The Earthquake in Haiti II

January 16th, Obama, GW Bush, Clinton: Together on Haiti

Former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are joined by U.S. President Barack Obama in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington while speaking about disaster aid to Haiti January 16, 2010.

By David Jackson / USA Today

President Obama thanked predecessors George W. Bush and Bill Clinton today for heading up a new Haiti fundraising project, and asked them to tap America's compassion to help the impoverished nation devastated by a deadly earthquake.

"In times of great challenge in our country and around the world, Americans have always come together to lend a hand and to serve others and to do what's right," Obama said at the White House, flanked by the former presidents.

During brief remarks in the Rose Garden, Bush and Clinton both praised Obama for the government's initial response to the earthquake disaster. Both told Americans the best way help is to give money as soon as possible to finance relief workers who are already arriving in Haiti.

"I know a lot of people want to send blankets and water," Bush said while making his first visit to the White House since his presidency ended. "Just send your cash."

Clinton said the new project -- The Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund -- is designed to be "a place where people can know their money will be spent."

It can be accessed at clintonbushhaitifund.org.

Bush and Clinton are heading up the same kind of fundraising effort for Haiti that Bush's father and Clinton did for the victims of tsunami that hit Asia in late 2004. Obama called it a "model that works," one with a big advantage.

"America has no greater resource than the strength and the compassion of the American people," Obama said.

The two ex-presidents also sat for television interviews to be aired tomorrow on the Sunday morning talks shows -- the questions were restricted to Haiti only.

In the Rose Garden, Clinton spoke of his long-time personal connection to Haiti, including the fact that he and wife Hillary honeymooned there. "I was in those hotels that collapsed," he said. "I've had meals with people who are dead."

Bush -- who took major heat for the government's response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 -- commended Obama for "a swift and timely response to the disaster."

Obama said the new Bush-Clinton partnership is a signal to the world that "in these difficult hours, Americans stand united." He also warned that rebuilding Haiti will take time -- lots of it.

"Our longer-term effort will not be measured in days and weeks," Obama said. "It will be measured in months and even years."

Before their remarks, Obama, Bush, and Clinton met privately in the Oval Office.

Oh, to be a fly on that wall.

Bush had not been back to the White House since his last hour as president, a year ago Jan. 20.

In the months since, Obama and his aides have repeatedly cited "the mess" that they "inherited" from the Bush administration, from the financial crisis to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bush, who left office with very low approval ratings, has been silent on Obama's presidency. But high-ranking backers such as former Vice President Dick Cheney have assailed Obama on items ranging from his health care plan to counter-terrorism policies.

The Obama-Clinton relationship has also been in the news lately, thanks to a new book on the 2008 presidential campaign. In Game Change, authors John Heilemann and Mark Halperin report that Clinton regularly blasted Obama as the latter fought Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination; Obama often returned the favor to the ex-president.

Since Obama became president, however, he and Clinton have worked on a variety of issues, including the nuclear threat from North Korea.

The authors of Game Change also reported that Clinton and Bush speak regularly by telephone.

So we suspect this morning's chat was fairly comfortable. After all, these three guys belong to a rather exclusive club.

Meanwhile, here's a White House statement on how the Haiti project came together:

Shortly after learning of the magnitude of the destruction in Haiti, the President determined that any relief effort would have to be sustained over the long term, and would require a substantial private component. Furthermore, as donations and offers to help immediately began to pour in, it became clear that a point of coordination was necessary to facilitate the contributions of individuals and other non-governmental organizations.

The President admired the substantial success of the effort to raise money and awareness in the aftermath of the Tsunami, and believed that a similar effort would be necessary to respond to a challenge of this magnitude.

The President called George W. Bush at 6:35 PM on Wednesday, January 13th to discuss the idea. The President also discussed the idea with Secretary Clinton.

The Earthquake in Haiti.

Happy 2010

Now that the Christmas and New Year festivities are over and we have already enjoyed our annual leave period, how about taking a look at the old traditions? Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, but many Christmas traditions come from pagan, or non-Christian sources.

Christmas Trees come from a German pagan tradition. They were brought to the English (who later brought them to the US) by Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria. Evergreen Wreaths and Boughs. Wreaths are circles of leaves, berries and/or flowers that are usually placed on the front door.

Boughs are tree branches. Evergreens are trees that stay green all year long. Because of this, they are pagan symbols of life. They were used to show that life is eternal and continues even in winter, the season of death. Decorating with Holly comes from the Roman solstice celebration called Saturnalia. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, when the sun shines for the least amount of time. In ancient Roman solstice celebrations, people gave each other holly because they believed it kept away lightning and evil spirits during the long nights. People have exchanged gifts for thousands of years. The Saturnalia in Rome took place at the beginning of the New Year.

People gave presents as symbols of the good luck, prosperity, and happiness that they wanted their friends and family to have in the coming year. Christians credit the Magi, or Three Wise Men, with starting this tradition when they brought gifts to the Christ Child.

Santa Claus is a mix of characters from many different traditions, all of them pagan: the Dutch St. Nick, the English Father Christmas, and the German Kris Kringle, among others. For centuries Norse and Germanic peoples have talked about the Yule Elf, who carries presents to people who leave him food on the Winter Solstice. HC

“Old Irish Saying”

If you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people HE gives it to."

Stupid Quotation

"If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure." - James Danforth "Dan" Quayle was the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving under George H. W. Bush (1989–1993). He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana.

