Trivia and Amazing Facts 25-02-08

• The word "snorkel" comes from the German word Schnorchel, which was a tube used by German submarine crews in WWII. The subs used an electric battery when travelling underwater, which had to be recharged using diesel engines. The engines needed air to run. To avoid the hazard of surfacing to run the engines, the Germans used the schnoerkel to feed air from the surface into the engines.

• India ink (sometimes called "Chinese ink") was not known until recently in either China or India.

• During the bubonic plague of London, the city was sealed off to avoid contamination. This meant no food was permitted in. The only people willing to trade with London were the Dutch, who left food on jetties and then would take the money left there. They used to steel their nerves with liquor before landing on the plague-infested shores, hence "Dutch courage." To this day, the Dutch still have the freedom of the river Thames, which was granted as a reward for their courage and kindness.

• The verb "traduce" means to say untrue or malicious things about someone or something; if you have been "traduced," you have been slandered or vilified.

• Papaya leaves and unripe papaya have an enzyme called papain that breaks down protein in meat to make it tender. That's why papaya can be used as a meat tenderizer.

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