This is not a transgression in my thoughts, or something lewd... and I rarely will look twice at jokes forwarded to me... but I would like to forward this peculiar piece of historical nautical history for everyone's education and entertainment...
Cannon Balls
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls.
It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was 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 called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations.
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 an improper expression, didn't you?)
Location: Mountaindale- between the Girl Scout Camp and the Nudist Camp :)
Posts: 5,633
Re: Freezing your balls off
Great post Craig (you sure you didn't make that up - No it's to weird and it just makes too much sense not to be true. Why else would that saying have become oh so popular.
THe best part about this post is that I can now use the expression without any guilt soever -it's completely PC :grin:
"Wait - honey - don't be hittin me with that dang purse [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img] It's just a naval saying
Can you getthe history on the Welldigger now?
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Mel
I only WORK (used to be fish)on days that end in y
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.
Very interesting post. Now a test for to your seamen ship. Who had/has more different types of animal names on their ships the US Navy or Noahs ark? :tongue: :grin: [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]
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from John 9:25-27
Whether HE is a sinner or not, I do not know. I do know that I was blind, but know I see.
How can this be?
I have told you, but you did not listen. Do you want to hear it again and become HIS discipel too?
craigc
Freezing your balls off
- No it's to weird and it just makes too much sense not to be true. Why else would that saying have become oh so popular.
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