Hello GNHQ

Look on this thread to see Geraldine's reaction to a similar suggestion. 20.52.40 Tues 12th Jan.

And CHEELU - we're joking.

Oh sorry! You've gone small. Well done!

That was supposed to have been a there, not a !

I've ate far too much over Christmas and would like to go small also, perleeze ...[or smaller]

Whether it is the Churchillian V for victory sign, or F off, I think depends which way round your hand is facing at the time but I don't know which way around it is.

Churchill did it with the palm facing outwards. Though what he did in private may have been different.

That little tiny weeny one you put in one of your posts was palm facing outwards, jing, but I don't think you meant it to be....

Cheelu JO5 I very much doubt that Gransnet is ever going to remain a "soft place to fall" and sweetness and light for long thoughout the new year. Perhaps everyone is taking time to regroup for the next row! We have just been playing football in no mans land!

Seriously Cheelu I know you were a little taken aback by the heated discussion which got going when you had first joined.
It will happen, when there is a debate about a controversial issue, some of us thrive on it others do not, there are some issues I stay well clear of.
It is still the case that if someone is in difficulties or upset there is a lot of support here. It is surprising that a virtual ((((hug))) can make a difference.

Oh was it Ana! Your eyes are better than mine.

Nellie Showing the palm was used by Churchill as V for Victory, showing the back of the hand is "up yours" to Hitler (or anyone else)

In many other countries, the single finger means "up yours" and is considered very rude. So is a thumb up in some places, so don't always rely on it to hitch a lift.

the beastly French chopped off the two relevant fingers if they captured any English archers. That,s why we wave at the BF but with the back of the hand

Elegran how do you know so much about it?!

I didn't know about the thumb!!

Confused by the shaking of coffee beans in one advert a while back,where they really shaking coffee beans or calling some one a rude name .....
petallus a girl after my own heart...

Stansgran is right, because the French feared the English archers if they captured one they cut off the two fingers used to draw back the bow. Uncaptured English archers would put up two fingers to the French to show they could still use the bow.

A miss-spent youth, Jings

One draws the bowstring with three fingers.

And longbow archers put all three fingers below the arrow. I think the draw technique that is used by olympic recurve archers (one finger above the arrow) came in with the use of a sight (rather than aiming by eye, as I do) because the 'anchor point' (where you stop drawing the string back) is usually below the chin for the recurve method, and you couldn't have the arrow touching your chin. That would spoil the shot. My anchor point is my cheekbone – as close as I can safely get to my eye, in other words – and the arrow fletching touches my nose.

Glad to hear, though, if anyone else finds some other info about this.