tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203060864831422242024-03-20T18:48:33.815-04:00Savage ReflectionsHello. My name is Berowne. This is my personal blog -- hope you like it.Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-71442290817090480532015-12-27T21:47:00.000-05:002015-12-27T21:47:11.632-05:00Final ActDear Followers of Berowne's "Savage Reflections." I'm very sorry to have to inform you that my father, John Savage, passed away on December 26, just a week shy of his 94th birthday. He had been in poor health for some time, but he always did everything he could to prepare his Sunday posts, which went up like clockwork. His blog stories and puzzles, and especially the camaraderie of the community of those who followed them, were extremely special to him, so I'd like to thank you for being an important part of his life in recent years. I know he would not want you to feel sad for him, as many of you know through his stories what a rich life he had. If you think of him please remember the warmth, intelligence, and humor of his exchanges with you on this site. Please feel free to post any thoughts or comments, or to e-mail me directly at savage@lehigh.edu. With heartfelt thanks and best wishes, John Savage (Berowne's son)Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-82522104312870144382015-12-20T04:55:00.000-05:002015-12-22T06:14:12.580-05:00Berowne's 299<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: sienna; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Also for ABC Wednesday: "X" is for exasperation.)</span><br />
<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All my troubles seemed so far away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But problems then showed up, as if to
stay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Though I believed in --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Suddenly…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Something came to live in my hard
drive,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A nasty virus that was real, alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: sienna; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No word of warning, just about midday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I never will forget that –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I called my faithful old computer guy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This time, it seems, he had an alibi:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He’d just left for his holiday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact, he’d just left --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I like to think I’m good as blogging host,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But then I couldn’t even send a post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The virus knocked my ‘pewter for a loop;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My very blog began to sag and droop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But now it’s fixed, all set to meet and greet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tho I won’t soon forget the disarray<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And all the mess that happened –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Forgive the exasperation. As
the above indicates, Berowne had a little problem; hopes to be back to normal
next week.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-74607079425740717362015-12-13T04:09:00.000-05:002015-12-19T06:18:52.177-05:00298 Quiz Answer<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="background: #FAF8F5; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.7pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16.0pt;">The play is “The Tempest.”
Prospero lives on a remote island and along with him is a slave of his
named Caliban, who is sort of a half-man and half whutizzit. Caliban was born on the isle (his mother was
a she-devil, and you what <i>they’re </i>like)
and he is one of the most debated figures in all of theatrical history. Is he just a belligerent monster or is he
worthy of our sympathy? Some say this play
was Shakespeare’s cogent comment on the excesses of colonialism.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "W" is for "worker")</b></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "bradley hand itc"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s
another scenelet that should remind you of a well-known play. Which play?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "bradley hand itc"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I appreciate your seeing me on such short notice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, it’s a pleasure; we don’t get many visitors
on the island. In fact, you’re the
first.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“It’s a fascinating operation you’ve got here. Let me introduce myself. My name is Thomas Pilbeam, of the I L O.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Is that like the A F of L?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Sort of. I L
O stands for the International Labor Organization. You can spell ‘labour’ with a ‘u’ or
without.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Good to know.
But I guess I don’t understand why you’ve come here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“The I L O is working hard to protect domestic
workers around the world. Domestic workers often work excessively long hours, without
breaks, days off or holidays. The pay is often very low, with wages frequently
delayed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“It sounds like you’re doing fine work,
which I certainly support. But again,
what does any of this have to do with me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“You have domestic workers, do you not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“I don’t know where you got your info,
but you couldn’t be more wrong. This is
a very small island. I live on it and I
run things but I have no domestic workers, if by that you mean someone to cook
and clean and so on. There’s just one
man, my assistant. He does odd jobs…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“And he is paid?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“Of course. When I first hired him he was living wildly
on the island with no job, no money, nothing.
Now he has employment, a place to stay and regular meals. That’s pay, and good pay too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’m afraid that the I L O would
disagree with you on that. He would be
the type of tense worker who has no legal protection, someone excluded from legal
legislation.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">“But you don’t understand all the things
I’ve done for this guy! He was vengeful at first, living
like a savage – a cannibal, practically - and I taught him language! You ought to hear how he has learned to
cuss!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">(The answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 11.5pt;"> </span></div>
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Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-59924560847921667002015-12-06T05:13:00.000-05:002015-12-09T05:04:02.796-05:00Berowne's 297<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "V" is for "vanished.")</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "bradley hand itc"; font-size: 22pt;">Berowne has
no quiz this week; instead - a Love Story.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I had sat at the typewriter for over an hour, trying to figure out
what to write. (This happened back in the days before ‘pewters.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I had received an extraordinary letter. It was from a man up in Rhode Island, a man I
had known in the old days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It was a delicate matter; I had known him and also known his wife,
back before they were married. I had
known her, actually, rather well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">In his letter he said she had left him and he thought I might be
able to help him find her. The problem of what to write was suddenly solved
because the phone rang. Since he hadn’t
received an answer to his letter he decided to call me directly. He got right to the point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">"Reason I wrote you, you went with her for a year or so back
then, before we got married."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“A year or so? It was
actually a few months. And ‘went with
her’ isn’t really accurate; we were friends.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“That ain’t what I heard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“So, well, anyway, how is Marilyn? Okay I hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Marilyn? You don’t even remember her name. It’s Maureen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Oh, right. You know, it was a long time ago; I was just out of
college. I don’t remember everyone I
knew in those days.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Well, as I wrote you, she left. Just got up and left. Vanished."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Yes, I was sorry to read that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“It got me upset; my whole family is upset. It even got<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>her</em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>family upset. A married woman. My wife. Just up and leaves. Anyway, I thought you might help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Sure, if I can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Here’s the thing. If she
should ever contact you – you know, call on the phone to talk over old times or
whatever – could you tell her that what she really ought to do is go back to
her husband. And then let me know where
she’s staying. It’s important I find out
where she’s staying.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Why do you think she left?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Who knows? Maybe she just
don’t like Rhode Island.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“She told me, way back when she was first talking about getting
married, that she felt vulnerable, that you weren’t – well – all that nice to
her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“That’s baloney. As her
husband, I worked hard, fifty hours a week sometimes, to get her whatever she
needed. You can’t be much nicer than
that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“But, you never – I’m just trying to figure out why she left --
you never abused her, never hit her or anything like that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">His voice was resonant with anger: “What’re you -- a shrink or somethin’!? I didn’t call you to get a lecture! I’m a husband from the old school.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> My whole family, we know how to treat
women.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Well, I’m sorry I can’t be of much help. But I'll go along with you; if I should ever
hear from her, I’ll tell her to go back to her husband. Goodbye.”
I hung up the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Was that him?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Yes. I just hope he stays
up there and doesn’t come down here to our placid life in New York. As I remember, he was a pretty big guy. I’d be inclined to avoid a confrontation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“Yes, we’ve got to be careful. When I mentioned divorce, he said
he’d kill me first.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">“And that would mean me second. I can just picture my possible obituary - guess this is what they call living
dangerously. But it’s worth it, Maureen, to have you with me again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-76445297881873645222015-11-29T04:53:00.000-05:002015-12-05T04:45:37.407-05:00296 Quiz Answer<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="background: #FBFBFB; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The film is
“Chinatown.” In 1937 Los Angeles
detective Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by a woman claiming to be a
Mrs. Mulwray to spy on her husband. Shortly after Gittes is hired, the real
Mrs. Mulwray appears in his office threatening to sue if he doesn't drop the
case immediately. Gittes pursues the
case anyway, slowly uncovering a vast conspiracy centering on water management,
state and municipal corruption, land use and real estate, and involving at
least one murder.</span></div>
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "U" is for "unfaithful")</span><br />
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our quiz question
is about movies this week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because of certain
stories that are very much in the news these days, I got to thinking of a
motion picture of some years back that has been described as a classic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In some ways it was
your typical detective story. Our hero,
a private investigator – we’ll call him “J” - is contacted by a woman who would
like to know if her husband has been wandering over to the cheating side of
town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rather banal and
routine; another adultery case, usually not too profitable for a private
eye. Unless, of course, the characters
involved, the angry woman and the adulteristic hubby, happen to have a lot of
money and influence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Which they have. The male, in fact, is one of the most
powerful and influential people in the entire region. “J” begins to think he may have latched on to
something big. Big cases mean big
billable hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He lackadaisically follows the
gentleman about. This has him attending
various commission meetings and wandering in the hinterlands, for some reason
visiting reservoirs and dams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He also manages to take
an intimate picture of the unfaithful husband with a friend, a nubile
young woman of a blonde persuasion. A nude photo and its juicy story make newspaper headlines all over the place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With publicity like
this, “J” figures he has it made. All
kinds of new business should come pouring into his office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What actually did come
pouring in was surprising.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A woman claiming to
be the man’s wife – his real wife – shows up with her lawyer preparing to sue “J”
for slander and defamation of character, among other things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It seems the gal
who originally hired him was <i>pretending</i>
to be the wife, all of which has our private eye, and probably a lot of the
film’s audience, pretty solidly confused.
Along the way there’s a murder, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As for the makeshift motivation of the film, “J” learns that in this part of the country the word
“gold” was spelled with five letters – W. A. T. E. R. – and in his state that was
a substance more valuable than oil or diamonds.
(It’s about that again today.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Surely you remember
the movie now. What was its title?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: #F6F6F5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(The answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i><span style="background-color: #f6f6f5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f5; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-35272268552516053712015-11-22T05:18:00.000-05:002015-11-28T04:25:58.022-05:00295 Quiz Answer<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The novel is “Great Expectations,” by Charles
Dickens. Pip, a poor orphan boy,
experiences something amazing: an eccentric woman named Miss Havisham arranges
to have his education and other expenses all paid for secretly. Pip vows to be eternally grateful – until he
learns that it was actually someone else, not Miss H., who had put up the
money.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "T" is for "trust fund")</span><br />
<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "bradley hand itc"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
following scenelet should remind you of a novel by an illustrious, world-famous author. Name the novel</span>.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I realize I’ve said this before, but I promise to
pay you back. It’s just gonna take a
little longer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“A little longer!
