ORIGINALLY, I ATTRIBUTED THIS PIECE TO MR. BIILL COSBY. I WAS WRONG. HE DID NOT WRITE IT AND I APOLOGISE PROFUSELY. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL HERE IS WHAT SNOPES SAYS ABOUT IT ALONG WITH MR. COSBY'S DENIAL. HERE IS THE CORRECT ATTRIBUTION, AGAIN FROM SNOPES: this article...
"I'm 83 and Tired"
************************************************
 This is my response:
Worth Reading
This should be required reading for every man, woman and child who read Mr Hall's presentation.
"I'm
59 and handicapped and I'm tired."
I'm 59. Except for a brief time in the 1980s, I worked all my life until my physical disabilities made that impossible. I paid my taxes without too much grumbling and didn't expect anyone to take care of me. I'm tired of hearing people, young and old, complaining about giving something back to the society that enabled them to accomplish what they are doing or have done. I'm tired of reading those who are lumping groups of people together and labeling the individuals in those groups as bad because they have severe problems coping with life. There but for fortune go you and I, Bud. I'm tired of Islam being demonised because of the cultural - not Qur'anic - teachings of some adherents. I'm tired of those who regard non-incoming producing adults as parasites without regard to why they are not producing income or what other useful services they may be performing. I'm tired of feeling like a parasite personally, although I know my feelings about myself are mine to handle and don't really belong in this public forum. I'm really tired of listening to uncalled-for condemnation of people who take responsibility for their lives by attempting to change injustices in society. I'm tired of them being disrespected, beaten by police, pepper-sprayed in the face, and called ugly names. I'm tired of those who ignore the facts about discrimination and act as if they rest of us should simply accept these inequities and pretend they don't exist. I'm tired of social Darwinism which condemns the less fit, by society's definition, to lives of unproductive despair with the only possible escapes being drugs or death. I'm really tired of hearing those who have given up written off as subhuman. There but for fortune... I'm tired of hearing older people mouthing platitudes about "What has become of the younger generation?" Every generation has said that about the generation following since the beginning of human history. It's both old and pointless. Most of all, I'm tired of Robert A. Hall ranting and raving and holding himself above everybody else. I will, however, defend to the death his right to do so. Yes, I'm damned tired and really sorry I won't be around to see how our current societal problems will be coped with by the coming generations who will have the benefit of a wider vision and a better education provided by the Internet. I see a glorious and difficult future ahead, as there has always been a glorious and difficult future ahead for our species. Mr. Hall I disagree with your pessimistic assessment; if you're ever in my neighborhood, please drop by and I'll teach you about something called chardi kala. BTW, I am not part of the problem. I AM THE PROBLEM! I disagree with you and I won't shut up. Sure, I will cheerfully send your gloomy, hateful diatribe to others - along with my much more optimistic predictions. Send this on if you wish. It's totally up to you. I won't promise it'll save the world or bring you good luck or make God to smile upon you. I ask only that you include both presentations. They balance each other. |
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
(Robert A.) HALL vs. (Inderjeet) KAUR
Saturday, November 19, 2011
THE CREATION CONTINUED
Please shield this post from the snoopy eyes of all Christian fundamentalists. I don't carry to have the Rev. Huzzit issuing fatwas against me.
******************
THE EIGHTH DAY
"On the eighth day, Yahweh fully rested, resumed creating. He created the PC and the MacIntosh and the Internet and Photoshop and Facebook and a host of other cybercreations, and, lo, He saw that it was very good. And it was evening and it was morning, the eighth day."
Chapter 9
THE INTERNET
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/
******************
THE EIGHTH DAY
"On the eighth day, Yahweh fully rested, resumed creating. He created the PC and the MacIntosh and the Internet and Photoshop and Facebook and a host of other cybercreations, and, lo, He saw that it was very good. And it was evening and it was morning, the eighth day."
Chapter 9
THE INTERNET
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/
ASHA RAP
LYRICS
Asha, my friend
is a wonderful gurl
Sharp as a tack,
Sweet as a pearl.
Open the window
And her flag unfurled
Will throw peace upon
The unwary world
Hair laughingly curled
Goodwill wil be hurled
Jade Buddha will smile
We'll laugh all the while...
'Cause Asha, my friend,
Is a wonderful gurl.
Pearls are sweet
But not good to eat ,
Like a turnip or beet
Or pickled pig's feet.
(But I don't eat meat.)
So sit on a seat
And don't try to cheat
Enjoy the heat
At Jade Buddha's feet
'Cause Asha my friend
Is wonderfully neat
And believes in World Peat.
(OK World Peace, but that doesn't rhyme.)
