Founded : December 2000 Created By : Esther Aquino and Joseph Garcia
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
Founded : December 2000 Created By : Esther Aquino and Joseph Garcia
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
August 4th, 2005
In Today's Edition
And so ends another week here at the Tribune........
Do you realize that there are only 149 days left in this year?
...Only 143 days til Christmas?
...Only 44 days til the Piknik?
...Only 83 days til my birthday?
Have a great and safe weekend everybody!
Born on August 4th
Jeff Gordon (1971)
Roger Clemens (1962)
Billy Bob Thornton (1955)
Raoul Wallenberg (1912)
Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (1900)
Louis Armstrong (1901)
Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792)
August 7th
Connie (Teena's Mom)
Don't Bother
Moshe is driving in Jerusalem. He's late for a meeting, and he's looking for a parking place, and can't find one. In desperation, he turns towards heaven, and says: "God, if you find me a parking place, I promise that I'll eat only Kosher, respect Shabbas, and all the holidays ...."
Miraculously, a place opens up just in front of him. He turns his face up to heaven, and says "Don't bother, God, I've just found one ...."
Son Made Refugees
Today's useless fact - Is sign language for the deaf universal? Or is it English specific?
As we learned from the links in the Sign Languages category, sign language is not universal. Most countries have their own unique sign language. Like spoken languages, sign languages have their own grammar, syntax, and rules. There are even variations in the English- speaking world, making it possible to sign in an "Australian accent."
A particularly fascinating sign language developed on Martha's Vineyard during the 19th century. Early settlers of the island carried a gene for deafness, and as a result of intermarriage, an unusually large portion of the population was deaf by the mid- 1800s. Many of their signs eventually became commonly used in American Sign Language.
Gestuno is an international sign language, the equivalent of Esperanto. An amalgam of basic signs from around the world, Gestuno is an Italian word that roughly translates as "oneness of sign languages." The Esperanto analogy is apt, as Gestuno has relatively few practitioners.
The Buzzword for August 4th
celery \SEL-uh-ree\ noun
What does it mean?
: a European herb related to the carrot and widely grown for
the thick edible stems of its leaves
How do you use it?
One of Dad's favorite snacks is stalks of celery filled with
peanut butter.
Are you a word wiz?
Which word do you think is related to "celery"?
A. carrot
B. dill
C. parsley
D. fennel
Answer:
Celery, carrot, dill, parsley, and fennel are all related
plants, but only "celery" and "parsley" are related words.
They both stem from the Greek word "selinon" which means
"celery." "Celery" began its journey to English when Latin
speakers adopted the Greek word. From Latin it passed into
Italian as "seleri," which was later adopted by French
speakers as "celeris." English speakers used the French word
to form "celery." "Parsley" traces to the Greek word
"petroselinon" which was formed by the combination of
"petros," meaning "stone," and "selinon." Latin speakers
adopted it as "petroselinum." It entered Old English as
"petersilie" and eventually became "persely" and finally
"parsley."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
Sand and Sea
That's all for now. We'll see you on Monday.
The following is what appeared in Wednesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
The smartest advice on raising children is to enjoy them while they are still on your side.
Born on August 3rd
James Hetfield (1963)
Jay North (1951)
John Landis (1950)
Martha Stewart (1941)
Martin Sheen (1940)
Tony Bennett (1926)
Elderly Newlyweds
George, age 92, and Edith, age 89, had been seeing each other for 2 years when they decided that life was too short and they might as well be together for the rest of their lives.
Excited about their decision to become newlyweds, they went for a stroll to discuss the wedding and what plans needed to be made. Along their way they found themselves in front of a drugstore. George said to his bride-to-be, "Let's go in. I have an idea."
They walked to the rear of the store and addressed the man behind the counter:
"Are you the owner?" asked George.
The pharmacist answered, "Yes sir, I am. How can I help you?"
George: "Do you sell heart medications?"
Pharmacist: "Of course we do."
George: "How about support hose for circulation?"
Pharmacist: "Definitely."
George: "What about medications for rheumatism, osteoporosis & arthritis?"
Pharmacist: "All kinds."
George: "How about waterproof furniture pads and Depends?"
Pharmacist: "Yes sir."
George: "Hearing aids, denture supplies & reading glasses?"
Pharmacist: "Yes."
George: "What about eye drops, sleeping pills, Geritol, Preparation-H and ExLax?"
Pharmacist: "Absolutely."
George: "You sell wheelchairs, walkers & canes?"
Pharmacist: "All kinds and sizes. Why all these questions?"
George smiled, glanced shyly at Edith and replied to the pharmacist, "We've decided to get married and we'd like to use your store as our Bridal Registry.
Today's useless fact - Why is the sound of fingernails on a blackboard so annoying?
As we learned from the links in the Lukol Biological Psychology category, certain high-pitch frequencies, such as those created by dentist drills or two pieces of Styrofoam scraping together, tend to universally antagonize. On the other hand, particular notes played together sound harmonically "correct." There's no clear-cut reason why.
