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Date:         Fri, 24 Sep 2004 09:34:39 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: pretend it's already Friday (was RE: Spare-tire Pan Bolt Spec
Comments: To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <E1CAgpA-00009o-00@smtp03.mrf.mail.rcn.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

In my youth I studied sailing, sailing ships, and naval history extensively. I was fascinated by it all. One of the best books I remember reading was a text called "Your Navy" - a fascinated book on the origins and history of the US Navy.

The term "jury-rigged" has it's origins in the olden days of wooden sailing ships and iron men. I have not thought of the origin of this term in a very long time and cannot remember the details, but it has to do with the repair and use of some of the sailing gear when there has been damage. What comes to mind is temporary rigging out of mast, spars and sails, as might be necessary after losing the same to a storm or a battle. I also seem to recall that there was actually a certain type of sail that was know as a jury sail.

The term "jerry-rigged", is a whole 'nother bear, un-related to sailing, and in my memory - as told by several uncles who fought the Germans (known by GI's as Jerry's - also Gerry's - and pronounced the same I think) in WW II in Germany - "jerry-rigged" was used to be a disparaging term, as in "nigger-rigged" - both of these latter terms used to belittled certain groups of people. The original application of the terms as disparagements has gone out of vogue, fortunately, and today they have totally different meanings.

Regards,

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver

Joy Hecht wrote:

>English question: Should this snip from the email below: > >:::Right now I have a >:::jury-rigged wire holding things up > > >say "jury-rigged" or "gerry-rigged?" or "jerry-rigged?" > >jury-rigged - as in rigging a jury > >gerry-rigged - as in gerrymandering, which would of course be quite >appropriate for this list - Gerry, I mean, not elections. > >jerry-rigged - doesn't relate to anything, I think. Jerry cans? I don't >know what they are anyway. > >Sorry, I'm sometimes a bit of a word geek... In eastern Canada it's already >Friday, I think, even though somewhere west of Minneapolis, where I am right >now (in a rather nice state park at which I am the ONLY camper!), I believe >it's still Thursday. > > > >Joy > >**************************************************************** >Joy Hecht >and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon > >For musings about life and the vanadventures: >http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy > >**************************************************************** > >:::-----Original Message----- >:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf >:::Of gary hradek >:::Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 10:06 AM >:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >:::Subject: Spare-tire Pan Bolt Spec >::: >:::I believe busdepot may have something. >:::gary >:::http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=N90920501 >:::Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 22:48:58 -0400 >:::From: Barry Muller <ekab_muller@SBCGLOBAL.NET> >:::Subject: Spare-tire Pan Bolt Spec >::: >:::Hello All, >::: >:::The other day, while replacing the radiator on my '91 >:::Carat I mislaid, >:::er lost, the bolt that holds the front of the spare >:::tire pan to the >:::frame. Does anyone know the specs of that bolt? >:::Right now I have a >:::jury-rigged wire holding things up. Sure don't want >:::that to fail at >:::highway speeds! >::: >:::Thanks in advance, >::: >:::Barry > > >


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