DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
Founded: December, 2000 Created By: Esther Aquino & Joseph Garcia
Thursday December 23rd, 2004
In Today's Edition
What is Christmas?
It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.
It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.
~Agnes M. Pharo
My Grown Up Christmas List
Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies
Well, I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream
So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list
As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree
Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up Christmas list
This is my grown up Christmas list
Born on December 23rd
Jose Greco
1918James Gregory
1911Harry Guardino
1925Elizabeth Hartman
1941Paul Hornung
1935Roger Jepsen
1928Floyd Kalber
1924Susan Lucci
1948Esther Phillips
1935Ruth Roman
1924Ronnie Schell
1931Corey Haim
1971
One cold evening during the holiday season, a little boy about six or seven was standing out in front of a store window. The little child had no shoes on and his clothes were mere rags. A young woman passing by saw the little boy and could read the longing in his pale blue eyes. She took the child by the hand and led him into the store. There she bought him new shoes and a complete suit of warm clothing.
They came back outside into the street and the woman said to the child, "Now you can go home and have a very happy holiday."
The little boy looked up at her and asked, "Are you God, Ma'am?"
She smiled down at him and replied, "No son, I'm just one of His children."
The little boy then said, "I knew you had to be some relation."
If a man stands in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no woman around to hear him....Is he still wrong?
What's The Buzzword For December 23rd?
hors d'oeuvre \or-DERV\ noun
What does it mean?
: any of various tasty foods usually served as appetizers
How do you use it?
Stuffed mushrooms and mini quiches were served as
hors d'oeuvres at the wedding reception.
Are you a word wiz?
"Hors d'oeuvre" is an English word borrowed from French. It
means "something extra" in French, and comes from a phrase
meaning "outside of work." Which of these other tasty English
terms is also borrowed from French?
A. canape (bread or toast or a cracker topped with a savory
spread)
B. caviar (the salted eggs of a large fish, such as sturgeon)
C. rumaki (chicken liver and water chestnuts wrapped in
bacon)
D. wonton (filled pockets of noodle dough served in soup or
fried)
Answer:
We hope that answer A suits your taste. "Canape" didn't
originate in French, but English speakers adopted it from that
language. "Canape" arose from "konops," a Greek word meaning
"mosquito." A bed covered with mosquito netting was called a
"konopion" in Greek and "canopeum" in Latin. Eventually,
people started calling any bed curtain or awning a "canopeum."
The French modified the Latin "canopeum" into "canape," a
word that originally meant "sofa." But apparently some French
speaker thought a piece of toast topped with a tasty spread
resembled a sofa, so "canape" became a snack rather than a
spot to snooze.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
Click Here
Snowman
That's all for this week. I hope to see you all at Larry and Roni's Friday. If I don't see you, have a Merry Christmas and know that someone loves you and is thinking about you.
The following is what appeared in Wednesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.
~W. C. Jones
Born on December 22nd
Peggie Castle
1927Charles Coleman
1885Steve Garvey
1948Maurice Gibb
1949Robin Gibb
1949Lady Bird Johnson
1912Andre Kostelanetz
1901Gene Rayburn
1917Ralph Fiennes
1962Diane Sawyer
1945Barbara Billingsley
1922
Christmas Symbols
Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates.
"In honor of this holy season," Saint Peter said, "You must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven."
The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. "It represents a candle", he said.
"You may pass through the pearly gates" Saint Peter said.
The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, "They're bells".
Saint Peter said "you may pass through the pearly gates".
The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women's panties.
St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, "And just what do those symbolize?"
The man replied, "They're Carols".
Christmas Wish
The Santa Claus at the mall was very surprised when a young lady about twenty years old walked up and sat on his lap.
Santa doesn't usually take requests from adults, but she smiled very nicely at him, so he asked her, "What do you want for Christmas?"
"Something for my mother, please." said the young lady.
"Something for your mother? Well, that's very thoughtful of you," smiled Santa. "What do you want me to bring her? "
Without blinking she replied, "A son-in-law!"
