Say 'Skyscraper' and everyone thinks of the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building but it started life as something completely different.
It was an English naval term - a high light sail to catch the breeze in calm conditions.
It was the name of the Derby winner in 1788, after which tall houses became generally called skyscrapers.
Later it was a kind of hat, then slang for a very tall person. The word arrived in America as a baseball term, meaning a ball hit high in the air.
Now its world meaning is a very tall building.
And why am I giving you all these trivia winning facts? I'm trying to keep my brain active. According to health experts (blows loud disgusting raspberry sound) (nomm, raspberries) being obese could not only lead to the usual blah blah conditions costing all the healthy people a zillion zlotniks to keep us alive but now the fatty bombahs are first in line for Alzheimers. I swear if a damn big meteorite hit earth, the last words we'd hear would be, "The fatties did it, the fatties did it!"
Always good to learn something I didn't know about, that is the skyscraper, not the fatties.
ReplyDeleteWe are also responsible for global warming. And inadvertent movements cause tsunamis too.
ReplyDeleteBut I loved the skyscaper trivia. Thank you.
... ditto what Hot Andrew and Ele's Child said.
ReplyDeleteAlways glad to help Andrew, I'll be standing under the meteorite, yelling "Teh gays did it, teh gays did it!"
ReplyDeleteEC, in the old old really old days my lardarse would be revered as a sign of fertility and I would be worshipped and stick insects wearing sumptuous clothes would be sacrificed to me.
Miss O'Dyne, it's almost a year since we met up with his hotness and Lord Scruffness. We must plan.
You've been watching Letters and Numbers :P
ReplyDeleteApparently the Chch earthquake was the fault of gays too. I have not met a gay who was so good in action that he could rattle the earth.
ReplyDeleteJayne, I never watch that, it makes me feel inadequate. I have to add up the shopping list in blocks of four, still think in inches and hate kgs because they make me look so much bigger.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, there are gays in Nu Zeelund? From what you've posted from time to time, you've rattled the earth enough for the whole community.
If a damn big meteorite was to hit the earth, it would be my mother aiming at me. She always had to have the last word.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the skyscraper. I thought it had always meant tall buildings.
mm, odd addictions. you may well droon swoon or drivel over chocolates .. but do. not. post. pics of sailing ships.
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