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martin griffith
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quietguy
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 Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: OT: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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Since we are a little more sophisticated here in Oz, we use the more
gentile term of 'freeze the balls off a pawnbrokers sign' :-)
David
martin griffith wrote:
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Richard Henry
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"Ken Taylor" <ken123@xtra.co.nz> wrote in message
news:Zvphf.3466$vH5.197843@news.xtra.co.nz...
| Quote: | "martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
martin
Ah, yes indeedy! It's one of those great bits of mindless trivia one can
bring up at a party, usually to shock those of 'sensitive disposition' who
don't like the thought of the other connotations.
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Some years back, I wzs reading a book on World War I that I bought at a
used book store. One of the sections on soldiers' life included the lyrics
to a song popular among them:
Do your balls hang low? Do they swing to and fro?
Can you tie 'em in a knot? Can you tie 'em in a bow?
Can you throw 'em o'er your shoulder like a Continental soldier?
Do your balls hang low?
Imagine my surprise when I heard my kids' elementary school chorus sing
their version, Do Your Ears Hang Low?, with no attribution to the original.
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Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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Roger Hamlett wrote:
| Quote: | However there was a 'brass monkey' on ships. The monkey, was a particular
type of cannon, and some were brass, so there may be an origin there. The
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Are you referring to a shot-garland? |
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Ken Taylor
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Ah, yes indeedy! It's one of those great bits of mindless trivia one can
bring up at a party, usually to shock those of 'sensitive disposition' who
don't like the thought of the other connotations.
It's finally coming in to summer here - we've had fantastic weather for
about 2 weeks, very conveniently usually only raining at night (it almost
always rains in Auckland - summer is just warmer and hopefully it rains only
at night!). Winter was particularly cold this year - I think it got below
10C a few times. :-) In the meantime I'm getting my house painted and the
guys are going great guns - the poor old place hasn't had a coat for a few
decades and looks much better for it.
Cheers.
Ken |
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Adrian Jansen
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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Walter Harley wrote:
| Quote: | "martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
Nice story, but BS. http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.htm points
out some of the many flaws. One more flaw they don't mention: where did all
those "brass monkeys" go? How come you can't find any pictures of 'em, and
they don't turn up in antique stores?
Sorry!
Even the nay-sayers dont get the pretty obvious fact that at most the |
differential contraction would move the indentations in the monkey a few
thou, certainly not enough to spill the balls from any practical holder.
--
Regards,
Adrian Jansen adrianjansen at internode dot on dot net
Design Engineer J & K Micro Systems
Microcomputer solutions for industrial control
Note reply address is invalid, convert address above to machine form. |
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Walter Harley
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Nice story, but BS. http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.htm points
out some of the many flaws. One more flaw they don't mention: where did all
those "brass monkeys" go? How come you can't find any pictures of 'em, and
they don't turn up in antique stores?
Sorry! |
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Roger Hamlett
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"Walter Harley" <walterh@cafewalterNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:DtOdndv_c9DFrRveRVn-uw@speakeasy.net...
| Quote: | "martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
Nice story, but BS. http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.htm
points out some of the many flaws. One more flaw they don't mention:
where did all those "brass monkeys" go? How come you can't find any
pictures of 'em, and they don't turn up in antique stores?
Sorry!
Yes. People in the 'know', reckon that the story is fiction. |
However there was a 'brass monkey' on ships. The monkey, was a particular
type of cannon, and some were brass, so there may be an origin there. The
earliest records, actually have the phrase as 'freeze the tail off a brass
monkey', rather than the balls, making the 'source' even more unlikely to
be this.
Actually, storage plates for cannon balls do exist, but they are rare, and
rather like a pastry tray, rather than the collar design visualised for
the 'brass monkey' story. These were used on some land forts, where a
small supply of balls could be placed under cover, without having them
rolling away. These do turn up in antique stores.