Jingle Balls?
Today's useless fact - What makes stars twinkle?
As poetic and mystical as we may find the twinkling of stars in the night sky, sadly, it is merely an illusion. To shed some light on the matter, we visited the links in the Lukol Astronomy category. The twinkling of stars, technically known as stellar scintillation, is due to the very unromantic force known as atmospheric turbulence. Moving pockets of air in the Earth's atmosphere distort the light from the stars.
These pockets of air act like lenses, refracting light in random directions and causing the stars to appear to "twinkle."
Stars on the horizon will appear to twinkle more than stars directly overhead. This is because the light has to pass through more of the Earth's atmosphere to reach your eye. The colors of a star are also affected by the refraction of the Earth's atmosphere. A star may appear to change colors rapidly due to atmospheric turbulence. Outside the Earth's atmosphere, the stars don't twinkle. That's why the Hubble Space Telescope is able to capture such clear and amazing photographs of the stars.
So why don't planets also "twinkle"? Well, besides the fact that "twinkle, twinkle, little planet" just isn't as catchy a song title, planets don't appear to twinkle because they are much nearer to Earth than stars. The planets appear much larger to us, so the "twinkling" effect of refracted light is not nearly as noticeable as it is with stars, which are so far away they appear to be only pinpoints of light. However, if the Earth's atmosphere is particularly turbulent, or you are using a powerful telescope, you may notice the planets doing a little twinkling of their own.
What's The Buzzword For December 22nd?
googol \GOO-gawl\ noun
What does it mean?
: a very large number that is expressed in numerals as one
followed by one hundred zeroes
How do you use it?
Jay entered the radio station's contest, even though he
figured the odds of winning were about a googol to one.
Are you a word wiz?
We won't give you a googol of choices in this quiz -- only
four. Which one do you think correctly explains the origin of
the word "googol"?
A. "Googol" comes from a Greek word meaning "infinity."
B. "Googol" was invented by a clever nine-year-old boy.
C. "Googol" was the name of the mathematician who first
calculated the number.
D. "Googol" originated as a variant of "gaggle," meaning
"group" or "cluster."
Answer:
"Googol" proves that a kid can have big ideas. In the late
1930s American mathematician Edward Kasner (1878-1955) was
working on calculations using an enormous number, one written
as the number one followed by one hundred zeroes. Kasner
thought it would be easier to talk about that gigantic number
if it had a name, so he asked his nine-year-old nephew, Milton
Sirotta, what he should call it. Milton came up with "googol."
Kasner liked the name and started using it, and before long
other mathematicians and the general public had picked it up
too.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Tuesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
When I first got to know her she was kinda self-centered, a bit unruly, and had a vicious mean streak. Then somewhere during high school she changed. It was like night and day. It was like the caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly.
Today Renee has a heart as big as the sky. She'll go out of her way to help anyone in need. Her kindness and unselfishness has no bounds and often gets her into trouble by some who take advantage of this great trait of hers. That's when her mean streak comes out. Yeah, she still has the mean streak. She can wreak havoc when you rub her the wrong way.
I'm so proud of her for what she's accomplished and I know the future holds many more great things for her. She has great determination but with a laid-back attitude and sharp sense of humor. And she's pretty as all heck.
She makes great chocolate-peanut butter balls too.
Here's wishing you all the best on your day Renee. Happy Birthday!
Born on December 21st
Phil Donahue
1935Chris Evert
1954Jane Fonda
1937Ed Nelson
1928Carl Wilson
1946Dennis Wilson
1946Paul Winchell
1922Betty Wright
1953Frank Zappa
1940Keri Chaconas
1974Kiefer Sutherland
1966Ray Romano
1957Renee Vela 1981
Money up the wazoo
A fellow went to his doctor complaining that his butt was feeling terribly sore. The doctor asked him to drop his drawers and bend over so he could take a look.