You’re already two months overdue!
When I loaned you that three hundred bucks you said I’d have it back in
a month.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“But look at the situation I’m in. I’ve got to study like crazy or I won’t
graduate, and my job only pays a lousy ten bucks an hour.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“In other words, it's habitual; you never intended to pay me back."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, actually, I guess that’s right. I feel bad about it. Tell you what, let me suggest this. Isn’t there something you need to do – some
chore or other - and you hate to do it?
You could turn it over to me and I’ll handle it for you. I could pay you back that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Looks like I’ll never see any actual cash. But wait a minute. There <i>is</i>
something… I think you might be able to
handle it. You’ve heard of Miss Trent?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Miss Trent?
Sure, everyone in town knows about her.
Wait a minute; what are you getting me into here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Relax; it’s nothing dangerous. I owe her bigtime so I visit her on a regular
basis. However, I’m sort of tired of
having to do it so often, so you do it.
Won’t be hard; all you have to do is visit an old lady for me and chat
with her in a nice gentlemanly way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“But Miss Trent?
From what I’ve heard she’s, well, weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“No question, Miss Trent is an unusual character but
that isn’t important. All you have to do
is tell her I don’t feel well this week so I’m sending my best friend to visit
for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I don’t know about this. Why do you have to visit her anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, long story short, way back when I was a kid
things were tough financially. Miss Trent did something that was like a miracle. In total secrecy she created a special trust fund
that paid for my education and just about everything else.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“That’s kind of amazing. Around town she has a jumbled reputation as a
skinflint. Anyway, I guess I could
handle the visit okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Good. Remember,
that act of generosity was a secret and it’s still a secret. So don’t mention that while you’re talking
with her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“If it was such a secret, how could you be sure
she’s the one who put up the money?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday) <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-59919576290086009322015-11-15T07:02:00.000-05:002015-11-18T07:54:48.353-05:00Berowne's 294<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "S" is for "shrewish")</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No quiz this week.
Instead I got to thinking about the enigmatic play we dealt with a couple of weeks
ago: “The Taming of the Shrew.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s strange that a work like this has been
performed so often in our time; the feminist revolution of the past century or
so would seem to have rendered portions of the play – shall we say, faulty?
– for today. But there have been plenty
of staged productions, as well as Broadway musicals and major motion pictures
(“Kiss Me Kate,” for example). Somehow
modern audiences seem to enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s the story.
Kate is angry. She has quite a
bit to be angry about. She’s the eldest
daughter, but she feels she has always been treated as second-rate while her
younger sister, Bianca – who is regarded as more beautiful as well as “nicer” –
receives attention and admiration from everyone. So Kate has become sharp-tongued and
quick-tempered and has been known to throw stuff about during a tantrum.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As we mentioned earlier, the father, Baptista, had
the problem all fathers of that era had: he must find suitable husbands for his
daughters. He felt that it was important
that Kate, the eldest, be married first, So Baptista’s rule was, no one could
court (or marry) Bianca until Kate was married.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That’s the situation when our hero, Petruchio,
arrives in town, openly planning to get married.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, Kate is available, but locals warn him that
the girl is impossible. However Petruchio,
who can be as loud, boisterous and eccentric as Baptista’s oldest daughter,
disregards everyone who warns him of her shrewishness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">When
he goes to Baptista’s house to meet Kate, they have a tremendous duel of words.
Katherine insults Petruchio repeatedly, but he tells her that he is going to
marry her whether she agrees or not. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Hearing
this claim, Kate is strangely silent, so the wedding is set.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">One
gets the feeling that deep down, Katherine rather likes the idea of marrying
this brash young man.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Petruchio
does all kinds of wild stuff to prove he’s the boss.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">He shows up at the wedding under the
alfluence of inkohol while wearing outlandish clothes, and he plays tricks on
his new wife.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Today’s audiences tend to
feel a bit uncomfortable during all this; it is clearly abusive behavior.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">But
it’s the final sequence that is the hardest to take.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Petruchio has succeeded in taming the shrew. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">His wife has changed greatly; she has become
passive and submissive.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">When he orders
her to drop what she’s doing and come to him, she practically grovels when she replies:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">“What
is’t your honour will command wherein your lady and your humble wife may show
her duty and make known her love?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Petruchio
replies: “Kiss me, Kate, since thou art become so prudent, kind and dutiful a
wife.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">So
we are left with a question.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Is the play
titled “The Taming of the Shrew” an indication of what William Shakespeare
thought an ideal wife should be to have a good marriage?</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Or is the play actually his attack on the
hypocrisy of the customs and values of his time?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Your
opinion?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-8759342959040211222015-11-08T05:21:00.000-05:002015-11-14T05:42:04.591-05:00293 Quiz Answer<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Will Shakespeare’s dad, John Shakespeare, had quite a
career. Beginning as an illiterate
farmhand, he became skilled at the foul-smelling craft of tanning hides as well
as a successful glover, then moved through the Board of Aldermen to ultimately
become the mayor of the town of Stratford.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 29px; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 29px; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 29px; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">ABC Wednesday: "R" is for "redolence")</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand itc"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Question:
who’s this “John” person they’re talking about?</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Come in, sit down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This shouldn’t take too long.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I appreciate the chance to talk with you about this, sir.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sorry I don’t have good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True, there is an opening on the Board of
Aldermen, but your friend just isn’t qualified.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I don't want to distract you but I hoped I could tell you his remarkable life
story…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Wait a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’re going to tell me a life story?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> My stomach is wiggling about and grumbling; i</span>t’s time for my lunch.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“This will take just a few moments. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one of your speeches you mentioned that
Aldermen of our borough should represent everyone, not just the upper classes.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“But that didn’t mean we should scrape the bottom of the
barrel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your man – what’s his name
again?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“John.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Well, I don't mean to sound venomous but y</span>our man,
from the information I’ve been given, is an illiterate farm worker.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Was</i>, sir,
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why his story is so
inspiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of his incredible
ambition and natural abilities, he has opened a number of successful
businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone like this is just what
the Board of Aldermen needs.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You say businesses, but he has no place of business; he
works out of his home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sent someone
there to check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reported back that
the incredible stink drove him out of the place.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Well, it is true that type of work, whitening leather, does
create rather strong, er, redolence, but when John makes his specialty,
beautiful white leather gloves, it all seems worthwhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you know, the gentry love white leather
gloves and will pay a lot for them, so it’s a successful craft.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Are you aware that the substance used in the whitening of
leather is – urine?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in
his house I’m afraid there’s always a certain…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Stench?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Well, I’d call it a certain pungency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But all that will of course be gone when he
joins the Board of Aldermen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A true rags
to riches story; he will become a civic leader; his son. by the way, has a great future as a writer. John will be an inspiration to so many in our town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His belief in our eternal values will always
stay with him.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Wonder if that redolence will stay with him too?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(The answer will be posted Saturday)</span></i></div>
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Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-20041068331709454172015-11-01T04:31:00.000-05:002015-11-04T07:25:54.337-05:00Berowne's 292<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "Q" is for "quarrel")</i></b><br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Welcome to another in the exciting series titled
“Berowne’s Mediocre Adventures.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">This week: My participation in the French Revolution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">No, not <i>that </i>one,
not the one in the 1700s. The more
recent one, back in 1962. Didn’t know
there was a French Revolution in ’62?
Well, there was, or just about; it got snuffed out at the last minute. And I was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A bit of background.
