Imagine a rope that extends around the entire circumference of the world. Were that rope to be lengthened so that it extends a metre above the ground all the way round, that rope will only need to be lengthened by 6.28 metres.
Yup I'm imagining it... Just pictured the rope burning up in the atmosphere...
@ForeverAddickted You've lost me there. The rope wouldn't be moving, let alone moving fast, so why would it burn?
At the 1972 Olympics in Munich Mark Spitz competed in seven races in seven days. He won seven gold medals and claimed seven World records too.
At the time it was thought this swim genius may never be beaten. This of course is the nonsense spoken after every special performance. The thing that fascinates me is how the women are closing in on his times.
Okay, time for my favourite. The phrase "at sixes and sevens" meaning in disarray and apt for describing the club's SMT.
While probably originating from a game of dice, it's current meaning derives from over a hundred years of bickering between two of the medieval Livery Companies that were established in London. They include The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors (Tailors) and The Worshipful Company of Skinners (Fur Traders). With both receiving their charter in 1327 but with no proof as to exact date. The precedence of the companies was set in 1515, but these two companies disputed their positions and a compromise was agreed by which they exchange sixth and seventh place each year, at Easter.
Meanwhile, in recent years, more guilds have been added. There's one for pilots for example and another for chartered accountants. No doubt the "Car Park Four" are all members of The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (full livery granted in 2008 and number 108 on the list of precedence).
A very large Weatherspoons in Bexleyheath. Also the original name for the Dartford Warbler. A little bird that you are unlikely to see in Bexleyheath … or Dartford for that matter. I could go on, but I fear that I’ve lost you already!
The Dartford Warbler is a heathland bird. It was named the Dartford Warbler because a)its a warbler and b) it was described when being on observed on Bexley heath.
At the time Bexleyheath was common grazing land, which created the heath, and the nearest settlement was Dartford.
I remember being told many years ago that the reason the umpires signal a four and a six in the way that they do in cricket comes from when village cricketers played on clearings and greens, often surrounded on some sides by trees. When a boundary was hit, the ball would invariably go into these trees, so the umpire would indicate to fielders retrieving the ball, roughly where it went. For a four they would indicate that it was between "there and there", while for a six he would indicate that it went over "between those two trees."
This could be an urban myth of course, and I'm happy to be shown that it is one, but I really hope it isn't because I think it's a cracking explanation!
There are are no roads called a road in The City of London.
I'm a bit late here but Goswell Road is in the City
Good call. Since a boundary change in 1994. But it's only a small section of the eastern side that's in the City as the boundary runs up the middle of the road. So, it's only half of a bit of a road really, not a whole road.
Further research on the interweb indicates that the reason for this strange situation with the City is that "road" as a word did not come into use until circa 16th century (Shakespeare?) and, of course, all the City streets pre-dated that. The word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, rad, from ridan, to ride and the Middle English, rode or rade, a riding or mounted journey. It means usually a rural way as contrasted with an urban street which originated in the Latin strata via, a way spread or paved, with stones. It seems the old Scottish usage means raid and can still be seen used today in the word inroads. (Apparently!)
"Up and down the City Road, In and out the Eagle, That's the way the money goes. Pop! goes the weasel"
Though of course being 'City Road' would indicate that it's a road to the city rather than in it. It's not far away though in neighbouring N1.
Ooh. another interesting thing. The weasel is not an animal that has blown up! But either a spinner's weasel (a tool) or possibly slang for a coat. To pop means to pawn. So having blown his wages getting rat -arsed and buying some basic food commodities, the poor unfortunate in question is forced to pawn his working tools. The City Road is outside the CoL boundary (just).
All this talk of weasels has made me think of another animal based one. The use of the word beaver to mean fanny comes from Tudor times. In those days people were prone to catching lice and the best insurance against them was to shave your pubes off. Rich people would wear pubic wigs, merkins, to cover up their bald areas. The must luxurious merkins were made of beaver fur.
All this talk of weasels has made me think of another animal based one. The use of the word beaver to mean fanny comes from Tudor times. In those days people were prone to catching lice and the best insurance against them was to shave your pubes off. Rich people would wear pubic wigs, merkins, to cover up their bald areas. The must luxurious merkins were made of beaver fur.
where is the "sentences you'll never see on Charlton life" thread
All this talk of weasels has made me think of another animal based one. The use of the word beaver to mean fanny comes from Tudor times. In those days people were prone to catching lice and the best insurance against them was to shave your pubes off. Rich people would wear pubic wigs, merkins, to cover up their bald areas. The must luxurious merkins were made of beaver fur.
Gold. "Good delivery" gold bars are (nearly) always shown upside down in movies.
In reality, they are stored like this:
The reason is obvious really. They are heavy. A gold bar weighs 12.4 kilos; 27.33 lbs in old money. If you moved this stuff for a living and had to get your fingers under the edges in Hollywood you'd soon end up with knackered fingers. The sides slopping down make it easier to pick them up.
So, that leads on to The Italian Job cliff hanger. (Note the gold is upside down.)
I don't know, how many bars? That little lot would have gone straight through the floor of the coach, never mind the balancing act.
The Bank of England only owns two gold bars. These are in its museum. They let you lift one, which is fun (and free). All the other gold in the vaults is kept for others. As at March 2017 it held 163,358,000 fine troy ounces; which is 408,395 bars. The floor is especially reinforced. Here's what they look like. The old lady's handbag was a little heavier after she left.