Famous Quotation

"It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous". Robert Benchley.

Robert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at the Harvard Lampoon while attending Harvard University, through his many years writing essays and articles for Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, and his acclaimed short films, Benchley's style of humor brought him respect and success during his life, from New York City and his peers at the Algonquin Round Table to contemporaries in the burgeoning film industry.

LAUGHTER’S THE BEST MEDICINE

At The Court House

Defense Attorney: What is your age?
Little Old Lady: I am 86 years old.
Defense Attorney: Will you tell us, what happened to you?
Little Old Lady: There I was, sitting there in my swing on my front porch on a warm spring evening, when a young man comes creeping up on the porch and sat down beside me.
Defense Attorney: What happened after he sat down beside you?
Little Old Lady: He started to rub my thigh.
Defense Attorney: Did you stop him?
Little Old Lady: No, I didn't stop him.
Defense Attorney: Why not?
Little Old Lady: It felt good. Nobody had done that since my Abner passed away some 30 years ago.
Defense Attorney: What happened next?
Little Old Lady: He began to rub my breasts..
Defense Attorney: Did you stop him then?
Little Old Lady: No, I did not stop him.
Defense Attorney: Why not?
Little Old Lady: Why, Your Honor, his rubbing made me feel all alive and excited. I haven't felt that good in years!
Defense Attorney: What happened next?
Little Old Lady: Well, I was feeling so spicy that I just spread my old legs and said to him, "Take me, young man, Take me!"
Defense Attorney: Did he take you?
Little Old Lady: Hell, no. That's when he yelled, "April Fool!" And that's when I shot the son of a bitch!

Don't Let Me Be Late

A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!" As she was running and praying , she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again. As she ran she once again began to pray; "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!...But don't push me either."

Top Secret

You've all heard of the Air Force's ultra-high-security, super-secret base in Nevada, known simply as "Area 51?"
Well, late one afternoon, the Air Force folks out at Area 51 were very surprised to see a Cessna landing at their "secret" base. They immediately impounded the aircraft and hauled the pilot into an interrogation room.
The pilot's story was that he took off from Vegas, got lost, and spotted the Base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force started a full FBI background check on the pilot and held him overnight during the investigation.
By the next day, they were finally convinced that the pilot really was lost and wasn't a spy. They gassed up his airplane, gave him a terrifying "you-did-not-see-a-base" briefing, complete with threats of spending the rest of his life in prison, and sent him on his way.
The next day, to the total disbelief of the Air Force, the same Cessna showed up again. Once again, the MPs surrounded the plane...only this time there were two people in the cockpit.
The same pilot jumped out and said, "Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night!"

A Bit Too Late?

The orthopedic surgeon I work for was moving to a new office, and his staff was helping transport many of the items. I sat the display skeleton in the front of my car, his bony arm across the back of my seat.
I hadn't considered the drive across town. At one traffic light, the stares of the people in the car beside me became obvious, and I looked across and explained, "I'm delivering him to my doctor's office."
The other driver leaned out of his window said,
"I hate to tell you, lady," he said, "but I think it's too late!"

To The Top

There is a story about a monastery in Europe perched high on a cliff several hundred feet in the air. The only way to reach the monastery was to be suspended in a basket which was pulled to the top by several monks who pulled and tugged with all their strength.
Obviously the ride up the steep cliff in that basket was terrifying.
One tourist got exceedingly nervous about half-way up as he noticed that the rope by which he was suspended was old and frayed. With a trembling voice he asked the monk who was riding with him in the basket how often they changed the rope. The monk thought for a moment and answered brusquely, ”Whenever it breaks.”

Rules of Thumb

IT’S NOT THAT EASY BEING GREEN

So, you think you know what green is, right ? "It's a color!" you say.
"The color of grass and emeralds and little, round peas, and long, thin string beans!"
Okay, that is true. Green is all those things. But green is also SO MUCH MORE!

Here are some uses of green you might not know:
green - inexperienced (as in green like a young tree) I think he's too green to bear this kind of responsibility, but his boss wants him as a manager.
green - not ripe (describes fruit) These papayas are still green. You'll have to wait for a couple of days to eat them.
green - concerned about the environment. More and more people are becoming green: they are recycling and looking for ways to get rid of waste that don't pollute the land, water and air.
greens - leafy, dark green vegetables such as spinach and kale. Kids don't like to eat greens. They prefer ice cream and candies.

Green Expressions
to have a green thumb - to be good at growing plants.
My wife has a green thumb, and I sure don't.
to be green with envy - to be jealous of something someone else has. When Helen was given a pay increase, her friend Martha was green with envy.
to give the green light to something/someone - to say that a project can proceed; to say yes to a plan. Bob’s last project went so well that the boss gave him the green light immediately.

Green Things
Green card – official permission for a foreigner to work and live in the USA.Greenhouse – glass building where plants are grown all year round.

Word of The Day

OUTLOOK

Function: noun

Plural: outlooks

Meanings:
a) The way that a person thinks about things
e.g. (count) The students all seemed to have the same outlook. The outlook of the 1990s (the general attitude of people living in the 1990s) Her political outlook.

Note: This sense of outlook is often followed by on.
e.g. The book totally changed my outlook on politics. They had very different outlooks on the world. A positive/optimistic outlook on life.