Cecil Adams of the venerable The Straight Dope cites a scientific study in a journal called Perception and Psychophysics that equates the frequency of a harsh scraping sound with that of the distress calls used by Macaque monkeys. The theory is that our simian ancestors employed a similar pitch to warn each other of predators, and we still respond to it.
This seems to be the accepted wisdom on the subject -- it's the frequency, Kenneth. Most alarm cries from animals involve high, screeching sounds. Psychologist Barry Beyerstein on Science Canada seems to think the answer has something to do with nerve endings in your fingers, but if you can understand his response, more power to you.
The Buzzword for August 3rd
jockey \JAH-kee\ noun
What does it mean?
1 : one who rides a horse especially as a professional in a
race
2 : one who operates something
How do you use it?
In 2000, Julie Krone became the first female jockey to be
inducted into the National Horseracing Hall of Fame.
Are you a word wiz?
What do you think is the source of the word "jockey"?
A. a type of saddle
B. a person's nickname
C. an old French word for "pony"
D. a blacksmith's hammer
Answer:
B is the winner! "Jockey" comes from the Scottish nickname for
"John." In fact, quite a few animals and objects are called
after nicknames of people. For example, the word "doll"
probably comes from "Doll," a nickname for "Dorothy." "Zany"
originally referred to a clown and can be traced back to
"Zanni," the nickname for "Giovanni," the Italian form of
"John." "Mag" and "Mog," both short for "Margaret," produced
the name of the bird called the "magpie" and "moggy," a
common term for a cat in England. And a cartoon depicting an
incident in which President Theodore Roosevelt spared the
life of a bear was the inspiration for the toy called a
"teddy bear."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Tuesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
~ Will Rogers, 1879 - 1935
Born on August 2nd
Hallie Eisenberg (1992)
Edward Furlong (1977)
Victoria Jackson (1959)
Judge Lance Ito (1950)
Peter O'Toole (1932)
James Baldwin (1924)
Carroll O'Connor (1924)
Myrna Loy (1905)
Ron Watson
Relatives
A couple drove several miles down a country road, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument, and neither wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules and pigs, the husband sarcastically asked, "Relatives of yours?"
"Yep," the wife replied, "In-laws."
Today's useless fact - What is the most common last name in the world?
According to the links in the Genealogy category, the world's most common surname (not surprisingly, considering the numbers) is Chang or Zhang.
There are approximately 100 million Zhangs. The name is roughly 4,700 years old. In all of Mainland China, there are only 438 last names. Chinese surnames were originally based on geography.
Here are the top five last names in the United States, according to the 1990 data from the U.S. Census Bureau: Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, and Brown. There are around 3 million Smiths in the U.S., and they've held the top spot for the last 13 years.
Zhang ranks pretty low on the list of American surnames - 2292nd. Perhaps more tellingly, Garcia and Martinez rank 18th and 19th, respectively.
North Carolina Rest Area
The Buzzword for August 2nd
crudites \kroo-dih-TAY\ noun
What does it mean?
: pieces of raw vegetables (as celery or carrot sticks) served
as an hors d'oeuvre often with a dip
How do you use it?
Whenever we have guests for dinner, Mother likes to serve
crudites and tomato juice before the main meal.
Are you a word wiz?
"Crudites" has been part of the English language for only
about 45 years. From which of the following languages do you
think English-speakers borrowed it?
A. French
B. Malaysian
C. German
D. Swahili
Answer:
A is the answer to keep us cooking right along. "Crudites"
comes from the plural of the French word "crudite," meaning
"rawness." "Crudite" traces back to the Latin word
"cruditas," meaning "indigestion" -- not a very appropriate
ancestor for a tasty treat! Latin "cruditas" derives from
"crudus," meaning "raw." This Latin word is the source of
several other English words including "crude" and "cruel,"
and is akin to the word "raw" itself. Another word that
English borrowed from French was used in the definition of
"crudites." "Hors d'oeuvre" is defined as "any of various
tasty foods usually served as appetizers," and it comes from
a French phrase meaning "something extra."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Monday's edition.
In Today's Edition
I'd like to commend Sern for taking a look at this crazy world of ours and speaking out against one of the many greedy corporate giants, mainly Gallo Wines. I'm referring to a testimony she put out onto the messageboard. Here is her statement in its entirety.
