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seamus, ayrshire

19th November 2017, 12:31
Interesting fact about manure. In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything for export had to be transported by ship.

It was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments of manure were quite common. It was shipped dry because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet; but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas.

As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles - you can imagine what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the instruction Stow High In Transit, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this "volatile" cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus, evolved the term 'S H I T', (Stow High In Transit) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word. Neither did I. I had always thought it was a golfing term.
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jazzgirl

19th November 2017, 13:12
Hi Seamus
I have to say that the above has been circulating on facebook for a few years and has been declared "false" .

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-origin-of-the-s-word-4055710

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seamus, ayrshire

19th November 2017, 15:15
Thanks jazzgirl. I don't do Farcebook and don't have any iThingies so am probably out of the loop on this.
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jazzgirl

19th November 2017, 15:25
It was quite amusing though, Seamus :)
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rusty

16th July 2019, 11:28
I thought I'd "bump" this thread as there's some good stuff on it!
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rossim

10th July 2020, 13:57
One year later I thought I'd post something!

Why do wet wipes come out of the packet in twos when you only want one?
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grunger

11th July 2020, 21:29
Rossim

I always need more than one so I dont mind
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