Gold. "Good delivery" gold bars are (nearly) always shown upside down in movies.
In reality, they are stored like this:
The reason is obvious really. They are heavy. A gold bar weighs 12.4 kilos; 27.33 lbs in old money. If you moved this stuff for a living and had to get your fingers under the edges in Hollywood you'd soon end up with knackered fingers. The sides slopping down make it easier to pick them up.
So, that leads on to The Italian Job cliff hanger. (Note the gold is upside down.)
I don't know, how many bars? That little lot would have gone straight through the floor of the coach, never mind the balancing act.
The Bank of England only owns two gold bars. These are in its museum. They let you lift one, which is fun (and free). All the other gold in the vaults is kept for others. As at March 2017 it held 163,358,000 fine troy ounces; which is 408,395 bars. The floor is especially reinforced. Here's what they look like. The old lady's handbag was a little heavier after she left.
I reckon she got caught trying to pinch one and had to quickly put it back as to the left or her hat, there is an upside down bar.
I have never given any chemical treatments (frontline etc) to any of my dogs for fleas nor do I brush their teeth. Two of the biggest earners for vets, yet natures own treatments are almost free and not surprisingly vets won't tell you about them.
Gold. "Good delivery" gold bars are (nearly) always shown upside down in movies.
In reality, they are stored like this:
The reason is obvious really. They are heavy. A gold bar weighs 12.4 kilos; 27.33 lbs in old money. If you moved this stuff for a living and had to get your fingers under the edges in Hollywood you'd soon end up with knackered fingers. The sides slopping down make it easier to pick them up.
So, that leads on to The Italian Job cliff hanger. (Note the gold is upside down.)
I don't know, how many bars? That little lot would have gone straight through the floor of the coach, never mind the balancing act.
The Bank of England only owns two gold bars. These are in its museum. They let you lift one, which is fun (and free). All the other gold in the vaults is kept for others. As at March 2017 it held 163,358,000 fine troy ounces; which is 408,395 bars. The floor is especially reinforced. Here's what they look like. The old lady's handbag was a little heavier after she left.
I reckon she got caught trying to pinch one and had to quickly put it back as to the left or her hat, there is an upside down bar.
He did. It's just a storage facility for others. For example, when the South African Reserve Bank held sway over the South African gold producers all production was channelled through SARB. As a consequence, there was a regular SAA gold flight into London. SARB says it still holds 4mn fine ounces. So my guess would be that 10% of the gold held at the BoE belongs to SARB.
I heard that if you melted down all the gold that we've dug up, and stored it in swimming pools, we would only need three olympic pools to do so. That was on QI I think.
Comments
The tricky bit is uncoiling the buggers
Tottenham court road.
At the time it was thought this swim genius may never be beaten. This of course is the nonsense spoken after every special performance. The thing that fascinates me is how the women are closing in on his times.
(Yes, I can be found in the kitchen at parties).
While probably originating from a game of dice, it's current meaning derives from over a hundred years of bickering between two of the medieval Livery Companies that were established in London. They include The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors (Tailors) and The Worshipful Company of Skinners (Fur Traders). With both receiving their charter in 1327 but with no proof as to exact date. The precedence of the companies was set in 1515, but these two companies disputed their positions and a compromise was agreed by which they exchange sixth and seventh place each year, at Easter.
Meanwhile, in recent years, more guilds have been added. There's one for pilots for example and another for chartered accountants. No doubt the "Car Park Four" are all members of The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (full livery granted in 2008 and number 108 on the list of precedence).
At the time Bexleyheath was common grazing land, which created the heath, and the nearest settlement was Dartford.
When a boundary was hit, the ball would invariably go into these trees, so the umpire would indicate to fielders retrieving the ball, roughly where it went. For a four they would indicate that it was between "there and there", while for a six he would indicate that it went over "between those two trees."
This could be an urban myth of course, and I'm happy to be shown that it is one, but I really hope it isn't because I think it's a cracking explanation!
Further research on the interweb indicates that the reason for this strange situation with the City is that "road" as a word did not come into use until circa 16th century (Shakespeare?) and, of course, all the City streets pre-dated that. The word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, rad, from ridan, to ride and the Middle English, rode or rade, a riding or mounted journey. It means usually a rural way as contrasted with an urban street which originated in the Latin strata via, a way spread or paved, with stones. It seems the old Scottish usage means raid and can still be seen used today in the word inroads. (Apparently!)
Though of course being 'City Road' would indicate that it's a road to the city rather than in it. It's not far away though in neighbouring N1.
In reality, they are stored like this:
The reason is obvious really. They are heavy. A gold bar weighs 12.4 kilos; 27.33 lbs in old money. If you moved this stuff for a living and had to get your fingers under the edges in Hollywood you'd soon end up with knackered fingers. The sides slopping down make it easier to pick them up.
So, that leads on to The Italian Job cliff hanger. (Note the gold is upside down.)
I don't know, how many bars? That little lot would have gone straight through the floor of the coach, never mind the balancing act.
The Bank of England only owns two gold bars. These are in its museum. They let you lift one, which is fun (and free).
All the other gold in the vaults is kept for others. As at March 2017 it held 163,358,000 fine troy ounces; which is 408,395 bars. The floor is especially reinforced. Here's what they look like. The old lady's handbag was a little heavier after she left.