[Boerseun]

As a spinoff from the Quirky Science thread, here's one on History!

First one:

The fruit symbols on slot machines are there because they were initially designed as 'vending machines' to get past the law! And what you got was different fruit-flavoured bubblegum! And the symbols have stuck till this day.

[Turtle]

The phrase "just joshing you" comes from a guy named Josh plating the new US nickel in 1883 with gold & passing them off as $5 gold pieces. The original coin didn't have the word "cents" on it, just the Roman Numeral V. They stopped production & added "cents". Josh got off with a stern look as he never asked for change or otherwise said "here's five dollars".

[Boerseun]

The term "Black-balling" somebody, or "Being Black-balled", comes from an old Freemasonry practice when electing new members.

Current members would elect a new member by throwing either a white or a black ball in a box, and the new guy become a member based on the difference between white and black balls in the box. In some Lodges a single black ball would be enough to disqualify a hopeful candidate for membership, hence the term "He got Black-Balled".

Told you - history is cool!

[anglepose]

the word "salary" comes from salt wich was used to pay roman slaves as money it was on a programme i was watching today

[Qfwfq]

Uhm, I thought it was the soldiers!

[Darnok]

During the depression, banks first used sellotape to mend torn currency. haha

[Darnok]

and karate actually originated in India. haha

[Michaelangelica]

A silly site

http://www.brainyhistory.com/

m

[Freddy]

The phrase, "lock, stock, and barrel" comes from the parts of the British musket, the Brown Bess.

["Kal"-ee-'for-nyah]

the doctors mob of 1788 was the first riot in american history.