Origins - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

GAC · 08-03-2007, 10:44 AM

Have you ever wondered how some of the behaviors, habits, traditions, and phrasology we silly little humans have come to practice and utilize ever came into existence?

It was one of the reasons why I always like George Carlin. He was always coming up with those "intriguing" types of questions after visiting his Toledo Window Box.

For instance....

Who was the first person to ever give somebody the middle finger?

What kind of situation were they involved in where the only reaction they could come up with was pointing their middle finger at them? Why the middle one? And I wonder what that person on the receiving end thought?

Got any more?

Johnny Footstool · 08-03-2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAC

Who was the first person to ever give somebody the middle finger?

What kind of situation were they involved in where the only reaction they could come up with was pointing their middle finger at them? Why the middle one? And I wonder what that person on the receiving end thought?

Robert Wuhl hosted a show on HBO in which he gave a possible origin for the middle finger gesture. According to him, English bowmen used their middle fingers to draw and fire their longbows. Their technique was so deadly that when the French captured these bowmen, they would cut off their middle fingers to prevent them from using their bows. Word of this got around, and after defeating the French in subsequent battles, English bowmen would wave their middle fingers at the retreating French as a sign of defiance -- "I've still got it, ya lousy frog!"

Redsland · 08-03-2007, 11:52 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_(gesture)

Johnny Footstool · 08-03-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redsland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_(gesture)

Fixed that last parenthesis so the link works correctly.

I kind of suspected Wuhl's explanation was too perfect to be true -- why the loss of the middle finger have such a great effect on firing a bow?

durl · 08-03-2007, 12:55 PM

I want to know who came up with the idea of making coffee from beans that had been passed through the colon of weasel-like animals. And was the first person to try it drunk at the time?

I found a wikipedia link with some detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

sonny · 08-03-2007, 01:02 PM

I wonder how smelling salts were invented. I wonder if someone passed out once and they said "Hey, lets get some ammonia under this guys nose!"

macro · 08-03-2007, 01:22 PM

Has anyone ever stopped to think how silly clapping our hands looks?

Red Leader · 08-03-2007, 01:22 PM

Man, there's just tons of stuff I wonder about (this is one of those topics I think about all of the time, yes, I'm weird).

Who was the first person to see a body of water (ocean, lake, river, etc)? What did they think about it? Were they scared of it? Did they touch it? Did they know before hand that they had to hold their breath, or did they think they could breathe if they were submersed in it? Did that same person ever come across hydrochloric acid? What did they think of that?

Who was the first person to realize that something as small as a scorpion could kill you?

Were "tasers" invented as the result of an accident? What was that guys childhood like?

Who was the genius that thought smearing ox musk on you would attrack women? Jovan? (got to say that with the tongue rolling accent).

Johnny Footstool · 08-03-2007, 02:24 PM

Who baked the first bread? How did they happen upon a mixture of ingredients, then happen to decide to heat it?

camisadelgolf · 08-03-2007, 02:34 PM

Who thought it was a good idea to put a baseball team in Montreal?

RedsFan75 · 08-03-2007, 02:38 PM

^^LOL

Who was the first one to decide to eat eggs?

What was the comic line, you want me to eat what, and it came from where!

remdog · 08-03-2007, 02:44 PM

Who ate the first snail, oyster, artichoke, squid, etc.

Rem

Cyclone792 · 08-03-2007, 02:58 PM

When was the first time Adam Dunn struck out in organized baseball? Who was the pitcher? Did the fans at that game boo Dunn back into the dugout?

When was the first time Pete Rose bet on baseball? How much did he bet?

registerthis · 08-03-2007, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remdog

Who ate the first snail, oyster, artichoke, squid, etc.

A cleary deranged individual. Or someone looking to play a practical joke on his or her family.

For that matter, who was the first person to eat an egg?

Chip R · 08-03-2007, 04:43 PM

Who was the first person to tell a Knock-Knock joke and why did they think it would be funny?

