Education

**Done_Fishin** · 05-11-2008, 03:38 AM

THINGS YOU LEARN BY ACCIDENT

You learn something everyday...here's your lesson:

Manure: In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became 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 see 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 term 'Ship High In Transit' on them, 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 ' , (Ship High In Transport) 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 golf term.

**Glaswegian** · 05-12-2008, 05:37 AM

No offence DF, but this does sound like you're taking the manure...

**Done_Fishin** · 05-12-2008, 08:56 AM

at least I'm not taking the P

**ashumann12** · 05-12-2008, 05:55 PM

Well what do you know, I just learned something!

05-11-2008, 03:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Born in London, England, Living in Athens, Greece Posts: 4,733 OS: Win ME, Win XP Pro SP3, Ubuntu 7.04, Mepis 6.5 My System	Education THINGS YOU LEARN BY ACCIDENT You learn something everyday...here's your lesson: Manure: In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common. It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became 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 see 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 term 'Ship High In Transit' on them, 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 ' , (Ship High In Transport) 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 golf term. __________________ D_F

05-12-2008, 05:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
Glaswegian Moderator/ Rangemaster TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team; Oor Wullie; TSF Surgeon and Resident Comic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 20,727 OS: Win XP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 9	Re: Education No offence DF, but this does sound like you're taking the manure... __________________ Iain - Defender of the Haggis and all things Scottish. I don't help by PM - post in the Forums. Ad-Aware::SpywareBlaster::SpyBot::SpywareGuard::SnoopFree::AVG Free::HOSTS File::HijackThis::Donate::5 Steps For Infected PCs

05-12-2008, 08:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Born in London, England, Living in Athens, Greece Posts: 4,733 OS: Win ME, Win XP Pro SP3, Ubuntu 7.04, Mepis 6.5 My System	Re: Education at least I'm not taking the P __________________ D_F

05-12-2008, 05:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
ashumann12 Life is a zero sum game Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alabama-usa Posts: 3,792 OS: Vista Ultimate SP1 (64bit) My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Education Well what do you know, I just learned something! __________________ Adam Sr.