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WITandWISDOM(tm) - February 4, 2000 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "Surmounting difficulty is the crucible that forms character." - Anthony Robbins (E-zine: INSPIRATION A DAY! Mailto:inspiration_a_day-subscribe@listbot.com) ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Once while riding on a train, the beloved American poet James Whitcomb Riley broke a minor company rule and was severely reprimanded by the conductor. "Aren't you going to answer him back?" Inquired Riley's traveling companion. "At least you'll report him to the company, won't you?" "No," Riley replied. "As for as I'm concerned, the matter is settled. If that unpleasant individual can stand himself all his life, I guess I can put up with him for a few minutes." - Bits & Pieces, May 27, 1993 (Magazine: BITS & PIECES http://www.epinc.com/ ) ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Feeling Old? Just in case you weren't feeling too old today, this will certainly change things. Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to try to give the faculty a sense of the mind set of that year's incoming freshmen. Here is the list for people starting college who were born in 1980. They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan Era and probably did not know he had ever been shot. They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged. Black Monday 1987 is as significant to them as the Great Depression. There has been only one Pope. They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold War. They have never feared a nuclear war. They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up. Tianamen Square means nothing to them. Their lifetime has always included AIDS. Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums. The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. They have never owned a record player. They have likely never played Pac Man and have never heard of Pong. They may have never heard of an 8 track. The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old. As far as they know, stamps have always cost about 32 cents. They have always had an answering machine. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black-and-white TV. They have always had cable. There has always been VCR's, but they have no idea what BETA is. They cannot fathom not having a remote control. They were born the year that Walkmen were introduced by Sony. Roller-skating has always meant inline for them. Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show. They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool. Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. They have never seen Larry Bird play. They never took a swim and thought about Jaws. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI, WWII and the Civil War. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. They never heard: "Where's the beef?", or "de plane, de plane! They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. is. The Titanic was found? They thought we always knew where it was. Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not groups. McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers. There has always been MTV. They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter. Do you feel old yet? Pass this on to other old codger!! (E-zine: SERMON FODDER Mailto:Sermon_Fodder-subscribe@onelist.com) ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: A man joined the priesthood. The order he joined could not speak for seven years. Then they could only say two words. The first seven years passed and they went into a small room. His two word were "too cold". The next seven years passed and they took him back into the small room and his two words were "bad food". The next seven years passed they took him back into the small room and his two words were "I quit". Good they said, "all you have done is complain." (E-zine: CLEAN LAUGH Mailto:cleanlaugh- subscribe@egroups.com ) ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A RIPE CANTALOUPE? . . . Look for a "full slip" where the melon has come cleanly, naturally off the vine. And look for lots of webbing or netting on the melon. The netting signifies the sugar content. The higher the netting, the sweeter the melon. And don't be put off by a bit of green on the rind, since some varieties ripen with a slightly green cast. - Stephen Patricio. President of Westside Produce in Firebaugh, California in the Central Valley - http://www.californiaheartland.org/archive/hl_318/cantalope.htm Select melons that are slightly oval and golden under the netting. Sniff the stem end to find melons with a distinct aroma, and look for tiny cracks at the stem end. Both indicate ripeness. - by Beverly Bundy, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram - http://www.freepress.com/fun/food/qjudge10.htm |