08-03-2007, 10:44 AM	#1
GAC What Me Worry? Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Bellefontaine, Ohio Posts: 26,416	Origins Have you ever wondered how some of the behaviors, habits, traditions, and phrasology we silly little humans have come to practice and utilize ever came into existence? It was one of the reasons why I always like George Carlin. He was always coming up with those "intriguing" types of questions after visiting his Toledo Window Box. For instance.... Who was the first person to ever give somebody the middle finger? What kind of situation were they involved in where the only reaction they could come up with was pointing their middle finger at them? Why the middle one? And I wonder what that person on the receiving end thought? Got any more? __________________ "panic" only comes from having real expectations

08-03-2007, 11:52 AM	#3
Redsland You know his story Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 7,713	Re: Origins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_(gesture) __________________ Makes all the routine posts.

08-03-2007, 12:55 PM	#5
durl Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nashvull Posts: 1,743	Re: Origins I want to know who came up with the idea of making coffee from beans that had been passed through the colon of weasel-like animals. And was the first person to try it drunk at the time? I found a wikipedia link with some detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

08-03-2007, 01:02 PM	#6
sonny You're being very UnDude. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,575	Re: Origins I wonder how smelling salts were invented. I wonder if someone passed out once and they said "Hey, lets get some ammonia under this guys nose!" __________________ Witty signature.

08-03-2007, 01:22 PM	#7
macro Just The Big Picture Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: The Bluegrass State Posts: 6,150	Re: Origins Has anyone ever stopped to think how silly clapping our hands looks?

08-03-2007, 01:22 PM	#8
Red Leader Puffy's Daddy Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Centerville, OH Posts: 20,422	Re: Origins Man, there's just tons of stuff I wonder about (this is one of those topics I think about all of the time, yes, I'm weird). Who was the first person to see a body of water (ocean, lake, river, etc)? What did they think about it? Were they scared of it? Did they touch it? Did they know before hand that they had to hold their breath, or did they think they could breathe if they were submersed in it? Did that same person ever come across hydrochloric acid? What did they think of that? Who was the first person to realize that something as small as a scorpion could kill you? Were "tasers" invented as the result of an accident? What was that guys childhood like? Who was the genius that thought smearing ox musk on you would attrack women? Jovan? (got to say that with the tongue rolling accent). __________________ 'When I'm not longer rapping, I want to open up an ice cream parlor and call myself Scoop Dogg.' -Snoop on his retirement Your Mom is happy.

08-03-2007, 02:24 PM	#9
Johnny Footstool Churlish Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 13,664	Re: Origins Who baked the first bread? How did they happen upon a mixture of ingredients, then happen to decide to heat it? __________________ "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

08-03-2007, 02:34 PM	#10
camisadelgolf Vampire Weekend @Bernie's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 11,311	Re: Origins Who thought it was a good idea to put a baseball team in Montreal? __________________ Get MLBtraderumors Reds updates on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reds-R...33794710005587 http://i.imgur.com/1bCKpaH.jpg

08-03-2007, 02:38 PM	#11
RedsFan75 Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 1,509	Re: Origins ^^LOL Who was the first one to decide to eat eggs? What was the comic line, you want me to eat what, and it came from where! __________________ In those things which we commit to practice we can master, and with mastery we have the freedom to use these skills whenever we desire, without this practice we are slaves to our inability.

08-03-2007, 02:44 PM	#12
remdog Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 7,941	Re: Origins Who ate the first snail, oyster, artichoke, squid, etc. Rem

08-03-2007, 02:58 PM	#13
Cyclone792 Playoffs Join Date: May 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 6,233	Re: Origins When was the first time Adam Dunn struck out in organized baseball? Who was the pitcher? Did the fans at that game boo Dunn back into the dugout? When was the first time Pete Rose bet on baseball? How much did he bet? __________________ *Barry Larkin - HOF, 2012* *Put an end to the Lost Decade.*

08-03-2007, 04:43 PM	#15
Chip R Rally Onion! Join Date: May 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 33,214	Re: Origins Who was the first person to tell a Knock-Knock joke and why did they think it would be funny? __________________ The Rally Onion wants 150 fans before Opening Day. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rally-...24872650873160

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