Tag Archives: Culture

The Bobby Policeman: Why are policemen called Bobbies?

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Lior

England is famous for many things: Double decker red buses, red telephone boxes, soldiers with tall black furry hats and their “bobbies”, (or policemen to the rest of the world!) How did the Bobby policeman get his name?

Posted in Culture, Etymology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Why do we say Do-Re-Mi in music?

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Lior

The classic movie, The Sound of Music made the names of the notes Do Re Mi in the musical scale famous the world over, but have you ever wondered why a note would be called “do”, “re” or “mi”? What … Continue reading →

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Origins of the Piggy Bank: Why do we have piggy banks? A piggy bank history

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Lior

You may have already met Rupert the pig on my donate page. Why a pig of all creatures on my donate page? Because he’s a piggy bank of course! (Well, that and because he gallantly offered to help me promote … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Etymology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Origins of Clapping: Why do we Clap?

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Lior

If you think about it, striking your hands together almost aggressively to emit loud slapping sounds is not an entirely intuitive mark of admiration and appreciation, and yet the clap has served this very role for centuries. So what is … Continue reading →

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Meaning of RSVP: What does RSVP stand for?

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Lior

Since the days of Emily Post it’s been widely known that a prompt reply to an invitation’s RSVP is common courtesy. Whilst many of us are accustomed to seeing RSVP written elegantly on invitations, a surprisingly high amount of us … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Etymology, Weddings | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Why do we say a time of day is AM or PM? What does AM PM stand for?

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Lior

The AM and PM abbreviation is often used to describe the time of day, but what does AM PM stand for? What is the meaning of AM and PM?

Posted in Etymology | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Green St Patricks Day: What is St Patricks day and why do we wear green on St Patricks day?

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Lior

Every March 17th, many places around the globe celebrate St Patrick’s Day with parades, costumes, wearing green, glugging down Irish beer and  generally having some good old craic! Why do we wear green on this day? And more importantly, what … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Culture | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Pancake day history: Why do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Lior

Once a year it is customary to stuff our faces with pancakes. Yes, I’m talking about Pancake Day! Or as it’s more correctly known by it’s Christian name, Shrove Tuesday. But how did “Pancake Day” arise? Why do we eat … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Culture | Tagged , | 8 Comments

History of Valentines Day: Why do we celebrate Valentines day?

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Lior

Valentine’s Day is almost a worldwide phenomenon, celebrating romance and love every February 14th. In spite of celebrating it, many of us don’t really know the origins of Valentine’s Day nor why it’s celebrated. What is the history of Valentine’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Culture, Non-religious Holidays & Festivals | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Why Join the Army?

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Lior

When you hear the word “army”, what comes to mind? The responses you’d get from people vary widely. Some look upon the army as “the best thing that could ever happen to you” whilst others fear it and think of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psychology | Tagged , | 5 Comments