Mechanical Engineering Solution
It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The best storage method devised was to stack them as a square based pyramid, with one ball on top, resting on four, resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon.
There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called a Monkey. But if this plate was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make Brass Monkeys.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, you thought that was a vulgar expression, didn't you?
There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called a Monkey. But if this plate was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make Brass Monkeys.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, you thought that was a vulgar expression, didn't you?
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a funny read true enough but complete hogwash nonetheless 0 -
Ok Heff, that was a good one, but where did "Colder than a witches tit" come from? 0 -
dp,
I believe it had to do with my first wife!0 -
Actually, the expression came from the Titch family, renowned for their TOTAL and complete lack of humor. Known widely to be consumate sourplusses, and doom-and-gloomers, their family proclivity for somberness gave rise to the expression- "Colder than a Titches wit". And yeah, the brass monkey is a good story. Not true, but good. 0 -
Dheff: givette here. you've been challenged...(by two posters). Defend yourself[:D]
I, personally have nothing to refute your story. So, I'm going to regard the "brass-monkey" story of yours as the most plausible, until some sort of validitation to the contrary comes along.
What say ye, those who claim it as false??? Best, Joe
EDIT: Thanks, KEVD18. Always willing to absorb knowledge. Best, Joe0 -
http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp
sorry it doesnt allow you to copy anymore0 -
Speaking of a "witches tit" - I actually knew two of them once - connected together by a witch in the middle.
A sign that a woman was a witch. it was standard practice during the witch hunts in europe and the americas to strip the accused during an arrest and interrogation, and search her body for any suspicious-looking marks. moles, warts, birthmarks and scars were often mistaken for witch's tits; sadly, these alone were often all the 'evidence' needed to condemn the accused.
Once a suspicious mark was found, it was pricked with a bodkin (witch pricker). if the mole bled, the accused was human. if it did not hurt, the woman was a witch. and yes, some witch finders used retractable bodkins so that they could collect more "bounty." it's a wonderful world.
Why were extra nipples a sign of being a witch? it wasn't just because of the obvious freakishness factor. in those days witches were thought to be handmaidens of the devil. the devil in turn would send them animals, called familiars, to protect and serve them. most familiars would suck on extranummary teats present on the witch's body, presumably for nourishment.
... see if Snopes agrees!0 -
quote:Originally posted by givette
Dheff: givette here. you've been challenged...(by two posters). Defend yourself[:D]
I, personally have nothing to refute your story. So, I'm going to regard the "brass-monkey" story of yours as the most plausible, until some sort of validitation to the contrary comes along.
What say ye, those who claim it as false??? Best, Joe
EDIT: Thanks, KEVD18. Always willing to absorb knowledge. Best, Joe
Nothing to defend for me. It was a copy and paste from an email. I don't know if it's true, but I doubt it is, I posted it because it's funny![;)]0 -
Okay then. Who invented the precursor to the modern wrisWar on Terrorch?
Alexander the Great.
For Alexander the Great to be able to carry out his assaults with precision and accuracy they had to be timed just right. One of his inferiors found a stone that changed color depending on the time of day. The soldiers began to carry the stone and soon attached it to their arms with rags. This became know as Alexanders rag time band.0 -
Mechanical engineers primarily deal with Kinematics and thermodynamics so this type of storage rack would fall under the preview of an industrial engineer, an engineering disipline in which there are several fields. As I am sure my friend icexracer will happily point out, mechanical engineers design things to move and not to sit. Frankly, this story smacks of the old Ship High In Transit tale. 0 -
Yeah, but if you act like you know what you are talking about and the timing is right, it sounds gooooooooooood. My wife hates it when I tell her a tale and don't square it away rather quickly. She'll be out there telling it as gospel and I have to tell her then. Bless her heart, I love her more than humanly possible. 0 -
I like the term Fornication Under Consent of the King as in the origin of the mother of all curse words. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by kristov
Mechanical engineers primarily deal with Kinematics and thermodynamics so this type of storage rack would fall under the preview of an industrial engineer, an engineering disipline in which there are several fields. As I am sure my friend icexracer will happily point out, mechanical engineers design things to move and not to sit. Frankly, this story smacks of the old Ship High In Transit tale.
Having a BSME I can tell you, static mechaincs are part of the course and study. That being said, see my post above. I didn't post it because I thought it was true, I posted it because I thought it was funny.
Also, Manufacturing Engineering and Industrial Engineering didn't exist at that period in time, it was all covered in Mechanical Engineering, or better yet, just Engineering, though your statement would be mostly true in todays world.[;)]0 -
In the study of animals....
a grouping of horses is a "remuda" of horses.
a grouping of geese is a "gaggle" of geese.
a grouping of crows is a "murder" of crows.
a grouping of whales is a "pod" of whales.
a grouping of fish is a "school" of fish.
In the study of medicine....
a grouping of proctologists is a "shaft" of proctologists.
In the study of pharmacy....
one hundred diuretics is a "centipeed" of diuretics.
BaddaBing!!![:D] Joe0 -
Interesting, also got a history lesson on cannon balls[:D] 0
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