When WWII ended, there was a general thrust for independence on the part
of various geographical possessions throughout the world. The major powers lost most of their colonies.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6H0C4LYZLcvlBIjHtxrDolx6KED6oGpWj22IvQYoYMMME7F3UquBE11WM6MRZzE-ndsVxOHSXOTSQr8_y_9GLJyiSxd5nN53P01at4xESQdyGZ_w3dUyOt3Dgmnuquwy7lJ54bVDYSGA/s1600/1962+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6H0C4LYZLcvlBIjHtxrDolx6KED6oGpWj22IvQYoYMMME7F3UquBE11WM6MRZzE-ndsVxOHSXOTSQr8_y_9GLJyiSxd5nN53P01at4xESQdyGZ_w3dUyOt3Dgmnuquwy7lJ54bVDYSGA/s320/1962+2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">France lost </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Indo-Chine</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
– Vietnam – one of its two most important colonies.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And French leaders were seriously resolved
that the other, Algeria, would remain French at all costs.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">You see, Algeria was different.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It was not just a colony; it was legally
classified an integral part of France.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv53bEmOvk3Fl5bGsbqAapxuyhlFLg7xYZ7D18sf7Bh3jmxp3w5Lr2gzWUTyOFUnieM9oXjuQWMWvx9FMY3LngJr6IX4y5Dbn9d6jGyjefngl9Xva2th-30B7Q3Mye1CB1qrB5sUHVZDw/s1600/1962+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv53bEmOvk3Fl5bGsbqAapxuyhlFLg7xYZ7D18sf7Bh3jmxp3w5Lr2gzWUTyOFUnieM9oXjuQWMWvx9FMY3LngJr6IX4y5Dbn9d6jGyjefngl9Xva2th-30B7Q3Mye1CB1qrB5sUHVZDw/s320/1962+7.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Yet around 1960 many felt that it was time for Algerian
independence. And the President of
France, our old friend Charles de Gaulle, was suspected of getting ready to
grant it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">This threatened French political right-wingers. So there was quite a quarrel going on between the right and the left, occasionally a violent quarrel. A group of generals actually formed an army,
the OAS, the “Organization of the Secret Army,” to assassinate de Gaulle and
take over the country. They planned a
real revolution.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvSCvi73Z3OOKEWrmLbx66R5ecqRZDAGLU47FKi9P1TOTmPOchmSsEN6EgzHqysDbU0HkvAOQfyOTNEwjElDgR0sA-kAiuCP84b6jYHLvgE0Q3d2uzDyJbyQ9_w1k4SE_Q8_WVqb8m5w/s1600/1962+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvSCvi73Z3OOKEWrmLbx66R5ecqRZDAGLU47FKi9P1TOTmPOchmSsEN6EgzHqysDbU0HkvAOQfyOTNEwjElDgR0sA-kAiuCP84b6jYHLvgE0Q3d2uzDyJbyQ9_w1k4SE_Q8_WVqb8m5w/s320/1962+4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">They got things boiling by setting off bombs,
“plastiques,” planted in cafes and such places throughout the country. At the right moment, with the President
killed, thousands of OAS paratroopers would drop from the sky and take over all
governmental agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">France would cease being a <i>republique</i> and would become a military dictatorship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYals7ZcxQswjfOtO9NFtQUPXX8k9IecvVjVfSJLO-97SYc8o8-2-KMdpBL5NFa00cCdUSLIC2VusTIvBBxov6ne0vUC50_y5AVS6c_JkqFelVKM8YCY0TS8MmMKLD8ogC4KUiE-fE7O8/s1600/1962+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYals7ZcxQswjfOtO9NFtQUPXX8k9IecvVjVfSJLO-97SYc8o8-2-KMdpBL5NFa00cCdUSLIC2VusTIvBBxov6ne0vUC50_y5AVS6c_JkqFelVKM8YCY0TS8MmMKLD8ogC4KUiE-fE7O8/s400/1962+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was in 1962 that young Berowne, somewhat ignorant of
the above, showed up to shoot a film to be titled “One Man’s Paris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I thought it odd that folks in the city were constantly
looking skyward, and that there was a lot of talk about “plastiques.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I had gone to a place to rent a battery for my
camera. All they had was a really
ancient one; I think it must have been one of the first professional motion-picture
batteries ever built. It was an unsightly wooden,
clumsily put-together item, about the size of a shoe box, with wires for the
camera connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">One day after a morning’s work, I stopped in a café and
took a coffee break. I was getting used
to French coffee – though that takes time, believe me. I placed my ragged-looking camera battery under
one of the tables and…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Suddenly the <i>patron</i>
rushed in and shouted, “Plastique!” and the whole joint, all the customers,
rushed full tilt out the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">As I sat there, pondering over this development, a couple
of gendarmes ran in and escorted me out of the place too. How they could have thought that
crummy-looking wooden shoe box was plastique was beyond me, but I guess they
were taking no chances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Anyway, I convinced them the device was a camera battery and that
I was a de Gaulle supporter from way back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Speaking of whom, the OAS later set up an elaborate squad
of snipers and machine-gunners at a special intersection to get the Prez as he
rode by. His car was riddled by bullets,
but Citroen had provided a special vehicle and neither de Gaulle or his wife
were hit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58cUrVyV3OwbNRe5p-Mnq7zQeG4MKPdfj7t4nr8WWhxiJ28cBNRrq9mNy4m9oR5M1HH57rXV7Ne0aoQHLClOWO2UiY5i4EUJhFy6sjL5hVw95t2jYq2iSSYMSBafh130AbwmMTr4eais/s1600/1962+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58cUrVyV3OwbNRe5p-Mnq7zQeG4MKPdfj7t4nr8WWhxiJ28cBNRrq9mNy4m9oR5M1HH57rXV7Ne0aoQHLClOWO2UiY5i4EUJhFy6sjL5hVw95t2jYq2iSSYMSBafh130AbwmMTr4eais/s640/1962+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">With the President still alive and well, the Second
French Revolution just sort of fizzled out.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-9078504650988586332015-10-25T05:39:00.000-04:002015-10-31T04:22:24.416-04:00291 Quiz Answer<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #424242; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The play is “The
Taming of the Shrew.” In the Italian
city of Padua, a wealthy old man named Baptista has declared that no one may
court his beautiful daughter Bianca until first her older sister, the
ill-tempered Katherine, is married. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>(Also for Three Word Wednesday and </strong><strong>ABC Wednesday; "P" is for "Pam")</strong><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">The
following should remind you of a well-known play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which play?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Hi, welcome to the weekly quiz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who am I? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m Pam, a girl – young woman, to be accurate
– who has a problem.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m about average height, a bit above average
intelligence and a placid nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People tell me so often I’m beautiful that
I’m beginning to believe them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’ll
say no more about that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">To top things off, my father – Popsy, I call him –
has money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite a lot of it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, you’d think that a mademoiselle with a resume’
like that wouldn’t have too much trouble finding some cool dude to marry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, dudes have come and dudes have gone,
and I’m still sitting here, un – as the saying goes - attached.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">This nondescript problem can be summed up very simply: my old
man.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My father is the quirky old-fashioned type who believes
that everything - manners, customs, even civilization - all stopped short a
century or so ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In those days if you
had a number of daughters your job was to marry them off, and to the right type
of person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">But there’s more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The eldest daughter had to have first crack at whatever suitor walked
through the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The eldest, who
happens to be my sister, had to get married first; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">then</i> the youngest, me, would have her chance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">This may seem to you to be a reasonable plan, well
thought out, so what was the problem?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, if my first problem was my progenitor, as I
humorously refer to my dad, the second, the bigger problem, was my sister
herself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, she was attractive enough. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And once the blokes in this town were aware
that she had a huge dowry, they all came calling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d come to visit, get to know her, and
then they’d take off, like huge birds heading off into the sunset.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And we’d never see them again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">You see, my sis is a special sort of person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My theory is that she’d love to meet a nice chap
and get hitched, but basically she’s insecure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She hates to appear vulnerable and weak, so she’s very sharp with her
suitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll casually toss off
quasi-nasty remarks to some poor guy who’s just doing his best to please, and
soon he’s looking around for the exit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And as for me, I remain un – as I’ve mentioned –
attached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-32293344586616140282015-10-18T05:36:00.000-04:002015-10-18T17:04:53.549-04:00Berowne's 290<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><strong><em>(Also for ABC Wednesday: "O" is for "overwhelming")</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">No quiz this week.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">An amazing thing happened a few days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A theatrical company – primarily a
dance group, I guess<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- started to
perform right outside my window.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">What a show!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What pirouettes and jetees, what whirling about!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5erIZiRGLmoc77pfEj0_s8DpHi1JdvOfa3aDvb7TOF8PQOmDskJkQ1wu3uvcK5NB-DLP2rFNHCxzCF9Bn6i-BkeAQ2WkpUwL3M6FptzYic7LZ6bhxQhv7m-BSGZEGAv-6RBqztZPR80/s1600/prevert+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5erIZiRGLmoc77pfEj0_s8DpHi1JdvOfa3aDvb7TOF8PQOmDskJkQ1wu3uvcK5NB-DLP2rFNHCxzCF9Bn6i-BkeAQ2WkpUwL3M6FptzYic7LZ6bhxQhv7m-BSGZEGAv-6RBqztZPR80/s1600/prevert+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">But then I realized, it’s October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some stagehand had thrown a switch and the
nearby trees suddenly filled the autumnal air with falling, dancing leaves. It really needed some background music, something overwhelmingly classical.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">This took me back a few decades, back to the
days when American francophiles were fascinated by the work – the poetry and
the films – of Jacques Prevert.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Of course, speaking of music, I thought of his song “Les Feuilles
mortes” – “Autumn Leaves” – especially as sung by Edith Piaf and Yves Montand.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Prevert’s poetry holds up well today and is
perfect for an October day.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">“C’est une chanson qui nous ressemble,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Toi, tu m’aimais et je t’aimais.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It’s a song that’s like the two of
us,</span></strong><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br />
<strong>You, you who loved me and I who loved you. </strong></span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">“Et nous vivions tous deux ensemble,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Toi qui m’aimais, moi qui t’aimais.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 16pt;">And the two of us lived together,</span></strong><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br />
<strong>You who loved me and I who loved you.</strong></span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">“Mais la vie separe ceux qui s’aiment,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Tout doucement, sans faire de bruit.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Et la mer efface sur le sable</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Les pas des amants desunis.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 16pt;">But life separates those who love,</span></strong><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br />
<strong>Softly, making no noise.</strong><br />
<strong>And the sea erases on the sand</strong><br />
<strong>The footprints of lovers who are no longer together.</strong></span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGwPsNfhFaS1EezvKCRH9uAE99fZCy7V6GAwVteMyfJkFF0MvYO_qloVPiDEBi6UfqbJ32pEVWc-4cVhNBEPOh1kua_-4_m3bjWHAOG_HT0IlzIJSr1B_vnaT6YQzpKyccitWNK6RfP8/s1600/prevert+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGwPsNfhFaS1EezvKCRH9uAE99fZCy7V6GAwVteMyfJkFF0MvYO_qloVPiDEBi6UfqbJ32pEVWc-4cVhNBEPOh1kua_-4_m3bjWHAOG_HT0IlzIJSr1B_vnaT6YQzpKyccitWNK6RfP8/s1600/prevert+3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"> Jacques Prevert, 1900-1977<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-83464196241659811142015-10-11T05:51:00.002-04:002015-10-17T05:58:59.610-04:00289 Quiz Answer<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In the play “Othello,” Iago is
a soldier who has fought beside his general, Othello, for years, and has become
his trusted advisor. But at the beginning of the play, Iago claims to have been
unfairly passed over for promotion; he plots to bring about the downfall of
Othello.</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "N" is for "nefarious")</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">The
following scenelet should suggest a very well-known play to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the name of the play?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">"You're still complaining? Hey, you chose a military career and it </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">isn’t really so
bad after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you don’t really
agree with that, do you?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You bet I don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fifteen years of service, hellish battles and combat all over the world, risked
my life dozens of times, and what do I wind up with?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two metal bars and a few rows of ribbons –
what good are they in civvie life? “</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Come on; you got your rank, not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>too bad a pay grade for
retirement.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“But that – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
– is exactly the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was due for
promotion and now that wer're here in Cyprus they bring in this outsider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e’s now the
fair-haired boy as far as the general is concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That should have been my job!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was as though it had been promised to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all practical purposes I already