My understanding, supportive family,
Recently my brother asked me about a sticker I was wearing on my shirt. It read "People of Good Will Say: No Gallo". I had just come back from a demonstration on Santa Monica Blvd. for the UFW. Gallo wines, the corporation that continues to deny farmworkers basic living wages and housing refuses to sign a contract with the union. As some of you may know, the UFW has had problems with Gallo's inhumane policies since the advent of the union. I feel a great deal of responsibility to inform anyone that may not already know about the boycott declared on June 14 against Gallo wines. Because Gallo is such a huge corporation they operate under so many different labels. I know it is a long list but please refrain from purchasing any of the following wines:
Anapamu
Andre
Ballatore Spumante
Bartles & Jaymes Coolers
Bella Sera
Black Swan
Boone's Farm
Bridlewood Winery
Burlwood
Carlo Rossi
Cask & Cream Caramel Temptation
Cask & Cream Chocolate Temptation
Copperidge
Da VINCI
E & J Gallo Twin Valley
E&J Cognac
E&J Gallo Vineyards
E&J VS Brandy
E&J VSOP Brandy
Ecco Domani
Ernest & Julio Gallo Twin Valley Vineyards
Frei Brothers
Frei Brothers Reserve
Gallo Estate
Gallo Fairbanks
Gallo Livingston Cellars
Gallo of Sonoma
Gallo of Sonoma County Series
Gallo of Sonoma Estate Series
Gallo of Sonoma Single Vineyard
Gallo Sheffield Cellars
Gallo Vermouth
Gossamer Bay
Indigo Hills
Indigo Hills Blanc de Blancs
Liberty Creek
Livingston Cellars
Louis M. Martini
Maurray Ranch
Marcelina
McWilliams Hanwood Estate
Mirassou
Napa Valley Vineyards
Peter Vella
Rancho Zabaco
Rancho Zabaco Winery:
Red Bicyclette
Redwood Creek
Tott's
Turning Leaf
Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve
Whitehaven
Wild Vines
William Wycliff
I know not everyone drinks wine but if we can create dialogue about this important cause, we really can help. Revolution must occur in the mind before anywhere else. Thanks for supporting this important cause.
If only more people could see and speak out of the injustices towards humanity, this world would be a much better place to live in. Thanks Sern.
Born on August 1st
Ashley Angel (1981)
Tempestt Bledsoe (1973)
Coolio (1963)
Jerry Garcia (1942)
Yves Saint Laurent (1936)
Dom DeLuise (1933)
Herman Melville (1819)
Francis Scott Key (1779)
William Clark (1770)
A Rushed Marriage
A man met a beautiful blonde lady and he decided he wanted to marry her right away. She said, "But we don't know anything about each other."
He said, "That's all right, we'll learn about each other as we go along." So she consented, and they were married, and went on a honeymoon to a very nice resort.
One morning they were laying by the pool, when he got up off of his towel, climbed up to the 10 Meter board and did a two and a half tuck gainer, this was followed by a three rotations in jackknife position, where he straightened out and cut the water like a knife. After a few more demonstrations, he came back and lay down on the towel.
She said," That was incredible!"
He said, "I used to be an Olympic diving champion. You see, I told you we'd learn more about ourselves as we went along."
So she got up, jumped in the pool, and started doing laps. After about thirty laps she climbed back out and lay down on her towel hardly out of breath.
He said, "That was incredible! Were you an Olympic endurance swimmer?"
"No." she said, "I was a hooker in Venice and I worked both sides of the canal."
Today's useless fact - Where does the flushed waste from airplane toilets go while in flight?
We went to Air Travel category to answer your question. When you're traveling a mile high in the sky, an airline toilet has to function a little differently than the one found in your home. That's because you're faced with a finite amount of space for septic tanks, pipes, water, and other plumbing components in a pressurized cabin environment. HowStuffWorks.com offers this excellent overview on commercial aircraft plumbing. We learned that ingenious engineers devised vacuum toilets, which don't have to rely on gravity and a water- filled toilet bowl to flush out waste. When you flush a vacuum toilet, waste and a small amount of blue sanitizing liquid are sucked into a septic holding tank. Because the vacuums are so powerful, the pipes can be fairly narrow and very little water is necessary to "get the job done." And since gravity is not involved, the sewer pipes can be run straight up to conserve space.
Some creative web surfing led us to an FAA document on "management of aircraft washes and similar wastes." On page 29, we found a diagram of air flotation treatment systems. The document further explains how wastes are collected, separated, and treated in a specially devised tank system. However, it doesn't elaborate on waste disposal.
While we could not find specific FAA documents on disposal regulations, it's common knowledge that the so-called "blue ice" or "brown goo" that accumulates within airplanes does drop onto unsuspecting targets from time to time.
Recently, an unlucky resident of Santa Cruz, California, received a special blue ice delivery courtesy of an American Airlines plane right through the skylight of his boat. He took the airline to small claims court and won a modest sum. A Pittsburgh woman's home was also subject to such a delivery. Other folks describe mysterious biological material that appears splattered around their houses and property.
The Buzzword for August 1st
wallow \WAH-loh\ verb
What does it mean?
1 : to devote oneself to something pleasurable
2 : to become or remain helpless
How do you use it?
He told me, "Quit wallowing in self-pity. Get up, dust
yourself off, and keep going."
Are you a word wiz?
"Wallow" has another meaning. What was the original meaning of
the verb "wallow"?
A. to yell with marshmallows stuffed in your mouth
B. to roll around in something like mud lazily or clumsily
C. to make candles out of fat or tallow
D. to throw someone out a window
Answer:
You don't need to wallow in regret if you chose B! "Wallow" is
an old word that has been in English since the late 9th
century and first referred to rolling around lazily in a
thick liquid, like mud. It was originally used of animals
rolling in dirt or mud, but by the early 1200s, it had gained
the connotation of indulging in something that is bad or
unhealthy for you. This later sense of being sucked in by
something unhealthy gave rise to the sense "to be helpless,"
which is the one used in our example sentence today.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
