| Paying tax for the BEARD !! | ||
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More often than not
the beard has been associated with strength and masculinity. However,
it has had a long and varied history. Down the ages it has been in
vogue on various occasions and at times it has been considered as
distasteful and uncivilized. Did you know that Alexander the Great
ordered his soldiers to shave as a precaution against being seized by
the beard in the battle? In 1705, a law in Russia made shaving
compulsory. The Russian Emperor Peter the Great charged a tax from the
people who did not shave. |
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| Who wrote "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"? | ||
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| Catch up with Ketchup | ||
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The Ketchup needs no introduction. A favourite accompaniment for all snacks, children just love its tangy-sugary blend. However, today's version of the ketchup is quite different from its original form. The original ketchup was actually a tangy sauce of pickled fish, shellfish and spices popular in China in the 17th century. English sailors discovered it in the 1700's in Malaya and brought it to England. Since the typical ingredients were difficult to find, many variations were tried with flavours like walnut, lemon, anchovy. Tomatoes were introduced in the ketchup, when Henry J. Heinz began producing it and the red sauce caught on in a big way. |
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No birthday party is complete
without the usual chorus of "Happy Birthday to you". It is
the one and only birthday song that accompanies the cake-cutting
ceremony on all birthdays. The story of how the song happened goes
back to the Hill sisters - Mildred and Patty, who penned down the
original song titled "Good Morning to All". Mildred even
used her musical talent to provide the musical score for it. Years
later, Robert H. Coleman added a second verse, the familiar
"Happy Birthday.." to the Hill sister's original song.
Ironically, this addition popularized the song and eventually replaced
the original title. The Hill sisters later fought for the legal rights
of the song and are now entitled to the royalties from it worldwide.