had it; the skipper depended on me for just about everything!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yeah, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I thought it was – well – unfair.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Unfair is the least of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the good of the service you want
experienced officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This guy, he
doesn’t seem to have been anywhere or done anything, and he is now the
right-hand man!"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Relax. It's not as though the general has committed some sort of nefarious act; he has the right to pick the man for the job."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"It's nefarious to me. You know where he's from, the new guy? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">From Italy, but most
important, from Florence!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“So?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">”You know what they do in Florence?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They spend most of their time creating delicate
art, making little objects out of spun glass and such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a warrior?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You don’t seem to understand that in the military,
politics often plays a more important part than experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, actually, he has been places and
done things.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yeah, like what?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, he’s been to the right schools, the right
university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He comes from an important
family that seems to know all the right people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you – let’s face it – you never set foot
in a university and not very many schools as far as that goes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“There was a time when a man who started at the lowest level and worked his way through all that
greasy crap right on up to a commission, made the very best, the most
experienced officer!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yeah, yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Listen, I’m on your side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this new guy
has got the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s obvious that he’s
the general's choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should relax
and just accept it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few years more and
you can retire.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“In the meantime I’m supposed to take orders from
the likes of this – I don’t
think I can stand it!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Hey, I hadn’t realized how much you were ignited by
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got to calm down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll get yourself all worked up and maybe
do something stupid to try to get revenge.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-72606228858727736492015-10-04T04:48:00.000-04:002015-10-10T03:14:07.509-04:00288 Quiz Answer<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In Verdi’s “La
Traviata,” a party is in progress at the Paris home of beautiful Violetta, who
lives for such parties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thinks for a
moment of the possibility of true love but laughs off the idea, declaring that
her life will remain a whirl of pleasure (“Sempre libera” – always free).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "M" is for "matchmaker")</span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">This
scenelet should suggest a well-known opera to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which opera?</span></b><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Bradley Hand ITC;"></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You say he wants
desperately to see me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is this
fellow?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“He’s a friend of mine
from the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He traveled all the way
up here just to meet you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You know how busy I
am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much as I love to meet country
bumpkins, I’ve got to get ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re
having a tremendous party this evening, a huge blowout, the biggest of the
entire season, and I'm absorbed with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People say I live for
parties; well, tonight I’m going to prove them right!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Wait. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a fine young guy I think you should get
to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thinks you’re the most
wonderful woman he’s ever seen; he followed your career for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His name is Luther.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yes, it would be
something like Luther.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or Li’l Abner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a groupie, in other words; that does
sound boring.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“He’s no groupie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you’re going to find this a bit
strange, but he tells me, and I believe him, he’s – well, he’s really in love
with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sort of by long distance.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“That’s about the last
thing I need in my life right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds
like you’ve been playing matchmaker behind my back.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“No, not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as your friend, I'm certain that one of
these days you’re going to get tired of this glitzy life style and think about
settling down.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yeah, right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fence with a white house around it – though
I may have that a bit twisted – and me rocking away on the porch with one of my
thirteen children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you get
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want that empty, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">settling down thing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know my motto, don’t you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“I should; I hear it
often enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Sempre libera,’ always
free.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And don’t you forget it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Wait till you meet
this young guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve forgotten what
true love is – maybe you never knew…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-34379918230750956062015-09-27T05:26:00.001-04:002015-10-03T04:27:51.221-04:00287 Quiz Answer<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, in his lust for
power, has his old friend Banquo murdered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But Banquo later shows up at the banquet in Act Three.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "L" is for Leader)</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">The following should
suggest a certain well-known play to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which play?</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">What excitement was around my home last week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The huge promotion I finally received was a
life-changer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And not just for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My wife got a big kick out of it too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She immediately began thoughtlessly spending money like a sunken draylor and she scheduled
a big banquet to which she invited everybody who is even remotely anybody.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, why not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After years of struggle, I finally reached the position I believe I
deserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our family will be dodging no
more bill-collectors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Though frankly, I was a bit uptight about all of this because the cost of that banquet was kind of
scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Two</i> complete musical groups were necessary?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One hip-hop and the other string quartets?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m not sure my wife is familiar with the
word “pretentious.”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ice sculpture
alone cost what once could have been a working-stiff’s annual salary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well, let her have her fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She put up with me through all the lean times
in the past.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Say what you will, it was wonderful when the leading
figures of our region arrived and told me how happy they were now that I’m the
one in charge. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then I proceeded to
knock everyone’s socks off by serving them a banquet old Chef Escoffier would
have been proud of.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course, the banquet could be criticized as basically
political.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then, what isn’t?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was important to make sure everyone
understands that now I very solidly occupy the job of leader - the <em>leader</em> - and that there are
no challengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I wanted to stamp
out those ridiculous rumors that I somehow achieved my high position through
some sort of skullduggery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, no question, it was a night to remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why do I feel woozy and apathetic about it now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it’s because of Ed Bixler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, I know; Ed’s been dead for quite some
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the point is, he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">there</i>, at the banquet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">This makes me feel weird and that maybe I might be
drifting over into some kind of psychologically-disturbed mindset because – no
one else could see him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
answer will be posted Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-32418576287423622262015-09-20T05:09:00.000-04:002015-09-23T07:53:03.453-04:00Berowne's 286<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "K" is for "kickoff")</em></span><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Berowne’s
version of “Mad Men” </span></b><span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; mso-line-height-alt: 16.8pt;">
<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ron: I guess we’re all aware of the reason for
this meeting. We’re getting together tomorrow morning with a man who has
developed </span><span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">an</span><span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> exciting new product, an item with fantastic
potential, and he wants us to be his advertising agency. Take over, Blake.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; mso-line-height-alt: 16.8pt;">
<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Blake: Well, you saw the Powerpoint presentation. “Candy Babar” is being
proclaimed as something revolutionary for this industry. An entirely new
confectionery item, a new type of candy bar in the shape of the famous elephant
– it's new in concept, new in potential, new in substance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; mso-line-height-alt: 16.8pt;">
<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ron: Right. This will be the kickoff. It will be an honor for
our agency to be associated with what is literally a revolutionary product. Why
is Candy Babar revolutionary? It’s a candy bar that relies heavily on
high-fructose corn syrup in a never-before-achieved solid and stable form –
it’s a scientific breakthrough. By the way, be sure you get the client’s name
right: R. Philip Dubieus. His last name is pronounced Doobyess; as he puts it,
there’s an emphasis on the “yess.” I need hardly tell you there are to be no
wisecracks about his name and the word “dubious.” And he likes to be referred
to as “R. Philip.”<br />
<br />
Blake: Yeah, we met him last year. Remember, Ron?<br />
<br />
Ron: For those who are new with our agency, Blake is sarcastically referring to
a meeting just like this one last year. R. Philip brought in his latest
product, “Plumber’s Friend,” for us to evaluate.<br />
<br />
Blake: And Ron evaluated the hell out of it.<br />
<br />
Ron: Look, I’ve admitted it. It was pathetic. I told R. Philip that “Plumber’s
Friend,” a candy bar in the shape of a toilet plunger, would never sell.<br />
<br />
Edna: But the “Plumber’s Friend” candy bar sold like hotcakes. It was the most
successful candy bar in the country for a while last year. And we told the
client it would never sell. Who knows what kids are going to go for?<br />
<br />
Ron: I’ll tell you who knows: R. Philip Dubieus knows. He’s a damn genius. He’s
the Bill Gates of the confectionery industry. And he’s giving us another
chance. This time we’re not going to drop the ball.<br />
<br />
Norman: Or the elephant.<br />
<br />
Ron: How does that help, Norman?<br />
<br />
Norman: Sorry. <br />
<br />
Blake: To top it off, we provided them with their motto – at no charge.<br />
<br />
Ron: That’s true. During our meeting last year, as we were talking about the
Plumber’s Friend candy bar, someone blurted out, “It’ll clean out your pipes!” <br />
<br />
Blake: R. Philip’s lawyers have of course contacted the righteous estate of the folks who
own the name “Babar.” They’re very interested and even enthusiastic about the
possibilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; mso-line-height-alt: 16.8pt;">
<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ron: Tomorrow we must put across to R. Philip
that in our advertising, in all media, the good-health advantages of
high-fructose corn syrup will be emphasized. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; mso-line-height-alt: 16.8pt;">
<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Edna: (Sighs) Just between you and me, why do
we wind up with products like this? We never get something sedate and acceptable like
Campbell’s Soup.<br />
<br />
Ron: Campbell’s Soup may well be outsold next year by this tasty little
pachyderm. If we play our cards right, Candy Babar will be paying the salaries
of quite a number of us in this agency for years to come.<br />
<br />
Blake: You’re actually enthusiastic about this product.<br />
<br />
Ron: Well, I keep thinking about our Plumber’s Friend fiasco. I was wrong about
that; I’m not going to be wrong about this. As for TV, R. Philip wants the
television commercials to look like the movie “Avatar.” He’s very aware of
what’s going on in the culture.<br />
<br />
Blake: Is he aware of what’s going on in law-suits?<br />
<br />
Ron: We’ll deal with that later.<br />
<br />
Edna: From what I’ve read, he’s going to get an actual elephant, paint him
white and walk him around to school assemblies and so on.<br />
<br />
Ron: What can I tell you – the guy thinks big. Now, R. Philip has a sort of
special request. He has a friend, a young lady named Brandee – Sandee..?<br />
<br />
Blake: Mandee.<br />
<br />
Ron: Right, Mandee; her name has two “e’s” at the end.<br />
<br />
Norman: Bet that’s not all she’s got at the end.<br />
<br />
Ron: I can’t tell you how great it would be, Norman, if you would just shut up.
