Just in case you ever wondered about this...

S. H. I. T . . . A True Story

Manure: In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas.

As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen.

Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening!

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T " , (Ship High In Transport) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word.

Neither did I . . I had always thought it was a golf term!!

I'm not too particular about whether a story like that is true or not. I spent a lot of time with my Grandpa as a kid and he was a real story teller. He told me that it really doesn't matter if the story is true or not as long as it's a good story.

Sorry. Not true. If you read it on the internet, it's *probably* a load of S.H.I.T.

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/s.h.i.t.asp

Ok, that sucks. The URL was just censored.

Here's the same URL again - just time, take out the periods in the offending word and it will work.

Or, just go to http://www.snopes.com and do a search for S.H.I.T.

Oh I get it! S.H.I.T must past the DoDo test before one can swallow. Long before the methane issue and ships exploding, the term S.H.I.T. already had a long smelly and ugly history in the literary world. It was used to associate people in the most negative and degrading ways possible. Their looks (Uglier than S.H.I.T., S.H.I.T. face ugly) are matched to few woman and men that seems to fit that definition for sure. Also a persons foul fragrance, (Smells Like S.H.I.T., etc.) example: Downwinders, after a day of fishing, while handling Sandshrimp, catching and cleaning fish, drinking beer and eating cheetos, having sex with ugly women in waders, while both are wearing neoprenes. Smells like teen spirit.... not! A persons worth (worthless piece of S.H.I.T.) is also often reduced to a smelly pile O poop.

Thanks for the added enrichment for the many fans of S.H.I.T.