Proverbs, sayings, and other expressions are commonly used every day! They're words that are so familiar, however, that their real meanings have been either lost or confused over the years.

For instance, who hasn't wished to be "as free as a bird"? However, our feathered friends are not carefree. In fact, most birds are pretty anxious creatures with a lot of responsibility.

When someone says,"One bad apple spoils the barrel," it means that no matter how good you are, if someone bad enters your soup, it's going to be spoiled. While this may not hold true for all people, it does for apples. When an apple starts to rot, it produces a chemical called ethylene that causes the apple to decay. The other apples in the barrel detect this chemical reaction and begin to produce their own ethylene, causing all the apples to spoil.

"All that glitters is not gold." Anyone who has even seen pyrite, or fool's gold, knows this to be true. Has it ever really rained "cats and dogs"? In 1984, during a rainstorm, part of London was covered with fish that fell from the sky, but never any cats or dogs.

Has anyone ever told you that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"? Don't take this advice too seriously. Yes, apple do contain a good supply of vitamins and minerals, but they have virtually no medicinal effects!

In this unique and interesting reference guide, you'll be able to determine if your favorite saying "rings true" or not. By the way, genuine coins do soud different from counterfeits!

Jim and Jean Anton have been writing and illustrating for many years. Their column "Dr.Crystal" ran as a weekly for seven years. They started out their publishing careers writing and illustrating editorial cartoons at the Brooklyn Phoenix newspaper and at The Villager newspaper. Both these weekly editorial cartoons were given "Best Editorial Cartoon" awards for two years in a row. The Antons are originally from New York but spent 10 years travelling in South America, Europe, and the Middle East. They now call Phoenix, Arizona, their home.

Find out which of your favorite everyday sayings make sense and which are complete nonsense, with this offbeat, fun reference guide.

Every page gives you a new appreciation of such proverbial phrases as:

*"ring true" (yes, genuine coins do soud different from counterfeits)

*"cold-blooded" (no,warm-blooded animals are just as ruthless killers as snakes and lizards)

*"blind as a bat" (no, bats not only get around in the dark by sonar, they also see well in daylight)

*"Don't count your chickens before they hatch" (yes, chickens lay more eggs than they expect to hatch since their chances of survival are not very good)

And there are 99 more, with many humorous cartoons that supply even more fun!

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