What is your favourite city in the world?

[trackend]

Needless to say being a nipper, he didnt get any!

Another old navy saying (a nipper) in the days of sail a powder monkey would be in charge of coiling the anchor rope. every few feet a thin line or nip would be tied around the rope to fix the coils together so as the powder monkeys where rarely above the age of ten nippers became associated as the name for a young boy and for moving quickly about to tie the rope (nipping about) . You probably knew that already
what a mine of totally usless information I am.

 

[Medvedya]

Most of it is interesting though! Okay, I know it's nautical, but where does 'Three sheets to the wind' come from?

 

[trackend]

Sheet is a name for the line that controls the foot or bottom of a sail (its the throttle) a square rig has two sheets most others have one the term used to be free sheets to the wind not three sheets to the wind if you let go of the sheet the sail is no longer under control ie falling all over the place the word free ended up being barstardised too three

 

[Nonskimmer]

Okay, I know it's nautical, but where does 'Three sheets to the wind' come from?

A "sheet" in the days of sail referred to the ropes used to secure the corners of sails to the booms. I'm guessing the expression has square sails in mind, and "three sheets to the wind" would mean one was loose or missing. The sail would flap about wildly and uselessly, like a drunk staggering.

It's something along those lines.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Ah, trackie you beat me this time!

 

[Medvedya]

Ah! One that I know myself is that the word chatting comes the slang word for louse (a chat) in the First World War.

Tommies would run a match along the seams of their tunics to burn the lice, which would explode with a satisfying pop - they did it in their time off and would talk to their mates as they worked. Hense the term!

 

[Nonskimmer]

I didn't know that one.

 

[Medvedya]

Another odd thing was that the Jerries 'Chats' were red, and the Tommies were brownish coloured.

 

[trackend]

neither did i Med

 

[trackend]

must have been the superior German discipline and training that produce
storm lice . I mean even Hitler had Lice Fuhrer Goring

 

[Medvedya]

I think you're right - look at the Germans efficient technique seen here!

 

[trackend]

Ah the joys of soldiering

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thats why I just shave my head when I am deployed to harsh conditions.

 

[ariel81]

there's lot's of beautiful citys in the world,but none can compete with the beauty and magic of JERUSALEM

 

[Pisis]

Prague and Yerushalaim.

 

[ariel81]

never been to prague but they say that is very beautiful,maybe sometime y will visit prague

with god help y will move to jerusalem,to the university,in october

 

[Gnomey]

There are lot's of nice cities around the world I mean I could choose St Petersburg, Moscow, Paris, Edinburgh, Valleta, Dar Es Salaam, they are all nice places, but dunno I just kind of like London for some reason

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Id still have to go with Frieburg, Stuttgart, Munich, Ansbach, Nurnberg in Germany , Prague in the Czech, or Rome or Florence in Italy.

 

[Pisis]

Nürnberg is obviously wonderful. And so is Regensburg! In fact, I like German stadts very much.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes Regensburg is beautiful. I enjoyed Prague very much. I think it is a beautiful city. I have not been there though since right before the floodings.