(noncount) Despite our differences in outlook, we got along together very well.

b (count) : A set of conditions that will probably exist in the future : the future of someone or something — usually singular
e.g. The country’s economic outlook

Note: This sense of outlook is often followed by for.
e.g. The outlook for the company is hopeful. The outlook for tomorrow is scattered showers and temperatures in the 70s.

c (count) : a place where you can look out over a wide area
e.g. Scenic outlooks along the highway.

also : a view from such a place
e.g. A beautiful outlook.

White Christmas

Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds in the film HOLIDAY INN (PARAMOUNT PICTURES, 1942) sing the famous Christmas song "White Christmas" from the composer Irving Berlin. Marjorie Reynolds was dubbed by Martha Mears

For all those who think Christmas would be only for Christians it may be interesting to know that one of the most famous Christmas songs ever was written by someone, who was affiliated to the Jewish religion. And isn't it a nice idea that Christmas can bring everyone together no matter what people believe, or do not believe.

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

“From November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Colored lights decorate many town centers, houses and shops, along with shiny decorations, and artificial snow painted on shop windows. In streets and shops, “Christmas trees" (real or plastic) will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments. People, I am included, do hope for more than presents at Christmas. We want to somehow return to a time in our childhood or some other good time in the past, when life was simpler and made more sense, before the troubles of adult life arrived. We feel that behind all the fun and decorations, there must be a message. Something more. Some key to life, hope understanding and happiness. Do you want to have the very best Christmas that you have ever had? To have a memorable Christmas this year you need to keep your focus on why you are celebrating this day. Xmas is most of all a birthday party like no other. December 25th is the day set aside to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. The Son of God. A little baby that was born nearly 2000 years ago to be the Savior of the World. Keep that in mind and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL.” H.C.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Adaptation of the Classic Poem by

Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be The Day!
The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!

XMAS RECIPES

EGGNOG




INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups whole milk or half-and-half
1 cup rum, brandy or bourbon
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

METHOD
Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks in large bowl until pale. Gradually beat in sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Mix rum or whiskey (for adults only) into eggnog mixture. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1/3 of egg whites into eggnog mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg and serve.

Q: If Santa doesn't have to age, then why has he become old?
A: He only appears to be old. He's an undercover kid.

Q: Why do we wish people a "Merry Christmas" instead of a "Happy Christmas"?
A: The two are about the same, but with "Merry Christmas" an extra twinkle is seen in the eyes.

Q: Why is a Christmas tree that has been chopped down called a "live Christmas tree?"
A: It's dead but doesn't know it, and yet it's having the time of its life.

Q: Why do we wrap our Christmas gifts with paper?
A: Because we like to see surprise and joy (real or kindly faked) in the recipients.

LAUGHTER’S THE BEST MEDICINE

Bad News
Leroy came home from the doctor looking very worried.
His wife said,

- "What's the problem?" He said,
- "The doctor told me I have to take a pill every day for the rest of my life."
- "So what? his wife said. Lots of people have to take a pill every day their whole lives." He said,
- "I know, but he only gave me four pills!"

Hot Temper
A member of the Senate, known for his hot temper and acid
tongue, explodes one day in mid session and begins to shout, "Half of this Senate is made up of cowards and corrupt politicians!"

All the other Senators plead to the angry member that he
withdraw his statement, or be removed from the remainder of the session. After a long pause, the angry member accepted. ”OK" he said, I withdraw what I said. “Half of this Senate is NOT made up of cowards and corrupt politicians!"

"A Bible Lesson"
Nine year old Joey, was asked by his mother
what he had learned in Sunday school.

- "Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent
Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission
to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got
to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a
pontoon bridge and all the people walked across
safely. Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio
headquarters for reinforcements. They sent
bombers to blow up the bridge, and all the
Israelites were saved."

- "Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher
taught you?" his mother asked.

- "Well, no, Mom. But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

The Original
How was your blind date?" a college
student asked her roommate.
- "Terrible!" the roommate answered.
"He showed up in his 1932 Rolls Royce."
- "Wow! That's a very expensive car.
What's so bad about that?"
- "He was the original owner."

Rules of Thumb

Idioms using the word "Eat"

Eat like a bird = to eat very little
Eat like a horse = to eat a lot of food and to eat often
Eat your heart = to suffer from jealousy and envy
Eat your words = to take back your words; to apologize for something that you said
Eat out of your hand = to have someone do exactly as you wish
Eat at you = something that irritates or bothers you

Word of The Day

Fun and Games

Function: noun (plural)

Meaning:
Activity that is meant to be enjoyable rather than serious
e.g.:

The family reunion was full of fun and games.
Note: Fun and games is often used in a disapproving way to describe activity that is considered silly and not useful.
e.g.:

The convention is just an excuse for journalistic fun and games.

Frankly My Dear, I don't Give a Damn.....

... is a line from the 1939 film "Gone With The Wind" starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. It was spoken by Gable, as Rhett Butler, in his last words to Scarlett O'Hara. It occurs at the end of the film when Scarlett asks Rhett,

- "Where shall I go? What shall I do?" if he leaves her.

The line is memorable not only because it contains profanity (which was generally not allowed in films of that time period), but because it demonstrates that Rhett has finally given up on Scarlett and no longer cares what happens to her. This quotation was voted the number one movie line of all time by the American Film Institute 2005.

