You might hear have heard this over Canadian radio stations recently…
Monthly Archive for October, 2008
For the hockey expert or even just mere hockey fans like myself:
Photograph by cpt.spock
Q: Who are the Broad Street Bullies?
A: During the 1970s, the Philadelphia Flyers became notorious for their brawling, rock ‘em, sock ‘em style of playing. Since their arena at the time, the Spectrum, was on South Broad Street in the City of Brotherly Love, the Flyers were dubbed the Broad Street Bullies. In the 1970s timid players frightened by the Phillies were said to be overcome with the Philly Flu during the time they spent in Philadelphia. They were no doubt intimidated by the likes of Flyers hard guys such as Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, Andre Dupont, Barry Ashbee, Ed Van Impe, and Joe Watson. However even a great player like Philadelphia centre and captain Bobby Clarke was someone to be feared. After all, he infamously put Soviet superstar Valeri Kharlamov out of commission with a vicious slash to the ankle during the Canada-Soviet Union Summit Series in 1972. The Flyers’ ultra-aggressive playing certainly contributed to the two Stanley Cup championships they won in 1974 and 1975. However, they haven’t won a Cup since the 1970s.
Photograph by aussiegal
Q: How did the dandelion and the daisy get their names?
A: The dandelion and the daisy are both named for a particular physical characteristic. The English daisy, with its small yellow centre and white- or rose-coloured rays, closes at night and reopens
with daylight like the human eye, and so it was named the “day’s eye.” The dandelion, because of its sharp, edible leaves, was named by the French “dent de lion”, the “tooth of the lion.”
Photograph by eye of einstein
Ever watch a movie a thought that it was a waste of time? Well what about watching a pretty bad theatrical performance? There’s an actual word to describe performances that are a flop — turkey!
- by Swami Stream
Q: Why is a theatrical flop called a “turkey”?
A: A “turkey” can describe any person or endeavour that doesn’t live up to its promise, but is most commonly used to describe a bad play. In the late nineteenth century, the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas was the busiest season for the opening of new plays, just as it is now for movies. This hurried effort to catch the tourist trade served up disappointments with the same tedium as the turkey served for dinner between the two holidays, and so they were called turkeys.
