Sunday, September 14, 2014

237 Quiz Answer


“High Hopes”
Just what makes that little old ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can't
Move a rubber tree plant
But he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie
In the sky hopes
So any time you're gettin' low
'Stead of lettin' go, just remember that ant
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant


(Also for ABC Wednesday: "J" is for "Japery")
Chairman: Our next speaker is Berowne, the noted scholar-philosopher and Professor of Insect Analytics at U.L.A., the University of Lower Alabama.

He will speak today on his favorite topic: “Our Friends the Insects.”

Berowne: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  People often ask me, why did you get so interested in insects?

Well, the answer is simple: they’re fascinating.  For one thing, they’ve been around a long time; it is estimated a hundred thirty million years or so.

It’s natural to be interested in creatures that were spoiling picnics a hundred and thirty million years ago. 

I refer to them as formicidae, and they include wasps, ants and bees.   Let’s examine one of these small beasts carefully.  Could I have the first slide, please?

You’ll notice his remarkably thin waist.  I understand this comes from the situp exercises he performs almost every day.


Pay special attention to his antennae; they are elbowed.  Think of it.  He has elbows on his antennae.  Scientists to this day do not understand the purpose of this; possibly he isn’t too sure of it himself.  

Next come the mandibles, lower down, which allow him to chomp away at just about everything.  It’s the male of the species who has mandibles; the female has womandibles.

 

These creatures are capable of carrying many times their own weight, though complaining all the while.  Scientifically speaking, they are animals who are eu-social, which means they like to live with, hang out with, others of their kind.

We, you and I, are also animals who are eu-social; we like to hang out with others, though not so much with formicidae.  

Now.  To deftly change the subject, let’s say you’ve been working for the same corporation for the past thirty years – seems like seventy, doesn’t it? – and you’ve retired. 

In previous years the company would give a gold watch to a retiree, but the economy being what it is they instead decided to give you this:  

It wasn’t a gold watch but that’s okay because it looked great in your living-room.

It never occurred to you that your friends the insects might cause a problem.  You were sure that tiny formicidae would never be able to harm such a huge plant.


Well, you were wrong. J              

While reading the foregoing japery, you may possibly have been reminded of a popular song of a few decades ago.

What was the song?                                          

(The answer will be posted Saturday.)

 

22 comments:

Kathe W. said...

hoo boyo- this is a hilarious switch on your part! I am just guessing but could it be the Ants Marching song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xozQnsGkHJ4

naturgesetz said...

High Hopes (which I didn't think of until you told me I was supposed to think of a song).

Berowne said...

A very good guess, but not quite the right song.

Berowne said...

Naturgesetz has stepped up with the first correct answer.

Kathe W. said...

I've got "High Hopes" that is the answer?

Anita Sabat said...

Interesting post.
No idea about the song though :)

Roger Owen Green said...

I had no idea, but the last picture suggested High Hopes, the Frank Sinatra song.

Berowne said...

Kathe W changed her mind and came up with the right answer.

Berowne said...

Roger Owen Green is the latest to know the correct answer.

Silent Otto said...

Monty Pythons "always look on the bright side of life "
Cheers Berowne

Karishma Shetty said...

Hahaha! Hilarious how you talk about insect anatomy through exercises and such. Very cool

Helen said...

Has a great beat ~ AND Dave Matthews ... Ants Marching?

Altonian said...

If that is a picture of a rubber-tree plant then the song would be 'High Hopes', I would think, probably wrongly.

Berowne said...

Altonian, tho thinking his answer was incorrect, was absolutely right.

Gail said...

I can hear the song but the words and name escape me. I will think of it in the middle of the night!

I enjoyed this immensely. Thanks.

Berowne said...

So glad you enjoyed it, Gail. Thanks so much.

Reader Wil said...

This is a very nice and playful entry about insects. Ants are very interesting. I once heard that they are very attentive, caring and helpful to each other. Some scientists did some experiments on ants. They buried an ant under a thin layer of earth from which the ant wanted to escape. He actually produced a cry for help and this made some other ants coming to rescue him. They dug him out.The sound they made was intensified so that humans could hear them.
I am sorry that I have to confess that I don't know any songs about ants!
Wil, ABCW Team

Indrani said...

No clue about the song :( I like how you included 'J' in this. :)
Happy ABCW!

Carrie Van Horn said...

No answers only smiles....love this Berowne!

Berowne said...

I think deep down, Carrie, I actually may prefer the smiles to the answers. :-)

ChrisJ said...

I'm writing my comment again because I'm not sure it went through. So my answer is "High Hopes" sung by Frank Sinatra

Berowne said...

Another right answer, this one from ChrisJ.

 
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