[Hivemind]If you can read this, you are posting too close
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Mista Collins
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Good morning Hive. I have a little bit of info that might entertain a few of you..
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but they had to find a way to prevent them from rolling about the deck. The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But, if this plate was made of iron, the iron balls quickly would rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey". (And all this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?)
And living up here in Michigan, I know all about it being "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey"
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but they had to find a way to prevent them from rolling about the deck. The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But, if this plate was made of iron, the iron balls quickly would rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey". (And all this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?)
And living up here in Michigan, I know all about it being "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey"
Mista Collins
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Is anyone else out there? I feel as if everyone has left and the only other thing here is that nice tumbleweed that seems to be blowing by.
Timothy
First Post
Hiya Hive!!
Well it's been some time since I was here. I've strated university this year, and to my great surprise I find out "I have even more free time than before!"
So I thought I'd check back in again. I like the changes in layout (pics for topics, shiny!).
But I dicovered the hive is going very slow. l;ast week I had to search to find a hive thread!
Bad times, really bad....
But I'm here nbow, so all should be well.
Well it's been some time since I was here. I've strated university this year, and to my great surprise I find out "I have even more free time than before!"
So I thought I'd check back in again. I like the changes in layout (pics for topics, shiny!).
But I dicovered the hive is going very slow. l;ast week I had to search to find a hive thread!
Bad times, really bad....
But I'm here nbow, so all should be well.
Maldur
First Post
The hive is slow lately, but a lot of the hives activity ended up at www.randomlingshouse.com
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