And peat is good stuff, too.)
Out of ideas but not out of rhyme
Chardi kala means
Let's have a good time
And we won't even have
To eat that darned pearl
And Asha my friend's
Still a wonderful gurl..
From "The Kitteh Loleth Productions."
THAT ONE WORD YOU CAN'T QUITE GET IS "BODHISATTVA." LOOK IT UP.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Surinder Kaur Khalsa Ji
You never know. I once knew an old lady, a "pendu" they called her, uneducated, dull, stupid. She helped her daughter in law babysit children. The kids watched Sesame Street. So did she. She saw other TV shows in English. She told no one, but very soon, she could read and understand English. She still told no one and no one guessed because she was an illiterate, dull stupid pendu...There is much more to her story...
When I first met her, I could not see her; her jyot was too bright for me to see through. She must have noticed that I was blinking and had to look away because when I looked back, I saw only a withered old Sikh lady walking with a cane, welcoming me, whom she had never seen before, as if I were a long-lost sister. She understood no English and couldn't understand my form of Punjabi. Nonetheless we became friends and often went on walks together and watched broadcasts from Darbar Sahib Amritsar on her TV. I often saw her looking at the pictures in the TIME magazines sitting around her home, bought I suppose by her son and his family. Somewhere along the line it seemed to me she was spending an awfully long time looking at one picture when I saw her eyes moving and realised that she was reading. Not only was this illiterate woman reading, she was reading in English. It occurred to me that she understood every word I said to her in English. For a time, I kept this knowledge to myself.
One day, though, I was with her alone, with the rest of the family gone somewhere and I asked her. She smiled a sly smile and said, "Haanji!" An interesting situation. She could read and understand English, but had never spoken it and didn't know how to make the sounds. Likewise, she could read, but not write, having never held a pen. After that, whenever we were alone, I helped her with pronunciation. We never did get to writing because that would leave evidence and she didn't want the others to know or guess the extent of her self-education.
I became ill and didn't go out for several weeks. When I was able to go see her, her grandson told me she had returned to India. I haven't had word of her since then. I know this account raises more questions than it answers, but I think I made my point.
You never know the extent of another's knowledge or education unless they choose to share it with you. And be very careful about looking down on the lowly pendu mai. You never know.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Textile Arts
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| Leopard Hiding In Tree |
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| I forgot I has animated this... |
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| Marley I |
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| Northern Lights |
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| Mother and Daughter - Forever Allies |
Reggae to Tibet - A Journey of Six Minutes
This piece measures about 7.5' X 3' ( that's 229 cm x 91 cm in the civilized world). I made it on 14 gauge interlock canvas using acrylic yarn. (I know that makes purists blanch, but it comes in so many pretty colors and it's cheap.) The frame is faux poIt took me several months of intermittent work to complete.
I would really like to add some reggae and some Tibetan music, if anyone has any of that without copyright issues that I could use for free.
I mean, "The Drums of War" is really pretty good, but it could be better. Speaking of which, the attribution:
FREE MUSIC FROM:
MUSIC4YOURVIDS.CO.UK
Truly Julie's Blues by Bob Lind
Bob Lind's music has been a part of my life since the 1960s. This has always been one of my favorites.
TRULY JULIE'S BLUES
Bob Lind
When you're thirsty and no one will fill your cup for you,
And your well-dressed friends don't want you on their street,
When you are so far down, the gutter looks like up to you,
I will still be kneeling at your feet,
I will still be kneeling at your feet.
When you can't remember where you left your laughter,
And you forget the definition of your name,
When your yesterday sets fire to your ever after,
I'll reach down and pull you from the flames,
I'll reach down and pull you from the flames.
When all the crippled children you give strength too,
Lay their crutches down and walk away,
And you realise that all their mothers hate you,
I'll be there to hear the things you say,
I'll be there to hear the things you say.
When at last your bitter problems all ignore you,
And you've come out clean, everything is done.
And you realise I've been through it all before you,
Come down and walk beside me in the sun,
Come down and walk beside me in the sun.
If you like this song, please visit Bob Lind's website at http://www.boblind.com/
You might also enjoy The Bob Lind Forum at http://www.boblind.com/board/viewforum.php?f=7
Mr. Lind graciously gave his permission for me to make and post this video.
TRULY JULIE'S BLUES
Bob Lind
When you're thirsty and no one will fill your cup for you,
And your well-dressed friends don't want you on their street,
When you are so far down, the gutter looks like up to you,
I will still be kneeling at your feet,
I will still be kneeling at your feet.