Mandee Mullen, that’s her name. She’s 19 years old and she thinks of herself as
a writer; she wants to write the TV commercials. Er, you’ve got nothing to say
about this, Edna?<br />
<br />
Edna: I’m speechless.<br />
<br />
Norman: So with Mandee, R. Philip has his own little candy bar…<br />
<br />
Ron: What is the MATTER with you people! This is not a joke! You know what kind
of year we just had. This wonderful new product, Candy Babar, is going to keep
our ship from sinking. Enough with the wisecracks! <br />
<br />
Norman: Sorry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(182, 48, 45); line-height: 16.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b6302d; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: 1.2pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;"></span> </div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-76386126858613932002015-09-13T05:52:00.000-04:002015-09-19T04:52:15.475-04:00285 Quiz Answer<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s the story of Prince Hal, heir to the
throne, who believed his father the King was too cold, too strict, and the boy
felt the life of a young, respectable royal wasn’t for him. He became a wild
dude, a type that I am led to believe may well exist in our time too.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #45260d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 17.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
What Hal really enjoyed was hangin’ with his fat friend Falstaff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the above picture, Falstaff is played by
Orson Welles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(From Shakespeare’s “Henry
IV.”)</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "J" is for "Jerome")</span></b></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Bradley Hand ITC;"></span></strong><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">The
following somewhat labored scenelet reminds you of – whom?</span></b><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Bradley Hand ITC;"></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Sit down, son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Time we had another of our little talks.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“We do have a lot of them, don’t we?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“And they don’t seem to be doing much good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what kind of promises you give me,
you don’t change.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, consistency, that’s a kind of virtue, right?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It’s not consistency when you step over the line
and I find a police report on you when I come in to work in the morning.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“A police report?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh man, what did I do this time?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It seems – I can hardly believe I’m saying this –
you were involved in armed robbery.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“What!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
baloney!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dad, I’ve never been involved
in any robbery, armed or unarmed.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, they’ve got the gang who committed the crime
and it’s the noxious gang you’ve been mixed up with.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Oh, I see what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was no robbery; it was just a sort of elaborate
gag – that went kind of wrong.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gag</i>? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When are you going to grow up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since you were twelve years old I’ve been
trying to groom you for the day when you could take over this enterprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you keep acting like a wild, crazy kid.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
keep acting like most other young guys my age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I like to have fun, hang out, meet girls, have a few drinks…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“And rob people as a gag.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Again, I had nothing to do with that.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, who are the people of this gang?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It’s just some dudes I like to hang out with; it’s
cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a lot of laughs and so
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing really wrong with that “</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“And who’s this FJ?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Seems he was the one mainly responsible for the robbery.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Which, again, wasn’t a real robbery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We call him Fat Jerome – or FJ – and I guess
you wouldn’t approve of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s loud
and obnoxious and usually pretty well hammered by noontime, and he’d make a
good poster boy for Overweights Anonymous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But basically he’s just a helluva lot of fun to hang out with.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The day will come, and it won’t be too long in the future, when you’ll
be expected to sit in this chair and take over the operation of this entire
enterprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you’re training for this
by spending most of your haphazard time with people who are pretty well hammered by
noontime?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Dad, believe me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been sowing my wild oats, maybe a bit too much, but I’ve never
forgotten who my father is and who I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And what will be expected of me in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When that time comes I will have said a long
goodbye to FJ and the rest of ‘em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll
be ready – seriously - and I’ll make you proud of me.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
answer will be posted Saturday.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-59435129563665650312015-09-06T08:00:00.000-04:002015-09-09T06:48:59.374-04:00Berowne's 284<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "I" is for India)</span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4eVCeatmQUX3m-oktgd9_PMtLEMQ1AZGTBdR0410Cz-yQlUOR_Mf2-4n5vzxDSjKnJ1fNpQ6CKO29mhEl8Zlq0tGqVNyL9MVy5YJoZf-09mpybS4swWc2fRTTr-TPvjOWoZ6VxYVJjg/s1600/Indian+Food4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4eVCeatmQUX3m-oktgd9_PMtLEMQ1AZGTBdR0410Cz-yQlUOR_Mf2-4n5vzxDSjKnJ1fNpQ6CKO29mhEl8Zlq0tGqVNyL9MVy5YJoZf-09mpybS4swWc2fRTTr-TPvjOWoZ6VxYVJjg/s400/Indian+Food4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Many
years ago I had a most interesting lunch at an Indian restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In India.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGORRn1hDmifY72hmy9OKDATvot9C0iA2wmnB-iCrfw34hy31d-bj6IizNR6RlQdAKA2NYU6tt5CNfN58LJO1KeAI1tqML7E75PHeTZFlXZHPlI-rrJQDpHeUrsZJCIlf_Z9rjuRWQ2uM/s1600/Indian+Food2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGORRn1hDmifY72hmy9OKDATvot9C0iA2wmnB-iCrfw34hy31d-bj6IizNR6RlQdAKA2NYU6tt5CNfN58LJO1KeAI1tqML7E75PHeTZFlXZHPlI-rrJQDpHeUrsZJCIlf_Z9rjuRWQ2uM/s320/Indian+Food2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">To come
right out with it, I enjoy Indian food; hit me with that tikka masala sauce or
a carefully prepared curry or any of the four thousand or so other items of
Indian chow and I’m a happy tandoori camper. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I
found it fascinating that this particular restaurant was a place of tolerance and
diversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By that I mean the staff was
a sort of UN of different religions and beliefs, yet everyone seemed to be
working in a high degree of peace and harmony.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And
they were proud of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they learned
that the American customer was interested in such things, they came over to me,
singly or in pairs, enthusiastically telling me about their religion and how
well they got along with everyone else working in the restaurant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There
were Hindus, of course, and Muslims, along with Sikhs and Buddhists and a few
glimmers of other faiths I wasn’t so familiar with. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(There
was one chap who followed an unusual doctrine I did know a little something
about: Christianity.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But
what blew me away was not just their pride in their beliefs but that they were
also eager to tell how impartial they all were and how they worked together and got along so well. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Reason
why this impressed me was that this all happened many years ago; in fact, I was
there as the long British <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raj</i> was
coming to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For several centuries
the English had been involved in India –“the jewel in the crown” - and some
folks believed that if the British left the various religions would fatally tear each
other apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the tolerance and
cooperation I saw in that restaurant I was pretty sure that was not true.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">How
wrong I was…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">British
rule in the country came to an end just a few months after my meal at that
restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sort of as predicted, the
religions began tearing each other apart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Earlier,
when I had been in Pakistan it was part of India; it was British.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it was a different country, a Muslim land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hindus by the many thousands had to get away,
to go south; just as many thousands of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Muslims felt they had to go north to a Muslim country.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbc2C2K3_wfjzegmSHk-mBViAkk67UMuXGIoUumF6reBusgR715ipAOhdhdthGTlcB8aGvHZPPezgcRO1YEa_e_8i1Nf6JS9ddsTKskOxu4iee2iMWsKawlD78ENrD4gSMi_rwNjmsSo/s1600/IND+PAK+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbc2C2K3_wfjzegmSHk-mBViAkk67UMuXGIoUumF6reBusgR715ipAOhdhdthGTlcB8aGvHZPPezgcRO1YEa_e_8i1Nf6JS9ddsTKskOxu4iee2iMWsKawlD78ENrD4gSMi_rwNjmsSo/s320/IND+PAK+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So
many people ripped from their homes and forced to travel; it was the largest
migration in human history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The
resultant slaughter of the religious fighting was almost unbelievable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were nearly a million casualties.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And
it is indeed a sad fact that this – possibly a thermonuclear version of it this
time - could begin again at any moment.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-36307135675790253572015-08-30T05:46:00.000-04:002015-09-05T05:05:00.304-04:00283 Quiz Answer<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Critics have claimed that Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler’s
favorite film person, was the greatest female film-maker of all time. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "H" is for "haughty")</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s
this week’s question: who was she ?</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0zZ0sY4cp7uXHwaHklROM5EqjRGAI4JGXJCs-7hnPqS4UGQxOFfWLlDqGdu1dSfAxnRueF8k2xO5jfVjL_4gMLiWcRatgo8mp_SBiyKziHnBNIq0qLYzdGJk91UL-X7RXNM4i4uVkrE/s1600/LENI+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0zZ0sY4cp7uXHwaHklROM5EqjRGAI4JGXJCs-7hnPqS4UGQxOFfWLlDqGdu1dSfAxnRueF8k2xO5jfVjL_4gMLiWcRatgo8mp_SBiyKziHnBNIq0qLYzdGJk91UL-X7RXNM4i4uVkrE/s400/LENI+7.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“She’s an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actress</i>, Fred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of actresses think they could make a
film better than the director or producer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That doesn’t mean you should let them try.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“She’s different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s seems to have some real talent.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Again, they talk a good game, but just because they
were a success acting a part on the silver screen doesn’t mean they know
anything about the nuts and bolts of film-making.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“So let her have a shot at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She might do well.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You don’t understand; she's haughty and arrogant. My people are complaining.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Who cares?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
long as she’s got the big guy everyone calls “MM” – which as you know means “Mr
Master” - on her side, she’ll continue to do as she’s doing.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkwmxKtJRy37yfIb4ggCbSEsIR8HuMtUg-yzW8a1HeDUJmER0KzLiCreSvdMsY9JlDa45PfJdfV3WhJDqTd3BNh4Zk2h0bYz1Xi0GP8kMszkUDNoriH_Uh8JmfMGh3RdwU9SBQ39lsG4/s1600/LENI+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkwmxKtJRy37yfIb4ggCbSEsIR8HuMtUg-yzW8a1HeDUJmER0KzLiCreSvdMsY9JlDa45PfJdfV3WhJDqTd3BNh4Zk2h0bYz1Xi0GP8kMszkUDNoriH_Uh8JmfMGh3RdwU9SBQ39lsG4/s320/LENI+5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“But it’s embarrassing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to run the camera itself – you
