Read this you will be smarter...

[NCC-1701]

Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes
have buttons on the left?

When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily
by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push
buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Why do ships and aircraft use 'mayday' as their call for help?

This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning 'help me' -- and is
pronounced approximately 'mayday.'


Why are zero scores in tennis called 'love'?

In France, where tennis became popular, round zero on the scoreboard
looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf,' which is French for 'egg.' When
tennis was introduced in the US, Americans (mis)pronounced it 'love.'


Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write,
documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.


Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the
buck'?

In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck,
from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did
not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would 'pass the buck'
to the next player.


Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering
him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became
customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of
the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host's glass with his own.


Why are people in the public eye said to be 'in the limelight'?

Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theaters by
burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theater, a
performer 'in the limelight' was the center of attention.


Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?

Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain
with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine,
that person is floating well above worldly cares.


In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from?

When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King
of France, learned that she loved the Scots game 'golf.' So he had the first
course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was
properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she
returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the
practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounce 'ca-day' and the
Scots changed it to 'caddie.'


Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?

Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange
clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the
jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.


Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches
(milling), while pennies and nickels do not?

The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold
and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the
precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the
metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

[Yerf Dog]

Originally Posted by TxAg

I'm too lazy, anyone snopes those?

Spot checked a few. Seems to check out.

[Chris Fowler]

Originally Posted by Yerf Dog

Spot checked a few. Seems to check out.

Better than yesterdays, at least.

[jaxgator]

Interesting.

[Loco Vette]

Additionally, men's coats have the button on the righ so that back in the day a right-handed swordsman could draw his sword (usually hung on the left side) more expeditiously.