When you can't remember where you left your laughter,
And you forget the definition of your name,
When your yesterday sets fire to your ever after,
I'll reach down and pull you from the flames,
I'll reach down and pull you from the flames.
When all the crippled children you give strength too,
Lay their crutches down and walk away,
And you realise that all their mothers hate you,
I'll be there to hear the things you say,
I'll be there to hear the things you say.
When at last your bitter problems all ignore you,
And you've come out clean, everything is done.
And you realise I've been through it all before you,
Come down and walk beside me in the sun,
Come down and walk beside me in the sun.
If you like this song, please visit Bob Lind's website at http://www.boblind.com/
You might also enjoy The Bob Lind Forum at http://www.boblind.com/board/viewforum.php?f=7
Mr. Lind graciously gave his permission for me to make and post this video.
L'Internationale
Marc Ogeret sings all six verses in the original French. On screen lyrics in French and English.
The anthem of the workers, the socialists, the communists, the anarchists and the progressive movement sung as it was written by Eugène Pottier.
I first heard this wonderful recording of L'Internationale, the immortal song of the workers, on the channel of iwanttobelieve. I think the addition of on-screen lyrics and a reasonably good translation will help in the understanding and appreciation of the message that is being conveyed. I can find no sung translation that does justice to the power and the poetry of the original French. I have resisted the temptation of adding pictures so that the words can speak for themselves without distraction. It's worth googling on Marc Ogeret, though; he's pretty awesome-looking.
I was inspired to actually go to the work of putting this together now by the current Worldwide Workers' Rebellion of 2011. I know the definition of "worker" is being stretched to include all of the 99% of us who are not super rich financially. The more the merrier, I guess.
May we live to see the day when the sun will shine always.
Birds And Bird-brains
Amazon parrots are smart. Yes, they really are. If you are to call them bird-brained you're likely to be bited. HARD. OK, even if you don't insult them, you still need to be careful. They do tend to be feisty.
I have tried to potty train my White-fronted Amazon parrot Thuki to poop on command to make life easier for me. She has no interest in making life easier for me and refuses and, I admit, I just don't have the patience (or something) to insist.
All she wants to do is eat pizza and squawk and the the Lady Empress Supreme of the entire universe - and terrorise our little, black Toto dog.
OK, she does jap Naam, or at least repeats "WaheGURU, waheGURU, waheGURU, AAAK, waheGURU"incessantly, much to my amusement and much to the dismay of the neighbours.
Here is a true story from Joanie Doss, who had too much success teaching her Amazing Amazons
the whole potty training thing. Read this only if you want to be a bit amazed and more than a little amused.
BTW, everyone who has ever raised kids or tried to break a bad habit knows that that last line applies to us unfeathered bipeds, as well.
Potty Training
When I had three performing Amazons, I decided it was time they got potty trained. I started with my Nape TJ. I timed his poops so I knew when it was time for him to go potty. I held him over newspaper and said, "Go poop." Since it was time for him to do so, I did not have to wait very long. When he went, I would give him lots of praise. I was surprised one evening when he was in his cage and he told me, "Go poop!" I took him out and held him over some newspaper and sure enough, he had to go "poop". A few weeks later he made me laugh. TJ was watching the other birds. If Blue Front Pepper went poop TJ said, "Good Pepper goes poop." If it were Nape Maggie, he would say, "Good Maggie goes poop." He got the poop behavior down to perfection. One day Maggie and TJ were playing on the top of their cages. At that time all the birds flat top cages were the same height and close to each other so they made a long are for them to play. Maggie and TJ were playing roughly as usual. Pepper was safe in his cage trying to avoid the frisky duo. When The Boys were playing like this, I often interrupted them and ask, "Do you have to go poop?" When they play so hard they forget about telling me about going poop. As Maggie and TJ continued with their wrestling. Maggie became increasingly more aggressive. Suddenly TJ had enough. He jumped up and began running over the top of the cages to get away from Maggie. Maggie chased after him yelling, "Do you have to go poop?" Obviously he thought the only reason TJ stopped their rough housing was to go poop.
Potty training was very successful and a part of The Amazing Amazons' life. It had top priority and I stopped whatever I was doing and go to the bird that told me "Go poop". The performing season started and I felt I no longer needed plastic or paper under their T-stands as The Boys were completely potty trained. It took three performances before I realized I had created a performing nightmare.