know women don’t understand mechanical things – and highly qualified cameramen are expected to stand about and do nothing.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“That’s right, and say nothing too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they’re unhappy tell them to go directly
to MM and let him know they don’t approve of his way of doing things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow I don’t think they’ll take you up on
that.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7l8JLBcrRFqqe7VieObtumJ4hs4eNJv6MF80xqjm2RYSiBfEzqowmiZIpPRbAV6P73mdc21x_EoA3nXcxW48vq2u94qwBALMozuR-N7xxt0e19YxW896KV0Z-suRRS4KLuutyHPfNzg/s1600/LENI+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7l8JLBcrRFqqe7VieObtumJ4hs4eNJv6MF80xqjm2RYSiBfEzqowmiZIpPRbAV6P73mdc21x_EoA3nXcxW48vq2u94qwBALMozuR-N7xxt0e19YxW896KV0Z-suRRS4KLuutyHPfNzg/s1600/LENI+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“If we get the whole film community, all respected
names, to let him know that this idea of an actress working as writer-producer-director
of an expensive professional film is just not a good idea, he might finally
agree.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You don’t seem to understand how things are done in
this country.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“But if we can show anyone the amusing things she
does, or tries to do, it should change anyone’s mind.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JkUEHdBMfS0p5RC0gyPXl9Z643NSia9IrjiHlANmKInvz5TzbvSQ6V69WJEJzgFo-Qj6HANI_Y48zLEZ0SVk5kBDVz7nTLUBgVxGKNR9xx-WBdvXJ9M5vosYTnEb2-19OZAEa9TxN2o/s1600/LENI+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JkUEHdBMfS0p5RC0gyPXl9Z643NSia9IrjiHlANmKInvz5TzbvSQ6V69WJEJzgFo-Qj6HANI_Y48zLEZ0SVk5kBDVz7nTLUBgVxGKNR9xx-WBdvXJ9M5vosYTnEb2-19OZAEa9TxN2o/s1600/LENI+3.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“She’s trying bizarre camera angles no sensible
cameraman has used before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had
another fellow spend the day digging a hole deeply so she could shoot from a low
angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s foolishness.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd7BIylleAe9V_wi9Hi6_Znq5FGj4vwtxck0G2_2gMQ6YfN4azNbpiqtxFSc4dtK3YC2hRo5PTciIh9Q-n2oPkpXCy8tEl5nEmKxKQ-WQhW-5fPKXf2zgm_LEg7zjJ2GoT2BkPL734wk/s1600/LENI+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd7BIylleAe9V_wi9Hi6_Znq5FGj4vwtxck0G2_2gMQ6YfN4azNbpiqtxFSc4dtK3YC2hRo5PTciIh9Q-n2oPkpXCy8tEl5nEmKxKQ-WQhW-5fPKXf2zgm_LEg7zjJ2GoT2BkPL734wk/s320/LENI+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“And she’s got a guy shooting film in a wheelchair,
like he’s got both legs broken, even though we have perfectly good equipment
for such stuff in the studio.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“But that’s the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She's elastic; she doesn’t want to work just in a studio,
she wants to go outside.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, you can take it from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she keeps up the way she’s working she’ll
be going outside sooner than she thinks, and permanently.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-19603639739552213152015-08-16T05:07:00.000-04:002015-08-31T09:31:58.576-04:00283A<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">(There was no Magpie blog last week so I take the liberty of re-posting this.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">When in World War II the enemy finally knelt in surrender one thing became clear: all
the thousands of the American armed forces stationed in Europe wanted to
leave immediately and – GO HOME!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PknMDZhxqGhnv5oYD9LaEZtVvhSar440j74uIshlCg6fI3vWILLLnOsH4BV98O4XYO2tWMGSZO6Kixrdu-EglYPK-b0SmzEMTRRHxB79SBWHaSj99SObKoMf-0l3XZxcvqXIeB_FP_A/s1600/troops+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PknMDZhxqGhnv5oYD9LaEZtVvhSar440j74uIshlCg6fI3vWILLLnOsH4BV98O4XYO2tWMGSZO6Kixrdu-EglYPK-b0SmzEMTRRHxB79SBWHaSj99SObKoMf-0l3XZxcvqXIeB_FP_A/s320/troops+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">What an exodus!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every ship they could dig up, including a few that had been officially
moth-balled - anything that had a propeller that could still rotate - was
thrust back into service to carry the GIs homeward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The ship they put me on then had, usually, a crew of
twenty-five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most such vessels never
carried passengers in peacetime but if they did there might be five or six, no
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And here we were, jamming over a
thousand into the same space.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">We had told the soldiers, as they waited on the dock
to board, that it was not going to be a pleasant cruise; in fact it was going
to be pretty God-awful and they might choose to wait for a later ship that
wouldn’t be so crowded.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitz7RoBckhqgDSjuza0g1ynQljB0xmaDICiCbtyn7xL2zrvT_wJBHYGTBJfPB56hMMUUgKlZVGfL1_eS1dq2gpLvJLjpd2ztGJ67igOxUp_jrKIIUmRR-mPOg1wsGROAcF08KBczNrCz4/s1600/troops+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitz7RoBckhqgDSjuza0g1ynQljB0xmaDICiCbtyn7xL2zrvT_wJBHYGTBJfPB56hMMUUgKlZVGfL1_eS1dq2gpLvJLjpd2ztGJ67igOxUp_jrKIIUmRR-mPOg1wsGROAcF08KBczNrCz4/s320/troops+9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">To a man, as you might have expected, they sang out
“No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want to go home!!”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozHCY5f3gw3mQbZQXuBnvPRCS3jZ8HgJSPzcbz2gnPIDQtt1pfZiTIoZO1hiaoKcckhQDsgLhGgWa41Z7sMRGWkHq14v8IkgFu700MfKSVCN8BQXsN57hKP9Pb7-O2ISu8p4XQ0PL840/s1600/troops+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozHCY5f3gw3mQbZQXuBnvPRCS3jZ8HgJSPzcbz2gnPIDQtt1pfZiTIoZO1hiaoKcckhQDsgLhGgWa41Z7sMRGWkHq14v8IkgFu700MfKSVCN8BQXsN57hKP9Pb7-O2ISu8p4XQ0PL840/s320/troops+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, we filled up the ship with people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cheek by jowl might describe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the poor guys couldn’t even sit down
out on the deck, there was no room, and they stood up a good deal of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bird colonels slept on the deck in the ship’s
wheelhouse.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5SA-7RgcdIKQli4V-vAEHJ0CdeP5YOFbDjR-o3NXnYoNHTlZgBwDBFjQuPVYSGXFwa1ZATIoRyDWrKcrhxmLSeylUrbmMbOWV0SLu61YnlzpnBw7VLzU0-8nefNSFkw-GjG9QbDcZM4/s1600/troops+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5SA-7RgcdIKQli4V-vAEHJ0CdeP5YOFbDjR-o3NXnYoNHTlZgBwDBFjQuPVYSGXFwa1ZATIoRyDWrKcrhxmLSeylUrbmMbOWV0SLu61YnlzpnBw7VLzU0-8nefNSFkw-GjG9QbDcZM4/s320/troops+2.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddO8EUSl1AQ0mPNmIf9ot-nqOvrbGM9t8PO31BvQBBKiGDdlsIFWWb2XabFbkapdnlWYBzdDnbdFElomwZC8Km4bZ10QfrYmqgXziPlFR03K-cD-7GMW4rf5P9mXyVNihEGtwqAzSmOQ/s1600/troops+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddO8EUSl1AQ0mPNmIf9ot-nqOvrbGM9t8PO31BvQBBKiGDdlsIFWWb2XabFbkapdnlWYBzdDnbdFElomwZC8Km4bZ10QfrYmqgXziPlFR03K-cD-7GMW4rf5P9mXyVNihEGtwqAzSmOQ/s320/troops+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Everywhere it was the same; ships of all kinds were
jammed to the gunnels.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Huge drums – you couldn’t call them cans or tins;
they were as big as oil drums – labeled “Tomato Soup” or “Pork and Beans” and
other such culinary delights, were lifted aboard our ship by winch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least no one was going to starve.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And the weather gave us a break; lots of sunshine,
very little wind and a calm sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had
wondered about the nasty result that could happen if the weather began causing problems and the ship
started to roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The few lifeboats we
had could hold but a fraction of our passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Better just not think about that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Once we got under way, our ship was skimming along
at top speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, our top speed
was eleven knots, which is about thirteen miles per hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">soldierie</i> didn’t think it was moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey!” they shouted, “Kick this thing into
gear!” or “When are we gonna start?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Then, on the third day out, after quite a bit of what
I thought was smooth sailing, it happened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The ship’s engine, which had been designed and built
before World War I, evidently felt it had done enough for its country and it
just coughed quietly and stopped.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">No problem, no danger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat there peacefully in the middle of the
Atlantic ocean, unmoving, like a lump on a bog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The GIs began cursing the ship’s officers,
loudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ninety-day wonders!” they shouted,
among other epithets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
embarrassing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I went below and asked one of the engineering
officers about when the engine would start cooking again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reluctantly said it was not that they were
having trouble fixing the thing, it was that they couldn’t figure out what was
wrong.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuvJyPr12n4BYOBoRRid3euHz_R5mekzxahLdNjB6xtVyYqrYoqjV6lnG_yzRQIyVKtwkCThI4kKpWzCeRIqGAhDn5fuQITvcsOCXjoYPy4ywtx3Ih8pCXrF7-hsx-vUagdAxypXwazs/s1600/troops+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuvJyPr12n4BYOBoRRid3euHz_R5mekzxahLdNjB6xtVyYqrYoqjV6lnG_yzRQIyVKtwkCThI4kKpWzCeRIqGAhDn5fuQITvcsOCXjoYPy4ywtx3Ih8pCXrF7-hsx-vUagdAxypXwazs/s320/troops+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">After Pearl Harbor, the U S began hurriedly building
ships, hundreds of ‘em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of those
vessels needed crews, so they took kids like me, taking day classes at UCLA and
working in a grocery store at night, and after a couple of months of training anointed
me as a ship’s officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did the
same with engineering officers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In other words, we were all ninety-day wonders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Since I was an officer, even if of the lowest grade,
I had a room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to go hide in
my room when not on duty and avoid the embarrassing “90 Day Etcetera” catcalls of the
thousand or so commandos on deck.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Evidently an engineer down below finally figured out
which switch to pull, or had found the users’ instruction booklet, and the ol’
engine began to purr again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In spite of everything we managed ultimately to get
everyone to the Brooklyn Naval Yard safe and sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-43165213530846349042015-08-09T04:53:00.001-04:002015-08-15T05:16:07.407-04:00282 Quiz Answer <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfPvnarLkKiZR5ThmBs9VT5gnuiQFsqHsQU9tprpR0Ji2awFUBEaw1GB4n2zP_8OH-ytCmE_40JczYLCKOdLRDax86R2PLZhUAAWnKfoorbXHSWxW08rr9tGeINhFrODYADQEpSYUvL0/s1600/Therm+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfPvnarLkKiZR5ThmBs9VT5gnuiQFsqHsQU9tprpR0Ji2awFUBEaw1GB4n2zP_8OH-ytCmE_40JczYLCKOdLRDax86R2PLZhUAAWnKfoorbXHSWxW08rr9tGeINhFrODYADQEpSYUvL0/s1600/Therm+8.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> The Battle of Thermopylae</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The battle took place in 480 BC, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">in which an outnumbered Greek force including the famous
300 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta" title="Sparta"><span style="color: blue;">Spartans</span></a>,
among others, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">held off an
overwhelmingly larger force of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Empire" title="Persian Empire"><span style="color: blue;">Persians</span></a>.</span></div>
(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "E" is for "embarrassment")<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">The
following scenelet might suggest to you a well-known military operation…</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You
served as platoon sergeant at the time of the battle?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“That’s right, general.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">“I haven’t been
able to get much satisfaction from the officers so I thought I’d try a non-com.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’ll do my best, sir.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You understand what this looks like – not just to
our country but to the entire world?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, I believe that once they’re aware of the
actual situation they can more easily understand our difficulties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The terrain…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Is that it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The terrain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every officer I
spoke to wailed on irritatingly about the terrain; I thought a sergeant might give me some