In the novel "Gone With The Wind", Rhett does not say "Frankly," but simply "My dear, I don't give a damn." The context is also different; he is speaking quietly to Scarlett in a room, not storming dramatically out of the house.

Laughter's the Best Medicine

Castaway

From a passenger ship one can see a bearded man on a small island who is shouting and desperately waving his hands.

- “Who is it?” a passenger asks the captain.

- “No idea. Every year when we pass, he goes mad like that” answered the captain!

Good Ol’ King Arthur

A knight and his men return to their castle after a long hard day of fighting.

- "How are we faring?" asks the king.

- "Sire," replies the knight, "I have been robbing and pillaging
on your behalf all day, burning the towns of your enemies in the west.

- "What?!" shrieks the king. "I don't have any enemies to the west!"

- "Oh," says the knight. "Well, you do now, Sire".

Grammar Lessons

Two crazy teachers were driving through Kansas. As they were approaching the town of “Nacogdoches”, they started arguing about the pronunciation of the name of the town. They argued back and forth until they stopped for lunch. As they stood at the counter, one teacher asked the blonde attendant,

- "before we order, could you please settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are now... very slowly?"

The girl leaned over the counter and said,

- "Maaaccc-Doooooonnnnnaaaaaallllllllddddd'sss."

English is a crazy language

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.


We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend, that you comb through annals of history but not a single annal? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preacher praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? If you wrote a letter, perhaps you bote your tongue?

Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? Park on driveways and drive on parkways?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell another.

Have you noticed that we talk about certain things only when they are absent? Have you ever seen a horseful carriage or a strapful gown? Met a sung hero or experienced requited love? Have you ever run into someone who was combobulated, gruntled, ruly or peccable? And where are all those people who ARE spring chickens or who would ACTUALLY hurt a fly?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which an alarm clock goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

Rules of Thumb

HERE’S THE POINT

Common Prefixes
Prefixes are elements placed before a word to create a new word. Look at the following examples:

Anti- = against - antisocial (a person who does not like being with other people)
antiwar (a person who does not believe in war; opposed to war)
Hyper- = beyond the ordinary - hyperactive (a person who is very active; more active than other people)
hypersensitive (a person who is very sensitive; extra sensitive to things)
il-, in-, im-, ir- = not - illogical (not logical)
insufficient (not sufficient; not enough)
impossible (not possible)
irresponsible (not responsible)
Poly- = many - polyglot (a person who speaks many languages)
polygon (a shape with many sides and angles)
Post- = after - postseason (after the regular season) postscript (PS; additional remarks at the end of a letter)

Word of The Day

Walking Papers

Function: noun (plural)

Status: US, informal

Meaning:
Walking papers is used to say that someone has been ordered to leave a place, job, etc.

eg: His boss gave him his walking papers. (British - marching orders; his boss fired him)

"When Harry Met Sally"

... is a 1989 romantic comedy film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The film raises the question "Can men and women ever just be friends?" The orgasm scene was filmed at Katz's Deli, an actual restaurant on New York's E. Houston Street. Curiosity: The table at which the scene was filmed now has a plaque on it that reads, "Congratulations! You're sitting where Harry met Sally." The woman who says "I'll have what she's having" after Sally's faked orgasm is director Rob Reiner's mother who happened to be visiting the set. HC.

Laughter's the Best Medicine

A businessman had arranged an important formal dinner party at his home where they were going to serve stuffed whole baked fish as the main course. While the guests were eating the appetizer, the cook came to the host and whispered "Please come urgently to the kitchen."

The host went to the kitchen where the cook explained that while she was serving the starter, the cat ate a big chunk of the fish which they were going to serve.

The host said, "Just fill the hole with stuffing and turn the other side up, nobody will notice."

The fish was served and when they were nearly finished eating, the host was again called to the kitchen. The cook said,

"The cat is dead!"

The host rushed back to the dinner party and apologized, "Something was wrong with the fish and everyone must have their stomachs pumped out at the hospital."

When they came back everything was still fine and the host went to ask the cook, "Where is the cat?"

"Oh," said the chef, "The cat is still by the road where the truck ran it down!"

Word of The Day

rile

Function: verb [with object]

Inflected forms:
riles; riled; riling

Meanings:
1 : to make (someone) angry : to irritate or annoy (someone)
Example:


Note: This sense of rile is usually followed by up.
Example:


2 US, informal : to make (someone) very excited — usually followed by up
Example:

RULES OF THUMB

Em inglês nunca se usa o número Cardinal antes do Ordinal como em português.

e.g.: Caruaru está entre as Cinco Primeiras cidades de PE.

Caruaru is among the First Five cities of Pernambuco.

Em inglês, usa-se “Mais” Depois do número e não Antes como em português.

e.g.: Ela ficou no Rio Mais 4 semanas depois da Páscoa.
She stayed in Rio 4 More weeks after Easter.
O Santa Cruz marcou Mais 5 gols no segundo tempo.
Santa Cruz scored 5 More goals in the second half-time.

TIP OF THE DAY – PREPOSITION – PART XI

FROM – De. Desde. Indica o objeto do qual alguma coisa é separada, removida, defendida etc.

Emprega-se com várias outras preposições. Procedência.

e.g.: - He is from Germany.
Rain comes from the sky.
Do never judge from appearances.
Defend us from all danger.
He retired from the party very early.
Brazil is separated from Portugal by the language.
They are so alike that I cannot distinguish one from another.
A familiar voice was heard from outside the door.
She stepped out from behind the curtain.

