Re: Off topic for some...

Much nicer than the Rule of the Dominicans. "If they speak not freely and of themselves openly confess their heresy, a blow or two will soon loosen their tongue". The Dominicans were in charge of the Inquisition. Their only limit on tortures imposed was they could not kill the "heretic" nor could they amputate any loose parts during "questioning". After "trial" and "conviction" these strictures were removed. Thousands, nay Millions, died at the hands of "Pious Men".

--

Don Thompson

There is nothing more frightening than active ignorance.
~Goethe

It is a worthy thing to fight for one's freedom;
it is another sight finer to fight for another man's.
~Mark Twain


<hhc314@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:1156211411.181341.120760@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tom, what has been said in the past is to me a non-issue. Need I say
more?

I'm personally not very familiar with the Rule of Benedict, but I will
research it.

Other than Masonic priciples, the rule that I try to live my life
under, and something that I have carried in my wallet for the past 50
years or so is this (even though I'm not myself Catholic).

I believe some old guy named Francis who loved animals penned these
words, which to many of us serve as inspiration on how to live our
lives... :-)

Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, Joy.

O Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Perhaps on reading these words, someone else will be driven to printing
them out and carrying them around in their wallet for still another 50
years, just as a reminder about what life is all about. Realize that it
is not in my character to often share things like this, but I believe
that the above is worth sharing with others.

Next post....back to fireworks.

Harry C.





fargowest@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Harry,

I'm confident that one of these days you'll forgive me and my allegedly
PC sins. Truth is though Harry, I'm not the least bit PC. I too grew up
in some of that ethnic rough and tumble you describe and understand all
the terms you've used ... including quite a few more.

But be honest Harry, some of that stuff was nasty. And some of it
deserves to be left behind???

Now, let's kiss (No tongue please!) and makeup and go forward. I've
checked and double-checked the Rule of Benedict and it's past time that
we moved onward. I'll not speak of Raytheon and you'll let poor old
Kodak rest where it lies. The basis of an agreement?

Besides, you're fooling no one: you're a big old teddy bear and you
know it. Curmudgeon my ass!

Offered your way, with a smile.

Tom C.



hhc314@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Great posts to read from both John and Fargow.
>
> I suppose that I am one of the few still alive that appreciate your
> (John and Fargow's) posts. I strongly suspect that readers under the
> age of 40 will have no clue as to what our world consisted about.
>
> I realize that some of my posts are offensive to Fargow, and maybe to
> you too John. Even at the age of 68, I remember how wonderful it was to
> live in the US during the 50s, before you had to watch out for the PC
> correctness of whatever you said and people then were far more focused
> on your message than on your grammar or spelling. Back in my home town
> we had niggers, coons, and kikes, but the difference in those days all
> of us poor guys hung together in one single gang of kids. Racial and
> ethic differences were invisible, unlike our PC enlightened world of
> today.
>
> We all spoke different languages, or the derivatives thereof, but
> communication was not a problem. Nor was ethnic based hate. Character
> mean't everything.
>
> My introducton to fireworks was from a emmigrant from Sicily, who spoke
> little English. Still, he he was an excelent tutor or mentor, since he
> both knew his stuff and was willing to share his knowledge. (His sons
> were more interested in selling used cars.)
>
> Zinc dust and sulfur rockets we learned from the pages of Scientifc
> American, still how to build a 3-break color and report shell, or
> pupatelle, I learned from Sal Scardone.
>
> Consequently, today I am far more impressed with the knowledge others
> are willing to impart to me, than their station in life and how they
> present themselves.
>
> Harry C.
>
>
>
>
> fargowest@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > John,
> >
> > Suggested as overlooked:
> >
> > Zinc and sulfur rockets, the Johnson Smith Company, Jetex rocket > > motors
> > and the endlessly inventive tales we told our chemistry teachers > > (about
> > Hydroponics) to extract just a few more ounces of potassium nitrate
> > from the lab.
> >
> > It's an "off-topic" topic that is, in fact, forever on-topic. In its
> > own way, your list describes the passing of an American culture that
> > once was ubiquitous ... and exhilarating.
> >
> > And today's culture?
> >
> > Sample an evening's worth of TV commercials: roughly half tout this
> > investment house or another with the remaining half pushing
> > prescription meds. With God proscribed, the former (money) will > > finally
> > be found to be of no value with no amount of the latter (drugs) being
> > found to be sufficient.
> >
> > Over my shoulder, "some" things were better then. Alas.
> >
> > Tom C.
> >
> > John Reilly wrote:
> > > Let's see of this works: I just got it in an e-mail and I thought > > > it
> > > sort of sums up the problems of the last 50 or so years.
> > >
> > > TO ALL THE KIDS
> > >
> > > WHO SURVIVED the
> > > 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !!
> > >
> > > First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank > > > while
> > > they were pregnant.
> > > They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and
> > > didn't get tested for diabetes.
> > >
> > > Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby
> > > cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
> > >
> > > We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets > > > and
> > > when we
> > > rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we > > > took
> > > hitchhiking
> > >
> > >
> > > As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, > > > booster
> > > seats, seat belts or air bags.
> > >
> > > Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special
> > > treat.
> > >
> > > We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
> > >
> > > We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and
> > >
> > > NO ONE actually died from this.
> > >
> > > We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank koolade made > > > wi
> > > th sugar, but we weren' t overweight because.........
> > >
> > > WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
> > >
> > > We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we > > > were
> > > back when the streetlights came on.
> > >
> > > No one was able to reach us all day, and we were O.K.
> > >
> > > We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then > > > ride
> > > down
> > > the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into > > > the
> > > bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
> > >
> > > We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games > > > at
> > > all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no
> > > surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers,
> > >
> > > no Internet or chat rooms.......
> > >
> > >
> > > WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
> > >
> > > We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were > > > no
> > > lawsuits from these accidents.
> > >
> > > We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not > > > live in
> > > us forever.
> > >
> > > We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays,
> > >
> > > Made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were > > > told
> > > it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
> > >
> > > We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door > > > or
> > > rang
> > > the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
> > >
> > > Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who
> > > didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
> > >
> > > The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard > > > of.
> > >
> > > < /FONT>
> > > They actually sided with the law!
> > >
> > > These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, > > > problem
> > > solvers and inventors ever!
> > >
> > > The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new > > > ideas.
> > >
> > > We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
> > >
> > > HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
> > >
> > > If YOU are one of them . . CONGRATULATIONS!
> > >
> > > You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to > > > grow
> > > up as kids,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our > > > lives
> > > "for our own good"
> > >
> > > And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know > > > how
> > > brave and lucky their parents were.
> > >
> > > The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:
> > >
> > > "With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, > > > flooding,
> > > severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to > > > another,
> > > and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks,"Are we sure > > > this
> > > is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"
> > >
> > > For those that prefer to think that God is not watching over > > > us....go
> > > ahead and delete this.
> > > For the rest of us.....pass this on.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > John


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