"It's amazing!" the doctor said, as he pulled a $20 bill from the fellow's rear. Another $20 bill appeared behind the first one, so the doctor pulled it out, too. And then another! And another! And many more. Finally, the doctor had pulled the whole pile of $20 bills from the fellow's ass, and began to count it.
The doctor exclaimed, "There was $1980 stuck in your anus!"
And the fellow replied, "I knew I wasn't feeling two grand!"
Today's useless fact - What causes hangover symptoms? And what are the best ways to relieve them?
Here's what we learned from the links in the Lukol Hangovers category:
The root cause of all hangovers is, of course, drinking alcohol. If you drink enough and end up with a hangover, it means you've ingested more alcohol than your body can metabolize efficiently. The toxins in alcohol build up in your body and make you feel sick. A chief culprit is a chemical called acetaldehyde. This is an alcohol by-product that research suggests may cause the worst of your hangover symptoms.
Congeners are another cause of hangovers. These are impurities created during the fermentation process in some types of alcohol. Low quality wines and many dark liquors tend to have high levels of congeners. The rule of thumb is the darker your drink, the worse the hangover. Hungover.net's Pain-O-Meter has an amusing list of hangover-inducing alcoholic beverages.
Dehydration is both a cause and a symptom of hangovers. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases urination. The more alcohol you drink, the more water your body loses. Your liver and kidneys need water to process the alcohol, so when you lose water, your body struggles to rid itself of toxins.
The best cure for a hangover is prevention. If you insist on imbibing, be more careful about your intake. Drink no more than one drink per hour. Remember that light-colored drinks will hurt you less. Drink water while you drink alcohol. Having food in your stomach is a good idea because it slows the absorption of alcohol by your body.
Many hangover cures are just old wives' tales. Drinking more alcohol (known as the "hair of the dog") won't help. It simply postpones the inevitable. Caffeinated drinks like coffee are diuretics, so avoid them if you're hung-over. Eating fruits and vegetables can help replenish the nutrients you've lost. Hungover.net recommends B vitamins. Many sources advise against taking acetaminophen (a.k.a. Tylenol) because it could damage your liver if mixed with alcohol. Ibuprofen painkillers are considered a better choice.
Other classic remedies include sports drinks like Gatorade and sugary food and drink. Tomatoes figure prominently in hangover cures, from Bloody Marys to V8 to Italian food. Some swear that exercise (even sex!) is a great way to get the blood pumping and move toxins out of the body. The amino-acid supplement cysteine may help your liver break down alcohol, too.
Medical research has shown that what you really need to get rid of a hangover is restful time for your body to heal. Plenty of water will help you feel better. Just remember to take it easy at the bar, and try to avoid problems next time.
What's The Buzzword For December 21st?
pneumatic \noo-MAT-ik\ adjective
What does it mean?
1 : of, relating to, or using air, wind, or other gas
2 : moved or worked by air pressure
3 : made to hold or be inflated with compressed air
How do you use it?
Pneumatic tires made automobiles ride much more smoothly,
as the inflated tire was softer than the hard rubber ones used
previously.
Are you a word wiz?
You're busy right now performing the action that is at the
root of "pneumatic." What action do you think that is?
A. breathing
B. blinking
C. growing
D. thinking
Answer:
If you chose A, you can breathe a sigh of relief! English
adapted "pneumatic" from Latin "pneumaticus," but the Latin
word traces back to Greek "pneuma," meaning "air, breath,"
and "pnein," meaning "to breathe." The words in English that
derive from "pnein" are few and tend to have a scientific
sound to them. "Dyspnea," for example, means difficulty
breathing, while "eupnea" means normal breathing. "Hold on,"
you say, "What about 'pneumonia?'" "Pneumonia" actually comes
from the Greek word "pneumon" or "pleumon," meaning "lung."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
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 want to thank all of you that came to the Tamalada. Christine and I had a great time. You know, it doesn't even seem like work when you are surrounded by loved ones and friends that you can joke, laugh and shoot the bull with for that many hours. Time really flies by when you're in the company of great human beings. I love all you guys.
