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WITandWISDOM(tm) - April 30, 2002 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness." - Han Suyin Source: Weekend Encounter, by Dick Innes, Copyright 2001, http://www.actsweb.org/subscribe.htm Subjects: Gentleness, Strength ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: P.T. Barnum, founder of one of America's most popular early circuses, succeeded in spite of many failures and setbacks throughout his life. Barnum left school at the age of eight to help out in his father's store. When Barnum's father died a few years later, the boy took over the store and opened a number of other businesses. By age 20, the young man had made quite a success of his enterprises. But in his 50s, Barnum entered into a business deal with a swindler who ran off with all their money, leaving Barnum $500,000 in debt. He spent ten years laboring to pay back his creditors. Then, all of Barnum's business enterprises failed. Rather than give up, he decided to open a museum of oddities. When the museum burned down, leaving Barnum in debt again, he started a traveling circus show. Soon, Barnum's circus was famous throughout the nation. As told by inspirational speaker King Duncan http://www.goodstories.com Source: Weekend Encounter, by Dick Innes, Copyright 2002, http://www.actsweb.org/subscribe.htm Subjects: Failure, Perseverance ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: KIDDIE INFORMATION The beguiling ideas about science quoted here were gleaned from essays, exams, and classroom discussions. Most were from 5th and 6th graders. QUESTION: What is one horsepower? ANSWER: One horsepower is the amount of energy it takes to drag a horse 500 feet in one second. Talc is found on rocks and on babies. The law of gravity says no fair jumping up without coming back down. When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions. When people run around and around in circles we say they are crazy. When planets do it we say they are orbiting. Rainbows are just to look at, not to really understand. Someday we may discover how to make magnets that can point in any direction. South America has cold summers and hot winters, but somehow they still manage. Most books now say our sun is a star. But it still knows how to change back into a sun in the daytime. Water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. There are 180 degrees between freezing and boiling because there are 180 degrees between north and south. Source: "Funny Pages Mailing List" Subjects: Science, Tests, School ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: A honeymooning couple was passing through Louisiana. When they were approaching Lafayette, they started arguing about the pronunciation of the town. They argued back and forth until they got to the town, where they decided to stop for lunch. As they stood at the counter, the man said, "Before we order, could you please settle an argument for us. Would you very slowly pronounce where we are". The guy behind the corner leaned over and said, "Burrrrrrrr gerrrrrrr Kiiiiing" Source: "Just 4 Laughs!" e-mail list Subjects: Language, Words ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: So they say . . . TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. Submitted by Dave Parker Subjects: Words |