IN - Em. Dentro de. Indica interioridade. Refere-se também a grandes localidades. Continentes, Países, Estados, Cidades, Bairros, Meses, Ano. Um Período de Tempo qualquer.

e.g.: - They are in the classroom.
In Australia.
We live in Brazil.
In Pernambuco.
In Recife.
In Boa Viagem.
I usually go to Rio in July.
In 1963.
In the morning.
In the Afternoon.
In Summer.

The most sexy dance of all cinema

One of the sultriest, sexiest moments in the movies: Kim Novak (Marge) and William Holden (Hal) dancing to "Moonglow" in the film "Picnic" (1955). In the first few frames, you see a young Susan Strasberg the daughter of well-known drama teacher Lee Strasberg. William Holden was 37 years old and wary of playing Hal. Kim Novak was about half his age. Curiosity: He had to shave his chest for the shirtless shots and was reportedly nervous about his dancing for the "Moonglow" scene. I wouldn't care as long as I had Miss Novak in my arms. HC.

The Necklace - Final

Guy de Maupassant

He stood up, bewildered.

"What!--how? Impossible!"

They looked among the folds of her skirt, of her cloak, in her pockets, everywhere, but did not find it.

"You're sure you had it on when you left the ball?" he asked.

"Yes, I felt it in the vestibule of the minister's house."

"But if you had lost it in the street we should have heard it fall. It must be in the cab."

"Yes, probably. Did you take his number?"

"No. And you--didn't you notice it?"

"No."

They looked, thunderstruck, at each other. At last Loisel put on his clothes.

"I shall go back on foot," said he, "over the whole route, to see whether I can find it."

He went out. She sat waiting on a chair in her ball dress, without strength to go to bed, overwhelmed, without any fire, without a thought.

Her husband returned about seven o'clock. He had found nothing.

He went to police headquarters, to the newspaper offices to offer a reward; he went to the cab companies--everywhere, in fact, whither he was urged by the least spark of hope.

She waited all day, in the same condition of mad fear before this terrible calamity.

Loisel returned at night with a hollow, pale face. He had discovered nothing.

"You must write to your friend," said he, "that you have broken the clasp of her necklace and that you are having it mended. That will give us time to turn round."

She wrote at his dictation.

At the end of a week they had lost all hope. Loisel, who had aged five years, declared:

"We must consider how to replace that ornament."

The next day they took the box that had contained it and went to the jeweler whose name was found within. He consulted his books.

"It was not I, madame, who sold that necklace; I must simply have furnished the case."

Then they went from jeweler to jeweler, searching for a necklace like the other, trying to recall it, both sick with chagrin and grief.

They found, in a shop at the Palais Royal, a string of diamonds that seemed to them exactly like the one they had lost. It was worth forty thousand francs. They could have it for thirty-six.

So they begged the jeweler not to sell it for three days yet. And they made a bargain that he should buy it back for thirty-four thousand francs, in case they should find the lost necklace before the end of February.

Loisel possessed eighteen thousand francs which his father had left him. He would borrow the rest.

He did borrow, asking a thousand francs of one, five hundred of another, five louis here, three louis there. He gave notes, took up ruinous obligations, dealt with usurers and all the race of lenders. He compromised all the rest of his life, risked signing a note without even knowing whether he could meet it; and, frightened by the trouble yet to come, by the black misery that was about to fall upon him, by the prospect of all the physical privations and moral tortures that he was to suffer, he went to get the new necklace, laying upon the jeweler's counter thirty-six thousand francs.

When Madame Loisel took back the necklace Madame Forestier said to her with a chilly manner:

"You should have returned it sooner; I might have needed it."

She did not open the case, as her friend had so much feared. If she had detected the substitution, what would she have thought, what would she have said? Would she not have taken Madame Loisel for a thief?

Thereafter Madame Loisel knew the horrible existence of the needy. She bore her part, however, with sudden heroism. That dreadful debt must be paid. She would pay it. They dismissed their servant; they changed their lodgings; they rented a garret under the roof.

She came to know what heavy housework meant and the odious cares of the kitchen. She washed the dishes, using her dainty fingers and rosy nails on greasy pots and pans. She washed the soiled linen, the shirts and the dishcloths, which she dried upon a line; she carried the slops down to the street every morning and carried up the water, stopping for breath at every landing. And dressed like a woman of the people, she went to the fruiterer, the grocer, the butcher, a basket on her arm, bargaining, meeting with impertinence, defending her miserable money, sou by sou.

Every month they had to meet some notes, renew others, obtain more time.

Her husband worked evenings, making up a tradesman's accounts, and late at night he often copied manuscript for five sous a page.

This life lasted ten years.

At the end of ten years they had paid everything, everything, with the rates of usury and the accumulations of the compound interest.

Madame Loisel looked old now. She had become the woman of impoverished households--strong and hard and rough. With frowsy hair, skirts askew and red hands, she talked loud while washing the floor with great swishes of water. But sometimes, when her husband was at the office, she sat down near the window and she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so admired.

What would have happened if she had not lost that necklace? Who knows? who knows? How strange and changeful is life! How small a thing is needed to make or ruin us!

But one Sunday, having gone to take a walk in the Champs Elysees to refresh herself after the labors of the week, she suddenly perceived a woman who was leading a child. It was Madame Forestier, still young, still beautiful, still charming.

