A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment. Then the new school year began.
The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.
The following afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. Used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing."
The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trash cans.
After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. "This recession is really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans."
The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus.
A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street. "Look," he said, "I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?"
"A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter,you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!"
And the wise old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Over A Century Ago
Maybe this will boggle your mind, I know it did mine! The year is 1905, just over one hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes!
Here are some of the U.S. statistics for 1905:
- The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
- Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
- Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
- A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.
- There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.
- The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
- Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.
- The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
- The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents an hour. The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
- More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home .
- Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."
- Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
- Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
- Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.
The five leading causes of death in the U.S. were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke
- The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
- The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30!
- Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.
- There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
- Two of 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write.
- Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated high school.
- Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."
- Eighteen percent of households in the U.S had at least one full-time servant or domestic.
- There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.
- And I forwarded this from someone else without typing it myself, and sent it to you in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years . it staggers the mind.
Here are some of the U.S. statistics for 1905:
- The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
- Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
- Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
- A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.
- There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.
- The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
- Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.
- The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
- The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents an hour. The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
- More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home .
- Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."
- Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
- Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
- Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.
The five leading causes of death in the U.S. were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke
- The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
- The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30!
- Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.
- There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
- Two of 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write.
- Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated high school.
- Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."
- Eighteen percent of households in the U.S had at least one full-time servant or domestic.
- There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.
- And I forwarded this from someone else without typing it myself, and sent it to you in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years . it staggers the mind.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Cat Person Profile Quiz
Is your devotion to your cat and "cat things" in the training stage, at a moderate level, or extreme? Or are you an all out shameless "cat-a- holic?" Let's just see how you rate as a "cat person," shall we? See how many of these can you give an HONEST "yes" answer to:
--Can you meow so well that you can fake out your cats?
--Have you ever called your husband/wife by the cat's name by mistake?
--Do you think of your cats as the "furry kids?"
--Did you ever decide to buy a house or rent an apartment based solely on the potential spot for the litterbox?
--Do you think cat hair in your food is a good source of protein?
--Last Christmas/Hanukkah, did you spend more money on cat toys than you did on gifts for the kids or grandkids?
--Are you at a loss as to how to talk to people who don't own any cats?
--Does your wallet contain more photos of your cats than your kids or grandkids?
--Have you often slept on the very edge of the bed so that you won't disturb the cat who's sleeping in the very middle?
--Do you leave messages for the kitty on the answering machine?
--Have you ever invited a guest to sit down by patting the seat and making that noise with your pursed lips?
--Does your answering machine have the cat meowing on the outgoing message?
--When you go to the bathroom do you think of it as "using the litterbox"?
--Have you made a habit of setting a place at the table for the kitty?
--Do you know your cat's birthday (or if not, have made a good guess) and have a birthday party to celebrate?
--When your husband/wife gives you the ultimatum, "OK, it's me or the cat," you don't hesitate for even one second.
--Do your neighbors talk about you as "the nut with all the cats?"
How many did you answer "yes" to? I think just answering one with a "yes" is enough to qualify you as a "Cat Person." But the number of yes answers determines the degree.
Your "Cat-ability" Score"
--1 to 4 yes answers: In training - you could do better, but it's OK, you're learning.
--5 to 8 yes answers: Moderate - working on it, improving nicely. Potential is there.
--9 to 13 yes answers: Extreme - just about there, almost mastered the art. Keep stretching yourself.
--14 to 17 yes answers: Totally possessed, hopelessly devoted, cat-a-holic. Congratulations! (But you'll find no 12 step program here!)
--Can you meow so well that you can fake out your cats?
--Have you ever called your husband/wife by the cat's name by mistake?
--Do you think of your cats as the "furry kids?"
--Did you ever decide to buy a house or rent an apartment based solely on the potential spot for the litterbox?
--Do you think cat hair in your food is a good source of protein?
--Last Christmas/Hanukkah, did you spend more money on cat toys than you did on gifts for the kids or grandkids?
--Are you at a loss as to how to talk to people who don't own any cats?
--Does your wallet contain more photos of your cats than your kids or grandkids?
--Have you often slept on the very edge of the bed so that you won't disturb the cat who's sleeping in the very middle?
--Do you leave messages for the kitty on the answering machine?
--Have you ever invited a guest to sit down by patting the seat and making that noise with your pursed lips?
--Does your answering machine have the cat meowing on the outgoing message?
--When you go to the bathroom do you think of it as "using the litterbox"?
--Have you made a habit of setting a place at the table for the kitty?
--Do you know your cat's birthday (or if not, have made a good guess) and have a birthday party to celebrate?
--When your husband/wife gives you the ultimatum, "OK, it's me or the cat," you don't hesitate for even one second.
--Do your neighbors talk about you as "the nut with all the cats?"
How many did you answer "yes" to? I think just answering one with a "yes" is enough to qualify you as a "Cat Person." But the number of yes answers determines the degree.
Your "Cat-ability" Score"
--1 to 4 yes answers: In training - you could do better, but it's OK, you're learning.
--5 to 8 yes answers: Moderate - working on it, improving nicely. Potential is there.
--9 to 13 yes answers: Extreme - just about there, almost mastered the art. Keep stretching yourself.
--14 to 17 yes answers: Totally possessed, hopelessly devoted, cat-a-holic. Congratulations! (But you'll find no 12 step program here!)
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