Now it might sound good to have all the birds potty trained, but it wasn't long before I needed to untrain this behavior. The birds quickly caught on that when they told me, "Go poop" I would stop everything to take them to do it. Maggie and TJ did not perform as many tricks as Pepper. They got bored waiting for their turns. Then TJ and Maggie found a way to get the attention they wanted. When Pepper was performing, they would yell out, "Go poop". My audience were generally very young children. When they heard the birds do this they laughed and giggled so much it was hard to keep the group under control. I decided that if the birds were going to continue to perform, we had to stop the poop behavior. It was harder to untrain them then to train them in the first place.
from Living With The Amazing Amazons by Joanie Doss, reprinted with the gracious permission of the author.
I have tried to potty train my White-fronted Amazon parrot Thuki to poop on command to make life easier for me. She has no interest in making life easier for me and refuses and, I admit, I just don't have the patience (or something) to insist.
All she wants to do is eat pizza and squawk and the the Lady Empress Supreme of the entire universe - and terrorise our little, black Toto dog.
OK, she does jap Naam, or at least repeats "WaheGURU, waheGURU, waheGURU, AAAK, waheGURU"incessantly, much to my amusement and much to the dismay of the neighbours.
Here is a true story from Joanie Doss, who had too much success teaching her Amazing Amazons
the whole potty training thing. Read this only if you want to be a bit amazed and more than a little amused.
BTW, everyone who has ever raised kids or tried to break a bad habit knows that that last line applies to us unfeathered bipeds, as well.
Potty Training
When I had three performing Amazons, I decided it was time they got potty trained. I started with my Nape TJ. I timed his poops so I knew when it was time for him to go potty. I held him over newspaper and said, "Go poop." Since it was time for him to do so, I did not have to wait very long. When he went, I would give him lots of praise. I was surprised one evening when he was in his cage and he told me, "Go poop!" I took him out and held him over some newspaper and sure enough, he had to go "poop". A few weeks later he made me laugh. TJ was watching the other birds. If Blue Front Pepper went poop TJ said, "Good Pepper goes poop." If it were Nape Maggie, he would say, "Good Maggie goes poop." He got the poop behavior down to perfection. One day Maggie and TJ were playing on the top of their cages. At that time all the birds flat top cages were the same height and close to each other so they made a long are for them to play. Maggie and TJ were playing roughly as usual. Pepper was safe in his cage trying to avoid the frisky duo. When The Boys were playing like this, I often interrupted them and ask, "Do you have to go poop?" When they play so hard they forget about telling me about going poop. As Maggie and TJ continued with their wrestling. Maggie became increasingly more aggressive. Suddenly TJ had enough. He jumped up and began running over the top of the cages to get away from Maggie. Maggie chased after him yelling, "Do you have to go poop?" Obviously he thought the only reason TJ stopped their rough housing was to go poop.
Potty training was very successful and a part of The Amazing Amazons' life. It had top priority and I stopped whatever I was doing and go to the bird that told me "Go poop". The performing season started and I felt I no longer needed plastic or paper under their T-stands as The Boys were completely potty trained. It took three performances before I realized I had created a performing nightmare.
Now it might sound good to have all the birds potty trained, but it wasn't long before I needed to untrain this behavior. The birds quickly caught on that when they told me, "Go poop" I would stop everything to take them to do it. Maggie and TJ did not perform as many tricks as Pepper. They got bored waiting for their turns. Then TJ and Maggie found a way to get the attention they wanted. When Pepper was performing, they would yell out, "Go poop". My audience were generally very young children. When they heard the birds do this they laughed and giggled so much it was hard to keep the group under control. I decided that if the birds were going to continue to perform, we had to stop the poop behavior. It was harder to untrain them then to train them in the first place.
from Living With The Amazing Amazons by Joanie Doss, reprinted with the gracious permission of the author.
Get Mad and Sing!: L'Internationale Sera Le Genre Humain
I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth. Banks are going bust. Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's no one anywhere that seems to know what to do with us.
Now into it. We know the air is unfit to breathe, our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had 15 homicides and 63 violent crimes as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad. Worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy so we don't go out anymore.
We sit in a house as slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster, and TV, and my steel belted radials and I won't say anything."
Well I'm not going to leave you alone. I want you to get mad. I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crying in the streets. All I know is first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm a human being. God Dammit, my life has value."
So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
I want you to get up right now. Get up. Go to your windows, open your windows, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Things have got to change my friends. You've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open your window, stick your head out and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Network by Paddy Chayefsky, 1976.
Reprinted without permission.
Now into it. We know the air is unfit to breathe, our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had 15 homicides and 63 violent crimes as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad. Worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy so we don't go out anymore.
We sit in a house as slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster, and TV, and my steel belted radials and I won't say anything."
Well I'm not going to leave you alone. I want you to get mad. I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crying in the streets. All I know is first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm a human being. God Dammit, my life has value."