Madame Loisel felt moved. Should she speak to her? Yes, certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all about it. Why not?

She went up.

"Good-day, Jeanne."

The other, astonished to be familiarly addressed by this plain good-wife, did not recognize her at all and stammered:

"But--madame!--I do not know---- You must have mistaken."

"No. I am Mathilde Loisel."

Her friend uttered a cry.

"Oh, my poor Mathilde! How you are changed!"

"Yes, I have had a pretty hard life, since I last saw you, and great poverty--and that because of you!"

"Of me! How so?"

"Do you remember that diamond necklace you lent me to wear at the ministerial ball?"

"Yes. Well?"

"Well, I lost it."

"What do you mean? You brought it back."

"I brought you back another exactly like it. And it has taken us ten years to pay for it. You can understand that it was not easy for us, for us who had nothing. At last it is ended, and I am very glad."

Madame Forestier had stopped.

"You say that you bought a necklace of diamonds to replace mine?"

"Yes. You never noticed it, then! They were very similar."

And she smiled with a joy that was at once proud and ingenuous.

Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her hands.

"Oh, my poor Mathilde! Why, my necklace was false! It was not worth more than five hundred francs at the most!"

The 15 Greatest Drinking Quotes

These aren’t in any particular order but it’s easy to see with four entries in the list the W.C. Fields is by far the best boozer that has lived.

“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love thine enemy.”
–Frank Sinatra

“Back in my rummy days, I would tremble and shake for hours upon arising. It was the only exercise I got.”
–W. C. Fields

“Here’s to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.” –Homer Simpson

“You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.” –Dean Martin

“There can’t be good living where there is not good drinking.”
–Benjamin Franklin

“I don’t care how liberated this world becomes – a man will always be judged by the amount of alcohol he can consume – and a woman will be impressed, whether she likes it or not.” –Doug Coughlin

“I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast.”
–W. C. Fields

“My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them.” –Winston Churchill

“Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel shamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, “It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.” –Jack Handy

“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake.” –W. C. Fields

“It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I never had the courtesy to thank her for it.” –W. C. Fields

“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. They wake up in the morning and that’s the best they are going to feel all day.” –Frank Sinatra

“You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline… it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.” –Frank Zappa

“The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” –Humphrey Bogart

“It takes only one drink to get me drunk. The trouble is, I can’t remember if it’s the thirteenth or the fourteenth.” –
George Burns

The Man Who Never Was

The Man Who Never Was is a nonfiction 1954 book by Ewen Montagu and a 1956 World War II war film, based on the book and dramatizing actual events. It is about Operation 'Mincemeat', a 1943 British Intelligence plan to deceive the Axis powers into thinking Operation 'Husky', the Allied invasion of Sicily, would take place elsewhere.

The film was directed by Ronald Neame and starred Clifton Webb as Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu, Gloria Grahame as Lucy Sherwood, Robert Flemyng as Lt. George Acres, Josephine Griffin as Pam, Stephen Boyd as Patrick O'Reilly, Laurence Naismith as Adml. Cross, Geoffrey Keen as Gen. Nye, André Morell as Sir Bernard Spilsbury, Michael Hordern as Gen. Coburn and William Squire as submarine commander Bill Jewell.

It was entered into the 1956 Cannes Film Festival

Operation 'Mincemeat' involved the acquisition of a human cadaver, dressing it as a 'Major William Martin, R.M.' and putting it into the sea near Huelva, Spain. Attached to the corpse was a brief-case containing fake letters suggesting that the Allied attack would be against Sardinia and Greece. When the body was found, the Spanish Intelligence Service passed the papers to the German Intelligence Service which passed them on to their High Command. The ruse was so successful that the Germans still believed that Sardinia and Greece were the intended objectives, weeks after the landings in Sicily had begun.


Dialog between Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu and "Major William Martin's" father...:

- I can assure you that this is an opportunity for your son to do a great thing for England.

- The Father: My son, sir, was a Scotsman. Very proud of it.

- Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: Oh, I beg your pardon.

- The Father: Never mind. We're used to that. You English always talk about England when you mean Britain.

Laughter's the Best Medicine

Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson go camping. Assemble the tent and, after a good meal and a bottle of wine, throw it to sleep.

Some hours later, Holmes wakes his faithful friend and nudge:

- My dear Watson, look up and tell me what you see.

Watson answered:

- I see thousands and thousands of stars.

Holmes then asked:

- And what that means?

Watson ponders for a minute, then lists:

1. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and we are small and insignificant.

2. Astronomically, it means that there are thousands and thousands of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

3. Time, which is approximately, I deduce 03h15min the height where the Polar Star.

4. Weather, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day.

Holmes is a minute in silence and balanced:

- Watson, you idiot! It means that somebody stole our tent!

The Necklace Part 3

Guy de Maupassant

...continuation

She saw first some bracelets, then a pearl necklace, then a Venetian gold cross set with precious stones, of admirable workmanship. She tried on the ornaments before the mirror, hesitated and could not make up her mind to part with them, to give them back. She kept asking:

"Haven't you any more?"

"Why, yes. Look further; I don't know what you like."

Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb diamond necklace, and her heart throbbed with an immoderate desire. Her hands trembled as she took it. She fastened it round her throat, outside her high-necked waist, and was lost in ecstasy at her reflection in the mirror.

