Pagan Village News
August 1, 2005
In this Issue
Silver Spiritwolf
David Clark
Strange & Interesting
Silver Spiritwolf &
Virginia Villarreal
Pagan Gay/Lesbian
Column
Virginia Villarreal
Skye Thomas
David Clark
Spiritwolf
Michelle Sinclair
Michelle Sinclair
Fallon
Lady Valira
Wicca & Paganism versus Witchcraft
Silver Spiritwolf
Silver Spiritwolf
Little Ditties
Strange & Interesting Things You May Not Have Known
Where did that Saying Come From?
By Silver Spiritwolf & Virginia Villarreal
In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was not allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the
rule of thumb"
Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered
into the English language.
The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.
Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
Coca-Cola was originally green.
It is impossible to lick your elbow.
The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...), The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400
The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs -Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in
the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural
causes.
Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?
A One thousand
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey
Q Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law
with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month.
which we know today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them
"Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.
~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow
.
Believe it or not, you can read the following:
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg.The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wo uthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?
The traditional Witches cat is not “black”, but a “Mackerel Tabby”.
An altar to Cernunnos beneath the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was used until the late 1600’s.
The slang for “tying the knot” or getting married comes from the Pagan wedding ceremony of “handfasting” where the couples hands are bound together to symbolize their unity.
The “Witches” pointy hat was actually derived from heresy/witchcraft trials when pointed “steeple” hats were placed on the heads of Witches and heretics in the hopes that this symbol of the church would bring salvation to the poor souls!
During the beginning times of lumberjacking, there were pubs and brothels located near where the skids that the lumber slid down. This is where the saying “Skid Row” came from.
"Whistling up the wind" is an expression given form in the use of an
elderwoood whistle where the Witch calls not only upon
elemental air, but that aspect of air desired--the winds of east, south,
west, or north.
We hope you have enjoyed these little tidbits of information to share with your friends and family. More next issue.
But it does me no injury for my neighbor
to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor
breaks my leg.
--Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782