So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
I want you to get up right now. Get up. Go to your windows, open your windows, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Things have got to change my friends. You've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open your window, stick your head out and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Network by Paddy Chayefsky, 1976.
Reprinted without permission.
An Interesting English Lesson
for all those who wonder where some English language idioms come from.
I cannot vouch for the veracity of these, but they all make sense. I think they are probably pretty much tongue=in-cheek.
NOW THIS IS A REAL EDUCATION
Where did "Piss Poor" come from?
Interesting History.
They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot
And then once it was full it was taken and sold to the tannery...
if you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor".
But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot...
They "didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature
Isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.
Here are some facts about the 1500s
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May,
And they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell,
Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.
The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water,
Then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children.
Last of all the babies.
By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.
Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath.
It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals
(mice, bugs) lived in the roof.
When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof.
Hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.
This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings
Could mess up your nice clean bed.
Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection.
That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt.
Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery
In the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing.
As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door,
It would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.
Hence: a thresh hold.
(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables
And did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers
In the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day.
Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while.
Hence the rhyme:
“Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old”.
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.
When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off.
It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon."
They would cut off a little to share with guests
And would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter.
Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death.
This happened most often with tomatoes,
so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status.
Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle,
and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky.
The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.
They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around
and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.
Hence the custom; “of holding a wake”.
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people.
So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave.
When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive.
So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.
Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be,
“saved by the bell” or was "considered a dead ringer”.
And that's the truth.
Now, whoever said History was boring!!!
So get out there and educate someone! ~~~
Share these facts with a friend.
Inside every older person is a younger person wondering,
'What the heck happened?'
I cannot vouch for the veracity of these, but they all make sense. I think they are probably pretty much tongue=in-cheek.
NOW THIS IS A REAL EDUCATION
Where did "Piss Poor" come from?
Interesting History.
They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot
And then once it was full it was taken and sold to the tannery...
if you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor".
But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot...
They "didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature
Isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.
Here are some facts about the 1500s
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May,
And they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell,
Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.
The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water,
Then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children.
Last of all the babies.
By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.
Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath.
It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals
(mice, bugs) lived in the roof.
When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof.
Hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.
This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings
Could mess up your nice clean bed.
Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection.
That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt.
Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery
In the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing.
As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door,
It would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.
Hence: a thresh hold.
(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables
And did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers
In the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day.
Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while.
Hence the rhyme:
“Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old”.
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.
When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off.
It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon."
They would cut off a little to share with guests
And would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter.
Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death.
This happened most often with tomatoes,
so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status.
Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle,
and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky.
The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.
They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around
and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.
Hence the custom; “of holding a wake”.
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people.
So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave.
When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive.
So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.
Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be,
“saved by the bell” or was "considered a dead ringer”.
And that's the truth.
Now, whoever said History was boring!!!
So get out there and educate someone! ~~~
Share these facts with a friend.
Inside every older person is a younger person wondering,
'What the heck happened?'
Men And Boys and...
BOYS and MEN
I roached this from someone.
Boys ask questions. Men ask questions and find answers.
Boys play house. Men build homes.
Boys shack up. Men get married.
Boys make babies. Men raise children.
Boys won't raise their own children. Men will raise their own and someone else's.
Boys blame others. Men take responsibility.
Boys invent excuses for failure. Men produce strategies for success.
Boys look for somebody to take care of them. Men look for someone to take care of.
Boys seek popularity. Men demand respect and know how to give it.
Now. How is this?:
Girls ask questions. Women ask questions and find answers.
Girls play house. Women build homes.
Girls shack up. Women get married.
Girls make babies. Women raise children.
Girls won't raise their own children. Women will raise their own and someone else's.
Girls blame others. Women take responsibility.
Girls invent excuses for failure. Women produce strategies for success.
Girls look for somebody to take care of them. Women look for someone to take care of.
Girls seek popularity. Women demand respect and know how to give it.
Zennish Thoughts on Death & Dying
My sheepish karma just ran over your catatonic dogma.
"Remembering that I will be dead soon is the most important
tool I have ever encountered to help me making the big choices in life.
Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all
fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the
face of death, leaving only what is truly important .
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to
avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already
naked; there is no reason not to follow your heart.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by the dogma-which is living with the result of other
people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drown out
your own inner voice".
Steve Jobs
"Remembering that I will be dead soon is the most important
tool I have ever encountered to help me making the big choices in life.
Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all
fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the
face of death, leaving only what is truly important .
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to
avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already
naked; there is no reason not to follow your heart.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by the dogma-which is living with the result of other
people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drown out
your own inner voice".
Steve Jobs
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