Then she asked, hesitating, filled with anxious doubt:

"Will you lend me this, only this?"

"Why, yes, certainly."

She threw her arms round her friend's neck, kissed her passionately, then fled with her treasure.

The night of the ball arrived. Madame Loisel was a great success. She was prettier than any other woman present, elegant, graceful, smiling and wild with joy. All the men looked at her, asked her name, sought to be introduced. All the attaches of the Cabinet wished to waltz with her. She was remarked by the minister himself.

She danced with rapture, with passion, intoxicated by pleasure, forgetting all in the triumph of her beauty, in the glory of her success, in a sort of cloud of happiness comprised of all this homage, admiration, these awakened desires and of that sense of triumph which is so sweet to woman's heart.

She left the ball about four o'clock in the morning. Her husband had been sleeping since midnight in a little deserted anteroom with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying the ball.

He threw over her shoulders the wraps he had brought, the modest wraps of common life, the poverty of which contrasted with the elegance of the ball dress. She felt this and wished to escape so as not to be remarked by the other women, who were enveloping themselves in costly furs.

Loisel held her back, saying: "Wait a bit. You will catch cold outside. I will call a cab."

But she did not listen to him and rapidly descended the stairs. When they reached the street they could not find a carriage and began to look for one, shouting after the cabmen passing at a distance.

They went toward the Seine in despair, shivering with cold. At last they found on the quay one of those ancient night cabs which, as though they were ashamed to show their shabbiness during the day, are never seen round Paris until after dark.

It took them to their dwelling in the Rue des Martyrs, and sadly they mounted the stairs to their flat. All was ended for her. As to him, he reflected that he must be at the ministry at ten o'clock that morning.

She removed her wraps before the glass so as to see herself once more in all her glory. But suddenly she uttered a cry. She no longer had the necklace around her neck!

"What is the matter with you?" demanded her husband, already half undressed.

She turned distractedly toward him.

"I have--I have--I've lost Madame Forestier's necklace," she cried.

To be continued...

The Necklace - Part 2

Guy de Maupassant

...continuation

Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation on the table crossly, muttering:

"What do you wish me to do with that?"

"Why, my dear, I thought you would be glad. You never go out, and this is such a fine opportunity. I had great trouble to get it. Every one wants to go; it is very select, and they are not giving many invitations to clerks. The whole official world will be there."

She looked at him with an irritated glance and said impatiently:

"And what do you wish me to put on my back?"

He had not thought of that. He stammered:

"Why, the gown you go to the theatre in. It looks very well to me."

He stopped, distracted, seeing that his wife was weeping. Two great tears ran slowly from the corners of her eyes toward the corners of her mouth.

"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he answered.

By a violent effort she conquered her grief and replied in a calm voice, while she wiped her wet cheeks:

"Nothing. Only I have no gown, and, therefore, I can't go to this ball. Give your card to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I am."

He was in despair. He resumed:

"Come, let us see, Mathilde. How much would it cost, a suitable gown, which you could use on other occasions--something very simple?"

She reflected several seconds, making her calculations and wondering also what sum she could ask without drawing on herself an immediate refusal and a frightened exclamation from the economical clerk.

Finally she replied hesitating:

"I don't know exactly, but I think I could manage it with four hundred francs."

He grew a little pale, because he was laying aside just that amount to buy a gun and treat himself to a little shooting next summer on the plain of Nanterre, with several friends who went to shoot larks there of a Sunday.

But he said:

"Very well. I will give you four hundred francs. And try to have a pretty gown."

The day of the ball drew near and Madame Loisel seemed sad, uneasy, anxious. Her frock was ready, however. Her husband said to her one evening:

"What is the matter? Come, you have seemed very queer these last three days."

And she answered:

"It annoys me not to have a single piece of jewelry, not a single ornament, nothing to put on. I shall look poverty-stricken. I would almost rather not go at all."

"You might wear natural flowers," said her husband. "They're very stylish at this time of year. For ten francs you can get two or three magnificent roses."

She was not convinced.

"No; there's nothing more humiliating than to look poor among other women who are rich."

"How stupid you are!" her husband cried. "Go look up your friend, Madame Forestier, and ask her to lend you some jewels. You're intimate enough with her to do that."

She uttered a cry of joy:

"True! I never thought of it."

The next day she went to her friend and told her of her distress.

Madame Forestier went to a wardrobe with a mirror, took out a large jewel box, brought it back, opened it and said to Madame Loisel:

"Choose, my dear."

...to be continued

Robert "Bobby" McFerrin

Robert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is a jazz and a cappella vocal performer, vocal improviser and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner. McFerrin was born in Manhattan, New York, the son of the late operatic baritone Robert McFerrin, and aspiring singer Sarah Cooper. Robert, Sr. was the first African American to be a regular with New York's Metropolitan Opera. Everytime I see this performance my faith in humanity is renewed. See, comment and enjoy. H.C.

Quote of The Day

After the war, two paths appeared before me: end my life as a politician, or finish it as an alcoholic. I thank God that so well guided my choice: I'm no longer a politician!
Winston Churchill

"Islam on Capitol Hill"

The Guardian - September 7 - 2009

On September 25th there will be a national prayer gathering of Muslims on the west front of the U.S. Capitol Building. They are expecting at least 50,000 to attend from mosques all across America. They say that they want America to see how they pray!

