Around the 16th Century, the salutation “god be with ye” was shortened to “godbwye” which became goodbye.
Society
Pyramid workers paid in vegetables
Inscriptions inside the ancient pyramids in Egypt show that part of the workers pay was in beer, onions, garlic and radishes. It is estimated that it probably took 20,000 to 30,000 men, setting stones at a rate of one every two minutes, approximately 20 years to set the 2.3 million Continue Reading
S.P.A.M., SPAM, spam (and lobster thermidor)
SPAM luncheon meat was first produced in the Depression era in the United States (1937), by the Hormel Foods Corporation. It was named by Ken Daigneau who had won a contest (and $100). Ken was the brother of a Hormel Vice-President, but that may be entirely coincidental. Hormel insist that the Continue Reading
The Longest Word
The longest word in literature is the fictional dish described in Aristophanes’ comedy Assemblywomen, written in around 391 BC. λοπαδοτεμαχοσελαχογαλεοκρανιολειψανοδριμυποτριμματοσιλφιοκαραβομελιτοκατακεχυμενοκιχλεπικοσσυφοφαττοπεριστεραλεκτρυονοπτοκεφαλλιοκιγκλοπελειολαγῳοσιραιοβαφητραγανοπτερύγων which is the name of a dish compounded of all kinds of dainties, fish, flesh, fowl, and sauces. which, in the Roman alphabet is written as: Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphioparaomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygo with a rough English Continue Reading
OMG, unfriended. WTF?
Although millennials seem to think they invented text-speak, having no concept of communication such as telegram or morse code, you might be surprised to learn that some of the words associated with social media were in use much earlier than you might expect. OMG In a letter from Admiral John Continue Reading
Why are months so weird?
Calendars throughout history have struggled to be logical and maintain synchronism between the lunar cycle (about 29.5 days) and the solar year (about 365.25 days). Most systems include a bodge factor or intercalary months or days to bring things back into line, with varying degrees of accuracy. Sumerian The ancient Continue Reading
Richard II’s Sausage and Meatball Pie
The Forme of Cury is a cookbook of about 200 recipes written in the 14th Century by “the Chief Master Cooks of Richard II”. Richard II was an unpopular King but he did like a luxurious lifestyle and taxed the peasants to fund it. He was eventually deposed and died in Continue Reading
Epitaph: Sir Isaac Newton
Mathematician, astronomer and physicist, Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 to 20 March 1726/7), is buried in Westminster Abbey, London. The Latin inscription on the base of his monument is translated as: Here is buried Isaac Newton, Knight, who by a strength of mind almost divine, and mathematical principles peculiarly his Continue Reading
Norse Gods nearly every weekday
With the exception of Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the days of the week are named after Norse Gods: Sunday Old English Sunnandæg meaning “Sun’s day”. Monday Old English Mōnandæg meaning “Moon’s day”. Tuesday Old English Tīwesdæg meaning “Tiw’s day”. Tiw (Týr in Norse) is a one-handed god associated with law and heroic glory. Continue Reading