Factoid Nonsense to Mess your Mind

SIX MAJOR FACTOIDS TO CHALLENGE YOU TODAY




Are you an expert playing Jeopardy along with the contestants? Does Wheel of Fortune leave you yawning? Were you a rabid MatchGame watcher back in the 70's??
Then maybe you don't want to read beyond this. You know all this stuff already.......

For those of us whose minds love useless factoids, please allow me to fill your quota for the week.

Q: Why is the expression "Davy Jones" used for the sea?
A: The term is used for the evil spirit that is supposed to rule over the sea. Jones is believed to be a corruption of Jonah.


Q: What is the difference between a gourmand and a gourmet?
A: A gourmand is one whose chief pleasure is eating. A gourmet is a connoisseur of food and wine. The first regards quantity more than quality, while the latter chosses quality rather than quantity.


Q: What does the workd "khaki" mean?
A: The word "khaki" is Hindustani, meaning dust, earth, or ashes. It is applied to dust or clay-colored fabrices, and to a particular cotton material of such color.

Q: Where is "Hell's Half Acre"?
A: This is a fictitious term applied to a number of places where outlawry has held sway, particularly in desert sections of The West. The Geographic Boards has a Hell's Half Acre listed as being on the Niagara River in New York State. There is also one in the so-called bad lands of South Dakota.

Q: Why is a wife often called "the better half"?
A: This term made its first appearance in English literature in Sydney's "Arcadia" (1580), where Argalus says to Parthania, "My deare, my better halfe, I find I now must leave thee." Shakespeare used the term in the sense of a very close and intimate friend.



Q: Why is a hoax or extravagant tale called a Canard?
A: The story was of French origin and was to the effect that a flock of ducks practiced cannibalism, eating one of their number each day, until they were reduced to a single survivor, who, it was contended, had eaten all his companions. The story became common in Paris until when any marvelous tale was told the listener would shrug his shoulders and exclaim, "C'est un canard!" ---"That's a duck!"


So really, folks...that's truly the first Survivor Realty Show!!! The ducks beat us!!!
And these factoids.....a few from 40 pages of wisdom found in a little 1935 booklet by a
Mr. Frederic J. Haskin ....are, amazingly enough, still used today!

In honor of October:



BTW - I need your help.
I and my crew are hosting a major Halloween party.
I want to dress up as a Mad Scientist...but since I can't walk around wearing beakers and tubes....how should I dress???
Do you know of any props that are user friendly and won't limit mobility?

I've got 2 weeks to pull it altogether. This is going to be the last year (3rd) that I'm spearheading this. I want it to be the best for all the kids and parents. Any ideas????? OH, I've made Cat Poop cookies for 2 years....would like to try somthing new as you can only take so much poop....:-)..

Thanks!!

P.s. HOLY CATS!!! Did you see my post before this one? I just noticed ( I like to re-read sometimes)...the first eye-candy AND the cover of The Master are SIMILAR!!! I didn't do that on purpose, HONEST!....oh, this is just too weird.........*giggle*