better information.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“But sir, the terrain was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the</i> problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of us had
ever seen anything like it before.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Don’t you understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s always a problem with the terrain in
any operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean you can
decide to pack up and go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do I
care about the terrain anyway, sergeant?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You were serving in a unit of several hundred thousand troops and the
enemy, according to the latest information, consisted of a few hundred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s ridiculous that they had you stopped.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“You mention information, general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We evaluated the enigmatic info we were given and that
is all we had to go on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turned out that
info was incorrect.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“As often happens during wartime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, we can’t get away from the ludicrous fact:
a quarter million of you and a couple of hundred of them. It wasn't a battle, it was an embarrassment."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“I know you don’t like hearing about it, general,
but could I explain just why the terrain was so important in this operation?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Oh, all right.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“They call it a pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was actually more of a path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was so narrow; in some places a couple
of yards across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had cliffs on one
side and the ocean on the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sort
of jammed our troops into this narrow path and when they emerged at the
other side, the gruesome fact was the enemy could pick them off.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(Sighs) “Well, I guess there’s no help for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my job now to go and try to explain this
to the emperor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span>Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-51448231339180335152015-08-02T06:05:00.000-04:002015-08-08T06:03:53.460-04:00281 Quiz Answer<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Paris isn’t a place; it’s a he.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is handsome and wealthy and a member of
the nobility - he’s <em>Count</em> Paris – and
an eager suitor of Juliet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, she
prefers Romeo.</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "D" is for "drama")</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It would appear that Will Shakespeare never visited
Europe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">A claim has been made that he actually did make the
trip across the Channel as a soldier. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">A book, “Sergeant Shakespeare,” was written to
support this theory, in which the playwright was a feisty non-com in the army, involved in the filth of one of the many wars fought on the continent. But there is little – (none, actually) –
evidence to support such a claim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">However, though he never visited such places, most
of his plays are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">set</i> in foreign
locales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some cases he lets us know
right up front where the action will be taking place. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can be pretty sure “The Merchant of
Venice,” for example, is not set in Barcelona, and you have the feeling, when
you come across the play titled “Timon of Athens,” that you know just which
town Timon used to hang out in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Even back in Britain Will could be specific as to
setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Merry Wives of Windsor,”
anyone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Surely the work titled “Romeo and Juliet,” set in
Verona, Italy, is one of the best of the Shakespeare dramas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I traveled to Verona once, while I was
wandering about Europe, and I got to see what was claimed to be the actual
balcony where Romeo spotted the Capulet girl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It is the east and Juliet is the sun! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I
might touch that cheek!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjPQ-0_DTfkbxa0KtLjBigxk3se1AligOhWPzNakAxkQP4rk2JBoH-DXvJLkzczuTteQ4kq6OJur_96fAwYNsns3gOy2_Xpsh2sx3QSbooMc6xWDE1KVECaH0R6nzEerB3lg7Esgdq9k/s1600/ROMEO+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjPQ-0_DTfkbxa0KtLjBigxk3se1AligOhWPzNakAxkQP4rk2JBoH-DXvJLkzczuTteQ4kq6OJur_96fAwYNsns3gOy2_Xpsh2sx3QSbooMc6xWDE1KVECaH0R6nzEerB3lg7Esgdq9k/s320/ROMEO+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The Veronese folks there tried to convince us addicted
tourists that it was the real balcony of the play, and we pretended to believe
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">But of course it wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s something kind of funny about Shakespeare’s
handling of these overseas settings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
defiantly makes no effort to present dialects or accents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In the plays, wherever we may be in Will’s foreign
world, we have the feeling we’re back in his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real </i>world, Elizabethan England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the foreigners, where’er they’re from, all talk pretty much the
same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Cyprus, for example, is an exotic locale for one of
his plays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But a Cypriot gentleman
speaks like a chap from Warwickshire, where Will was raised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Which brings us to our question for this week:
Though “Romeo and Juliet” is set in Verona, how is it that Paris is so important in the play?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkeqFt9Eq0I2Lw53CrKgDl4cBmpqDeZbZjlS0ad41E7ESDSnSvthODTat4J5X06f-18pkfoymV61I7aia1OtmfgvG9Jq6AlVAX7y-TtpwXvigefpZZFu5PMU6JSkEzdWKPHDn8__KFFw/s1600/ROMEO+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkeqFt9Eq0I2Lw53CrKgDl4cBmpqDeZbZjlS0ad41E7ESDSnSvthODTat4J5X06f-18pkfoymV61I7aia1OtmfgvG9Jq6AlVAX7y-TtpwXvigefpZZFu5PMU6JSkEzdWKPHDn8__KFFw/s320/ROMEO+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-77550351850552026902015-07-26T05:37:00.000-04:002015-08-01T05:32:35.703-04:00280 Quiz Answer<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "C" is for "chain")</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The <strong>Wright
brothers</strong>, <strong>Orville</strong> and <strong>Wilbur</strong>, were two inventors and aviation
pioneers who are credited with inventing and building in 1903 the world's first
successful <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airplane" title="Airplane"><span style="color: blue;">airplane</span></a>,
the first that was controlled, powered and sustained as heavier-than-air <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight#Mechanical" title="Flight"><span style="color: blue;">human
flight</span></a>.</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Question: Reflect for a moment, who were these guys?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Jeff!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always good to see you but I’m afraid you’re
a bit early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t got the chain on
yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“What!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second time I’ve been here to pick the dam’
thing up and again it’s not ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“But it won't be a total waste of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ordered a new type of
chain, much lighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’ll give you a
far better ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should be ready tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“You guys are too
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may be good mechanics but
you’re lousy businessmen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are you
mixed up with this kind of tedious work anyway?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we were kids everyone thought you were headed for glory when you
grew up, always tinkering with some invention or other, but neither of you even
finished high school.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Oh, we still
tinker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We might come up with something
surprising one of these days.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Like a special type
of bicycle chain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, there’s a
new century coming up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should
seriously consider getting married and settling down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a family, couple of kids, a nine to five
job – like mature grown-ups.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Well anyway, it’s
good to see you, Jeff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time you
come by we know we’re going to get a little lecture on how to live.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“By the way, what
is that thing over there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looks like a
huge casket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got a dead body inside?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Ha. Hope not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, we call that a wind tunnel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“And a wind tunnel
does what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, tunnels the wind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Oh, it’s just
something we’ve been experimenting with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides running the shop we have various projects we work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, we keep busy.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“And the money just
pours in, though it looks like it’s been mostly nickels and dimes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(The answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-68604496651808234302015-07-19T05:06:00.000-04:002015-07-25T01:08:50.719-04:00279 Quiz Answer<span style="font-size: large;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "B" is for "blunder")</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUJOBKxl4bk-RxSq_L7xSuwBCO4QGktl5U_qm5Xv1SxM7JthRYBW-5YisFIskGRR-kU1jOor2cyKL2ZTgyRzmhDWWC6toQ8IdoIbmGEN0WXbQvtHdGCgdtxPva73TuN1V3wfSyGBjSFM/s1600/japan+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUJOBKxl4bk-RxSq_L7xSuwBCO4QGktl5U_qm5Xv1SxM7JthRYBW-5YisFIskGRR-kU1jOor2cyKL2ZTgyRzmhDWWC6toQ8IdoIbmGEN0WXbQvtHdGCgdtxPva73TuN1V3wfSyGBjSFM/s400/japan+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><em><strong>I’m afraid this will be looked upon as the timid way
out, but I chose the cut-and-run option.</strong></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><em><strong>I felt that an apology, no matter how elaborate –
especially since I was in no way at fault – would be dragging things out needlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I just quietly left, did my work and
flew home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sooner or later they figured
out what had happened, and with a minimum of embarrassment for everyone.</strong></em></span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve written before about my work as a film-maker a
few decades ago, so I thought this time I’d tell you about my Japan adventure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The movie I was making was nothing special, no
polished, potential Oscar-winner; it was just the equivalent of a metallic, nuts-and-bolts film, though the topic was rice-growing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">So I flew to Tokyo, ready to go to work. As I got
off the plane, I believed that the Japanese were really taking this motion
picture project seriously because, as I was surprised to see, I was being met
at the airport by a large limo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And not just a limo; the car had a uniformed driver
and another chap, also uniformed, who rode shotgun - though in Japan I suppose
it would be shogun :-) - in the front passenger seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I had never had a job, of any kind, that started off
so auspiciously. They drove me to their head office and I found myself meeting
everyone. They were all friendly and welcoming; there was a lot of bowing, me
doing my share, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLfevTJwA2pIVpnCaGZLiavPpuhNR5F7T880iwltiAJVDy9dvtlmIg6Olw_AeOnvuUgPsVzzGZnHnv41H3FO8WmFIalDO7GD3cfvqxAx0prYob63Dr9G9c7LO0mH1hXjnwQVCabsxI-U/s1600/Japan+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLfevTJwA2pIVpnCaGZLiavPpuhNR5F7T880iwltiAJVDy9dvtlmIg6Olw_AeOnvuUgPsVzzGZnHnv41H3FO8WmFIalDO7GD3cfvqxAx0prYob63Dr9G9c7LO0mH1hXjnwQVCabsxI-U/s320/Japan+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It was lunchtime, so they asked if I would prefer
going to a steak-house or would I like to try some authentic Japanese food?