A permit for this gathering was issued by Capitol Hill Police on July 28th. They will gather to pray from 4:00 AM until 7:00 PM.

The gathering will take place by the site where U.S. Presidents have been inaugurated since 1981. The organizers say that it was Obama's inauguration speech in January and his speech broadcast from Egypt in June that gave them the idea for this prayer gathering on Capitol Hill.

They have a website set up for this event. To view it go to: islamoncapitolhill.com. The site features a logo with a red, white and blue hand shaking a light brown hand with the words to the preamble to the Constitution and a page of Arabic text in the background.

It is not yet known who will lead their main prayer service at 1:00 PM nor is it yet known who will preach the sermon. However, they have been working dilgently to raise money to televise the event.

As I received this news, said one of the leaders, the Lord immediately brought back to mind the words that He spoke to me quite some time ago saying, "I have strengthened Russia and China to come against America and Islam shall rise up from within America because the last three administrations have given Islam a seat of authority here in America."

He has had me share this whereever He sent me to speak and no one really wanted to hear it. Nevertheless, it is here! It is happening! Russia and China have been testing America, and Islam is arising!

These nations are but rods of judgment in the hands of Almighty God against our nation because we have turned our back on Him, His will, and His ways. Our nation has been given over to a false god with a false prophet at the helm. Dear Lord, in wrath remember mercy!

If ever we needed to be crying out for mercy for America , it is now! We must stand strong and speak Truth whereever we are and at every given opportunity. We cannot be intimidated by the enemies of our God. Let us share the true Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah at every given opportunity. When the Great commission was given it was given to all of us, in America not just some of us. May there be multitudes come in to the Kingdom of God while there is yet time.

The Necklace

All right, everybody:
Culture never hurt anyone. From today on we shall begin a series of short stories which I believe will be of great success. The very first one is a story by Guy de Maupassant, 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893 a popular 19th-century French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short stories. Maupassant's stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient, effortless dénouement. Many of the stories are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s and several describe the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught in the conflict, emerge changed.
Have a nice reading. H.C.

Guy de Maupassant

Mathilde was one of those pretty and charming young creatures who sometimes are born, as if by a slip of fate, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no way of being known, understood, loved, married by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself be married to a little clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction.

She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher station; since with women there is neither caste nor rank, for beauty, grace and charm take the place of family and birth. Natural ingenuity, instinct for what is elegant, a supple mind are their sole hierarchy, and often make of women of the people the equals of the very greatest ladies.

Mathilde suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born to enjoy all delicacies and all luxuries. She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby chairs, the ugliness of the curtains. All those things, of which another woman of her rank would never even have been conscious, tortured her and made her angry. The sight of the little Breton peasant who did her humble housework aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering dreams. She thought of silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, illumined by tall bronze candelabra, and of two great footmen in knee breeches who sleep in the big armchairs, made drowsy by the oppressive heat of the stove. She thought of long reception halls hung with ancient silk, of the dainty cabinets containing priceless curiosities and of the little coquettish perfumed reception rooms made for chatting at five o'clock with intimate friends, with men famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all desire.

When she sat down to dinner, before the round table covered with a tablecloth in use three days, opposite her husband, who uncovered the soup tureen and declared with a delighted air, "Ah, the good soup! I don't know anything better than that," she would dream of rare and delicious food, delightful dinner parties, heavy silver shining softly in the lamplight against snow-white linen, and admiring words whispered in her ear by the handsome man sitting beside her.

She had no gowns, no jewels, nothing. And she loved nothing but that. She felt made for that. She would have liked so much to please, to be envied, to be charming, to be sought after.

She had a friend, a former schoolmate at the convent, who was rich, and whom she did not like to go to see any more because she felt so sad when she came home.

But one evening her husband reached home with a triumphant air and holding a large envelope in his hand.

"There," said he, "there is something for you."
She tore the paper quickly and drew out a printed card which bore these words:

The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame Georges Ramponneau request the honor of M. and Madame Loisel's company at the palace of the Ministry on Monday evening, January 18th.

...to be continued...

Note: How would you like to find the equivalent for the expressions in boldface?

Solving-Rubicks-Puzzle

Marketing Bloopers

Cracking an international market is a goal of most growing corporations. It shouldn't be that hard, yet even the big multi-nationals run into trouble because of language and cultural differences. For example, observe the following examples below.

The name Coca-Cola in China was first rendered as Ke-kou-ke-la. Unfortunately, the Coke company did not discover until after thousands of signs had been printed that the phrase means, "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax" depending on the dialect. Coke then researched 40,000 Chinese characters and found a close phonetic equivalent, "ko-kou-ko-le," which can be loosely translated as "happiness in the mouth."

In Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out, as "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead."

Also in Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan "finger-licking' good" came out as "eat your fingers off."

The American slogan for Salem cigarettes, "Salem - Feeling Free," got translated in the Japanese market into "When smoking Salem, you feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty."

When General Motors introduced the Chevy Nova in South America, it was apparently unaware that "no va" means "it won't go." After the company figured out why it wasn't selling any cars, it renamed the car in its Spanish markets to the Caribe.

An American t-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of the desired "I Saw the Pope" in Spanish, the shirts proclaimed "I Saw the Potato."

Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno magazine.

In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into Schweppes Toilet Water.

Remarks: Blooper - an embarrassing error.