I is a nice story though. :-)
Best Wishes |
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martin griffith
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 13:27:58 -0800, in sci.electronics.design "Walter
Harley" <walterh@cafewalterNOSPAM.com> wrote:
| Quote: | "martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
Nice story, but BS. http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.htm points
out some of the many flaws. One more flaw they don't mention: where did all
those "brass monkeys" go? How come you can't find any pictures of 'em, and
they don't turn up in antique stores?
Sorry!
Dammit Walter, I was trying to see if the monkeys were Republican or |
blue nose Dolphins, and you had to come up with the facts :-)
Anyway I did say "apparently".
But back to trying to figure out a (coherent) reply to your audio
headroom question earlier, I have my opinions, but I'l let the guys
fight over it for a while
martin |
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Genome
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Wrong, they didn't have internet in those days so there is no way the phrase
could have originated from that link.
DNA |
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martin griffith
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 22:42:48 GMT, in sci.electronics.design "Genome"
<ilike_spam@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
| Quote: |
"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
martin
Wrong, they didn't have internet in those days so there is no way the phrase
could have originated from that link.
DNA
Capt. Bloodnock etc had semaphore, codes and telescopes, the internet |
is a mere extension of the british empire
martin |
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Genome
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:m0hco1d93qoin524fi2tm198t64d83iv3j@4ax.com...
| Quote: | On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 22:42:48 GMT, in sci.electronics.design "Genome"
ilike_spam@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
martin
Wrong, they didn't have internet in those days so there is no way the
phrase
could have originated from that link.
DNA
Capt. Bloodnock etc had semaphore, codes and telescopes, the internet
is a mere extension of the british empire
martin
|
Sure, but by the time they semaphored....
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm....
The sailors would have thought..... 'Fuck this, it's cold, let's go
downstairs (or whatever the nautical term is for it)
DNA |
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Ken Taylor
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:
Re: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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"Richard Henry" <rphenry@home.com> wrote in message
news:6jshf.19052$xu.13082@fed1read01...
| Quote: |
"Ken Taylor" <ken123@xtra.co.nz> wrote in message
news:Zvphf.3466$vH5.197843@news.xtra.co.nz...
"martin griffith" <martingriffith@XXyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fc7co19c6q1sgv3jpb80otlku1rnf0sanp@4ax.com...
Britain is facing a cold spell, and possible gas shortages so "freeze
the balls off a brass monkey" is a commonly used phrase.
Apparently this is where the phrase originated
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/cold_enough_to_freeze_the_balls_.htm
martin
Ah, yes indeedy! It's one of those great bits of mindless trivia one can
bring up at a party, usually to shock those of 'sensitive disposition'
who
don't like the thought of the other connotations.
Some years back, I wzs reading a book on World War I that I bought at a
used book store. One of the sections on soldiers' life included the
lyrics
to a song popular among them:
Do your balls hang low? Do they swing to and fro?
Can you tie 'em in a knot? Can you tie 'em in a bow?
Can you throw 'em o'er your shoulder like a Continental soldier?
Do your balls hang low?
Imagine my surprise when I heard my kids' elementary school chorus sing
their version, Do Your Ears Hang Low?, with no attribution to the
original.
Well, I can guess why there was no attribution! :-) Like they say, there's |
nothing new under the sun.
Cheers.
Ken |
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kell
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 9:07 am Post subject:
Re: OT: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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quietguy wrote:
| Quote: | Since we are a little more sophisticated here in Oz, we use the more
gentile term of 'freeze the balls off a pawnbrokers sign' :-)
Get some Jews down there so you don't have to rely on gentile language. |
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Paul Burke
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: OT: How to freeze the balls off a brass monkey |
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martin griffith wrote:
Etymological myth sadly. If such a small change (differential brass/
iron 7ppm/K: about 0.1mm for a 10" ball from the tropics to the arctic)
were enough to upset the stacking of the balls, they wouldn't last long
in a mild swell.
And what we call a "cold spell" in the UK would be a heatwave in other
parts of the world...
Paul Burke |
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