Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 03:37:08 -1000 From: mss@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: "fly a kite" More bugs... ---------------- john campbell--lurker, librarian, kiteflyer here in western colorado. the expression "fly a kite" is a bit intriguing. there are really two expressions "go fly a kite" meaning to go away or buzz off and "fly a kite" meaning to raise money through selling bogus stocks or bonds. wall street uses the word "kite" as a term for worthless securities-- this may come from the bird kite with its forked tail meaning dishonesty and a toothless bill implying worthlessness. it is believed more likely that the word "kite" refers to the things that we all know and love with the implication that the papers (bonds, stocks, etc.) are good only for constructing kites. the relationship between the two expressions is tenuous, at best. the above info is from Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary by Laurence Urdang and others. Gale, 1985. since i'm finally out--any comments on the WhangDoodle--saw one in ITW in boulder. looked fun. would appreciate impressions. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 09:30:49 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Subject: Re: "fly a kite" >john campbell--lurker, librarian, kiteflyer here in western colorado. >"go fly a kite" meaning to go away or buzz off >"fly a kite" meaning to raise money through selling bogus stocks or bonds. Hmmm... I think that "flying a kite" also means trying an idea to see if it catches on - trying to set a new standard of some sort. Andrew -- echo 'andrew@tug.com' | dd bs=20k seek=50000 of=end_of_tape Netiquette-of-the-day: Don't flame. If you must flame, flame by Email. You can FTP the kite FAQ's from ftp.hawaii.edu (directory /pub/rec/kites/faq) The FAQ's include lists of kite stores, kite books, kite plans. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 1 May 1994 11:46:53 -1000 From: salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) Message-Id: <2q180d$614@pobox.csc.fi> Organization: Centre for Scintific Computing Subject: Re: "fly a kite" john campbell writes: >the expression "fly a kite" is a bit intriguing. there are really two >expressions "go fly a kite" meaning to go away or buzz off and "fly a >kite" meaning to raise money through selling bogus stocks or bonds. >wall street uses the word "kite" as a term for worthless securities-- As most of the securities are just bits inside of the computer, KiteFlight should have a lot of potential customers on Wall Street. Simo -- Simo.Salanne@csc.fi STACK Finland = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =