Post #384 - From the Horse's Mouth

Funny how we think of horse's mouths.  There are phrases sprinkled all through American English that reflect our more rural past by referencing that part of equine anatomy.  We say "champing at the bit" when we want to denote someone who is impatiently raring to go (even "raring" is a variant on "rearing," which a horse might do when anxious or spooked).  We say "don't look a gift-horse in the mouth" -- a throw-back to the examination of teeth that would be a part of any prudent pre-purchase inspection of livestock.  But perhaps the most commonly-used expression is "straight from the horse's mouth."  It acknowledges that the beast that bears the burden is the one that should consulted about things like what constitutes an excessive load or whether a hillside is too steep to be safely surmounted.

In Iran, it is not Mr. Ahmadinezhad or the Supreme Leader who are suffering the current sanctions regime.  Let's hear from those who are (courtesy of NIAC):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGdlvfMT7Z8&feature=youtu.be