Thank you Timi for being such a great hostess and graciously allowing all of us maniacs into your home. You're such a sweet kid. I wish that I could've stayed longer to help you clean up at the end but with my meds and sleeping habits, if I don't take a nap I'm usually burned out at 2:00 unless I'm in Vegas ;>).
To the new member of the Tamalada- You're a good sport and I don't know if I could've taken the ribbing that you got. Thanks for the great job of spreading (are you sure you haven't done this before?) and putting up with the Aquino foolishness and cheestosiveness (is that a word?).
I so look forward to the Tamalada. I can't wait till next year.
By the way, those beef and potato tamales are great! I just might change my order and take an extra dozen of those.
Born on December 20th
Jenny Agutter 1952
Rodney Amateau 1923
Charlie Callas 1924
Robert Colomby 1944
Peter Criss 1947
Albert Dekker 1904
Irene Dunne 1898
George Roy Hill 1922
Audrey Totter 1918
Anita Baker 1957
Ronnie Hernandez
A Norwegian job interview
Here's your first question," the foreman said, "without using numbers, represent the number 9."
"Without numbers?" Sven says, "Dat is easy," and proceeds to draw three trees.
"What's this?" the boss asks.
"Ave you got no brain? Tree and tree and tree make nine," says the Norwegian.
"Fair enough," says the boss, "here is your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99."
Sven stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree. "Ere you go."
The boss scratches his head and says, "How on earth do you get that to represent 99?"
"Each of da trees is dirty now! So it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, and dirty tree. Dat is 99"
The boss is getting worried he's going to have to hire this Norwegian, so he says, "All right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number 100."
Sven stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree, and says, "Ere you go. One hundred."
The boss looks at the attempt. "You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!"
The Norwegian leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree, and says, "A little dog come along and crap by each tree. So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, which make one hundred... So ven do I start?"
Today's useless fact - How did fruitcake become a holiday tradition?
There are so many unique traditions, it's hard to keep them all straight. Of course, nobody who bites into a dense, flavor-filled chunk of fruitcake is likely to forget the sensation or the occasion that prompted it. As for the origin of the tradition, that's a little harder to recall...
As usual, our LUKOL Directory was our first step, and after several clicks in Cooking Category we found some interesting facts on fruitcakes:
We first learned about fruitcake's legendary ability to remain edible for weeks or months (or years!).
Perhaps the most intriguing fact we found was:
In England by the end of the 18th century there were laws restricting the use of plum cake (plum being the generic word for dried fruit at the time) to Christmas, Easter, weddings, christenings, and funerals.
We also decided to visit Corsicana, Texas's Collin Street Bakery - - the original purveyors of mail-order fruitcakes. While their site goes into the bakery's 100-year history of producing tasty, fruit-laden confections, we couldn't find any substantive links between Christmas and fruitcake.
Oh well, we guess some traditions are just... traditional.
What's The Buzzword For December 20th?
nonchalant \nahn-shuh-LAHNT\ adjective
What does it mean?
: having a confident and easy manner
How do you use it?
Joey tried to appear nonchalant as he asked Brittney to
the dance, but inside he was a bundle of nerves.
Are you a word wiz?
"Nonchalant" shares its root word "calere" with a few other
English words. Which words are relatives of "nonchalant"?
A. "calorie" and "scald"
B. "cool" and "clinic"
C. "chalet" and "chilly"
D. "challenge" and "chamber"
Answer:
Your vocabulary is hot if you chose A! The Latin root word
"calere" means "to be warm" and it shows up in the histories of
a handful of English words. It went through French and was
combined with the prefix "non-" to give us "nonchalant" ("not
warm," "not concerned"). It is also the root of "calorie." Like
"nonchalant," the word "calorie" came into English through
French, and refers to the amount of heat that is required to
raise the temperature of one gram of water 1 degree celsius.
"Calere" took a different path through Anglo-French and Middle English
to give us the word "scald," which refers to burning someone or
something with hot liquid.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
