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Back in 1980 the town of Port Hope on the shores of Lake Ontario suffered a devastating flood when the Ganaraska river swollen by pitched rains rampaged through town. And ever since the townspeople have been celebrating the recovery with a little crazy defiance - its known as Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny.

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When the kayaks, canoes and crazy craft take to the river on Float Your Fanny day, a casual observer might be forgiven for assuming that Port Hopers really just know how to make the most of a good thing - that a river runs through it.

C'est Please, Walsh Mountain Ironworks, Port Hope Lampworks and Monogrammes will be giving 50 per cent of their proceeds to the Humane Society.

Notice, by the way, the blue and white "H" on this map showing where hypothermia victims should go. Sadly, it's now a seniors' residence. The only battle Port Hope has ever lost.

[ 04 April 2008: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

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Originally posted by Doug:
I choose to read this with the British meaning.

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:

Fanny, meaning "bum," yes, of course. What's the other meaning?

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Originally posted by farnival:
how i went my whole life with british parents not knowing that i don't know.

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Fanny is a diminutive form of such names as Frances, Euphenia, and (my favorite) Myfanwy. It became popular in the 17th century, and saw its decline in the 19th century. This decline was probably due to the name becoming slang for "bottom" or "backside" the dictionary notes (you think?). It goes on to write, the name's popularity probably also decreased due to a notorious murder of a little girl named Fanny Adams in 1860's. "Sweet Fanny Adams" became a euphemism to mean "nothing at all." Now, if you know your Elizabethan English, you recognize that "nothing" was a slang term for "vagina" - as in Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing is a clever way to say "a lot of hoopla over some pussy" (makes you glad i don't write poetry). So by putting the old euphemism of the word "nothing" meaning vagina and the new "euphemism" of Fanny meaning "nothing at all" you get "fanny," a slang term for vagina!

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[ 07 April 2008: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:

...Must be Cockney...

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well, goh luva duck. oyve nevva erd me dad say that Ivva, an he's a cockney too.

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Originally posted by farnival:
reminds me of the crazy bathtub races from Nanaimo to Vancouver.

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(If the picture doesn't come up, right click on it and click "show picture.")

[ 08 April 2008: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

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Originally posted by triciamarie:
I've heard that about Australia. They have a lot of fun laughing at tourists with their "fanny packs".

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