability of the New York Times' correspondence, but if 'officials' explained it, then it was explained. My checking of it ahhht would be finished at this stage, had I not found an answer which I prefer infinitely.
I don't know who to credit this to, so I won't. I just won't claim any (especially since it's not true).
It was speculated that this order was issued prior to America's involvement in WWII as a propaganda measure. The US government needed backing to join the war effort. In line with the phrase "...the greatest thing since sliced bread", it followed that sliced bread was the previous greatest thing. So: abolish sliced bread and blame the Nasties and the Japs for taking away great things. A week or two of having to slice their own bread would have the Americans lobbying for war.
In fact, the USA had been at war for over a year when the sliced bread ban was issued, triggered by a far less trifling matter than the sliciness of bread - by the inclusion of 'sliciness' in the dictionary! (if I recall accurately)
I occasionally ponder the greatest thing before sliced bread. I shan't be checking that ahhht, but your suggestions are welcome.
Sliced toilet paper?
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Sammiches
I was fairly well aware that the humble sandwich (or cheese, or ham....or ham and cheese, if you like) was named after the somethingth Earl of Sandwich and was a food of convenience while hunting...or something. Pretty much everything in my head is 'organised' this way: "Hmm..I think that's got something to do with something (or somethings)". I check stuff ahhht so I can say that I once knew something about something. A by-point of this was where does the verb 'to sandwich' come from? - to put stuff between stuff. And what are the Sandwich Islands all about? Eh?
Let's check it ahht!...
So, yes. It appears that the sandwich is a food of convenience named after John Montague (1718-1792) the 4th Earl of Sandwich (a spot of land hovering just above Dover in England). The sandwich was probably not invented by him as such, but it seems to have been popularised by him. I'm sure my original information was that it was a hunting snack, but my most recent source indicates that it was a convenience food so as not to interrupt his gambling sessions.
The transitive verb 'to sandwich' does indeed appear to have come from the bready snack - to make into or as if into a sandwich. This is a little disappointing. I'd have loved it if 'to sandwich' was to put something between two other somethingses, and that the Sandwich region was named after that, and that the Earl of Sandwich then 'invented' the bready snack and it was all ironic and stuff...but alas, twas not.
Now, the Sandwich Islands is/are a totally different kettle of fish. Or are they? Ok, it seems that James 'Captain' Cook went on a bit of a sandwich frenzy and named both the islands now known as Hawaii and the islands now known as the South Sandwich Islands, the Sandwich Islands. Are you following? He named these two sets of Islands after his sponsor, and the 1st Lord of the Admiralty, John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich! The 'South' was added to the South Sandwich Islands to differentiate between them and the Sandwich Islands which are now called Hawaii, because that's what they're called (or the largest of them is anyway.)
Let's check it ahht!...
So, yes. It appears that the sandwich is a food of convenience named after John Montague (1718-1792) the 4th Earl of Sandwich (a spot of land hovering just above Dover in England). The sandwich was probably not invented by him as such, but it seems to have been popularised by him. I'm sure my original information was that it was a hunting snack, but my most recent source indicates that it was a convenience food so as not to interrupt his gambling sessions.
The transitive verb 'to sandwich' does indeed appear to have come from the bready snack - to make into or as if into a sandwich. This is a little disappointing. I'd have loved it if 'to sandwich' was to put something between two other somethingses, and that the Sandwich region was named after that, and that the Earl of Sandwich then 'invented' the bready snack and it was all ironic and stuff...but alas, twas not.
Now, the Sandwich Islands is/are a totally different kettle of fish. Or are they? Ok, it seems that James 'Captain' Cook went on a bit of a sandwich frenzy and named both the islands now known as Hawaii and the islands now known as the South Sandwich Islands, the Sandwich Islands. Are you following? He named these two sets of Islands after his sponsor, and the 1st Lord of the Admiralty, John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich! The 'South' was added to the South Sandwich Islands to differentiate between them and the Sandwich Islands which are now called Hawaii, because that's what they're called (or the largest of them is anyway.)
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Thirsting to death
It struck me that I couldn't think of a liquid equivalent for 'to starve to death'. 'Parch' and 'thirst' don't seem to fit, and certainly aren't in (common) use in the same context as starve. No one I asked at the bar could think of any equivalent. I decided to check it ahhht...
I found a discussion on the same subject online. It petered out before a conclusion was reached. Something interesting I discovered, which has never crossed my mind but which seems startlingly obvious now, is that the word starve comes from the old English 'steorfan' related to the Germanic 'sterben' (to die) and Dutch (Fries) 'sterven' (to die). Thus even to starve to death, at it's root, means to die to death.....which makes it applicable to dying(starving) of thirst anyway.
...kinda.
So, the upshot is that I've not yet discovered or thought of a word which is used like starve (for food) for 'thirsting' to death. Or maybe I have! :o)
I found a discussion on the same subject online. It petered out before a conclusion was reached. Something interesting I discovered, which has never crossed my mind but which seems startlingly obvious now, is that the word starve comes from the old English 'steorfan' related to the Germanic 'sterben' (to die) and Dutch (Fries) 'sterven' (to die). Thus even to starve to death, at it's root, means to die to death.....which makes it applicable to dying(starving) of thirst anyway.
...kinda.
So, the upshot is that I've not yet discovered or thought of a word which is used like starve (for food) for 'thirsting' to death. Or maybe I have! :o)
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
What is the Vatican City categorised as?
This was posed to me at the R&R the other day.
We knew it was some sort of stand alone country, and figured that it couldn't be a principality, since it didn't have a prince....but what is it?
Let's check it ahhht!...
The official name is 'Stato della Città del Vaticano' which translates to 'State of the City of the Vatican'. It is a landlocked sovereign state city within Rome, Italy. The Pope is the head of state; the Sovereign of the Vatican.
We knew it was some sort of stand alone country, and figured that it couldn't be a principality, since it didn't have a prince....but what is it?
Let's check it ahhht!...
The official name is 'Stato della Città del Vaticano' which translates to 'State of the City of the Vatican'. It is a landlocked sovereign state city within Rome, Italy. The Pope is the head of state; the Sovereign of the Vatican.
What ever happened to Pete Willis of Def Leppard?
Michael posed this to me at the Cave last night.
Let's check it ahht!...
According to Wikipedia, Pete Willis was dismissed from Def Leppard in 1983 during the recording of Pyromania and replaced by Phil Collen.
Subsequently, Pete Willis went on to feature in Gogmagog - with former and future members of Iron Maiden - and Roadhouse.
In 2003 he reunited for a show with his school band Atomic mass.
Since 2003 he has not been involved in the music business and has been running a property management company in Sheffield.
Let's check it ahht!...
According to Wikipedia, Pete Willis was dismissed from Def Leppard in 1983 during the recording of Pyromania and replaced by Phil Collen.
Subsequently, Pete Willis went on to feature in Gogmagog - with former and future members of Iron Maiden - and Roadhouse.
In 2003 he reunited for a show with his school band Atomic mass.
Since 2003 he has not been involved in the music business and has been running a property management company in Sheffield.
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