Well, of course, we had steak-houses back in the Stytes and besides, I thought
it would be a good political move to opt for the indigenous cuisine, so we
headed off for what I would today recognize as a sushi place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I say I would recognize it today; I didn’t recognize
it then. Truth is, a few decades ago there weren’t many sushi joints in our country,
and you certainly didn’t see sushi for sale in grocery stores. Most westerners
of that era didn’t know from sushi; the idea of eating raw fish was regarded as
just sort of weird.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVi1ox1YZ65b9DmQsG5vSFgBtOwp9vUThoGbqqcaVtxxsGUt4pnTRMZHaFdv4JbmL32_p3DK4OuVsNZrsJmBu7tqLb-QtoaZasC-aCOyQ8N0WPhcIvezAA72MRBj863FNcu8qIttbj38/s1600/Japan+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVi1ox1YZ65b9DmQsG5vSFgBtOwp9vUThoGbqqcaVtxxsGUt4pnTRMZHaFdv4JbmL32_p3DK4OuVsNZrsJmBu7tqLb-QtoaZasC-aCOyQ8N0WPhcIvezAA72MRBj863FNcu8qIttbj38/s320/Japan+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">However, I could see that this restaurant I was
being taken to was elegant and upscale – i.e., expensive – so I looked forward
to an interesting experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">But there was a fly in the saki. Something had been
worrying me, and it had nothing to do with raw fish. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It had gradually dawned on me that this was all kind
of a blunder: I was inadvertently sailing under false colors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The reason for the great welcome I had received? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came to realize that they thought that I, a
humble artisan, was actually one of the top executives of the worldwide
corporation they were a part of. That explained the limo and its two
charioteers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">That was bad enough. Just as bad was the question,
how on earth do I go about telling them of the mistake? I had heard all about
the importance of saving face in the Orient and if I told them about this
awkward situation would they be subjected to humiliation and embarrassment,
with me as the cause?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Even worse, would they think I had tried to trick
them, intentionally acting the part of an American exec so that I could pull
off some fraudulent scheme?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I had reached another of those what-would-you-have
done? moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">First off, I could have cut and run, just gone
off at an optimal moment and without a word to a remote area, shot my rice-growing footage and left for
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No muss no fuss; let them figure
it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Or, as a second possibility, I could have adopted a
very formal “Japanese” style, bowing numerous times to them and apologizing
profusely for the misconception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Even
though, as far as I could see, it was in no way my fault.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Or I could have used more of a relaxed, “American”
approach: “Say, you know, folks, there’s been sort of a mixup; I think you
might find it kind of funny…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Or, given the possibility that I might be regarded
as a crook who planned the whole deal as some sort of illegal scheme, my first
priority should have been, before they called the Japanese gendarmes, that they
clearly understood this was not the case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">So the quiz this week is, how would you have handled
this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-82073716125438922892015-07-12T04:47:00.000-04:002015-07-18T05:09:59.427-04:00278 Quiz Answer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mXsYktXHDGDhcs3F8AazWIdFert1SU2JmkiykzEZ8t2qD8PgNCXLmoNZiLin4WyBQMMmN_Ab71QU99EHnhoZBZ7YdgdPL5ClcvSgU9lViQnfBSDSxEFNZUO2IiZHh4Tx8DiStEtFezY/s1600/ALICE+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mXsYktXHDGDhcs3F8AazWIdFert1SU2JmkiykzEZ8t2qD8PgNCXLmoNZiLin4WyBQMMmN_Ab71QU99EHnhoZBZ7YdgdPL5ClcvSgU9lViQnfBSDSxEFNZUO2IiZHh4Tx8DiStEtFezY/s320/ALICE+2.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Charles Lutwidge Dodgson,</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> better known by his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_name" title="Pen name"><span style="color: blue;">pen name</span></a>, <b>Lewis
Carroll, </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">wrote</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland" title="Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</em></span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> and</span> its sequel <em>Through the
Looking-Glass<span style="color: black;">.
</span></em></span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<em><span style="font-size: x-large;">(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "A" is for "Alan")</span></em><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 22pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(The following scenelet might suggest to you a Victorian gentleman who
became a well-known writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who was he?)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Millie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Come in, sit down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was it
you wanted to talk to me about?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Well, a number of us mothers in the neighborhood
have come to the conclusion that there’s a potential dangerous risk living
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m speaking of Mr. Halleck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Alan Halleck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dangerous?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve known Alan for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s
about the most un-dangerous person I could imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would you think such a thing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“A number of us have been wondering about
this for some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what happened
last Wednesday that finally convinced us that something should be done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“And what was that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Mr. Halleck took some children for a boat
ride and picnic…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Yes, I’m well aware of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter was one of the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knew all about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“And you didn’t find this bizarre,
suspicious?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“He just took the
girls out for a boat ride on the river and they stopped and had a picnic on the
riverside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he brought them
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for this you want the guy
arrested?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“You’re missing the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of those children were his…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Millie, he’s not married; he has no kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Exactly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which makes it all the more odd that he takes other folks’ children for
boat rides and picnics.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Good lord, if you knew Alan Halleck as well
as we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a quiet sort of lonely guy who
teaches arithmetic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be boring to say this but he’s what you might call mousy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No harm to him at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“That’s what they say about all the dangerous
child molesters at first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should have
zero tolerance for such stuff.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Child molester!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What he loves to do is tell the kids stories,
and they really enjoy them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Now you’re getting to another key
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What he told those children during
that boat ride was outrageous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Dark t</span>ales of
people getting their heads cut off and other such terrifying stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not suitable for little kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Wait a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those weren’t little four or
five-year-olds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter is ten and
she was well aware that what Mr. Halleck was doing was telling the equivalent
of harmless ghost stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except she
says his tales are much more fantastical and quite funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“She might be the exception.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“She loves the stories he tells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thinks he should publish them in a book
so kids in the future can enjoy them too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-920306086483142224.post-54364817090542431452015-07-05T07:05:00.000-04:002015-07-08T07:59:51.629-04:00Berowne's 277<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "Z" is for "zero")</em></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday was the day for fireworks and I got to
thinking about Little Roy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And that made me remember a special example of the
pyrotechnician’s art: the JumboBlast rocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(This all happened way back when I was just a lad of ten years of age,
which is way back indeed.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">We had heard about that rocket because so many of
the kids our age spoke of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
it was extremely expensive – it cost fifty cents – so it was out of the
question for our celebratory pyrotechnics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">You see, at that time we were in the middle of the
depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean The Big One, the
worst depression in our nation’s history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was bad for the entire country, but it was also bad for me: if I
ever had more than one dime at any time I would have considered myself on the
road to affluence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">On the same street where I lived were the Yeagers, a
family of four boys, so I hung out there a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They too were also suffering from galloping penuriousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our holiday was spent disappointingly with
sparklers and very cheap firecrackers, so weak that if anyone was speaking
loudly when you set one off you could entirely miss the “pop” sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">But on that day the youngest brother, Little Roy,
five or six years old, had a secret.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">A secret no one knew about, for he certainly had
told no one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the past few years, for
most of his life as a matter of fact, Little Roy had been hoarding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any penny, along with the rare occasional
nickel, that he managed to get hold of he hid away in a special cache only he, acting aloof,
knew about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure he was aware of
how much he finally had because counting past ten wasn’t what he was good at,
but it turned out to be a total of about fifty cents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">We learned that because one of his brothers had
stumbled upon this whole treasure and suddenly our July Fourth took on
dazzling possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The Yeager guys were not bad with their little
bro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t bully him and they
certainly wouldn’t physically harm him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But they, and I, set out on a propaganda campaign to illuminate for him what
a sensational holiday this could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
he’d just turn over those fifty centavos, we could actually go and buy a
JumboBlast rocket!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Think of it, Little Roy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your rocket – (yes, we’d make sure it was
known as his) – would shoot up into the firmament and explode and the entire
vault of heaven would burst forth into brilliant, positively ravishing examples
of incredible fireworks display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
would have a holiday none of us would ever forget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It wasn’t hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Little Roy wanted the rocket as much as the rest of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Long story short, one of the older boys went and bought
the device.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We set it up carefully in a
wide patch of the back yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
thrilling moment when the lit match touched the fuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I was only ten or so, and I didn’t know all that
much about aerodynamics, so I didn’t understand why the rocket, as it started
off, suddenly took a quick turn to the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It shot like a bullet just over nearby housetops and in a matter of a second
or two was totally out of sight. Its pyrotechnical effect was zero.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Whatever dazzling display that rocket was going to
put on would be displayed before someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Little Roy had a stunned look on his face, as if to say: Was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> it!!!?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">There was not much we could say to ease the
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little Roy just sat there
staring into space, thinking about his life savings, perhaps hoping the rocket's absence was only temporary and it
would come back again and perform as expected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The rest of us got together and ponied up some money
so we could buy him a Popsicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
helped a little. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In its way it was a
Fourth of July I’ve never forgotten. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Berownehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09524661173663604641noreply@blogger.com24